Tag Archives: Via Francigena

Day 2 of the Via Francigena

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 pleaseThe 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.

A Brief Interlude

Tonight I glimpse out the restaurant window to see a lone boy with his soccer ball kicking drills off the side of the glowing church. The boy and ball were intermittently illuminated by the light shining toward the quickening darkness of the sky.This, a common sight, witnessed around the world. Children and their football. Making memories, developing life skills, freeing their minds and all the while massaging their muscle memories.

The innocence of this moment leaves a lasting impression.

Slowly Making Our Way

Martigny, Switzerland seemed liked a great place to rest up and acclimate to the time change before we start walking the Via Francigena.

This charming community of 18,000 people of which 25% are expats rests at 1545 feet above sea level and at the base of the Alps. The hillsides are lush and bursting with grapes. The hills are starting to turn falls colors but the flowers are still happy and colorful.

Home to the St. Bernard Museum, a Roman Amphitheater, the La Bâtiaz Castle and one old wooden bridge (1823).A three night stop gave us ample time to explore, rest and eat our way through town.

Tomorrow we head north to 8,100′ where we will spend two nights at the Grand St. Bernard Hospice – founded nearly 1,000 years ago. Starting in the 17th century monks at the hospice bred and raised the St. Bernard rescue dogs to help with snowbound travelers. Today there is no need.

Hunters, pilgrims and Napoleon have laid their weary heads upon this spot high in the Alps.

Tomorrow five pilgrims from Nevada will be added to the list.

Images of Martigny…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.

Follow us as we walk the Via Francigena

That’s right. Approx. 1000 kilometers.

This time it’s the Via Francigena (fran chee gena).

From ancient and medieval times it connected Canterbury to Rome. Today most pilgrims start in the Swiss Alps. Luckily, unlike our predecessors, none of us have to return home by foot.

Different from the famous Camino de Santiago where over 200,000 pilgrims annually walk the 500 miles from St. Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago de Compostela in Spain the Via has only a combined 2,500 walkers, bikers and horse riders.

Bill and I walked the Camino de Santiago Frances in 2013 and in 2016 walked the Camino de Santiago Portuguese with Vino Verde Man, Chapmeister and Rockenstein . It was so utterly perfect that the five of us, on September 3, 2018, will step out the door of our hostel at the Great St. Bernard Pass in Switzerland and make our way to Rome.

The first two days have us descending 6,000′ in elevation. Hello knees…In the meantime, we walk to build up our strength. Unfortunately, the last couple of days have us walking at the local community center as our hometown has the most hazardous air in the USA caused by the horrific fires in California.

Curious about what’s in my pack??

If you didn’t read my ultimate packing guide from the last pilgrimage hop on over and check it out.

I made some adjustments – more than expected in the consummate search for perfection.

Here’s the list (new means different from last time):

New pack – the Osprey 24 liter Sirrus
The same Nike shorts which unfortunately have been discontinued.
New (update – North Face changed the material and the new ones are too thick) North Face Everyday Pant
New North Face on the Go Skirt (forgoing the skort)
Target tank top
New Athleta Speedlight Tee
Same Lulu Lemon Swiftly Tech Short Sleeve
Smartwool – one each – Mid-Weight and Light-Weight long sleeve shirts
A crazy and stupid indulgence – hippie palazzo pants from Walmart – who said ya can’t be groovy on a pilgrimage?
New My Trail Co rain gear – jacket and pants. Jealous of Rockenstein and Vino Verde when they stepped out in the torrential rain all duded out with their My Trails rain attire. They stayed dry when I soaked to the bone in my cheap $1.99 rain poncho.
New REI 650 Down Jacket
OMG – I get to wear new but the same Altra Footwear Lone Peak 2.5 shoes!! YAY!! Shoes are the most important part of this whole list. Altra is now on version 3.5 with 4.0 coming out any day now. They changed their design and frankly the changes do not work for me. Geared up to wear the Altra Timp Trail – actually hiking in them with a friend when I realized she was wearing my favorite 2.5’s. Where did you get those???? Rockenstein! The zero drop wasn’t her thing so she passed them on. Well, that generous friend who only wore them twice gifted them to me. Doing a happy dance every time I put them on. Thank you Boo!
Crocs backup shoe for the end of the day, showering, etc.
Tights, undies, bras, merino wool gloves, a neck buff, homemade pillowcase with velcro to stuff my down jacket in to make a pillow.
Travel size toiletries.
Sea to Summit Traveller silk sleeping sack to keep the cooties away.
PackTowl ultralite beach towel

All weighing in at 11 pounds. Of course, I’ll be wearing some of those clothes so my pack will be lighter.

You men might be wondering what’s in Bill’s pack. Basic black and flip flops!

We’re super excited. Jump on board and walk with us. Tell your friends to sign up for our blog – http://www.billandpaige.com. Instagram Story @paigeshawdotcom and Facebook @billandpaige.

See you there!

Bellísimo Italia

Milan, Genoa, Lucca and Merano.

Milan because it’s Milan. The fashion capital of the world, home of the Duomo, Galleria Vittorio Emanuele and the quaint art district of Brera.

Genoa because Guillermo was craving seafood.

Lucca holds a special place in our hearts and we wanted to scout out the Via Francigena – the Camino we will be walking next year – Switzerland to Rome.

Merano for its 700 year old Christmas festival.

We overdosed on pastries, pasta and wine. It’s compulsory – I’m positive our passport stamp said so.

*click to enlarge photos