Kristi Rohtsalu © September 2017

My Walk on Via Francigena

Part I: From Canterbury to Aosta

Summer 2017

1 August. At “zero stone” in CanterburyThe adventure is just about to begin…

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There were sun and rain and everything. Park Inn: home, sweet home for tonight

2 August. From Canterbury to Dover

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3 August. From Dover to Calais

‘Mandatory’ sightseeing for a pilgrim An immortal couple in Calais

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4 August. From Calais to Wissant

Wissant

Good that there was this amusement park in Guînes! It was Saturday and I could not find any food elsewhere! All closed.

5 August. From Wissant to Guînes

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Looking back to Calais; it’s there on the horizon.

Map of today’s walk (below)

Licques Amusement Park Bal Park in Tornehem-Sur-La-HemFrench seem to really like this sort of entertainment!

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6 August. From Guînes to Tornehem-Sur-La-Hem

Candles in Abbaye Saint-Paul de Wisques Abbaye Notre-Dame de Wisques. Got my stamp.

Pilgrim or Roman legionary? A new beautiful day is just about to begin.

7 August. From Tornehem-Sur-La-Hem to Wisques(over night in Hallines)

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8 August. From Hallines to Thérouanne(over night in Blessy)

I got my own house to stay for the night.

Amettes, a beautiful village Finally my hotel… It had been a long day!

Half-horses, half-cows (Hint: look at the colors.) Linen field on the way

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9 August. From Blessy to Bruay-la-Buissière

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10 August. From Bruay-la-Buissière to Ablain Saint Nazaire (over night in Souchez)

The museum and the Centre Européende la Paix, all about the First World War

Notre-Dame de Lorette in the neighborhoods of Ablain Saint Nazaire

Horses came to meet & greet me.

Arras

WW I (1914-1918): Deutscher Soldaten Friedhof

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11 August. From Souchez to Arras

On the road

Bapaume Entering Rocquigny

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12 August. From Arras to Bapaume to Rocquigny

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13 August. Péronne

Waiting for the supermarket to open after 2h lunch is yet another thing to do while on Via Francigena.

Another Jesus Christ on the way (in Trefcon); plenty of them today

Pumpkin field A signpost: Doingt; Rome 1,600 km

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14 August. From Peronne to Trefcon to Étreillers

One ‘arrow’ points to Compostelle, the other to Via Francigena The weather

Someone is greeting me on the long & lonely road ☺ My own apartment for the night

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15 August. From Étreillers to Tergnier to Charmes

Last glance to Charmes

Laon Inside Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Laon

Spotted a deer

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16 August. From Charmes to Laon

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17 August. From Laon to Sainte-Croix

Looking back to Laon before heading to the countryside

Streets of Sainte-Croix

Field of sunflowersIs there a road?

Holy sitting places for walkers Temple of Hermonville

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18 August. From Sainte-Croix to Hermonville

As perfect weather as it can be

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19 August. From Hermonville to Reims

Me in Reims Cathedral

(Notre-Dame de Reims)Footsteps of those who have

walked before me

Endpoint of today’s walk: cozy Bed & BreakfastLovely villages and great views

Almost paradise: vineyards as far as eye can see 2 hours alongside Canal de l'Aisne à la Marne

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20 August. From Reims to Verzy (over night in Les Petites-Logos)

Home of Champagne An exhibition at the entrance to Condé sur Marne

Piece of art in little village called Aigny Châlons-en-Champagne

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21 August. From Les Petites-Logos to Châlons-en-Champagne

Cathédrale Saint-Étienne in Châlons-en-Champagne

Streets of Pogny

Canal walk – all day

Pogny beach ☺

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22 August. From Châlons-en-Champagne to Pogny

La Chaussée sur Marne – ‘official’ stop on the road Was this a house or a castle?

Entrance to the downtown Vitry le François Place d’Armes in Vitry le François

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23 August. From Pogny to Vitry le François

My fully equipped camping house (Le Champ Godin)

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24 August. From Vitry le François to Moncetz-l'AbbayeCamping area

“The Euro forest”“Official stop” on Via Francigena: entering Saint Remy en Bouzemont

Interior of the church in Chavanges A house in Montmorency-Beaufort

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25 August. From Moncetz-l'Abbaye to Montmorency-Beaufort

Fields in the end of August Creation of an artificial lake

Arriving DienvilleBrienne le Château in sight

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26 August. From Montmorency-Beaufort to Brienne le Château to Dienville

Approaching thunderstormLocal attractions

Another “Paradise Garden” in sight Spending Sunday afternoon French-like, i.e. in the theme park Nigloland in Dolancourt

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27 August. From Dienville to Dolancourt

Bar-sur-Aube

Abbaye de Clairvaux in Clairvaux It was a hot day. Destination is on sight.

Single cross in midst of vineyards

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28 August. From Dolancourt to Bar-sur-Aube to Clairvaux (over night in Longchamp-sur-Aujon)

Pilgrims are invited to step into the church of Châteauvillain

On the road

Relaxing after the walk: looking into the bright-blue sky

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29 August. From Longchamp-sur-Aujon to Châteauvillain

Pointing to Leffonds on a map found in Leffonds

The first part of the walk is in forest. Abbaye de Mormant

Brave birds in Villiers-sur-Suize

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30 August. From Châteauvillain to Mormant to Leffonds (over night in Villiers-sur-Suize)

I lit a candle in Cathédrale Saint-Mammès de Langres… Not for anyone who has died, but for all of us who will die one day.

Man-made ghost in Faverolles Soon it’s autumn…

A pic from Saint-Ciergues

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31 August. From Villiers-sur-Suize to Langres(over night in Saints-Geosmes)

Starting the day like an ‘Hedgehog in the Fog’

Flood risk

Golden fields… Is it edible any longer?

Another street in Champlitte

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2 September. From Saints-Geosmes to Champlitte

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3 September. From Champlitte to Beaujeu-Saint-Vallier

Most of the walk was in fog.

Passing a house in Autet

In this area, these buildings can be found from every or almost every village. The pics are from Igny.

Something for a hungry walker like me ☺ A view from the viewing platform @ the church of Bussières

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4 September. From Beaujeu-Saint-Vallier to Bussières

An interesting play of lights in Cathédrale Saint-Jean de Besançon

Wondering if this is supposed to be a signpostA black cat on the wall, deciding: “Cross your path today or not to cross?”

A view to the Doubs River and Besançon

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5 September. From Bussières to Besançon

A view to the Citadelle de Besançon from the “backyard” Panorama view to Besançon

Today’s road & afternoon weather Fountain at the entrance to Ornans

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6 September. From Besançon to Ornans

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7 September. From Ornans to Mouthier Haute Pierre to Vuillecin

A hillside village I walked through Hydroelectricity near Mouthier Haute Pierre

River head of the Loue River near Ouhans Cow of the 21st century @ Le relais du terroir -Fromagerie Napiot

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8 September. From Vuillecin to Pontarlier to Métabief

A look to the way forward from nearby viewing platform close to Pontarlier

Triumphal arch of the Porte Saint-Pierre in Pontarlier

Last pic from France, a look back to MétabiefJust crossed the France–Switzerland border via the highway N57/E23

One of the first pics in Switzerland Entering La Sarraz; Château de la Sarraz on sight

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9 September. From Métabief to La Sarraz

New day and rainbow

Lausanne

Pic of a local village on the road, Dizy

Pilgrims’ corner in Cathedrale de Lausanne

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10 September. From La Sarraz to Lausanne

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11 September. From Lausanne to Vevey(over night in St-Légier)

Lakeside walk between vineyards:I wonder how & why they are

doing it just like that.

Here I stay for tonight – for the rest and piece with good mountain views

A view on the way

Villeneuve, Grand Rue

Chillon Castle (Château de Chillon)

A collection of Swiss watches

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12 September. From St-Légier to Villeneuve

Grapes. Effects of pollution or a special type?Views even on a cloudy day…

There are plenty of castles to see. On the left: Château d'Aigne; on the right: Saint-Maurice Castle

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13 September. From Villeneuve to Saint-Maurice

Clouds climbing uphill

Cascade next to Miévillaz

Miévillaz

Last 4-5 km in perfect storm

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14 September. From Saint-Maurice to Martigny

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15 September. From Martigny to OrsièresToday's journey

Rock climbing

Goodbye, Orsières!

He isn’t afraid, not a tiny bit.

End of the road??!

Here I stay... For tonight.

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16 September. From Orsières to Bourg-Saint-Pierre

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17 September. From Bourg-Saint-Pierre to Great St. Bernard Pass

I happily reached Great St. Bernard Pass @ the height of 2,473 meters.

On the way

The same picture yesterday afternoon (on the left) and today morning (on the right)

Couple of houses and a bar in the middle of nowhere Looking back to the cold beauty of mountain tops…

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18 September. From Great St. Bernard Pass to Etroubles

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19 September. From Etroubles to Aosta

Magnificent… Just breathtakingly

magnificent…

The Funway

Aosta. End of Part I.

Part II begins from here: Exiting Aosta via Arch of Augustus…