In the direction that the photo was taken, just around a bend in the cliff, is a funicular which runs from Montfort in the valley to St. Hilaire on the mountain.  We didn't actually take the funicular, but we did take a rather spectacular hike on a trail which wends its way back and forth under the funicular.

In November, we took a train up the valley to Heidelberg via Geneva in order to attend the wedding reception for Abdalla and Helena.  Frieda and Micha, Helena's parents, were very kind to us to put us up, and we also managed to fit in a concert in a monastery while we were there.  A short trip to Saarbrucken to visit Sherif ensued, and then we returned to St. Hilaire.