Day 28: Stage 23: Etrouble, 13 kms, cloud to sun, 26°

 Italia!! Molto Bene!!

(This map is for two days) 

My stay at the hospice was as advertised, very special. The hospice staff was great and made every effort to ensure everyone was comfortable. There were three of us who are on the Via Francigena with all three of us expecting to get to Rome, though at different times. Kelly from Canada and Haus from Zeeland in southern Holland. I shared my dorm room with a Swiss couple from Aigle, a town we passed through the day we left Lac Lausanne. Seems like weeks ago, but in reality it was only a week ago. So much happens each day with every day so full. I’ve missed this the last couple of years. We enjoyed a communal dinner together with perhaps six other people who are staying in the hospice and hiking other routes. There were at least 4 languages floating around the table. A lovely evening and one of the highlights for most pilgrims walking the Via Francigena.

Before the rain started to fall last night I stepped out to have a look down the lake towards the Italian end. 

I had a late breakfast today, as did everyone else because with the wind and the rain during the night the pass was left shrouded in cloud this morning. It was only a 13 km stage to Etrouble, but much of  the earlier section was steep and a bit of a scramble. 

Halfway down the lake I passed the old Swiss customs building and moved into the frontier before Italy. Of course these days the stations in the EU are no longer in use. Let’s hope it stays that way.

Then quiet suddenly, OK, shortly afterwards, I was in Italy! The fourth country of the five that the Via Francigena crosses.

Everyone was pretty bundled up this morning because it was just 4° out, but figuring that the cloud would eventually stay above us and then clear I went out in shorts and a light jacket. With the cold wind behind me I wondered if it was the right decision.

But soon the cloud did start to lift and I could see that it was going to be another brilliant day.

The peaks sitting well above the tree line were very rough and jagged. Really dramatic to walk through and to look at.

I think this was the sunrise?







I spoke with his young German couple on the way down who are tracking hut to hut. This is fairly common in the Alps as there are so many hats that are suitable for hikers to stay in. They had just returned from two years in San Francisco doing research, and we’re happy to be back in Europe given the Covid and political situations in the US.






Sometimes it doesn’t pay to look up!



This is the Italian side of the very long tunnel that goes under the Grand Saint Bernard pass. This is the long avalanche tunnel. Amazing engineering!

I’ll be walking along there shortly. The descents happen so relentlessly and quickly. I had originally planned to walk the full 31 km down to Aosta, but decided to break up the stage as most do in order to enjoy the views of the Alps for as long as possible. There are some flat somewhat dull days crossing the Po River valley ahead. Through the whole stage I kept telling myself to slow down and take it all in. So I did!

Lots of nice streams coming down from up above.

The first town of Saint-Rhemy has been welcoming pilgrims for centuries after their dangerous crossing. You have to remember that in earlier times there were bandits on the trail, heavy snowfalls and storms that would unexpectedly hit these folks. Today, it’s a little easier. We have no bandits!

For Bryan and Ken.



Looking back. 

A lovely little irrigation canal join the trail and I followed it as far as I could even though it took me off the Via Francigena for a time. It was just too nice to walk along this trail and I figured out that I could rejoin the route further on.

My home for tonight suddenly reveals itself.

Can you tell I’m in Italy?😂

The town square is all set up to honour the Via Francigena. Italy is really invested in this route and it shows.

They even have their own beer for it!

Well dinner last night was very good, breakfast this morning was just a couple of pieces of bread and some tea. Not enough to hold me. I was famished when I got into town and I located the first decent looking restaurant I could find and I had a great lunch. I’ll be back there for dinner at 19:30 when they open! I photographed the menu so I go study it closer🤣

I had my first three conversations in Italian today! On the mountain I met a young woman climbing up towards the pass and she seemed quite pleased when I responded to her in my rather broken Italian. It’s difficult for me to switch languages from French into Italian or whatever, particularly after a long day. I later had a long conversation with a fellow from Marrakech who had moved here some years ago. I gather he’s raising his 3 kids here and his brother and sister live in Germany. He was pretty animated and gestured repeatedly, something I’ll probably have to get used to a little bit more. Something about the Mafia? My last conversation was in the restaurant, but not quite as successful. Fortunately the waiter realized I was pretty tired and he used his English. However, all three conversations gave my confidence a bit of a boost, and I’ll get more proficient as I go. Those two university courses seem to be already paying off.

I’m hoping for a little more sleep tonight. It seems that nobody slept well in the hospice last night. I know in our own room everyone was afraid that they might wake the others with a little bit of snoring, but I think it was more to do with the attitude. 

Tomorrow is a little longer stage as I continue to descend to Aosta. It’s a town with considerable history and I wanted to get down there early enough to experience some of it. Very please that I stopped here. 

Day 27: Stage 22: Hospice at Grand Saint Bernard Pass, 12.5 kms,

Happy Anniversary Annemarie! 

Well, I made it to the top of the pass! 3 1/2 hours up over about 12 1/2 km. I am sitting on a rock overlooking the beautiful lake that sits beside the Hospice on the Switzerland/Italy border. I’ve just finished the lunch I carried up with me, made up of the over abundance of food I was provided by my lovely hosts for breakfast this morning. 

Mount Blanc lies just to the west of me, and this is basically a continental divide with the waters to the north of me flowing into the Rhône River valley through Switzerland and France and the waters to the south of me drain into the Po River basin in Italy. As I sit here, the wind is beginning to pick up from the north blowing towards Italy. It was sprinkling a few minutes ago but that seems to have stopped.

I was up and away in good time this morning, though I did have to do the dishes and clean up! I walk towards town and it was a bit gray out at the beginning of the day, but the cloud was pretty high.

I knew today would be a climbing day and a profile on the video at the end surprisingly doesn’t reflect that. But they were climbs beginning right out of town.

Walking up the valley this morning I started to see a substantial dam ahead of me. For the past two days I’ve been seeing signs telling me to be aware of flash floods and sudden releases. I now know the source of these concerns. I’m still here. 

Climbing really began to kick into gear at the dam which provided beautiful views back down the valley.





The lake is quite long and the walk was very enjoyable. I waved to a fisherman as I passed with the usual greeting ‘Bonjour’! Everybody, no matter who you are always says hello here. You walk into a restaurant or a bar and everyone says ‘bonjour’. It’s a nice feeling of welcome and a great custom. 



The sun eventually came out for the remainder of the climb. A welcomed friend. 

As I looked ahead down the lake I began to wonder what was floating in the distance. As I got closer I began to realize that it must be a solar energy farm. Turned out that’s exactly what it was. The Swiss are so innovative! Their highways and tunnels are legendary, but then you see things like this leading edge structure. No space easily wasted. 



The Marmots were out and around in good numbers screaming out their warning as I approached. 



What you’re seeing here is the entrance to the extremely long tunnel that carries all forms of transport under the pass. The GSB pass is only clear of snow for approximately two months a year, August and September. It’s accessible to walkers usually by mid June until mid October, but there’s meters of snow still on the ground. The folks at the hospice travel by snowshoe and skis away from him back to the hospice during the winter. They must use the road because having just walked up to the pass I can’t imagine trying to do this route any other way. It boggles the mind! 

The building of the tunnel allowed all the road traffic to go through you’re around. The secondary highway that winds its way through the pass is restricted as per my comments.

I couldn’t have asked for better weather to cross in. Well I guess I could’ve asked for completely blue skies, but this was pretty darn close.





The path just kept on going upwards. I met another pilgrim who’s from Prince George at home and she’s walking sections of the Via Francigena due to time restraints. I figure it’s always better to do part of something, than to do nothing. She tells me that she’s going to stop about 100 km from Rome. She knows she won’t get her Testimonium, but seems to understand that it’s just a piece of paper. The real treasure is the experience. 



They were beautiful little waterfalls on the way. Small alpine streams tumbling down from the surrounding mountains.

This photo is for my almost son-in-law Paul. This fellow had no gear on his bike and he was clearly a very experienced rider. He was just given it! I wondered if he was a member of one of the international cycling teams that race all over the world. He’s certainly was moving!





This bull seemed quite distressed that I was walking through his turf. He was really bellowing at me. Fortunately he was on the other side of the stream, but I lifted my tempo anyway!



It wasn’t until I came around a rock face that I understood why. His whole herd including youngsters were standing in my way. I had to sweet talk them to get past! Thankfully I have an abundance of experience walking through cowherd‘s in numerous countries, but I was delighted to not have to deal with the bull, lol!





The hut behind the cow was built after a hiker perished here in November 1951. 

Inside there is a stove with food, an axe and dry wood. There’s also an SOS phone in the rescue hut.



They also had a visitor guest book. I thought, why not? So I did! Happy Anniversary Annemarie! It would have been nice to be here together, but we had Zermatt, so not too shabby! 

I met a young Italian woman who told me that she’s responsible for the Saint Bernard dogs at the top of the pass. They have been bred here for over 200 years. I told her that I’d be taking a break in Parma to meet a friend and apparently this pleased her as it’s her home town. She told me that I will find Italians much friendlier than the Swiss! 



Almost there. 

And then I was. Phew, that was a solid climb! 







Italy!

Inside the hospice is a stunning baroque church. Erin?

The hospice has been welcoming pilgrims for almost 1100 years, 24/7. This is what it looks like in winter. 



There is an excellent museum here which I spent at least an hour wandering through. 

My dorm. Double old style windows! Not sure I’ll have others in there, but I was the only one there at 14:00. I will have to look. I also need a shower before dinner. Demi pension. 

Annemarie will tell you that I’ve been dreaming about this stage for over 3 years. It lived up to the dreams! I head downhill tomorrow. That will be so nice🙂

Oh, and did I mention that they believe Hannibal came through here with his elephants (no idea how that would be possible. Napoleon together with 40,000 of his men came through here for sure. There are reminders everywhere here.