amaWalkers Camino
AMAWALKERS CAMINO (PTY) LTD
  • amaWalkers Camino
  • Camino Frances
  • Mystical Meseta
  • Camino Ingles+Fisterra-Muxia
  • La Via Francigena
  • Via Francigena - Alps
  • How to get to the Start
  • What will it cost?
  • What is included
  • Accommodation
  • FAQ
  • Group leaders
  • The Role of the Group Leader
  • Booking Conditions
  • TRAINING FOR THE CAMINO
  • Camino Resources
  • Saint James Novena and prayers
  • Excursions
  • Trip gallery
  • Santiago Map
  • Testimonials
  • Camino Paintings by Sandi Beukes
  • amaWalkers Camino Gift Vouchers
  • Disclaimer
  • BOOKS by Sylvia Nilsen
  • Profiles of the 3 Camino Stages
  • Contact Us
  • ABBOT PFANNER TRAPPIST TRAIL
  • amaWalkers Blog
    • Camino Primitivo
  • La Via Francigena - Pilgrimage to Rome
  • Camino - Beginning and End
​La Via Francigena - in the Swiss and Italian Alps

La Via Francigena in the Swiss & Italian Alps

16 - 25 June 2024
         

​6 or 10-day accompanied walk on reduced stages from La Douay to Aosta or Pont St Martin

6-days - La Douay to Aosta:  €1015 sharing €312 single supplement
 

10-days:   €1 699 sharing - €520 single supplement

​

ITINERARY
​
Day    Place                                           KM


1     Meet in La Douay                         
2     Walk to Liddes                                 8
3.    Bourg St Pierre                                8
4     Gr St Bernard Pass                         11.5
5     Etroubles                                         13.5
6     Aosta                                                16
7     Nus                                                   15
8     St Vincent                                        17
9     Veres                                                14               
10   Pont St Martin                                 14.8
PLEASE NOTE:
We have specifically reduced the stages to suit  people who are fit walkers but who prefer to take their time and walk at a slower pace.  
Walking shorter stages might not suit ultra-fit mountain hikers or race walkers who can hike double the daily distances!  
​

There is no technical hiking or mountaineering involved on this walk although hiking poles are recommended.  You will need to be reasonably fit and able to walk an average 13 km per day, which includes two days of steep ascents to the Gr St Bernard Pass and undulating trails into the Aosta Valley. Don't worry, we take these slowly and stop frequnetly to take in breathtaking views.
The Saint Bernard dogs still live at the hospice at the Gr Saint Bernard Pass, a shelter founded in the Middle Ages, led by Augustinian monks. The hospitality of the monks is legendary. The Saint Bernard dogs have been bred on this Alpine pass by the monks, first with the attribute of being able to carry loads, later also as an avalanche search dog. The most renowned and legendary of these dogs, Barry, is supposed to have saved the lives of over 40 people. You can visit the dogs in ther kennels behind the hospice.
The walk down into the Aosta Valley includes undulating descents to Pont St Martin.  The trails shadow the road so if you have any difficulty on the paths you can walk on the roads to each town and village.
Sunrise is around 05h50 and sunset at 21h30 so you have lots of time to reach your destination without rushing. The trail is on often on mountain tracks, stones, gravel, riverine trails and asphalt paths which, although  not technically difficult but require a  moderate  level of fitness.
With this in mind, we have had many groups with an average age of 70-something walking this route.  Its not an age thing - its up to you to do the training!

You need to train on hills!  If there are no hills near to you to train on, use the stairs in your local shopping mall, public buildings or underground, or at the gym on a treadmill or StairMaster.  

     2025 Via Francigena - Swiss and Italian Alps

Submit
Picture

You can get a train from Geneva, Lausanne, Vevey or Montreux to La Douay.  Kathy, your group leader will be in Lausanne for two days before the walk.  If you would like to travel with her to La Douay, she will book tickets for the group to travel on the train.

​Getting there:
From European countries and Britain, you can fly to Lausanne.  There are International flights to Geneva. From there you can take a train or lake cruise to Lausanne.
​www.sncf-connect.com
www.lake-geneva-switzerland.com/
In the Middle Ages multitudes of pilgrims, soldiers, merchants and travellers used a system of roads known as the “Via Francigena” – or roads of the Franks - to travel from England and other northern countries to Rome.
The bishops of Canterbury used the road to travel to Rome to receive their pallium or stole of office from the Pope when they became Archbishops.
In 994 AD Archbishop Sigeric’s clerks kept a diary of his return journey to Enlgland titled 'From Rome to the Channel'.  In the 1990s the diary was discovered by Italian researchers and is now in the British Museum.  The Archbishop's descriptions of places along the route proved to be very accurate and  generated academic research, tourism promotion and restoration of the actual route for modern walkers.  ​In 1994 the Council of Europe designated the Via Francigena as a 'European Cultural Itinerary.' 
As religious and cultural tourism grows in popularity, modern day pilgrims once again walk the old pilgrim roads to Santiago in Spain, Jerusalem in the Holy Land, nd to Rome.”  Quote from ‘La Via Francigena, Five Pilgrims to Rome
 RESOURCES
 
Pilgrim passport and guide book
www.sloways.shop/en/product/guida-piu-credenziale-en/

English Guidebooks 
Lightfoot Guides – Paul Chinn and Babette Gallard 
http://pilgrimagepublications.com/pp_2014/via-francigena/   

Via Francigena Pilgrim Trail  - Sandy Brown
www.amazon.com/Via-Francigena-Canterbury-Rome-Cicerone/dp/1852846070

Italian (and English edition)
La Via Francigena 1000km a Piedi dal Gran San Bernardo a Roma :  2020
http://libri.terre.it/libri/collana/21/libro/543/La-Via-Francigena.-1000-km-a-piedi-dal-Gran-San-Bernardo-a-Roma.

Useful Websites:    
www.pilgrimstorome.org.uk/   
http://www.viefrancigene.org/en  Download APP
https://www.facebook.com/groups/19899007360/  



booking_conditions_2024.pdf
File Size: 187 kb
File Type: pdf
Download File

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.