- silence

- .

- They left very early this morning from Collongues

- and they crossed Saint Raphael’s pass.

- By the end of the day, Robert Rondelli and his 1, 200 just came out of the forest and crossed the Var region, in Touet.

- The 6th stage of an 8 day-long journey. Robert Rondelli is going on these roads and paths for the 35th time. They lead at the bottom of Mounier Mount, 1, 800 meter-high.

- This is quite a bruising Monday.

- 25 km out of the 140 that must be crossed, in particular for the cattle, sometimes wounded on their legs.

- The animals get tired faster than us.

- With the heat, they get tired much faster.

- But they know we are going to the mountains!

- A stop of the banks of the Cians River, unusually quiet at this time of the year.

- Before setting off again, the animals graze on some grassed dried by the sun and drink.

- Robert Rondelli has a light meal, lay under a stared sky, may be the moment to think about of the past transhumances

- for this 62 year old man, one of the last ones who perpetrate this ancestral tradition.

- I’m happy to do the transhumance on foot, I could have the ewes transported by truck, I like it better on foot, I eat and drink.

- What used transhumances to be like?

- It was more difficult as cars didn’t follow, I had a canvas lunch-bag around my neck. I didn’t have a sleeping bag,

- nothing, no umbrella, I ate what I had, but now transhumances are a moment to rejoice.

- Every summer, a total of 120,000 ewes leave the valley towards the summits.

- One must say that the high mountain pasture area is quite big in our region and that ovine breeding is doing fine.

- Quite many farmers intend to work a little better in the ovine breeding sector. As a consequence, they notably increase their numbers.

- Robert Rondelli is accompanied by Eric, 27 years old, with whom he shares his passion.

- He hopes that when Cenans retires, this Grasse perfumer’s son will take over and will know easier debut.

- I send all the young to hell, I don’t sleep at night, I look after the sheep, they don’t.

- I left home at the age of 12 with a pair of shoes and trousers, I left with an ewe, not much.

- I left in April with a pair of trousers and a pair of shoes, I returned in October as I left, I hadn’t changed.

- Early this morning, Robert Rondelli and his faithful dogs resumed their journey, to Rigaud mill.

- The ewes will clear the stubble during most of the day.

- Robert and the 5 people who accompany him will recover their strength before the ultimate day.