Distance: official is 16.7 km (and 12.37 miles walked) and easy
The start of another beautiful sunny day, and at 07.50 the 4 of us walked to Saint Maurice station which marked the beginning of this stage. This will be our last day in the Rhone River Valley before we start to ascend towards the Great Saint Bernard Pass.
It was a refreshing 17 degrees when we left the station and we were making good progress as before long we came to a sign which said ‘4 hours to Martigny’.
From Saint Maurice we were soon walking along country lanes…
Over streams…
We obtained a pilgrim stamp from this church at Evionnaz.
We stopped here for a few minutes. Stretching before long hikes is important as it helps to prepare your muscles, lubricate your joints and increase your blood flow.
Here we found both a Via Francigena sign and also a camino sign!
The next feature of the day was an abandoned train engine which I think was rusting equipment from building the Salanfe Dam. This was next to the Pissechevre Waterfall.
Pissecheyre literally means ‘Cow Piss Waterfall’… nice 😂
Pissecheyre is a 116 m waterfall at Vernayaz. It is easily accessible from the road and several cars made a point of stopping there to go and stand on the viewing platform.
After the waterfall we came to a section of woodland with uneven paths and moss covered boulders.
From a short break sitting at the edge of a pear orchard, we then came across more orchards, this one with apples.
Shortly after the orchards, we arrived at Martigney which is the last main town on the VF until we get to Aosta in Italy in a few days time.
The wooden Pont de la Batiaz bridge is for vehicles and pedestrians. The original bridge was washed away when the Dranse River flooded in 1635. The break up of the Giétroz glacier destroyed the next bridge in 1818. This one has been in place since 1829.
Built in 1260, the Chateau de la Batiaz offers panoramic views across Martigny.
As we approached the centre at lunchtime, we found Martigny to be busy and lively with a great vibe and many open air bars and cafes.
We eagerly entered the town hall but the office was closed when we arrived so we were unable to obtain our pilgrim stamps.
Parish of Notre Dame de la Visitation marked the end of this stage.
Our youth hostel accommodation was located at Martigny-Bourg which meant walking for another 30 minutes. Thankfully the weather was sunny and pleasant at 23 degrees and as this was a relatively short and easy stage, it wasn’t too arduous!
And by way of a bonus, Martigny-Borg is on our route so this covers off the first 2 kms of tomorrows walk. We thus have a head start on the next stage which is described as ‘moderately hard’.
We arrived at the auberge at around 1 pm but it was too early to check in so we left our packs there and Roza and Russell did their thing and Chris and I walked for 2 minutes to a nearby bar.
I tried a low alcohol beer but it was not nice and tasted weird. Instead I had a glass of local white wine instead which was much better (and Chris ended up with both beers)
The Auberge de Jeuness is a youth hostel located in a listed building which dates back to 1645. Throughout it’s history, the building has been occupied by nuns, neglected for a few years, been used as a hostel, a prison and a school. The most recent renovations have turned it back into a hostel which was opened in February 2025, so everything felt new, and clean and modern.
Chris and I shared a comfortable ensuite private room. Larger rooms are available for groups and families.
Tonight, together with Roza and Russell, we walked back into the main centre of town and enjoyed a fabulous Thai meal in a restaurant called ‘Siam Thai’.
Another exciting day comes to a close and we look forward… well sort of look forward to what is described by our guide book as “a tough day” tomorrow 🤔
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