Tourists gathering next the falls in Banff, scattered & mysterious crowd at the end of the day

The waterfalls are an amazing natural site in Banff, with the peaceful impact of water, turbulent water & almost still water in the lake. Consequently, as most amazing sites in North America, access to tourists are made easy, extremely easy: a wide parking lot is full of Japanese buses on their way to Lake Louise.

The effect is rather striking when you reach the place via the small path along the river itself, with the shade of tall trees. Yes, the path itself is not wild at all but clean, perfectly & modernly set; open to any type of people; but hard to expect discovering such a wide parking lot just next to the amazing falls!

Groups of people are hanging around, walking gently, most of taking pictures of the falls, as close as possible. Kids are running, boys put their hand in the water to probe its coldness. Large agglomerates of people in the middle of the wild mountains.

Still, the place keeps its quite peace if you reach the place at the end of the day, if you walk along the lake banks to get a bit further from the foam of turbulent waters. The falls are still visible, in the background, the crowd is now made of scattered couples with a slow pace, dark shadows when seen from a distance. A bit of mystery among the murmuring people, barely understandable, whose details remain almost hidden, another kind of peaceful spell in the mountain.

June, 25th, 2010 - Waterfalls - Banff, Alberta

Peaceful flow of waterfalls in Banff

Five hundred meters, maybe a bit more, walk along the river from downtown and you'll reach waterfalls. Not huge waterfalls like Niagara Falls, still a high step creating white foam and large water music. The scenery is sweet, fresh and pretty, with two slopes on each side of the river valley, and a wide lake before the river keeps going downstream.

Round rocks along the bank, snowy summits in the background. Peaceful walk, peaceful steps.

June, 25th, 2010 - Waterfalls - Banff, Alberta

The Banff Centre, metling pot for creativity and concrete in the core of the mountain

You'll find it slightly remote from downtown, which is somewhat amazing for French-speakers: centre is the name for downtown... Banff Centre, off from Banff core. But this centre is rather a monastery, a centre for work & retreat & concentration; a monastery of the modern age.

"What I have achieved here, I would have never achieved it anywhere else"

Faith speech? Not too far, panels display the good words of great minds & artists of our troubled times, preaching the power of this haven. Human sciences & contemporary management wisdom repeat this idea again and again over the walls & flags, here is an efficient place, the ultimate conference centre, one of the place where the western can still hope to revitalise its old strength, his fading genius.

In the middle of the mountains, the green slopes & the white summits, pine tree & flowers! How could it fail to provide the magic potion for creativity, creativity, innovation! The unpredictable wealth of the new millennium can be dug here, come here, come her!

Behind the tree and the thin wildlife, the new Venezia of the XXIst century is still under construction. Concrete bags are coughing, lying on their sides. Automatic lifter remain quiet under their dusty rusty gown. Forbidden entrance! Pedestrians must go this way if they want to discover the wonderful site - the amazing construction site in the middle of widlife, at the centre of the natural park.

Unfinished uncut beams maintain their balance in front of large peaks under the blue sky, next to dirty Porsche & rows of tall, tall, tall trees. I could & should have stayed longer in the crazy place, my appetite for pictures & texts triggered, sparkled. Definitely a catalyst for creativity.

June 20th, 2010 - The Banff Centre - Banff, Alberta

Lazy golfcourse South to Tunnel Mountain

South to Tunnel Mountain, wide valley with quite river, flowing gently after waterfalls. A green golf course lays down yawning, down to the vertical cliff of a tall rocky pick. Far, far in the background, white summits in the haze, hiding behind slightly transparent blinds of scattering.

June, 20th, 2010 - Tunnel Mountain - Banff, Alberta

Views on Banff (North to Tunnel Mountaint)

North to Tunnel Mountain, views on Banff's downtown, the valley, river, snowy mountains in the background...

June, 20th, 2010 - Tunnel Mountain - Banff, Alberta

Monter au somme du Mont Tunnel par un chemin balisé

De Banff, tout un éventail de pistes et randonnées offertes au vacancier et au sportif, au promeneur, aux familles. Le choix ne manque pas. Mais je n'ai pas envie d'immenses départs pour la journée, je ne suis là que pour deux jours à peine : promenade détente, sans prise de tête.

Alors j'avise le chemin escaladant Tunnel Mountain, promettant une vue magnifique, mais partant directement de la ville pour une boucle pas trop longue. 2 km de montée pour 300 m de dénivelé, rien d'insurmontable, d'autant que la piste est bien balisée et tracée, offrant barrières et panneaux d'informations. Allons-y !

Montée en début de matinée un dimanche, pas trop chaud encore, quelques personnes croisées. La vue est lointaine et lumineuse, belle, sommets & neige & vertes vallées irriguées. Les pentes sont jolies, tentantes pour les photos, capter le premier plan et toute la profondeur de champs.

Bol d'air et de lumière !

Redescente patiente pour le déjeuner, il faut tout de même profiter des vacances sans dépasser ses limites. Les familles escaladent le sentier en groupe fourni, jeunes enfants trottinant à côté de parents aux bébés sur le ventre. Sentier populaire et ouverts à tous, au plus grand public.

June 20th, 2010 - Tunnel Mountain - Banff, Alberta

Un critérium cycliste à Banff

Samedi 19 juin, arrivée à Banff dans l'après-midi, pour trouver le centre-ville en grande partie fermé à la circulation. Epreuve finale de la Bike Fest, une sorte de critérium en ville !

La course est précédée d'une épreuve "grand publique", où les cyclistes du dimanche rivalisent d'imagination dans leur déguisements, à la façon des marathons de New York ou Londres. Ambiance bonne enfant, les spectateurs battent des mains, content du spectacle, et soulagé que la pluie ait fini par s'arrêter.

Mais la course senior offre une démonstration plus poussée de la pratique cycliste. Certes, on reste loin du professionnalisme du Tour de France, mais l'allure est soutenue, le peloton investi, le parcours un peu technique au niveau d'un demi-tour en épingle à cheveux, générant une ou deux chutes. Les images sont belles, le ciel s'est définitivement éclairé ; les coureurs pédalent intensivement entre les chalets, aux pieds des sommets enneigés, soutenus par les applaudissements et les cloches d'avertissements des officiels.

19/06/2010 - Bike Fest - Banff, Alberta