Buongiorno! This morning, I woke up for the first time in Italy. The decision not to camp was one of my better ideas this week. Around 1am, I woke up from another heavy thunderstorm. Rain was pooring down again. But I was cosy and dry in my bed. I slept in Locanda la Clusaz. At first, you might think this is just a hotel on the road to the col, but it's not. On this location, a pilgrims hospital was opened in 1234. So pilgrims have been resting and sleeping here for almost 800 years. Nowadays, it is definitely more luxurious than it was in the early years. There was no shop around, so I treated myself with the buffet breakfast. Amazing, I stayed for more than an hour. I was hoping to practise some Italian, but everybody in the room was speaking Dutch. Back in my room, I wondered why they chose to hang up the painting of a dobermann dog. The receptionist waved me goodbye. The friendly black man was fascinated by my trip. He loved hiking and recommended the region around Bologna and Firenze where he loved watching the stars. Time to leave. Surprisingly, the sky was blue and the Aosta valley was waiting to be discovered. My stage today was not too difficult, only 14km especially downhill. A lot downhill because I was still at 1251m and I had to go to an altitude of 586m. My hiking day started at the little church of Echevennoz. Some mountain villages like this one are really small. Only 74 people live here. For a big part of the morning, I would walk under the trees next to the Ru Neuf Canal. That is an irrigation channel which brings water from the mountains towards Aosta. Construction started more than 600 years ago. It is very peaceful to walk along the flowing water and between the trees. I had regularly stunning views over the valley which gets wider and wider from here. Halfway, there is the grotto je te salue. This little cave was discovered when the canal was made. Because so many pilgrims pass here, it was decided that a shrine should be erected here. Water came down from the mountain above so Jezus got very wet today. Perfect stop for a quiet break before I would re-enter civilization. Clouds were forming around the high mountains behind me, but you have to look forward in life and there I saw sunshine. Quickly, the Grand Combin appeared out of the clouds on the left side. Eternal snow could be seen on the mighty peak of 4.314m. Before I knew, I reached the road and the city of Gignod. Pilgrims get a very warm welcome here: a square with nice benches, free wifi, free clean toilets and a bar. First, I decided to take a little break next to the church. There were so many other benches but an old man really wanted to sit next to me. I don't know his age, but if you would have said 120, I would have believed. Peregrino? he asked. He smiled when I said yes and gave me a hand. I couldn't talk to him because my Italian is not good enough but that was fine for the man. We sat there for 15min, then he stood up, thanked me like I did something amazing for him and walked away. Afterwards, I scored a stamp in the church and I couldn't resist the nice terrace of the bar. A dutch family with a teenage daughter tried to take a selfie, but that turned out to be more complicated than expected. They failed in the end. Around 16h, I decided it was time to make my way into the city of Aosta. I had a quick look at the medieval castle tower in lower Gignod and went further down. Walking into a bigger city is always complicated. There are too many roads, cars and people. Aosta did not too bad. The walkway follows a really quiet road that goes through hamlets like Chez Henry and Chez Roncoz. Still sounds very French. Later traffic became busier. To avoid it, they make you climb up into the vineyards on the mountainsides around the city to then make you come down again. After a long day of walking, that is tough. But it gives you a nice birdeye view of the city. From above, Aosta doesn't look pretty. It is like they have put as much ugly different buildings together in a stunning mountain valley. But Aosta has a lot of historical sights from the Roman period. Around 18h, I arrived on the square in front of the impressive cathedral. I have to admit, I was tired. But this was also a special moment. I had completed my 10 day traverse of the Alps on foot through France, Switzerland and Italy. Tomorrow, I will take a second rest day to recover. Then I will have a walk around the city. Now, I just wanted to make my way to my room. The weather was bizarre. Dark clouds gathered around the mountains, but in the city it was sunny and hot around 27 degrees. But also very windy. A dutch man had to run behind his hat. I had booked a room in the apartment of an Italian family at 1km from the center. The man was very friendly and I had my first conversation in Italian. Not easy but we talked. The man was a truck driver who lived originally in the south and married a woman from Sardinia. For the rest of the night, I just wanted a shower and food. Luckily there was a supermarket around the corner. Gros Cidac. At first, I thought it was an insult, but it is the name of a supermarket. And now sleep because the road to Rome is still long.
0 Comments
When I woke up in the hospice at the summit of the col, it was 6 o'clock. The dorm was empty. All 7 others had already left. I try to get up early as well, but there are limits. At 7h15, there was a gathering in the underground crypt. I love to be part of these special moments. Afterwards, it was time for breakfast. There I met Elise, a nice French girl who was doing a road trip of one week in her renault clio. When a lady tried to open a window, a gust of wind entered the room. Two extra people had to help to close the window again. That's when I realised that the weather had dramatically changed. Outside, rain was pooring down. It was only 4 degrees and there were wind gusts up to 120km/h. When I finished breakfast, I met the two French ladies from last night. They tried to get down, but came back because it was too dangerous. What to do? Most people decided to take the bus. Some people went to the church to pray for better weather. I thought it was a better idea to check the weather online. It looked like there was going to be a gap in the weather around noon when it would calm down for a couple of hours. So no bus for me. I had a look at the museum and around 10h30, I went outside. At that moment, the wind was gone and the sun came through. But black clouds were still around and I could hear thunder. I decided to start walking to the other side of the lake. That's when I met a couple of the famous St Bernard dogs. Some still live on the col in summer especially for tourists. Earlier, they were bred here and used for rescue operations. The most famous one is Barry. They claim he saved up to a 100 lives. Half way round the lake, I passed the Italian border. On the Italian side of the col, there is a big hotel-restaurant and the huge statue of St Bernard. I went to have a look on the steep descent and it looked like a long way down. At that moment, thunder became louder and it started dripping. Time to look for shelter. I ordered a hot chocolat in the bar of the hotel. What happened next even surprised the locals. A massive hail storm started. Some hails balls were as tick as marbles. Cars got damaged and people who came in too late got lots of bruises. After the first storm, a second one hit 20min later with even more hail. The souvenir chalets around the lake closed for the rest of the day. It cleared around 13h. It might have been a crazy idea, but I thought this was my moment. I went outside and started getting down. The path was covered in slippery hail balls. It was madness. In certain places, the hail balls were ankle deep. One wrong step could mean disaster but I made good progress. Lower, the hail had melted but then the flood water caused problems. The path was flooded in numerous places. After the first buildings, the path becomes wider and less steep. In a meanwhile, I was very hungry but I didn't want to stop. I knew bad weather was closing in again very fast. On the exposed slopes, I really didn't want to get caught in a new storm. In two hours, I made it down to the first village of Saint-Rhémy. It's not more than one narrow street with old stone buildings, but it's beautiful. It would be a perfect for a movie. There was a bench in front of the church and there I could finally sit down for lunch. I've got an amazing lunch from the hospice with bread, cheese, sausage and even chocolat. A dutch couple with a child walked past and realised that their hotel for the night was not in this village. Oops, mistake of the gps. After 15min, it started dripping and in a matter of seconds, a new thunderstorm broke loose. This time without hail, but with lots of water. I was so happy that I had made it down on time. The church was open, so I had the perfect shelter. As soon as the rain stopped, I moved on. It was already 16h30. From here, I made my way further down on a nice path walking from hamlet to hamlet. Snails were everywhere. In Saint-Leonard, an old man insisted on putting the first Italian stamp in my passport. Sadly, his stamp was as old as him and didn't work properly. But it was a nice moment. In Saint-Oyen, I could see a new thunderstorm arriving. The sky was so packed with clouds that it looked like it was getting dark already. Etroubles is the bigger town. They do everything to make pilgrims stop. Even the pharmacy offers a stamp. The church was open but it was completely dark inside. I moved on because my room for the night was in the next village 2km further: Echevennoz. Sadly, it started raining and now I could only continue. My original plan was to put up my tent on a campsite in Etroubles, but that would be madness. The coming night, they even warned for tornados. So I had booked a room in old cosy guesthouse. It was already a resting place in the 12th century. The girl at reception looked like she saw a ghost when I entered. Soaking wet and tired, I didn't make the best first impression. But she was amazed when she found out where I came from. The sommelier of the restaurant even escorted me to my room. There, I took a shower, made some food and crashed on the bed. Outside, hell broke loose one more time. What an insane weather, but also what an epic day. Tomorrow, it would stay dry, how cool is that. Then I will make my way to the city of Aosta.
I did it! I have reached the summit of the Col du Grand St Bernard on foot. What a climb! Tonight I sleep at 2473m. This morning, I woke up in Bourg St Pierre at 1637m. The man who came in late yesterday evening left as expected very early without paying. I had breakfast with Tjamke and Marie-Aude. We decided to all walk alone today at our own pace. The sun was out and the col was clear. When I left, two old ladies were enjoying their morning coffee on a bench next to the church. They wished me good luck. The guidebook was clear over this stage: walk 12km steap uphill to the summit. Surprisingly, the day started with a short descent to the river, but afterwards it was time to climb. The valley was narrow with the path on the right, the river in the middle and the road on the left. Quickly, a huge dam comes in sight. It holds 20 million cubic metres of water. Once at the top of the dam, a big mountain lake surrounded by high peaks reveals its beauty. There is a parking and even a little summer bar here. The perfect spot for my first break. Afterwards, the path goes up and down entirely around the lake. At the far end of the lake, most traffic disappears into a tunnel. The road to drive over the col is open only from June to October. It's popular on sunny Sundays like today. So sadly cars and electricity lines remained visible in this mountain wonderland. But the landscape is so impressive and wide that they don't really disturb. A steep climb brought me to La Pierre at more than 2000m. There is an active farm here. And that means cows on the path. They were a bit restless so I decided to go in a wide circle around them. Mothers protect their calves and can be dangerous. When I came to a wooden bridge over the river, I took a second break. There was only 4km left to do, but I still had to go almost 500m higher. After crossing the road, the steep climb next to Torrent de Cholère tested me again. Once up there, I arrived in high mountain terrain. Flowers were everywhere, little waterfalls came down from the side and there was even some snow left. At 1km of the top, there is a rescue shelter named after Lucien Droz, a man who died here in 1951. I decided to sit down here for a while. My legs were burning. And the last km is the steepest. It was a struggle. At 500m from the top, you see the hospice but it still takes easily 20min. Obce at the top, an undescribable feeling. Suddenly, I was surrounded by lots of tourists who drove up here. But that didn't bother. I made it and I was so happy. The world famous hospice is at the highest point and still in Switzerland. Even when the road closes in winter, it stays open. It's next to a stunning Alpine lake, the other side of the lake is Italy. I checked in and found that my dorm had only one of the eight beds taken. So I got to choose the best one. After an incredible shower, I went for a drink with Tjamke while the sun slowly disappeared behind the mountains. At 19h15, it was time for dinner. No free seating here, a sign on every table said who had to sit there. My name was a bit too complicated. They wrote Lassens. I ended up with a couple from Boston who was walking a part of the Via Francigena, two German guys who did the tour du grand comblin and two French ladies who did more by bus/taxi than on foot but they loved it. I had the best meal in a long time in such a good company. At 21h, a lot of people went to the underground crypte for a last gathering before bedtime. Afterwards, I went quickly outside to marvel one last time at so much beauty. It was cold with a freezing wind but that didn't matter. This pass was opened by the Romans, Napoleon passed here with 40.000 man and on this day, I walked up here. The pass is situated just between Mont Blanc and Grand Combin. Going back inside, I was so excited and tired at the same time. I made it up and I'm 1000km from Rome. Tomorrow going down and weather will take a turn for the worst. On Tuesday night, it may possibly snow on the pass. We will see tomorrow, first sleep!
What a night! I woke up around 2am with a weird feeling. The two other pilgrims were asleep. I went downstairs to go to the bathroom and somebody was snoring on the kitchen floor. Who got in the hostel in the middle of the night? I stayed quiet and finally fell back asleep. This morning, the guy was also on a mattress upstairs. The Italian pilgrim had found him completely naked walking around the kitchen and had send him upstairs. He was friendly and appologizing all the time. Are you a pilgrim? Yes. Are you going to walk today? Yes. With your two plastic bags from Lidl? Yes. He pretended to be Polish only speaking a bit English and German. But I caught him talking to himself in French. I confronted him and he left the refuge 5min later without paying off course. Probably a homeless guy, but how he got the code is a mystery to me. Time to hike again! Today, I would climb again almost a 1000m. I walked through the village of Orsières to continue on a steep track just afterwards. The views were amazing. Some clouds remained around high peaks which made them look like volcanos. Butterflies were everywhere. There was just one big danger. Bears? Wolfs? No, mountainbikers. They come down at a crazy speed. Sometimes it looks more a suicide mission than a sport. One girl came down in a summer dress but with a helmet. While walking, I could see the busy road. Cars overtaking cyclists who were then overtaken themselves by motorcyclists and all that on a narrow windy road. I was happy on my sunny path. After 3km, I reached the hamlet of Fornex. Some people were gardening, others were picking raspberries. Perfect spot for a break. With renewed force, I continued along the river Dranse d'Entremont. Where the river came out of a small canyon, I had to do a very steep climb. Moments later, I was high above the river looking into the canyon. Stunning! I passed some farms to then climb to the village of Liddes. This village is bigger because it is on the main road. They even have a vending machine for raclette. I took a break in the peaceful church which even houses a little museum. Amazing to find all these treasures open. Last part of the day was climbing through beautiful green alpine fields towards the town of Bourg Saint Pierre. This is the last village before the col to which I will climb tomorrow. Just before the first houses, I had to cross the road and it quickly came clear that something went seriously wrong. The traffic had been stopped and a rescue helicopter was trying to land. A terrible accident had happened just next to the Via Francigena. A car was overtaking on the way up and hit a cyclist who was coming down at high speed. The cyclist crashed the front window, went over the car and on the road. When I arrived, the first ambulance just came through. I couldn't tell if the victim was a man or a woman. The person didn't look alive anymore. I backed off, there was nothing I could do. More and more rescue workers rushed to the scene. A tent was put up. While thousands of people got stuck, one person was fighting for his/her life. After 45min of reanimation, he/she was airlifted. I have never seen so much blood, it was horrific. I continued walking to Bourg St Pierre where all traffic was still at a standstill. On top of that, there was the arrival of a big trail run going on. Too much chaos. I rushed to the pilgrim hostel where I found Tjampke, the Dutch girl. We had a cup of tea together. On old lady came to say hello. She had lived here her whole life. Snow in winter is not as it used to be anymore. Last winter, they didn't get more than 15cm. The village becomes even more popular with people from Geneva moving here. She has 4 children. One passed away just like her husband. Her three other children live lower in the valley. She would like to move to live closer to them, but she doesn't want to leave the graves of her husband and child behind. Time will tell, she said. Later, I went to the church for a stamp and walked around the village which was quiet again. Some old wooden and stone houses gathered around the church hidden below the busy road. An old man was smoking his pipe on the balcony. Back in the refuge, I took a shower and Marie-Aude from Paris came in. She did two stages in one day and started in Martigny. She really wants to be at the summit tomorrow, because good weather is predicted. I'm ready for an epic day. Around 22h, knock on the door. I shouldn't have opened. Another person saying he is a pilgrim which he clearly is not. He said he came from Orsieres, but lost time when he injured his foot. He was clearly not telling the truth, so annoying. But he was friendly. He wouldn't keep me awake because I was tired. I just hope the cyclist will make it.
What a luxury to have a dorm room all for yourself. I woke up and the first thing I heard was thunder. There went my plan to leave early. Buckets of rain forced me to wait. By 9h30 the first storm cleared, but the second already arrived in the far distance. I decided to give it a go anyway. The friendly lady at the reception told me that her radar gave no more rain. I was like: it starts dripping and the incoming clouds are black. But the lady was right. Like a miracle, the dark clouds went into other valleys. Even when the situation looks bad, always remain positive. The temperature was perfect around 20 degrees. I was a happy hiker, but one with a tough day ahead. According to my guidebook, this is probably the toughest stage of the whole Via Francigena: 900m up and 500m down over 19km. I first walked through the charming neighbourhood of Martigny Bourg and then past the railway station. I could actually take a train here to the end of my walk, but no no no. After the last buildings, the trail quickly started climbing and turned round and behind the mountain following the river Dranse. In some place, the trail is narrow with sheer drops, so not recommended if you have fear of hights. I loved it! A big suspension bridge brought me to the hamlets of Les Valettes and Bovernier. In that last village, I had lunch next to the church. There was nobody around, so I could only hear the sound of the fountain. In general, the valley is not so quiet because of the railway and the busy road. All these cars will do in an hour what will take me three days, but they will never experience the col du grand st bernard like I will. With renewed forces, I was ready for the next challenge: the tricky path to Sembrancher. Moss covered boulders fallen over millenia from the mountainside above are spread out on the trail. So this part involves scrambling sometimes with a deep drop to the river next to you. It added some extra adventure to the day, but it asks a lot of energy as well. I was especially carefull not to injure myself. Twist my ankle here and my Via Francigena would be over. I reached Sembrancher without damage. First above a commercial district and along the railway station, then into the charming center of the village. I took a break next to the colourful houses surrounding the church. Around 15h30, it was time to move on. Another turn and again one level higher, bit by bit closer to the summit. The path to La Garde was the steepest of the day. On the central square, I found a little chapel open. It had a wooden floor and was constructed in 1695. The last stretch to Orsières was easier. I met a lady walking two horses and a donkey. Later I helped a men who was stuck with his van on a 4x4 track where he shouldn't have been. The path approaches Orsières from above. The mighty col appeared shortly out of the clouds. At 18h, I dropped my backpack in front of the church. I did it! But where was the gite? The office de tourisme gave me the door code, but not the correct address. I wandered around an apartment block to then finally find it. Fieuw. And who was inside? There was a Dutch woman walking to Rome all the way from Almere. She started on June 1st. And Eugenio, an Italian man who just retired. He was walking from Rome to Canterbury and then from there maybe to Compostella. He didn't know yet, but he wanted to keep walking for years. When I entered, I was immediately offered a drink. They also invited me to eat with them. What a hospitality and friendship. That makes these journeys so special. To realise that there are so many nice and good people. The gite was comfortable with hot showers, a kichen and comfy mattresses for only 15 CHF. Because there had been abuse, police often comes in to check the pilgrims passports but not tonight. I had an amazing evening, but around 22h the light went out. Tonight I'm at 887m, tomorrow I will be at 1637m. Another tough day ahead in the beautiful Alps.
My first rest day. What an amazing reward after 5 days of tough hiking. Without my alarm, I slept until 10 o'clock. The sky was blue and my roommate had already left. I will never know who he was. Most important thing on a rest day? Taking rest off course, but there is something else. Washing clothes. Goodbye sweaty smell. In the city center, I found a self-service laundry with the great name: Xing Sheng. Do you know how you recognize a pilgrim in a laundry service? The guy in his boxershort, because all his other clothes are in the machine.\n
A big thank you to all the people who already did a donation to Make a Wish. Amazing, I'm so grateful. For those who would still like to help, definitely check the website https://www.inactievoormakeawish.be/fundraisers/dimitri-lanssens For all donations of 40 euro or more, tax certificates will be provided. Together we can make the dream of a child with a life threatening disease come true.\n The campsite where I'm staying is great. There is a bar with a nice terrace and even a swimming pool. It's only 0.8m deep and especially for children, but my tired legs loved it as well. Sitting down a whole day is nothing for me. I wanted to have a look around Martigny as well. This city started as a Roman settlement with the name Octodure. The Romans wanted a direct route towards Britain and that route went over the Col du Grand St Bernard. At the edge of town, there is a Roman amphitheatre. It is well preserved and amazingly, you can just walk through. I was there all alone. There were much more people next door in Barryland, a museum dedicated to the famous Saint Bernard dog. Roman ruins can be found throughout the city. It is fascinating to realise that this little mountain town once was a vibrant Roman city. Later, a medieval fort was built on a rock overlooking this city and Napoleon also came through. No monks singing in the church today, only loud snoring of a sleeping man on one of the benches. I ended my walk with a drink on the central square where children where playing in the fountains.\n The weather was particular today. With 31 degrees, it got really hot. But there was also this foehn wind that was blowing very hard. This evening, the wind disappeared as it came. As from tomorrow, they predict showers and thunderstorms but also cooler temperatures which is good.\n The upcoming days will be heavy. Three days in a row, I will have to climb 1000m to hopefully reach the summit of the Col du Grand St Bernard by Sunday evening. That is the roof of the Via Francigena. At the top, there is a world famous pilgrim hostel and I already have a booking. After that, I have 2 days to descend more than 2500m to the city of Aosta in Italy. If all goes well, I will be there on Tuesday evening. But first another good night of sleep. There is nobody in my dorm room tonight. I also haven't met anybody else who is walking to Rome. But that will change soon. Mornings come early in an abbey. My room had been really warm throughout the night, but that hadn't bothered me. I slept well and woke up before my alarm at 6h30. My room was really comfortable with a bed, a sink, a desk, a chair and off course a cross on the wall. Yesterday, I had promised to be in the church at 7am for the morning prayers and I wanted to keep that promise. I had no idea what to expect. When I came outside, the sky was full of dark clouds. There was nobody on the square in front of the basilica. Did I get up for nothing? I tried the big door and it opened. The majestic church was still pretty dark. There was one lady on the left and six monks were sitting in the front. Most of the light came from candles that were lit. I took a seat on the right. At 7am, a light went on and the monks started singing. For 45min they sang and read from the bible. Outside, a thunderstorm started to make it even more special. It was a very intense spiritual experience. At 7h45, it was finished and outside, I met Cyriel. He was the monk who welcomed me yesterday. The other pilgrim Juan Carlos had skipped church but came down for breakfast. The lady who was in church also briefly passed. She wanted to give the monks the name of someone who was dying so they could pray for that person. Cyriel spoke some warm words and that clearly gave the lady some relief. It was a privilige to witness. Afterwards, Cyriel took us inside the abbey to the place where the monks eat breakfast. And what do they eat? Homemade bread off course with jam and butter, but there were also cereals and most important coffee. Most monks eat in silence, but not Cyriel. He was ready to teach us a history class. I loved listening to him. Saint Maurice and his followers were murdered because they didn't want to give up there faith. Since the year 515, there have been monks praying in the monastry. In the early days, they took turns to pray 24/7. Now they hold several praying sessions per day. Fifty years ago, there were 144 monks. Now there are only 27 left but also 5 novices. I talked him about the church getting less and less popular. According to Cyriel, it is the quality, not the quantity that counts. We were briefly interupted by a monk who said he wouldn't be there for the morning. He had to bring his car to the garage. Modern life entered the abbey. When I left, Cyriel gave me his blessing. I will never forget this place. In the city, daily life had started. People were enjoying a morning coffee and police officers were writing parking fines. I bought lunch in the supermarket and went on my way. I left the city via the railway station and a residential area. You could still see that this was an old pilgrim route because of the crosses and old fountains which remained. Signposts were very clear. Some clouds remained along the high peaks but the sun started heating the valley. This should be my easiest stage so far. But we are in the Alps, so even when it's easy, the path goes up and down. Looking back at St Maurice, you can easily see how strategic the abbey was. It was built at the smallest point of the valley and could control the river and the road. There was no way to get around it. Without much problems I reaced Evionnaz. I had planned to have lunch next to the church, but there were loud roadworks going on. So I wandered a bit further and found a nice bench under the trees. For I while, I watched a busy antz colony. Amazing to be able to have time for these things. Back on my way, the path stayed on the side of the valley at the bottom of high mountains. Civilization like houses and roads on the left side, untamed wilderness on the mountainsides. The valley is only 1.5km wide here. I stambled across a line of weird concrete cones. Most of them completely overgrown. I had no idea what they were but a sign explained they were built here in 1930 as a defense line against tanks. A silent reminder to a horrible period. At a certain moment, I had to walk along the busy road. Then I came to the hamlet of Miéville. It may not sound familiar but it is the home of a spectacular waterfall. Forget about Niagara or Victoria, here they have 'cascade de la pissevache' or cow piss falls. Funny enough, a bit further, they have a second waterfall which was named goat piss falls. Despite the name, the location is stunning. Already from far away, you see the water tumbling down the mountain. Once upclose, the falling water is mesmerising. Going all the way to the bottom is not allowed anymore because of the risk of falling rocks. That is also a problem for the Via Francigena which is blocked as well. The only possibility is to walk along the busy road to Vernayaz. I took a little break before starting my last hour of walking of the day. It was warm, but there was the famous foehn wind picking up. That's a warm wind that often blows through this Alpine valley. I crossed the foret de la bienvenue. It is the only place in Switzerland where you can find wild grapes. At a certain moment, the path was blocked and there was the famous sign 'deviation'. No, not a second time. It didn't look like there was much going on, so I continued anyway. All went well, but just before reaching the road, the path was gone. Big piles of rock and earth blocked the way. Probably not completely legal, but I climbed up through the road works. Nobody saw me and it saved me a big detour. Not recommended, so don't try this at home. And so, I reached Martigny with its castle and its Pont de la Batiaz, a wooden covered bridge over the Rhone. The city center looked very welcoming with lots of bars and restaurants, but I decided to go to my bed for the night first. That was at TCS camping where they offer dorm beds for 20CHF. The lady at reception was very friendly and even walked me to my room. Here I will spend two days. Yes, tomorrow is my first rest day. My clothes need washing and my legs can use some extra rest. There was only one other person in my dorm, but he was nowhere to be seen. I made myself some food, enjoyed the sun going under and went to bed. The first part of my Alpine traverse is done, I couldn't be happier!
It was amazing to wake up in my tent for the first time on the Via Francigena. The temperature never went below 20 degrees, but the flysheet of my tent got really wet anyway. That wouldn't take long. As soon as the sun came above the mountains, it was burning hot. They predicted 35 degrees today. When I cleaned up my gear, some people came to have a look. A dutch lady said I was brave, but I'm sure she thought I was crazy. Time to go! Because it didn't look like there was going to be food available during the day, I decided to buy lunch in Aigle. The rue du bourg was still quiet. Some trucks were delivering, some old men enjoying their morning coffee. Fountains are a thing here. You find them literally everywhere. For fountain lovers, there is even a signposted walk along more than 20 fountains. Surprisingly, the road to Rome is not very well signposted here. There are yellow markers, but you have no idea for what walk they are. Back to the good old maps. There is actually only 10km between Aigle and St Maurice, but the Via Francigena takes hikers over two hills for more fun and views. Leaving modern Aigle behind, I entered a neighbourhood where it felt like I stepped back in time. Old houses, cobblestone streets and a stunning castle all surrounded by vineyards. Apparently, grapes grow very good on these mountainsides. The castle houses a wine museum, but I didn't have the time to visit. My first climb of the day was waiting for me. Luckily, a big part was in the forest away from the sun. I got lost half way the climb, but I found the path again just before the summit. The last stretch of the climb went through a forest with a big warning sign. The trees would be infested with processionary caterpillars. They can cause heavy allergic reactions so hikers were warned to stay on the path and to not stop. But what did they install on the summit? A picnic table. While coming down, a buzzard suddenly flew up. What an impressive bird! A bit later, I saw the village of Ollon deep behind me. It is beautifully hidden in a corner of the big Rhone valley against steep mountainsides full of vineyards. I might have mentionned it already, but it was hot. When I arrived in the village, I went straight for a bench under a tree next to the church. My body needed to cool down. There was nobody around in the village. Here as well, there were fountains everywhere, very refreshing. To my own surprise, the church was open. I enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere and the cool air. But there was still a second climb to do. When leaving the village, I was convinced I found the right way. I was on a path through the vineyards with stunning views over the valley. Lizards ran in all directions. At a certain moment, I realised this was going to easy and indeed, I was too low. Back from where I came? No way! I decided to climb up through the vineyards in the hope of finding the higher path. It was super steep and some workers must have wondered what I was doing. But I found the right way. I was soacking wet and by that time, I had already drunk 2l of water. But I was not there yet. A bit further, in the middle of the forest, I found the first sign 'via francigena'. What a moment! It gave me strenght. On top of that, the last part of the climb was decorated with beautiful wooden sculptures of animals. This stretch is called 'le sentier du pèlerin'. As from here, there were signs, not always clear, but they were there. The descent was steep through the vineyards in full sunshine. When I came down, I felt completely overheated. Somebody must have heard me, because just afterwards, I found a concrete shelter next to a bus stop. Heaven, I decided to take a 30min siesta. Birds had made a nest in the roof, so fascinating to watch them. By the time I came back to life, I felt like stepping into another world. The sky was completely overcast and rain was on its way. Not really a concern, I was so wet that rain wouldn't have made a difference. In the end, there was some thunder, some dripping, but that was it. Too bad, I was so ready to dance in the rain. The last 9km of this stage were flat, halleluja. First along a canal, later along the mighty fast flowing Rhone river. Except from some people cycling and some people walking their dog, I didn't meet anybody. But just like yesterday, only the walkway was quiet. The highway had a non stop flow of cars, the railway tracks saw trains passing every 10min, little planes were landing on the small airport of Bex and farmers were loading hay bales. Everybody seemed very busy and in a rush while I was slowly making my way through all this chaos. Along the river, two municipal workers had hide their jeep in the bush and were playing on their phones. Looked like they were waiting for their long working day to end. Where the valley in Aigle is wide, it narrows dramatically when you approach St Maurice. And then the castle comes into sight. There is an exposition inside, not about something medieval, but about the smurfs. A bit further lays the abbaye, my stop for the night. There have been monks here since the year 515, pretty incredible. I arrived just after 18h. Reception was closed, but there was a sign 'accueil pelerin 70m'. The abbaye is huge and there was nobody around. After 15min, I found a door with a bell but nobody answered. What to do? I had a confirmed reservation. I waited and suddenly everybody was coming out of the basilica. Even the receptionist had to go to the mass. The friendly man gave me a key to one of the eight rooms. It was quiet. There was only one other pilgrim, Juan Carlos from Madrid. He started in Lausanne and had 2 weeks to make it to Milan. The rooms were clean and even had a chair and a desk. There was even a kitchen, but I decided to go for pizza in town. I ordered two drinks, because I was so thirsty. I calculated that I must have drunk 4 liters today. I also have my first blister, probably from all the going up and down. When I came back to my room, a big thunderstorm started but I would even sleep through a huricane. Tomorrow morning the monks invited me to mass at 7h and I can also join them at breakfast at 7h50. An amazing opportunity! So just like the monks, I'm going to bed extra early.
Sleeping high in the mountains is special. When I opened my eyes, I went straight outside. To my surprise, the chalet was completely in the clouds. No views at all. It was also pretty chilly, only 9 degrees. I went back inside and got ready for breakfast which was included in the price. The interior of the chalet couldn't be cosier. A Dutch family with two little girls was also eating. The father had problems explaining himself to the owner. Daughter: daddy, why don't you speak Swiss? Father: there is no Swiss. In Switzerland, they speak French, German and Italian. Daughter: why don't you speak these languages? At that moment, I started a conversation with the owner. Daughter: look, he can speak it. Father: that must be a local. I wisely didn't say anything. The kind owner lives in the valley, but stays up here when there are guests. She didn't have a stamp, but she left a kind note in my pilgrims passport. When I got outside ready to go, the clouds had cleared and the impressive dents du midi were visible. Waw, what a way to start the day. The first kilometers, I didn't know where to look first. The scenery was out of this world. It is probably even better under a blue sky, but you have to be happy with what you get. The clouds passed under me in the valley. I felt like a bird. The paths are well signposted here. Wooden chalets are scattered around the mountain sides, all have ridiculously amazing views. Our decision to start a life in the Alps after this adventure was definitely the right one. Suddenly, I saw a chalet with a car next to it. How did he got up here? We are 1000m above the valley and there is only steep gravel road. It was a Toyota, they are such a good cars. Yesterday, I talked about gates I had to pass for cattle. Today, I came across the most crazy one. There were electrical wires all over. There was a handle you could use, but touch the gate at the wrong place and you end up with an electrical shock. Insane! When I thought I saw it all, I came at a bench and a cross. There I could see the whole valley up until Lake Geneva. I sat down and just enjoyed the view for a while. Cow bells were the only thing I could here. The valley was deep though and that was a concern. I had to get all the way down. Easy peasy, no more climbing. Yes and no. Long descents like this one, 1200m down are often as intense as tough climbs. Most accidents also happen downhill. Time to go. At first, it was not too steep. But pretty fast, it became more sliding than walking. Sometimes on a concrete road, sometimes on paths through the forest. The lower I got, less I had views and more I heard noisy cars. Could I go back up? I came out of the forest in the hamlet of Les Neyres. At the first house, there were three chairs outside overlooking the valley. I sat down and the owner of the house approached me. He even offered me a beer. The chairs were meant to be thrown away, but they didn't fit in his car. So he put them outside his house. That was 15 years ago and the chairs are still there. He was proud to be the highest living person of the village but in winter, it was a nightmare. The village didn't clear the snow up to his house. He tried to do it himself for several winters, but the effort and the stress gave him a heart attack. The man also broke a leg while skiing and lost two fingers when he chopped wood. He is married to a woman from Southern Spain and has three children, three boys. There are more than enough woman in the world he said. Fascinating man. We talked for more than half an hour. I love making time for these conversations. He offered to drive me to Aigle, but no no no. I'm here to walk. I continued my way further down. What a shock to be back in civilization. Houses and cars everywhere, so much noise. But it has some advantages as well. Collombey has a shopping center, heaven for a pilgrim: free toilets, free wifi, cold drinks, food and airco. Hard to beat. The temperature had gone up dramatically. It was more than 30 degrees in the valley. After a well deserved break, I started the last 8km to Aigle. Not the nicest walk of the year. First, I followed a highway, than a train track. There was a big traffic jam on the highway, I was actually faster than the cars. The valley is extremely busy. Everything has to happen here, not much is possible on a 2000m high mountain. Factories, residential areas and farms are all together on the valley floor. On a field, I saw several people doing manual labour. So much respect, looked really tough. I crossed the Rhone river over a bridge. This river once shaped the valley. The water had a special light blue colour and was fast flowing. A couple of times, I saw a banner with the message: le king arrive en ville. Fascinating, what king would come? Was Filip on his way to Switzerland? Big disappointment, it was publicity for a new burger king. I was so happy when I reached Aigle. I was a bit disappointed at first, but I also entered the village via the railway station. In the center, there are some very cosy streets with lots of bars and restaurants. Just outside town lays Camping de la piscine, my stop for the night. Yes, I'm going camping for the first time. But before setting up my tent, I went straight for the big swimming pool. What a reward after a long hiking day. The camping was not so big and packed with people. There is an area for small tents and even some benches where I could make dinner. I watched the sun disappear behind the mountains. A man was fascinated by my small tent and started talking. He was from Mechelen and here on holiday with his family. He had been dreaming his whole life of starting a life in the Alps but it never happened. He was really excited about my stories and I hope it will give him the inspiration to start chasing his dream again. That's what life is all about. Dreaming, making it happen and dreaming something else, making it happen again and so on. Tomorrow, I have to walk 18km to Saint-Maurice where I will sleep in an abbey. Two climbs on the menu but the biggest challenge will be the weather. They predict 35 degrees and thunderstorms in the afternoon. I'm ready for it!
This morning, I woke up in France and tonight, I will go to bed in Switzerland. When I opened my eyes in the hostel in Chatel, the first thing I heard was the sound of the river next to the hostel. It had been really quiet in the dorm. Most people staying here are mountainbikers and they don't get up as early as pilgrims. I was the first one to go down for breakfast around 8h. A buffet breakfast, basic but still what a luxury. It is only Sunday once a week. Outside it started raining heavily. When I left the dorm at 10h, some people where still sleeping. Luckily, the rain cleared. I was only outside for 1min before the first horse fly started attacking me. Who invented these bugs? My body is covered in bites. But that's part of the outdoor life. What doesn't kill you, makes you stronger. On my way! And up the hill it went straight away. The rewards were beautiful views over the Chatel valley. The town is literally surrounded by high mountains. Here everybody seems to be into sport. You have to be. You almost need to be an athlete to walk your dog. From here, there are several hiking routes into Switzerland. The route over to Torgon is pretty exposed and tricky when thunderstorms are around. So I choose to go via the Morgins pass. Reaching l'Aity en bas was pretty easy. L'Aity en haut was something else. I had to climb a ski slope which must be black. What a climb! During these efforts, I found out that I sometimes talk to my body. Body: stop sweating, I have nothing left. Me: sorry bro, can't help it. At the top, the views made it all worthwhile. Afterwards, the path went up and down high above Chatel. I crossed a family with two children. The boy and girl were definitely younger than 10 years old. They made it up here and they didn't even sweat or complain. Waw, mountain kids are something else. The weather was really nice, some clouds, around 20 degrees. No physical complaints either. Oh except for the horse flies, did I mention these already? After a short steep descent, I arrived at lake Morgins. A beautiful place which marks the French-Swiss border. At the horizon, high peaks with eternal snow. Some families were enjoying a Sunday picnic. It is impossible not to see you are in Switzerland. Suddenly, everything is extremely well maintained and extremely expensive. The sound of cow bells fills the valley. A broad track took me into Morgins, another beautiful town surrounded by mountains. I bought some food in a supermarket with the name Volg and took a siesta on the main square. There was not much going on. The girl in a little summer bar didn't sell anything while I was there and looked very bored. But the square looked amazing with nice benches, flowers, water fountains and even some music. In 1944, Morgins was not so lucky. Two bombs that had to be dropped on Montriond were accidently dropped here. Time to go again and up it went again. If somebody ever tells you that you can do a flat walk in the Alps, don't believe it! Before I knew it, the church was deep underneath me. Later, the path became less steep and ran high above the valley towards Troistorrents. Sometimes, I went through thick woods. Sometimes through open grassland with grazing cows. That means there are fences and gates to open and close. The Swiss make very ingenious ones and it took me some time to figure out how they work. The views got more and more spectacular. Sadly, clouds made it impossible to see the highest peaks. You can't have it all. The majestic Dents du Midi stayed mostly hidden. There was a bar/restaurant where the path hit the road. I thought about having a drink, but I felt a bit underdressed. Parking my backpack between a tesla and an audi Q5 would also have been weird. On top of that, my bed for the night was only 1km away. Uphill or what did you think. Chalet Chanso is stunning. This chalet was constructed more than 150 years ago but entirely renovated in 2013. Downstairs is a restaurant, upstairs 4 guestrooms. Located at an altitude of 1550m, the views from the chalet over dents du midi are stunning. On arrival, I took a shower and went straight back outside. My eyes couldn't get enough of so much natural beauty. When I got cold, I went back inside to cook in my room. The restaurant was a bit too expensive for this pilgrim. Around sunset, I went back outside one more time. The only thing I could hear were birds and a loud Dutch family. Then it was time for bed. If all goes well, I will reach Aigle tomorrow and then I will be officially on the Via Francigena!
|
AuthorMy name is Dimitri and I'm turning 40 in 2023. Through the years, I have tried to live my dreams. Everything is possible, the sky is the limit as long as you believe in your dreams and work hard to make them happen. Do what you never did before. Go where you have never been before. It will be scary, but it will also be worth it! Archives
July 2024
Categories |