The fog has crept into the undergrowth sparse by altitude.Around the corner, the picture freezes. Only the moisture comes and goes on the rough forest as the waterlogged brush of a master of the print on a lumpy paper, discovering here the chopped leaves of maples, also reducing their yellow-orange glow, erasing a trunk, detailing further the plume of dark pine or purple clusters of berries in the fall. A pike wind suddenly stirred decor. Drops leaves and glazed green up in much trembling a work of impressionist. Stowed on the side of slope, a Japanese styrax, esthete, spreads its branches gracefully. His pale foliage seems to float in the deep padded.Undergrowth rises whispering bamboos. We could spend hours contemplating one by one the pictures that made the forest to the rhythm of our ascent. But we must hurry on. The latest checkpoint must for hikers account must be taken quickly, the risk of having to go down the 600 vertical meters already covered on the flanks of the towering volcano Halla, the highest point in South Korea. We continue our ascent in the middle of giant bonsai. These are charms its tortuous trunk and branches stretched horizontally Asian forests give this characteristic port. One through which we crapahutons, which covers the center of Jeju Island, is part of the huge ecosystem said wet subtropical forests that once extended across Asia, from Japan to the east of Himalaya. Eroded over by agriculture, it is no longer confined to Jeju on the slopes of Mount Halla where it meets, and for good reason, in the name of "forest that grows on rocky ground" or Gotjawal. "The forest and thorny undergrowth, where the orchids were hanging like lanterns, were so thick it would have taken a machete to take a step," evoked the travel writer Nicolas Bouvier there forty year old.
It's halfway up it is the most dense. Maples sycamores, oaks massive Mongolian, Japanese camellias evergreen rooted among these blocks chaos that characterize viscous lava flows, or "aa" vomited once by the host. Gotjawal draws its water in the streams where rainfall is directly infiltrated. Leafy soon give way to the Korean pine trees, the elegant pyramidal, and meager birch clear trunk.
Finally we reach the bald summit of the volcano Halla.Sur his temples, the wind has carved brush the last shreds of alpine forest, unless it is snow falling heavily at the heart of winter. We are not alone: visitors from Japan, China and the continent, in love with the southern Jeju and its volcano, are accustomed to hiking, singing, dressed in sports clothes bought for the occasion, their cell phone hanging on the bag spilling loud music. Their only goal is photographed in front of the gaping crater lake and the pale waters. The panoramic view of the island, dominated by the mighty shield volcano at an altitude 1950 meters the frieze, is soon forget our five hour walk. Under forests, pretty green fields and orchards, the lava that built the volcano and the entire island stretches, swells, arches, is cast in the sea or plunges into the waves by steep cliffs.The volcanic rock is the first wealth of Jeju-do Samda also called "the island of three abundances." The first basaltic plateaus emerged from the East Sea there 800,000 years. South, Jungmun-dong, the hexagonal columns of black basalt with white foam dripping are the oldest witnesses. The eruption was followed by the emission of lava so viscous that they formed massive caps, such as Mount Sanbangsan southwest, the hunchback shell catches the light, or the top of Halla itself. In the third stage of its construction, the new magma very fluid gushes through multiple orifices on the flanks of the volcano, building 368 adventitious cones bossèlent inside and the shore of the island. On cooling, the lava flows erect huge tunnels in which the igneous material continues to flow before stopping abruptly, leaving empty galleries. That of Manjanggul, where the flow of visitors has replaced the lava, winds over thirteen kilometers long and intact door, its walls decorated with black stalactites, the floods of magma. To the east, the outcome of the volcanic history of Jeju is played Seongsang Ilchubong, the peak of the Rising Sun. Fruit of the explosive contact between lava and ocean in a submarine eruption, this circular at the top with foliage monolith opposed cliffs chisel waves since 5000 years.
Dazzling shades of dawn, the rock called other images, those in black and white film of the last Korean filmmaker O Muel Jiseul, which tells a disturbing episode of the Cold War. It all started one day in April 1948, the police firing on the participants of a simple event gathered at the foot of the monolith returning residents against the security forces. Supported by the American authorities, the Korean army launched Operation Scorched Earth in or Scorched Land and despatch 3,000 men on the island. The repression was brutal and destroyed most of the villages. Eighteen months later, Jeju counts its dead, 60,000, one-tenth of the population. No trace of guilt in Dolhareubang these grandfathers stone planted on the edge of villages full, they say, to watch over the men and ensure fertility. Hands resting on their belly, chubby face eaten a pair of googly eyes, they display a permanent satisfaction crossed with a touch of coldness, which only enhances the mystery that hangs around their origin. Since when do they haunt the landscape of the island? We do not know answer in the absence of any evidence, other than an order ordering, in 1754 a large amount of these protective gnomes. Would they have been transported from the continent, where stand many totems? Unless they are representations of a shamanic cult came from North Asia, having prepared the Dolhareubang to thwart unwanted spirits. Caressed, kissed by the dozen, these fellows carved from a porous lava are part of the family. Everyone is so attached to them that it sculpts still in the construction of a new bridge.
Jeju volcanic already a World Heritage in 2007, joined in 2010 the global network of Geoparks, a label awarded by Unesco. If the qualification Geopark is to inform and control by local communities or volcanic geological risks such as tsunamis, earthquakes or eruptions, it allows primarily to the small island to showcase the beauty and originality of its sites Natural and increase its educational activities. The lava is everywhere, so as to prevent any culture if farmers had not built, stone by stone, miles of walls to reach a fertile land. They are protecting their plantations onion, barley and millet, while letting in their interstices the wind, the summer turns into typhoon.
Wind, second wealth Jeju ... From the top of our crater, where he bushy vegetation brush, we're not likely to forget. This mobile atmosphere unstable, clean the islands, is reinforced by the mountain that rises up in the middle. Asian cyclones, and typhoons formed further south on the warm seas, do not forget Jeju as they rise to the north during the summer. If the wind loses its force upon the arrival of autumn, it brews orchards inland and ride the heady scent of mandarin. He waves colorful silk ribbons hanging from the branches of old trees become sanctuaries Jeju would house as many gods than people. Wind may carry the roofs of houses, if the villagers had had the wisdom to tie straw with thick ropes. What is then used to tell his life or shout, if half the words fly in the storm? The people have made their own dialect, a chopped phrasing and so direct that Koreans have long believed Jeju continent inhabited by a band of rude. With these words carved by wind and women-frogs being equipped agree with one another for the next dive. A look at the ocean, and the "head" of the group already knows that the day will not be easy. Rough sea, cold water from the open sea, and rain in the distance threat. To hell with rheumatism! Such a respectable age women - the youngest seems to have spent 50 years - the big window adjust their mask on a drysuit often too large.
We do not leave their curved shape of the eyes and swagger on the sharp rocks. In one ritual, they sing their song. He talks about the difficulties of life, their families. In single file, they glide through the water, clinging to one another, the youngest head, just to save as much energy. They then scattered in the green water. The white board that pegged their net still reported their presence when they probe the fund to 5 or 6 meters in search of shells or octopus. Able to hold their breath beyond two minutes down to 20 meters snorkeling, the haenyos Jeju, or sea women, do not dive for fun. Before them, it was the men who went to get the shells. But heavy introduced in the sixteenth century the taxes they had to leave the island. The East Sea is also often responsible for taking their lives. The women were then forced to jump into the water to feed their families.They became the backbone of the economy of an island they were already healing.Siberian landed there nearly 3,000 years, shamanism - especially women - played by the mudangs, Messengers from mind both spiritual guides and providing care, had indeed easily taken possession of this poor, self-sufficient community survivor away from the continent. Shamans have long been doctors Jeju. Even today, women are strongly united with nature spirits. "There is a god of sky, earth, wind, mountains and the sea, they said. They are part of our daily lives. "Thus was forged marital structure of Jeju against Confucianism.
The divers were 60,000 before the modernization of fishing techniques of the 70s, they are no more than 5000, and their cart is increasingly falling lighter. Some hulls and large whelks later and proudly brandished an octopus, mermaids our wrinkled with water pressure and shivering cold off their masks, giggle jokes of their accomplices. If hard is their job, so cruel sea, haenyos are struggling for some time to take their business to tourists. Then, after dried and changed, grandmas cooking, have them lean on trays loot to sell. Spreading wide, a quick burst carries the aroma of grilled forests Samda up-do, the land of three abundances shells.
Travel Notebook
Helpful
Enquiries: at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea (01.47.53.01.01; fra.mofa.go.kr ), 125, rue de Grenelle, 75007 Paris, and the National Korea Tourism (01.45. 38.71.23;www.visitkorea.or.kr ). On site: Welcome Center, 23 Seondeok-ro (Yeon-dong), Jeju City. Guides: South Korea, guide Lonely Planet, 2012-2013 Korea Lonely Planet, in French, in June 2013..
Best season: autumn and spring. The temperatures are milder and less winds. Beautiful fall colors from September to December. Blooms from March to June Avoid the summer, its typhoons and increasing tourism.
Getting there
Asiana Airlines (0.800.10.20.99; www.asia.fr ). By doubling the size and capacity of its host Business Lounge at Incheon International Airport in Seoul and by further improving comfort and quality of service, Asiana Airlines, voted Airline of the Year in 2012 , prepares for new aircraft next year. From Paris, the company offers four weekly flights to Seoul A380 and one daily flight between Seoul and Jeju. Roundtrip Paris / Jeju: from 855 €.Organise your stay
With Voyageurs du Monde (01.42.86.16.00; www.voyageursdumonde.fr ). specialist of tailor-made travel individually suggest a nice roaming around South Korea (Seoul, Danyang, Mont Songni and Mount Gaya, Gyeongju Busan) that ends with a trip of 3 days / 2 nights in Jeju. "In the Land of the Morning Calm", individual circuit 15 days / 13 nights: from € 6,300 per person in double room with breakfast from Paris. Transfers, domestic flights, car rental and guided tours (in English) are included in this price.
The hotel
A Seogwipo (South): The Seaes Hotel and Resort(00.82.647.353.000; www.seaes.co.kr ). The pavilions of the complex, traditional stone houses and thatched pavilions embedded in opulent gardens, are facing the turquoise waters of the East Sea on the southern coast of Jeju. The rooms, the purest Korean style, clean and spacious, all white and wood open onto large terraces of wood. From 840 € per night with breakfast.
Good table
Seafood Shangri-la, 3349-1, Saekdal-dong, Seogwipo-si. This generous glass hotel in the marina is a huge self-service. The products of the very fresh and of excellent quality sea are cooked in front of you. While it is difficult to decide in such abundance and such a variety of dishes, the best choice (regardless of the restaurant) is the black pig, a specialty of Jeju, served with a sauce of anchovies.What to do
Strolling the aisles of the market for grandmothers! Older than 100 years is the busiest in the city of Jeju. Amid herbs, fish, fruits, poultry and vegetables, a large space is reserved for women over 65, who can conduct business on a free space and maintain a strong social life. Plump-1 dong, Jeju City. Every 5 days, from the 2nd of each month from 9 am to 18 pm.
Hiking around the island. Jeju Olle is a network of 19 thematic paths ten kilometers each, located on the perimeter of the island, marked and equipped, to discover a cinder cone, a mythological place, a traditional village, a salt lake or a pine forest ... Interconnected, they make possible a coastal walk 216 kilometers. A booklet is available free explanations to Jeju airport.
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