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Via Francigena in Switzerland from Sainte Croix to Gran San Bernardo
Type :
Level :
Duration :
12 days
period:
Jun Jul Aug Sep
Code:
CHSW005
price from € 1.795
Via Francigena in Switzerland from Sainte Croix to Gran San Bernardo

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Via Francigena in Switzerland from Sainte Croix to Gran San Bernardo

Via Francigena in Switzerland from Sainte Croix to Gran San Bernardo - 12 days

From the French border, this walk crosses Canton Vaud, sprinkled with relics from Roman times and dotted with chapels and medieval villages, to reach Lake Geneva and Lausanne. The route continues past the Lavaux vineyards, a UNESCO World Heritage site, the Rhone Valley and finally crosses the magnificent Swiss Alps leading to the historic Great St Bernard Pass. This section of the Francigena pilgrimage will amaze you with its spectacular views, delicious local cuisine and fascinating history.

Note: due to the weather and altitude, this walk is only possible during the summer months

Route
Day 1: Arrive in Sainte-Croix
Day 2: From Sainte-Croix to Orbe, 18,5 km
Day 3: From Orbe to Cossonay, 26 km
Day 4: From Cossonay to Losanna, 26 km
Day 5: From Losanne to Vevey, 23 km
Day 6: From Vevey to Aigle, 24,5 km
Day 7: From Aigle to St. Maurice, 18 km
Day 8: From St. Maurice to Martigny, 18 km
Day 9: From Martigny to Orsieres, 21 km
Day 10: From Orsieres to Bourg St. Pierre, 13 km
Day 11: From Bourg St Pierre to Col Grand St. Bernard, 13 km
Day 12: Arrivederci Gran San Bernardo

Day 1:    Arrive in Sainte-Croix

Arriva a Sainte-Croix e raggiungi il tuo hotel. Sainte-Croix è la capitale dei carillon e della musica meccanica. Mentre sei qui, prenditi del tempo per visitare il Museo CIMA (Centre International de la Mécanique d'Art), dedicato alla storia della musica meccanica.

Day 2:    From Sainte-Croix to Orbe, 18,5 km

The Via Francigena reaches Switzerland at La Grand'Borne, near L'Auberson, and leads through the plateaus to Sainte-Croix. You start your walk downhill towards Vuiteboeuf, admiring the views on the way to Orbe, your overnight stop. 

Day 3:    From Orbe to Cossonay, 26 km

On leaving Orbe, follow the path to the medieval town of Romainmôtier. Don't miss the Romanesque church, built between 990 and 1028 in the style of the church of Cluny and considered one of the jewels of the Yverdon-les-Bains region. After this point you continue to what is known as the centre of the world, where one part of the river Nozon flows into the Mediterranean, the other into the North Sea.

Day 4:    From Cossonay to Losanna, 26 km

Today it is a fairly flat walk along the Venoge River from Cossonay to Saint-Sulpice with its Romanesque church, once the heart of a Cluniac priory, on Lake Geneva (Lac Léman), where it continues along the banks and through the Roman town of Vidy to Lausanne. Until the Reformation in 1536, Lausanne was an important pilgrimage destination and meeting point between the Via Francigena and the Way to Santiago de Compostela. Today it is home to the headquarters of the International Olympic Committee. Take time to explore the hilly old town with its medieval streets lined with shops and Gothic cathedral.

Day 5:    From Losanne to Vevey, 23 km

The stage with which you will celebrate the start of your journey initially runs along Lake Geneva and through the Lavaux vineyards. This wine-growing area of more than 800 hectares is a UNESCO World Heritage site as a testimony to the passion and hard work required for the perfect integration of human activity and the natural landscape. Take a break from your walk to taste some wine in a wine cellar. Cheers!

Day 6:    From Vevey to Aigle, 24,5 km

The route skirts around Lake Leman, crossing Montreux and proceeding until Villeneuve. Leaving the lake behind, the course continues levelly till it arrives at the entrance of Aigle. It then rises to pass Yvorne and a lovely panoramic point of the Rhône Valley, before descending to Aigle.

Day 7:    From Aigle to St. Maurice, 18 km

Leaving Aigle, the route passes a beautiful area of vineyards as it shortly arrives at the castle, Chateau d’Aigle, home of the wine museum, constructed in the 13th Century. Proceeding through vineyards and woods along the coast, the path reaches Ollon. It leads beyond Antagnes, where the route briefly follows the Gryonne till it arrives at Massongex and Saint Maurice, where since the Middle Ages, pilgrims have paused at on their journey to Rome.

Day 8:    From St. Maurice to Martigny, 18 km

Just after Saint-Maurice you reach Vérolliez, where a tiny chapel commemorates the martyrdom of St Mauritius and his companions. On the path into the Rhone valley, you meet the famous Pissevache waterfall and the 200-metre-deep Trient gorge.

Day 9:    From Martigny to Orsieres, 21 km

This stage marks the begin of the climb to the Great St. Bernard pass. From Martigny a steep path leads over the narrow Les Trappistes pass to the medieval village of Sembrancher. From here the route follows the Napoleon trail.

In Orsières, don't forget to visit the church, the bell and its "Saint Gregoire Mass" and inside the church, the exhibition about Maurice Tornay, born in Orsières.

Day 10:    From Orsieres to Bourg St. Pierre, 13 km

This stage leads you first along a forest path, west then east of the river, on the historic path from Liddes to the small Notre-Dame-de-Lorette Chapel before Bourg-Saint-Pierre.

Day 11:    From Bourg St Pierre to Col Grand St. Bernard, 13 km

Undoubtedly the most symbolic stage on the Via Francigena! The way to the pass leads along a road which has served the whole of Europe for 2000 years. Countless archaeological sites line the ascent, above all in L’Hospitalet and on the Great-St-Bernard Pass.

Day 12:    Arrivederci Gran San Bernardo

The trip and our services end after breakfast unless you have pre-booked extra nights with us or other extra services.

accommodation
Sainte-Croix - Hôtel De France
Orbe - Hôtel des Mosaiques
Cossonay - Hôtel Le Funi
Lausanne - Hotel des Voyageurs
Vevey - Hotel de la Place
Aigle - Hotel du Nord
Saint Maurice - Le Dent du Midi
Martigny - Hotel Vatel
Orsieres - Hotel Terminus
Bourg Saint Pierre - Hotel au Bivouac de Napoleon
Grand St Bernard - Hotel de l'Hospice
practical info
Included

What is included

· Nights in double room in **/*** hotels , B&B and agriturismi with breakfast

· luggage transportation from hotel to hotel

· maps and detailed description of the itinerary

. Pilgrim Passport

· Medical and luggage travel insurance

· 24h phone assistance

 

What is not included 

. Transfers to the starting location and from the arriving location of the tour

· lunches and dinners, if not otherwise stated.

· visits and entrance fees - tips

· personal expense

· possible sojourn taxes

· everything that is not mentioned in the "What is included" section.

 

Optional Services

These services can be added to the ones included in the base price of the tour:

. Single room supplement

. Half Board supplement

· Transfers to reach the starting location or to leave the arriving location of the tour, which will be quoted on request.

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your tour specialist:
Luca Pacchiarini
Travel Advisor

Touroperating
S-Cape Countryside Travels srl
Borgo Allegri 16R
50122 Firenze FI
P. IVA 05227330486

 
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