View of Sallent from the south with Pena Foratata looming above.

We are now back home after a long trip through France. We spent a couple of days in the Pyrenees crossing the Portalet Pass. The road follows the Valle de Tena and goes near Biescas and Sallent de Gallego before descending to Laruns (Vallee d'Ossau) in France. Before this we had travelled north to Valencia and then to Zaragosa, mostly on motorways. We saw several Golden Eagles in the Pyrenees and one at quite close quarters at the lovely campsite near Biescas. Here the weather continued sunny and warm and it wasn't until we left Laruns that we met colder and wet weather.

The village of Sallent caught in the morning sunshine with the border ridge behind and the Aguas Limpias in the foreground.

In Sallent we had coffee and bought some cheeses in the local market. A hard goats cheese that we bought was very strong, probably the strongest I have ever tasted. Little had  changed in Sallent since my first visit in 2004 and it was interesting to approach it from the south and see the lake that you don't get a view of on the GR11.

Finally I couldn't resist a picture of the Pic du Midi taken from the Portalet Pass (where they were sking nearby, about 17th March)). I hadn't managed to spot this when walking to Sallent as the top was obscured by clouds or it was raining, so it was good to see it with a clear sky behind.
We went on to Laruns and stayed in the Aires; I managed to find a Gourd (or Bota) to carry my wine and it was made in Spain, in Murcia, so I have been reading Belloc's description of how to drink from it; much practise is needed!!