Posted on the VF Yahoo Group Forum
Hi everyone!
I want to suggest a new italian web site by the group "Camminando sulla Via Francigena".
http://www.camminandosullaviafrancigena.com/
There, you can find all the maps and the tracks of the official path of Via Francigena and many other information. The web is in italian language but you can translate by gogle traductor component :)
Cristina, the creator of the group, has just finished to signalized the whole path (from Pont Saint Martin to Rome) with the new white and red signs with a black pilgrim in the middle, after three months of hard work by the help of some volunteers pilgrims...
You can find her testimoniance about this work on
http://www.occhiali3d.com/lavia/?cat=7&option=com_wordpress&Itemid=44
Cheers
Camminandosullaviafrancigena.com Staff
Showing posts with label Pont St Martin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pont St Martin. Show all posts
Sunday, July 03, 2011
Sunday, February 06, 2011
The VF in Switzerland
So we planned to walk from Lake Lausanne to Ivrea. (We skipped a 200km section in the north across the rice paddies of the Po Valley and continued from Parma and Luca to Rome). The Swiss section was the most beautiful and the most memorable. The hiking was rated 'easy' but the conditions rated 'difficult'.
This website has all the information a hiker would need to walk 215km of the VF in Switzerland including transport (how to get there), profile maps, stages, accommodation, guide books, etc, http://www.wanderland.ch/fr/buecher_karten.cfm
It lists 12 sections starting from Ste-Croix
Section 1 Ste-Croix
Section 3 Yverdon-les-Bains–Orbe
Section 4 Orbe–Cossonay
Section 5 Cossonay–Lausanne
Section 6 Lausanne–Vevey
Section 7 Vevey–Aigle
Section 8 Aigle–St-Maurice
Section 9 St-Maurice–Martigny
Section 10 Martigny–Orsières
Section 11 Orsières–Bourg-St-Pierre
Section 12 Bourg-St-Pierre–Col du Gd St-Bernard
From Lausanne, the Via Francigena runs through the vineyards of Lavaux to the bend in the Rhone. From the ancient city of Octodurus, it winds through the narrow pass shaped by the wild waters of the Drance to the northern slopes of the Grossen Sant Bernhard-Pass. In Val d’Entremont, medieval villages line the route, which peaks in the aptly-named Combe des Morts."
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
An Italian Odyssey: One Couple's Culinary and Cultural Pilgrimage: Julie Burk & Neville Tencer
A couple of years ago I sent Neville and Julie a CD with maps, our daily guides translated from the Italian AEVF website and copies of our daily info sheets compiled for our walk on the VF in 2006. Many of the maps had been sent to me by another VF Pilgrim, Jeff McDonald, who walked the VF in 2004. The others were downloaded from the AEVF website. Neville and Julie were planning their walk on the VF from Martingy to Rome.
In August 2010, Neville announced the release of a book about their VF adventure - "An Italian Odyssey: One Couple's Culinary and Cultural Pilgrimage". I couldn't wait to read it! We had blogged about our walk and Val had written a whole section about food on the blog.
Neville very kindly sent me a copy of the book and asked if I would write a review.
Last week, I posted this review on the Amazon website.
"To be honest, I found it difficult to review this book objectively. Not because it isn't well written - it is. It is fast moving, with lots of interesting history and delicious food reports thrown in. It makes fascinating reading, especially for anyone contemplating walking the Via Francigena through Italy. The authors took more time out to visit places of historic interest than most pilgrims do and delighted in sharing their enjoyment of regional foods and delicacies. However, Neville and Julie's experience was so different from my Via Francigena trek that I found it hard to identify with their tales of hardships and their constant bickering and squabbling brought on by getting lost, searching for places to stay, often blamed on demons and trickery. When the going turned tough, the tough turned on each other! Unlike them, we climbed up to the Gr St Bernard in beautiful June sunshine and although it wasn't easy traversing melting glaciers and detouring around large banks of snow, we managed the 11 hour haul to the pass with no dramas or extreme physical challenges and no fall-out.
I must admit that in 2006 when I and four friends walked the Via Francigena from Lake Leman in Switzerland to Rome, we were often bemused and confused by the signs and directions but we never actually got lost, not once.
I must admit that in 2006 when I and four friends walked the Via Francigena from Lake Leman in Switzerland to Rome, we were often bemused and confused by the signs and directions but we never actually got lost, not once.Perhaps this is because we listened to experienced pilgrims' advice and skipped a 200km section in the north and took a train from Ivrea to Parma.
We booked every night's accommodation ahead and, amazingly for 5 very different women walking together, we didn't have any heated disagreements or arguments even when the going got tough. I loved their idea of writing the story from a cultural 
and culinary perspective. This sets the book apart from scores of similar pilgrimage tales, which by their very nature, are often merely day to day accounts of getting up, packing the back pack, walking all day, arriving, eating and sleeping. This book is much more than that. In Julie's words, theirs was "an extraordinary experience with a bitter undertone but with time, sweet, spicy and delicious."
and culinary perspective. This sets the book apart from scores of similar pilgrimage tales, which by their very nature, are often merely day to day accounts of getting up, packing the back pack, walking all day, arriving, eating and sleeping. This book is much more than that. In Julie's words, theirs was "an extraordinary experience with a bitter undertone but with time, sweet, spicy and delicious." PS: I've been asked about the 3 Star rating. I don't like fights, especially between couples and when they nearly gave up walking because of them, I nearly gave up on the book. I'm glad I didn't because as the terrain inproved so did their disposition and the story!"
Another source of aggravation for almost everyone who has walked the VF is finding accommodation. As far back as 2003 when I was researching the Via for our planned walk, the only written accounts were Veronica O'Connors short diary of her walk in 2002, Brandon Wilson's diary of his walk from the Gr St Bernard to Rome and Jeff McDonald's diary of his walk in 2004.
Jeff often referred to his frustration in trying to find a hotel at the end of a day. His diary gives the time taken for each stage, and in it he writes: 'The times include finding accommodation each day, sometimes that could take an hour or so.'
My friend John, who is a seasoned pilgrimage walker, walked the VF in 2005 and on his return said that he would never recommend it to anyone. He struggled to find accommodation, sometimes having to sleep on a park bench, in a cardboard box, on the portico of a church and one night, in a police station. He also got hopelessly lost on numerous occasions and said that he felt he was committing suicide walking on some of the busy roads with huge trucks and heavy traffic hurtling down on him.
Because of these tales of woe, we decided not to risk trying to find beds at night for five middle-aged women so I laboriously booked beds for every night before we left South Africa. And, we were so pleased we'd done that. No matter how far we had to walk; no matter how tired we were; no matter how incorrect the mileages were (some days we thought we'd be walking 23km and ended up walking over 30km) we always knew that there was a hot shower and a clean bed waiting for us at the end of the day. It took the anxiety and panic out of the walk and gave us the lee-way to take our time, enjoy the scenery and interact with the locals.
The Via Francigena today is probably what the Camino was like 30 years ago. We only met two pilgrims. One at the Gr St Bernard hospice who was not walking to Rome, and a couple of cyclists in Sienna. We bundu-bashed our way through ploughed fields, tall rows of corn, over dry stone walls and waded through rivers where the bridges had fallen down. It was tough. It was hot - sometimes over 40oC in the shade. And, there was very little pilgrim accommodation - only two albergues which were not only for pilgrims.
What's it like now? Reading Neville and Julie's book, I don't think much has changed. There are guide books available in English and more pilgrim accommodation in monasteries and convents. Perhaps VF pilgrims are no longer the 'pioneers' we were described as by Adelaide Trezzini when we joined the AIVF, but it is still a difficult walk made more so by the lack of infrastructure and accommodation.(Tarta d' Erbe - made by Nona Norina in Pentremoli)
Thursday, August 26, 2010
NEWSLETTER FROM THE AEVF
News and photos from: Associazione Europea delle Vie Francigene September 2010
Day of Cultural Routes scheduled in Brussels
Vice President of the European Commission, Antonio Tajani, promotes the Council of Europe Cultural Routes
August 2010
Journeying through the Way of St. Olav
A journey of pilgrimage in northern Europe, including Norway, Sweden and Denmark
August 3, 2010
26/08/2010 Canterbury and km zero ViaFrancigena
New signs were placed at the beginning of July
http://www.associazioneviafrancigena.it//default.asp?s=27&o=5447&c=0
Event - Fidenza From Rome
40 pilgrims on their way : Those who wish can join the group for short distance
Event - the Great St. Bernard in Pont-Saint-Martin : Discovering ViaFrancigena Aosta Valley
Interesting proposals for the 2010 walk
Event - Santiago de Compostela and Le-Puy-En-Velay : Formal closure of the relay International Europe-Compostela 2010 : The event will take place on 18 and 25 September 2010 the first in Santiago de Compostela and then to Le-Puy-En-Velay
Photogallery: Canterbury (UK)
http://www.associazioneviafrancigena.it//default.asp?s=73&o=4708&c=0
See photos of the consecration of the altar dedicated to Saint Anselm
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, blesses the new altar in the Chapel of Sant'Alselmo in Canterbury Cathedral , with the Rev. Jonathan Goodall and Bishop Giuseppe Anfossi of Aosta bishop .
Photos of the cathedral, the town, the boys choir singing at the inauguration of km zero, of the route between Canterbury and the sea as well as photographs of Dover, the Dover Castle etc.
Photogallery: From Rome to the Great Saint Bernard
.jpg)
Relay-Europe International Compostela 2010
Day of Cultural Routes scheduled in Brussels
Vice President of the European Commission, Antonio Tajani, promotes the Council of Europe Cultural Routes
August 2010
Journeying through the Way of St. Olav
A journey of pilgrimage in northern Europe, including Norway, Sweden and Denmark
August 3, 2010
26/08/2010 Canterbury and km zero ViaFrancigena
Pending the official presentation of ViaFrancigena at the European Commission within the day devoted to other Council of Europe Cultural Routes, the ancient path of Sigeric is attracting millions of pilgrims and enthusiasts who have walked this summer - and are still walking - along the Via Francigena.
There has been an increase in the numbers of those starting in the English city of Canterbury, in the heart of Kent, which starts in front of the magnificent cathedral the stone indicating the kilometer zero of the route. The English section that accompanies the pilgrims to the dramatic cliffs of Dover, where you can sail to the French city of Calais, has finally been fitted with new signs by the Kent County Council. Twenty-eight km route attractive to combine art, history and nature.
This newsletter offers some phtographs of the English course, A whole new signage for the ViaFrancigena English New signs were placed at the beginning of July
http://www.associazioneviafrancigena.it//default.asp?s=27&o=5447&c=0
40 pilgrims on their way : Those who wish can join the group for short distance
Event - the Great St. Bernard in Pont-Saint-Martin : Discovering ViaFrancigena Aosta Valley
Interesting proposals for the 2010 walk
Event - Santiago de Compostela and Le-Puy-En-Velay : Formal closure of the relay International Europe-Compostela 2010 : The event will take place on 18 and 25 September 2010 the first in Santiago de Compostela and then to Le-Puy-En-Velay
Photogallery: Canterbury (UK) See photos of the consecration of the altar dedicated to Saint Anselm
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams, blesses the new altar in the Chapel of Sant'Alselmo in Canterbury Cathedral , with the Rev. Jonathan Goodall and Bishop Giuseppe Anfossi of Aosta bishop .
Photogallery: Canterbury, the English stage of ViaFrancigena : http://www.associazioneviafrancigena.it//default.asp?s=27&o=5447&c=0
A visit to the place of Archbishop Sigeric Photos of the cathedral, the town, the boys choir singing at the inauguration of km zero, of the route between Canterbury and the sea as well as photographs of Dover, the Dover Castle etc.
Photogallery: From Rome to the Great Saint Bernard
.jpg)
Relay-Europe International Compostela 2010
Photogallery: ViaFrancigena Morenic Canavesana;
The ViaFrancigena in Piedmont (Chiesa di Santa Maria Maddalena_Burolo)
Friday, November 07, 2008
LATEST VF IN ITALY GUIDE - FREE DOWNLOAD
This message from Alberto was posted on the Yahoo-VF-Group Forum.
Today I delivered to Italian Culture Ministry the new version of
walking route between Gran San Bernardo and Rome.
It is already published online at the following address:
http://www.librari. beniculturali. it/generaNews. jsp?id=98
You can download free of charge road books, maps, GPS tracks and
Google map tracks.
The road books are in Italian, but they are very schematic, with an
arrow for every crossing so if you process them with an automatic
translator they should be useful.
I suggest you to print road books in A5 format, (2 pages per A4
sheet), on both sides of the sheet to decrease weight (they are about
300 A4 pages that can be reduced to 80-90).
The new route is an evolution of the one published in 2006 by AEVF (I
was the author of that job too). I worked as consultant of Ministry,
cooperating with AEVF members like municipalities, provinces,
regions, and with local associations and agencies to solve the safety
issues of 2006 route. So the new route avoids most of busy roads and
as much as possible stays far from traffic noise and pollution.
The price we are paying is an increasing in route length (about 5%
more than previous version).
I worked also in the preliminary project of simple works that could
improve safety: sidewalks, road crossings, and some major works as
bridges and protected cyclepaths. They could also help in decreasing
route length.
Signs installation has started, and I hope they will complete it
within spring 2009 from Gran San bernardo to Rome. Anyway I suggest
to travel always with the maps (better and lighter a GPS), because
often vandals damage signs.
I hope that this job will be useful for all the future pilgrims on
Via Francigena, and I invite you to contact me to have more
information on the route.
See you soon in Italy!
Alberto Conte
www.camminafrancigena.it
The Road Books (Guides) can be downloaded in sections:
Today I delivered to Italian Culture Ministry the new version of
walking route between Gran San Bernardo and Rome.
It is already published online at the following address:
http://www.librari. beniculturali. it/generaNews. jsp?id=98
You can download free of charge road books, maps, GPS tracks and
Google map tracks.
The road books are in Italian, but they are very schematic, with an
arrow for every crossing so if you process them with an automatic
translator they should be useful.
I suggest you to print road books in A5 format, (2 pages per A4
sheet), on both sides of the sheet to decrease weight (they are about
300 A4 pages that can be reduced to 80-90).
The new route is an evolution of the one published in 2006 by AEVF (I
was the author of that job too). I worked as consultant of Ministry,
cooperating with AEVF members like municipalities, provinces,
regions, and with local associations and agencies to solve the safety
issues of 2006 route. So the new route avoids most of busy roads and
as much as possible stays far from traffic noise and pollution.
The price we are paying is an increasing in route length (about 5%
more than previous version).
I worked also in the preliminary project of simple works that could
improve safety: sidewalks, road crossings, and some major works as
bridges and protected cyclepaths. They could also help in decreasing
route length.
Signs installation has started, and I hope they will complete it
within spring 2009 from Gran San bernardo to Rome. Anyway I suggest
to travel always with the maps (better and lighter a GPS), because
often vandals damage signs.
I hope that this job will be useful for all the future pilgrims on
Via Francigena, and I invite you to contact me to have more
information on the route.
See you soon in Italy!
Alberto Conte
www.camminafrancigena.it
The Road Books (Guides) can be downloaded in sections:
Dal Gran San Bernardo a Ivrea
(Visualizza le tappe su Google Earth)
Tappa: dal Gran San Bernardo a Echevennoz - 14,9 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Tappa: da Echevennoz ad Aosta - 13,6 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Tappa: da Aosta a Chatillon - 30,1 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Tappa: da Chatillon a Verres - 20,8 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Tappa: da Verres a Pont Saint Martin - 17,7 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Tappa: da Pont Saint Martin a Ivrea - 22,1 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Da Ivrea a Pavia
(Visualizza le tappe su Google Earth)
Tappa: da Ivrea a Viverone - 21,7 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Tappa: da Viverone a Santhia' - 16,1 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Tappa: da Santhia' a Vercelli - 27,4 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Tappa: da Vercelli a Robbio - 19,7 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Tappa: da Robbio a Mortara - 14,3 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Tappa: da Mortara a Garlasco - 23,6 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Tappa: da Garlasco a Pavia - 25,9 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Da Pavia al Passo della Cisa
(Visualizza le tappe su Google Earth)
Tappa: da Pavia a Santa Cristina - 28,5 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Santa Cristina a Orio Litta - 16,9 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Orio Litta a Piacenza - 17,5 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Piacenza a Fiorenzuola - 32,8 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Fiorenzuola a Fidenza - 22,6 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Fidenza a Fornovo - 34,2 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Fornovo a Cassio - 22,6 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Cassio al Passo della Cisa - 19,2 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Dal Passo della Cisa a Siena
(Visualizza le tappe su Google Earth)
Tappa: da Passo della Cisa a Pontremoli - 19,4 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Pontremoli ad Aulla - 32,9 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Aulla a Avenza - 32,4 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Avenza a Pietrasanta - 27,8 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Pietrasanta a Lucca - 32,3 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Lucca a Altopascio - 17,8 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Altopascio a San Miniato - 23,5 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da San Miniato a Gambassi Terme - 25,6 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Gambassi Terme a San Gimignano - 13,4 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da San Gimignano a Monteriggioni - 29,8 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Monteriggioni a Siena - 20,5 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Da Siena a Roma
(Visualizza le tappe su Google Earth)
Tappa: da Siena a Ponte D'Arbia - 28,5 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Ponte D'Arbia a S. Quirico d'Orcia - 27,4 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da S. Quirico d'Orcia a Radicofani - 32,7 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Radicofani a Acquapendente - 31,8 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Acquapendente a Bolsena - 22,1 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Bolsena a Montefiascone - 18,3 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Montefiascone a Viterbo - 17,7 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Viterbo a Vetralla - 20,0 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Vetralla a Sutri - 22,5 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Sutri a Campagnano - 24,3 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da Campagnano a La Storta - 24,4 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Tappa: da La Storta a Roma - 15,8 km
Road Book (pdf)
Tracce Google Earth e GPS
Galleria fotografica
Thursday, June 22, 2006
THURS JUNE 22: - DAY SEVEN - St Vincent to Pont St Martin 32.2km 9.5kms
THURS JUNE 22: DAY EIGHT - St Vincent to Pont St Martin 32.2km
Kathy: Talk about fauna and flora! We have seen domestic animals such as cows, sheep and goats. Cows and bulls with enormous leather straps and bells around their necks. A herd of goats being herded by a 'shepherd' and smart dog not far out of town, woolly sheep, lots of dogs, cats, kittens as well as ducks and ducklings, chickens etc. There are all varieties of dogs, Cairn terriers, Collies, St Bernard’s, St Charles spaniels etc. We have also seen two foxes - one near La Douay and one near Bard. We have seen some strange looking furry critters that could be ferrets or perhaps raccoons. We have seen raptors, crows, thrush-like birds, sparrows, swallows, kites, woodpeckers and many others. Silvia talks to the animals (and they talk back!) and has been nose to nose with a goat.
But today we also had the flies! Compliments of a yard behind our B&B that is home to a family of goats - this in the equivalent of West Street mind you! We are watching Val, as she is lethal with her pepper spray, having nearly killed us all in Aosta spraying it at a fly in our room!
Rayna: We left St Vincent on a lovely wooded path then we hit tarred roads which are hard underfoot and after a long day – 9 ½ hours - all except Kathy feels shattered. Kathy got a second wind went shopping and made us all dinner - Val will expand upon that.
Marion: Woke up this morning to the sound of WOOF-WOOF - which is Val's alarm sound! Sil and Val told me that my watch had woken them at midnight when the alarm went off. I was so tired that I didn't hear it. After getting dressed this morning I walked outside to a magnificent view, we were surrounded by mountains and across the valley there was a castle on a hill. It was so peacefull – the sun had just come up, birds were singing and I felt like I was in the middle of a dream. I felt so good for most of today, the backpack feeling like a part of me, (must be getting fitter) but as the day went on I really knew that I had a backpack on my back! Was very relieved to find our B&B.
Sil: Serve us right for being so clever yesterday and counting our sightseeing kilometres as part of our mileage and catching a bus. It's like Ride Now - Pay Later!!. 32kms might not sound like a lot but with over 150kms in your legs and much of that climbing up and down a 2 500m mountain, it took its toll on all of us today.
So, is the Via F what I expected? Yes and no. Yes - the scenery is spectacular - straight out of a Disney movie. High mountains, green meadows, acres of wild flowers - each small pasture like a country bunch! We have walked through medieval villages with stone buildings pressing in from each side. Sometimes we feel as though we are intruding when we walk right past someone’s barn or front door. Village fountains and water troughs keep us supplied with water. We walked through Montjovet, a village famous for its wine and then passed by two castles and a fortess on the way to Pont St Martin - St Germaine, Isogne and the stunning fortress of Bard. Walking along an old Roman Road with the ruts of chariot and cart wheels still visible in the large stones. We climbed high above terraced vineyards that look like pictures of South American terraced agriculture. It has been a visual and sensory overload.
NO?? Well, because I did not expect it to be so difficult - the terrain is much harder than the Camino. There are very few signs. We have had to find our own way every step of the way. The weather. It has been extremely hot. No snow, no cold winds, very little rain. Hotter at times than Durban in the summer.. So yes, and no - it is more than I expected and I am really looking forward to the next few weeks when we start walking through Tuscany.
Arriving in Pont St Martin we stopped at a police station to ask for directions to the B&B. A tall, dark and handsome policeman came out to point the way and I think Kathy was instantly smitten – tall, young, dark, handsome and in a uniform with knee high boots nog al! She seemed to get her 2nd wind while the rest of us were wilting so she offerd to make us all dinner. The accommodation has been wonderful. Most B&B's – like this one, the Al Castel - are apartments with kitchen, stove, fridge and we have even had use of the odd washing machine. And they only cost ± E25 each with breakfast.
Marion: Woke up this morning to the sound of WOOF-WOOF - which is Val's alarm sound! Sil and Val told me that my watch had woken them at midnight when the alarm went off. I was so tired that I didn't hear it. After getting dressed this morning I walked outside to a magnificent view, we were surrounded by mountains and across the valley there was a castle on a hill. It was so peacefull – the sun had just come up, birds were singing and I felt like I was in the middle of a dream. I felt so good for most of today, the backpack feeling like a part of me, (must be getting fitter) but as the day went on I really knew that I had a backpack on my back! Was very relieved to find our B&B.
Sil: Serve us right for being so clever yesterday and counting our sightseeing kilometres as part of our mileage and catching a bus. It's like Ride Now - Pay Later!!. 32kms might not sound like a lot but with over 150kms in your legs and much of that climbing up and down a 2 500m mountain, it took its toll on all of us today.So, is the Via F what I expected? Yes and no. Yes - the scenery is spectacular - straight out of a Disney movie. High mountains, green meadows, acres of wild flowers - each small pasture like a country bunch! We have walked through medieval villages with stone buildings pressing in from each side. Sometimes we feel as though we are intruding when we walk right past someone’s barn or front door. Village fountains and water troughs keep us supplied with water. We walked through Montjovet, a village famous for its wine and then passed by two castles and a fortess on the way to Pont St Martin - St Germaine, Isogne and the stunning fortress of Bard. Walking along an old Roman Road with the ruts of chariot and cart wheels still visible in the large stones. We climbed high above terraced vineyards that look like pictures of South American terraced agriculture. It has been a visual and sensory overload.
NO?? Well, because I did not expect it to be so difficult - the terrain is much harder than the Camino. There are very few signs. We have had to find our own way every step of the way. The weather. It has been extremely hot. No snow, no cold winds, very little rain. Hotter at times than Durban in the summer.. So yes, and no - it is more than I expected and I am really looking forward to the next few weeks when we start walking through Tuscany.
Arriving in Pont St Martin we stopped at a police station to ask for directions to the B&B. A tall, dark and handsome policeman came out to point the way and I think Kathy was instantly smitten – tall, young, dark, handsome and in a uniform with knee high boots nog al! She seemed to get her 2nd wind while the rest of us were wilting so she offerd to make us all dinner. The accommodation has been wonderful. Most B&B's – like this one, the Al Castel - are apartments with kitchen, stove, fridge and we have even had use of the odd washing machine. And they only cost ± E25 each with breakfast.
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