Flaubert: 'The purpose of Travel is to show you how small we all are.' It was a measure of just how high these mountains are, that the cirque was still in shadow at noon. The Grande Cascade shown above is the highest waterfall in Europe. Above them: jagged l'Epaule (3073m). The Lacoste family have re-opened their traditional hotel seen on the left and it's back patio was a great place for a restorative cocoa at 1580m. The hotel transfer van was the only authorized road vehicle.