As from 4h30, people started waking up in hostel Il Casello. A family had to catch a ferry, others had to get to work. When I opened my eyes around 7am, my roommate had also already left. It was hot in the room so the first thing I did, was opening a window to let the fresh mountain air come in. When I came down, breakfast was already set up with fruit, croissant, coffee, juice and lots more. I had paid 25 euro for a bed and this breakfast was included. Pretty incredible. When I returned the key, the owner wished me a buen camino and off I went under a blue sky.
My day started in the center of Verrès. The sun didn't make it yet above the surrounding mountains, so it was still cool. On this Saterday morning, the town was busy. Some came shopping, others enjoyed sitting on a terrace. A little boy tried everything to convince his mother to buy him gelato, but it didn't work. The narrow streets of old town are decorated with impressive murals. I walked out of the center and via the neglected railway station, I arrived on the banks of the mighty Dora river. Over the last days, I had seen it so many times from above. Upclose, the colour and the power of the water were even more impressive. The path followed the river. Because it was flat, I was making good progress. It was so easy. Was I not going too fast? Under lots of sunshine in the widening valley next to the rumbling water, I had the best time. After 5km, I passed a bridge over the highway and the railway to arrive in the village of Arnad. The Via Francigena always goes via the oldest streets and houses of these hamlets. It's often so quiet that cats sleep in the middle of the street. A medieval wine press can be admired here. I took a first break next to the Roman church. I realised I was not carrying any food today and that is a risk. This village had no shop at all. But I still had an apple. Off I went again, this time under the railway and the highway. The path passed behind a highway parking where a woman thought she could do a wild pee without being seen. Sorry, this pilgrim was coming true. Crossing the river happened on the historic Ponte di Echallon. Old bridges are so much more scenic than the newer versions. At the horizon, I got my first glimpse of the Bard Fortress. An impressive sight! The huge castle was built on a high hill at the entrance of the Aosta valley. The position couldn't be more strategic. When Napoleon passed here in 1800 with 40.000 soldiers, it took him two weeks to dislodge 400 Austrian soldiers who were defending the fort. The road headed in one straight line towards the fort. I'm always surprised about what I come across when I walk along a road. Things you would never see when you pass on a bike or in a car. A monument for a 13 year old boy who died here in 1979. A little chapel dating back to 1829. Have you ever walked the streets in your own neighbourhood? You would be surprised. Before I came to the entrance of the fort, I had to walk through the village of Hône. Men in suits gathered in front of the church. I decided not to visit this church. I felt a bit underdressed. Fort Bard is well equipped for tourists. There is an underground carpark and cable cars bring people up the hill. Next to the fort, there is one big street with bars and shops. But to my surprise, there was almost nobody there. I entered a bar and ordered a classic panini. The waiter asked if I wanted it with ham. Yes perfect. Ten minutes later, he came back with a sandwich with only a pile of ham in between. Dude, I said with ham, not only with ham. But I ate it anyway and it was good. With a full stomach, I left the fort behind and headed for Donnas. The village has a long narrow main street with old houses on both sides. But there was nobody to be seen in the whole street. Most houses could definitely use some paint. It felt like a ghost town. After that street, I came on a busier main road which leads into Pont Saint Martin. This should have been the end of my day, but I couldn't find any affordable accommodation here. And I didn't want to set up my tent, because thunderstorms were on their way. It actually started dripping when I walked into town. I quickly did some evening meal shopping and then went for the main attraction of Pont Saint Martin: the bridge! The Roman bridge sits high above the river and served the city for more than 2000 years. Nowadays, you can still walk over it. It's an impressive sight which also attracted moviemakers. Some scenes from the famous Avenger movie Age of Ultron were filmed here. Pont Saint Martin has just like most towns here also a castle ruin on a hill. Ed Sheeran would love it here. A bit further, they had dumped a lot of sand on a square and a beach party had already started. But my bed for the night was still 5km away. It looked like the rain clouds were going to wait for me to arrive. The path climbed steeply uphill to the San Rocco Chapel. The building itself is not very special, but the location is. It sits on the border of Aosta and Piemonte. So I had officially entered a new region. From here, you could also clearly see the end of the mountains at the horizon. Tomorrow will be a melancholy day as I will really leave the beautiful Alps behind. I made my way back down through the village of Carema. The name derives from cameram or customs. This is a border town between two regions after all. Through some vineyards and along a busy road, I walked to Quincinetto where I had booked a room in the mini hotel. The name says everything, because everything is mini. When you drop the soap in the shower, you have to close the tap, open the shower, bend over to pick it up, close the shower again and re-open the tap. If I stretch my legs in the bed, they go straight through the window. But the place is clean and cosy for 1 night. By 21h, it started raining heavily. So lucky I stayed dry today and that on my 13th day of hiking. Tomorrow another 20km to Ivrea. After 2 weeks in the mountains, I want to see the plains with my own eyes.
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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
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