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We are in the Po valley, the pasta and rice basket of Italy, walking beside green rice paddies and durum wheat fields.  The Via Francigena in Italy has a completely different vibe than the one we walked in France.  The signage is fantastic, the paths well maintained complete with rest areas for pilgrims every coupleContinue reading “Phase 2, Stage 1 Viverone to Santhia – 20.6 km”

Viverone lies on the homonymous lake left over from the last ice age, tucked at the edges of the Val D’Aosta between the soaring snow-covered peaks of the Alps and the flat of the Po valley. We are deposited here by car after a non-eventful flight from Washington to Milan. While sorting through our hikingContinue reading “Phase 2 Launching Point – Viverone”

We reached the end of Phase 1 of our walk, from Canterbury across France, over the Alps and into the Po valley in Italy.  Phase 2 will start September 26 from Viverone to Rome where we will walk into St Peter’s Square on November 6.  Phase 1 exceeded our wildest expectations, perhaps because we didContinue reading “Stage 60 – Milan and trip back to the USA”

Walking in 90-degree heat is crushing, especially when, as we have over the past 2 days, the path meanders up and down mountain ridges in the Val D’Aosta.  1500 ft up, 1500 ft down, 2000 ft up and back down again.  Drenched in sweat we seek the shade of a lonely tree to cool down,Continue reading “Stage 58 and 59: Aosta to Nus – 14 km and Nus to Chatillon – 16 km”

The path is kind, gently sloping down the Val D’Aosta through mostly pine forests with cool waters gurgling on the side but the heat sets in with an iron grip by 1 pm when we welcome the outskirts of Aosta to search for our hotel and a good lunch.  We find both.  Aosta is aContinue reading “Stage 57: Etroubles to Aosta – 16km”

Edward’s cousin Ernesto when informed of our plan to walk the Via Francigena shared “Yes, I am sure you can walk 25 km in a day, but can you do it every day for months.”  That is the question I’ve asked every morning and answered every evening for the past 60 days. When I lookContinue reading “Sequin to Sackcloth Tour – Week 9”

One of the most beautiful walks of the whole trip, down mostly gently sloping, pine covered trails through the Val D’Aosta.  We left the pass early in the morning after saying goodbye to Rolf and Regula who climbed up from Martigny for their vacation.   They are part of the global community of hikers we encounteredContinue reading “Stage 56 – Great Saint Bernard Pass to Etroubles – 15.2km”

We made it! 57 days from Canterbury to the Great St Bernard Pass, halfway to Rome. The Great St Bernard Hospice and Hotel, where we are staying, has been providing hospitality for 1100 years, open all year around even when there are 30 meters of snow on the ground. We are elated.

 We now know what a “moderate but steady” climb means: relentless. We walk uphill until we finally reach a crest just to find more uphill and another crest.  5 hours of it, including water breaks, every half hour, lunch and time to take pictures, all under a cloudless sky.  The scenery is breathtaking.  We climbedContinue reading “Stage 53: Orsieres to Bourg St Pierre – 14km”

In St Maurice we had our first good Italian meal in 2 monts at Nonna’s of St Maurice in the town square. So much to see in so little time. An interesting museum sponsored by the Leonard Gianadda Foundation which currently is showing a Henri Cartier Bresson exhibition doesn’t even get a mention in googleContinue reading “Stage 52: St Maurice to Orsieres – 20km”