August 11: On our first day trekking on the Haute Route (high route), we began in light rain with clouds above us and around us, beautifully moving across the mountains and the valley. This was an easy hiking day through the rural Swiss countryside across pastures and through villages. We had moments of sunshine all day, but it rained heavily late in the morning. We hiked by the village of Sous La Le' and through lovely La Garde with its pastel colored buildings and old rustic, wooden barns. We climbed by the little chapel of St. Jean high on a knoll above the valley and then steeply down into the village of Sembrancher with its older buildings and lovely square. We ate lunch at an Italian restaurant in Sembrancher. From there we walked on a path above and along the Dranse d'Entremont river, and it rained heavily for some time while we walked. We crossed the river and arrived in Le Chable where there were shops, a large market, a bank, and several restaurants. We stayed in a nice hotel in Le Chable. This was the week night when the hotel restaurant was closed, so we ate Swiss food in a small restaurant in the old center of the village and followed it with more great ice cream.