The summary of my walk on Via Francigena from Canterbury (UK) to Aosta (Italy) in summer 2017 The accompanying diary (in Estonian) can also be found from SlideShare: https://www.slideshare.net/KristiRohtsalu/minu-via-francigena-tee-i-osa-suvi-2017

1. Kristi Rohtsalu © September 2017
My Walk on Via Francigena
Part I:
From Canterbury to Aosta
Summer 2017

2. 1 August. At “zero stone” in Canterbury
The adventure is just about to begin…
2

3. There were sun and rain and
everything. Park Inn: home,
sweet home for tonight
2 August. From Canterbury to Dover
3

4. 4
3 August. From Dover to Calais
‘Mandatory’ sightseeing for a pilgrim An immortal couple in Calais

5. 5
4 August. From Calais to Wissant
Wissant

6. 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
6
Looking back to Calais; it’s there on the horizon.
Map of today’s walk (below)

7. Licques Amusement Park Bal Park in Tornehem-Sur-La-Hem
French seem to really like this sort of entertainment!
7
6 August. From Guînes to Tornehem-Sur-La-Hem

8. 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)
8

9. 9
8 August. From Hallines to Thérouanne
(over night in Blessy)
I got my own house to stay for the
night.

10. 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
10
9 August. From Blessy to Bruay-la-Buissière

11. 11
10 August. From Bruay-la-Buissière to Ablain Saint
Nazaire (over night in Souchez)
The museum and the Centre Européen
de la Paix, all about the First World War
Notre-Dame de Lorette in the neighborhoods of
Ablain Saint Nazaire

12. Horses came to meet & greet me.
Arras
WW I (1914-1918): Deutscher Soldaten Friedhof
12
11 August. From Souchez to Arras

13. On the road
Bapaume Entering Rocquigny
13
12 August. From Arras to Bapaume to Rocquigny

14. 14
13 August. Péronne

15. 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
15
14 August. From Peronne to Trefcon to Étreillers

16. 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
16
15 August. From Étreillers to Tergnier to Charmes

17. Last glance to Charmes
Laon Inside Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Laon
Spotted a deer
17
16 August. From Charmes to Laon

18. 18
17 August. From Laon to Sainte-Croix
Looking back to Laon before
heading to the countryside
Streets of Sainte-Croix

19. Field of sunflowersIs there a road?
Holy sitting places for walkers Temple of Hermonville
19
18 August. From Sainte-Croix to Hermonville

20. As perfect weather as it can be
20
19 August. From Hermonville to Reims
Me in Reims
Cathedral
(Notre-Dame de
Reims)Footsteps of those who have
walked before me

21. Endpoint of today’s walk: cozy Bed & BreakfastLovely villages and great views
Almost paradise: vineyards as far as eye can see2 hours alongside Canal de l'Aisne à la Marne
21
20 August. From Reims to Verzy
(over night in Les Petites-Logos)

22. Home of Champagne An exhibition at the entrance to Condé sur Marne
Piece of art in little village called Aigny Châlons-en-Champagne
22
21 August. From Les Petites-Logos to Châlons-en-Champagne

23. Cathédrale Saint-Étienne in Châlons-en-Champagne
Streets of Pogny
Canal walk – all day
Pogny beach ☺
23
22 August. From Châlons-en-Champagne to Pogny

24. 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
24
23 August. From Pogny to Vitry le François

25. My fully equipped camping house
(Le Champ Godin)
25
24 August. From Vitry le François to Moncetz-l'Abbaye
Camping area

26. “The Euro forest”
“Official stop” on Via Francigena: entering Saint Remy
en Bouzemont
Interior of the church in Chavanges A house in Montmorency-Beaufort
26
25 August. From Moncetz-l'Abbaye to Montmorency-
Beaufort

27. Fields in the end of August Creation of an artificial lake
Arriving DienvilleBrienne le Château in sight
27
26 August. From Montmorency-Beaufort to Brienne le
Château to Dienville

28. Approaching thunderstormLocal attractions
Another “Paradise Garden” in sight Spending Sunday afternoon French-like, i.e. in the
theme park Nigloland in Dolancourt
28
27 August. From Dienville to Dolancourt

29. Bar-sur-Aube
Abbaye de Clairvaux in Clairvaux It was a hot day. Destination is on sight.
Single cross in midst of vineyards
29
28 August. From Dolancourt to Bar-sur-Aube to
Clairvaux (over night in Longchamp-sur-Aujon)

30. Pilgrims are invited to step into the church of
Châteauvillain
On the road
Relaxing after the walk: looking into the bright-blue
sky
30
29 August. From Longchamp-sur-Aujon to Châteauvillain

31. 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
31
30 August. From Châteauvillain to Mormant to
Leffonds (over night in Villiers-sur-Suize)

32. 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
32
31 August. From Villiers-sur-Suize to Langres
(over night in Saints-Geosmes)

33. Starting the day like an ‘Hedgehog in the Fog’
Flood risk
Golden fields… Is it edible any longer?
Another street in Champlitte
33
2 September. From Saints-Geosmes to Champlitte

34. 34
3 September. From Champlitte to Beaujeu-Saint-Vallier
Most of the walk was in fog.
Passing a house in Autet

35. 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
35
4 September. From Beaujeu-Saint-Vallier to Bussières

36. 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
36
5 September. From Bussières to Besançon

37. 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
37
6 September. From Besançon to Ornans

38. 38
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

39. 39
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

40. Last pic from France, a look back to Métabief
Just 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
40
9 September. From Métabief to La Sarraz

41. New day and rainbow
Lausanne
Pic of a local village on the road, Dizy
Pilgrims’ corner in Cathedrale de Lausanne
41
10 September. From La Sarraz to Lausanne

42. 42
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

43. A view on the way
Villeneuve, Grand Rue
Chillon Castle (Château de Chillon)
A collection of Swiss watches
43
12 September. From St-Légier to Villeneuve

44. 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
44
13 September. From Villeneuve to Saint-Maurice

45. Clouds climbing uphill
Cascade next to Miévillaz
Miévillaz
Last 4-5 km in perfect storm
45
14 September. From Saint-Maurice to Martigny

46. 46
15 September. From Martigny to Orsières
Today's journey
Rock climbing

47. Goodbye, Orsières!
He isn’t afraid, not a tiny bit.
End of the road??!
Here I stay... For tonight.
47
16 September. From Orsières to Bourg-Saint-Pierre

48. 48
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

49. 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…
49
18 September. From Great St. Bernard Pass to
Etroubles

50. 50
19 September. From Etroubles to Aosta
Magnificent… Just breathtakingly
magnificent…
The Funway

51. Aosta. End of Part I.

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