Yesterday ended at the Chateau Verdun in the charming town of St. Oyen, Italy (originating in the 11 century). The Chateau was given to the Canons of the Great Saint Bernard Monastery in 1137 by a Savoy. On the property is a Benedictine convent and a large cow milking barn chock full of cows with their tails tied up. Explanation please
The staff treated us so kindly and felt like family. It’s the Italian way.
This morning had us well rested. Luck had it that the five of us shared a ten bed room. Fortuitously Bill and I got a king size bed in the private loft area.
Delicious coffee gave us to fuel to head into another gorgeous day. White fluffy clouds and 50+ degrees.
The icing on the gluten free cake is that it’s Rockenstein’s birthday!!!
13.3 miles and another 2,600 feet decline in elevation.
Our day was somewhere written in a fable. Rolling farm land lush with vegetables, pasture and alfalfa. Belled cows sounding like chimes blowing in the wind. Fruit trees heavy with fruit. Charming villages. Winding tree lined paths laden with pine needles. Fast flowing irrigation boxes rushing with excitement. Stream beds flowing in utter silence.
Thank goodness for the surrounding beauty because every elevation change (however minute) hurt our weary legs. Yesterday’s descent was brutal.
We are now in Aosta. Staying at Albergo La Belle Epoque and living like royalty for tonight we have private rooms!
It is Roxanne’s birthday and we’re all celebrating.
Here’s Roxanne’s post and photos:
If the Fab Five were one person, that person would be 28 1/2 feet tall and turn 329 years old on the Via Francigena.
The bus ride was nail biting and thrilling at the same time.
We layered up and walked to Italy (200 meters) for cocktails and hot chocolate. 
Our dorm room slept 16 (8 sets of bunk beds) and had equal amount of cubbie storage space. Spotless. Lucky for us nobody snored.
We woke to stirring of our bedmates followed by soothing music that was played throughout the Hospice. Lovely.
Miraculously it was a clear and glorious day! We layered up for the cold and within 500 meters stripped down. What a contrast from the day before.
We walked approximately 11 miles mostly downhill – a 3660 foot drop. It was stunning beyond description.
Our bodies were shouting at us by mile seven. Knees, hips, back… all asking us what the hell we were doing to ourselves.
We spent the night where 40,000 of Napoleone’s soldiers once hung out and for 300 years the Saint Bernard dogs sniffed through fog, ice and snow finding those of us who got lost. 
The Fab Five are keenly aware of this precious moment in time to show up able bodied and willing to walk 620 miles to Rome, Italy.
A three night stop gave us ample time to explore, rest and eat our way through town.
Postings and photos are all from my iPhone. Here’s my first attempt at loading videos. They appear sideways on my screen but play in the correct direction. If it’s harsh (or sideways) looking at it on a computer please let me know.
