FRANCE

FRANCE.

Lake Lérié and La Meije Mountain.
Stamp issued on 05.07.1943.
Face value: 20 French francs.
Design and engraving: Pierre Gandon (1899-1990).
Printing: Recess.
Print: 1,673,000 copies.
Size: 40 x 26 mm.

Catalogs
- Michel No. 594.
- Scott No. 465.
- StampWorld No. 586.
- Stanley Gibbons No. 786.
- Yvert et Tellier No. 582.

Lérié is a small mountain lake, located west of La Grave, in the Hautes-Alpes department. It is located on the Emparis plateau at an altitude of 2,450 m (8,038 ft).

La Meije is a mountain in the Massif des Écrins range, located at the border of the Hautes-Alpes and Isère departments. It is made up of three main summits: the highest point, the Grand Pic de la Meije, is at 3,983 m (13,068 ft). The mountain has three important glaciers: La Meije, Râteau and la Girose (accessible through a cable car built in 1976-1977, which rises to a height of 3,200 m, 10,498 ft). The area has good ski slopes The first ascent of the Grand Pic was made on August 16, 1877 by Emmanuel Boileau de Castelnau with father and son Pierre Gaspard.

Thanks to Daniel Mathieu for his contribution (http://lettresdumonde.blogspot.com/)