mdrewjackson

[mdrewjackson]

Day 36 on the Via Francigena: Étroubles to Aosta (16 kms). Our final day on the Via Francigena is a lovely descent into Aosta along an irrigation canal, through forests of fir, with epic mountain views in all directions. What a finish.

Since starting in Canterbury five weeks ago, we:

* covered 1,137 kms

* travelled 70% of that by bike, 30% on foot

* visited four countries

* met 30 other pilgrims (all but six of those in the last week from Lausanne to Aosta)

We hope to return for a part 2, maybe next year, to make our way from Aosta to Rome, another ~1,000 kms. For now, signing off from the Via Francigena. #pilgrimage #viafrancigena #feelingfortunate

[mdrewjackson]

Day 35 on the Via Francigena: Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard to Étroubles (15 kms). We cross into Italy moments after leaving the Grand-Saint-Bernard hospice. For two hours, we descend from the mountain pass along narrow and sometimes rocky trails, dropping 1,200m in elevation. (Historical aside: when Napoleon crossed the Alps here in 1800 with his army of 40,000+ men, he is said to have slid down the snowfield on his backside. There are only a few isolated snow patches today; this tactic evidently is more suited to a spring descent than one in August.)

By mid-afternoon just as it’s really heating up, we arrive in a charming medieval village that was known as Restapolis in Roman times. Not sure why they changed it to Étroubles, which means a place rich in fields covered in straw. Sounds like a downgrade to me. At any rate, it makes for a lovely setting to spend our final night on the Via Francigena (for now).

[mdrewjackson]

Day 34 on the Via Francigena: Bourg-Saint-Pierre to Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard (14 kms). Today is the final push up the Great Saint Bernard Pass, the highpoint of the Via Francigena. We gain ~850m in elevation, rising above the tree line, walking along rocky trails among wildflowers and tiny brooks snaking down the mountainside. It’s like a fairytale. The final ascent to the pass (elevation 2,478m) is a dusty scramble up a steep slope, popping out at the historic L’Hospice du Grand-Saint-Bernard, a monastery and hospice that has maintained uninterrupted service to travellers since its establishment in 1049 (that’s coming up on 1,000 years!). What a view up here. We can see Italy! (Full disclosure: we’re 500m from the Italian border.)

[mdrewjackson]

Day 33 on the Via Francigena: La Douay to Bourg-Saint-Pierre (17 kms). We continue our climb towards the Great Saint Bernard Pass, going up ~750m in elevation, along gravel and grass paths, with stunning alpine views at every turn. The weather is ideal, clear blue skies and a high of 25°C. We walk with a charming group of pilgrims from the US for the second half of day, arriving mid-afternoon at the last settlement before the pass, a hamlet of 200 where we’re staying at the Motel Bivouac de Napoléon. Their restaurant serves up an excellent tagliatelle, paired with a local Pinot noir, capped with a hazelnut cake with orange sorbet. It doesn’t get any better than this.

[mdrewjackson]

Day 32 on the Via Francigena: Martigny to La Douay (20 kms). Today our ascent of the Great Saint Bernard Pass begins in earnest. We go up ~400m in elevation, mostly along forest paths, with a boulder patch and a few villages mixed in. The mountain views are stunning. We’re unquestionably in the heart of the Alps now.

[mdrewjackson]

Day 31 on the Via Francigena: Saint-Maurice to Martigny (16 kms). Today’s walk takes us through a narrow valley to Martigny. Its location at the foot of the Swiss Alps has made it an important spot since Roman times (the remains of their thermal baths and amphitheater are still visible). In 1800 Napoleon marched his army (40,000 men and 6,000 horses!) from here up the Great Saint Bernard pass to a battle in northern Italy. Over the days ahead, we’ll be following in their footsteps. (But with no plans to invade Italy.)

[mdrewjackson]

Day 30 on the Via Francigena: Yvorne to Saint-Maurice (20 kms). What a day to walk in the Alps: bright blue skies, incredible light, epic views. We’re surrounded by mountains but (so far) the climbing is minimal, as the route cuts through a pass that follows the Rhône River (which is flowing mighty fast right now after recent heavy rains). Today’s highlight: we overlap with two charming groups of pilgrims walking this section, one led by the pilgrim guidebook author Sandy Brown. (Shoutout to Giovanni in the support van for the midday espresso!) Until Lausanne, we’d met six other Francigena pilgrims in a month; in the three days since Lausanne, we’ve met 10. Bonus feature: tonight’s hotel is at a thermal hot springs, which even in this hot weather feels kind of incredible after a five hour walk.

[mdrewjackson]

Day 29 on the Via Francigena: Vevey to Yvorne (22 kms). A final stretch along Lake Geneva features Montreux, famous for its annual jazz festival, and home to the medieval island castle Château de Chillon and some great public art (Freddie Mercury! Igor Stravinsky!). Bonus feature: the best cafe/juice bar on our trip. At the eastern edge of the lake, the route turns up the Rhône River valley, which it’ll follow up into the Alps. It’s all uphill from here.

[mdrewjackson]

Day 28 on the Via Francigena: Lausanne to Vevey (22 kms). This section along Lake Geneva is what folks call the Swiss Riviera, and it’s stunning: terraced vineyards, charming villages, epic lake views. Quirky detail: a lot of celebrities have lived (or are buried) along this stretch, including Charlie Chaplin, Coco Channel, James Mason, and Graham Greene. Channeling that spirit, we splurge on our fanciest accommodation on the trip, a luxury hotel in Vevey built in 1842, the setting for Henry James’ short story Daisy Miller.

[mdrewjackson]

Day 27 on the Via Francigena: Lausanne (rest day). A day in Lausanne, featuring museums, churches, bookstores, cafes. (Note to self: build in more rest days on future pilgrimages.)

[mdrewjackson]

Day 26 on the Via Francigena: La Chaux to Lausanne (28 kms). Our longest walking day so far, making our way to Lake Geneva and then following the shoreline for two hours into Lausanne. Dark clouds and thunder claps track our progress all day, and finally mid-afternoon just after we reach the lake the heavens open up and it buckets (and hails!). We take cover under a picnic shelter with some folks celebrating Swiss National Day (recognizing the founding of the Swiss Confederation in 1291!).

[mdrewjackson]

Day 25 on the Via Francigena: Orbe to La Chaux (17 kms). We’re now making our way across the Swiss Plateau, a swath of rolling countryside between the Jura Mountains and the Alps. We can see the hazy outline of the Alps on the horizon. They look big. For now, it’s farmland and small villages, somewhat like France but with neater yards. We arrive in a cute village called La Chaux where we’re staying at a bed & breakfast in a 500-year-old commandery (military castle) of the Knights Templar (the catholic military order founded to defend pilgrims). #pligrimkarma

[mdrewjackson]

Day 24 on the Via Francigena: Métabief to Orbe (22 kms). We’re now in Switzerland! After passing through the last town in France, Jougne, we cross the border with no fanfare, just a faded sign saying France to the left, Switzerland to the right. We drop into a dramatic gorge following the Orbe River, featuring tunnels and bridges, relieved to get some shade from the afternoon heat, with the temperature nosing past 33°C.

Also: a section of ancient Roman road, where you can see the grooves made by the passage of carts over the last two millennia. #humbledbyhistory

[mdrewjackson]

Day 23 on the Via Francigena: Pontarlier to Métabief (16 kms). Our last day in France! And it’s a good one: a forest walk for a few kms, past a dramatic hilltop fort, then a stretch along a partially abandoned railway line, arriving in a resort town where we’re staying in a chalet with a jacuzzi (and a washing machine!). #pilgrimbliss

[mdrewjackson]

Day 22 on the Via Francigena: Mouthier-Haute-Pierre to Pontarlier (24 kms). Today’s walk opens with a 5 km hiking trail through a steep valley that we’d heard might be closed due to a rock slide. But another pilgrim posted they walked it yesterday, saying it was tricky but passable. Plus Gustave Courbet painted scenes from these woods. So we decide to go for it. It’s stunning. The trail ends at the Source de La Loue, where the River Loue emerges from a cave at the bottom of a cliff. Wow. We emerge from the valley onto a plateau with rolling farmland and storybook villages. Such a contrast.

[mdrewjackson]

Day 21 on the Via Francigena: Ornans to Mouthier-Haute-Pierre (15 kms). We’re passing through some of the most charming towns we’ve seen in our month in France. Today’s walk takes us through:

* Ornans, birthplace of the French realist painter Gustave Courbet and dubbed "Little Venice of Franche-Comté" for the storybook river scenes.

* Lods, officially designated as one of the "most beautiful villages in France".

* Mouthier-Haute-Pierre, a tiny village tucked into a valley surrounded by steep cliffs.

Adding to the charm is tonight’s cute Airbnb, where Daphne spins up an epic tortellini with pesto sauce, with a Greek salad and local wine. #bestpilgrimmeals

[mdrewjackson]

Day 20 on the Via Francigena: Saône to Ornans (23 kms). Today’s highlight: the last 8 kms into Ornans is on an old railway line converted into a walking/biking trail. Tunnels, bridges, a viaduct: stunning. 

Also stunning: the sunset from Ornans.