France 4: Col du Grand Columbier

Col du Grand Colombier is an astonishing mountain pass in the Jura Mountains. At an elevation of 1501m it is one of the highest passes in the Jura.

Swallowtail Butterfly

Male Chalkhill Blue

Northern Wall Brown, Lasiommata petropolitana

Scarce Copper, Lycaena virgaureae

A female Chalkhill Blue

Weaver's Fritillary, Clossiana dia

A Brimstone Butterfly

The Rhone

The Jura Mountains with a distant Mont Blanc

View towards the Alps with Lac du Bourget on the right.

Mont Blanc.

View to the south towards Savoie.

View to, the south of the road that winds up the pass through sense woodland

The mountain meadows at the top of the pass was full of flowers.

Field Gentian, Gentianella campestris

Carthusian Pink, Dianthus carthusianorum

Scheuchzer's Bluebell, Campanula scheuchzeri

Devil's-bit Scabious, Succisa pratensis

Carthusian Pink, Dianthus carthusianorum 

Field Gentian, Gentianella campestris

Round-headed Rampion, Phyteuma orbiculare

Imperforate St. John's Wort, Hypericum maculatum

Red Clover, Trifolium pratense

Stem less Thistle, Carlina acualis 

Alpine Thistle, Carduus delforatus

Self-heal, Prunella vulgaris 

Alpine Lovage, Ligusticum mutellina

Dwarf Thistle, Cirsium acuale 

Alpine Autumn Crocus, Colchium alpinun

Some of these cows wore bells, which could constantly be heard in the meadows.

Record shots:

Alpine Swifts. A lifetime first.

Common Kestrel

Lesser Spotted Eagle, another lifetime first.

A truly enormous House Spider, that had just been 'relocated' from the kitchen. It was well over 15cm long. 

The view across the valley from Assin early in the morning, with sun striking the mountains to the south.