Category Archives: Uncategorized

These are very pleasant segments along the Rhine, one of Europe’s great rivers, which at this point is a disturbed, agitated pale green mass of water restlessly fighting its banks from which it will not be set free for another 1200 km when it reaches the sea.  The walls of the valley close in untilContinue reading “Stage 51 and 52: Aigle to St Maurice – 25 km; St Maurice to Martigny – 21 km”

In Vevey you will find the Alimentarium museum dedicated to food and nutrition. In front of the museum is the Fork, a sculpture by Swiss artist Jean-Paul Zaugg. Paula fell in love. We leave Lac Leman to walk up the Rhone valley in the shadow of the towering Swiss Alps.  We are filled with anticipationContinue reading “Stage 50: Vevey to Aigle – 25 km”

Lausanne is a remarkable town, blending sheer luxury with history and Swiss efficiency.  The Cathedral of Notre Dame dates back to the 12th century but its internal decorations were covered over during the Reformation only to be restored in the 20th century when tourism reformed the Reformation. Every night, 24x7x365 since the 1500s between 22:00Continue reading “Stage 49: Lausanne to Vevey – 21km”

We arrived at Lausanne, on Lake Geneva, in the shadow of the Alps. A stunning location and a wonderful reward for 49 days of foot travel. As a special treat, Edward reserved two nights at the spectacular Beau Rivage Palace, an anniversary and a get ready for the Alps, present. We entered the opulent lobby,Continue reading “Sequin to Sackcloth Tour – Week 8!”

An amble along another river and through corn and sunflower fields.  The first view of the Alps.  Every town, no matter how small, has a café/bar, restaurant, an open church and some expression of local pride.  Francigena, which means Out of France in latin, should add, Finally! We passed through Romainmotier where we paused toContinue reading “Stage 49 Orbe to Cossonay – 32 km”

Our original itinerary had us going from Jougne to Yverdon les Baines but that would have pulled us 10 km off the Francigena trail so late Sunday we decided to scrap it, made a reservation in Orbe and arranged for luggage transfer to the new destination.  . We left Jugne early Sunday morning with theContinue reading “Stage 48 – Jougne to Orbe – 28 km”

Pontalier was where Pernod, the original absinthe spirit, was made. It brought to mind Hemingway sitting in the bar in Pamplona stoned out of his mind first thing in the morning before the bullfight.   Pontarlier is a funky place.  We followed the Absinthe route to Jougne, without hallucinogens, us up the Joura mountains with someContinue reading “Pontalier to Jougne – 19km”

640 miles from Canterbury, next stop Switzerland, 2.8 km, Last night in France! No one likes to admit they were wrong, including me, well, the father daughter are not in the witness protection program. However, that was definitely the better story! She, the daughter, was studying in France, he is a lawyer from Minneapolis. TheyContinue reading “Sequin to Sackcloth Tour – Week 7!”

Mouthier-Haut-Pierre turned out to be a beautiful little town.  Tucked into the Loue valley, with 5000 ft limestone walls on either side, it seemed to have found a way to survive and prosper.  It started as a monastery in the 800s which eventually became a priory of the Cluny Abbey in the 1100s.  The monksContinue reading “Mouthier-Haut-Pierre to Pontarlier – 25km”

We left Ornans late in the morning after visiting the Gustave Courbet museum.  Courbet, who was born in Ornans in 1819, is celebrated all over town and this small but well curated and managed museum is a testament to the town’s pride in its favorite son. Courbet’s  major work is landscapes and portraits but heContinue reading “Ornans to Mouthier-Haut-Pierre – 14km”