Druges - Col de Saint-Marcel

The Val St. Marcel is a highly mysterious place, full of surprises, and right from the start in Les Druges it bears the signs of a long history of intense mining activity: piles of rubble half-hidden by the triumphant wood, waste-heaps still rich in minerals and small lively-coloured torrents with ochre-coloured pebbles and turquoise in the water. The mining site recently restored is visible from the road and guided tours are organized for visits. The rest of the valley as you go higher is a reserve and private property: it is not forbidden to walk through but you are expected to act as a guest. As you go past the lake you reach the vast and impressive head of the valley with the large Chalet della Chaux which makes us dream of times-gone-by. The plantlife is certainly splendid and capable of holding its own and includes the delicate Linnea Borealis in the wood and the rare Eritrichium nanum in the hills.