Today was the final section of walking the Via Francigena for this year and at 22 miles it was also the longest!
We have been incredibly fortunate with perfect hiking weather throughout the trip and this was the first day that we had some rain. Thankfully it was only light showers for a short time and, unlike last night, we had no heavy downpours.
After another amazing breakfast we shouldered our packs, left the HB Aosta hotel and walked to the start of this stage, the cathedral.
Hoisting our packs on first thing in the morning was a breeze. Well-rested and with the wide, padded straps resting comfortably on my hips, the 6 kg load felt light enough to carry without a second thought. Yet, as the hours tick by, 6 kg somehow starts to feel twice as heavy—but more on that later.
Following Russell, he us led through Chanoux square which was quiet at this time of the morning.
Today we had two options to get to Chatillon.
- We could either follow the walking route which was shorter but demanding as it traversed the mountains with several steep ascents and descents.
- The other option was to walk along the longer but flatter official VF cycle route.
Firstly, the weather forecast was for cloudy drizzle so we didn’t think we would get the panoramic vistas of the first option.
Secondly, our muscles had not fully recovered from the tough steep 2000 m descent from 2 days ago.
We therefore opted to walk along the longer cycle route. Unlike the familiar red and white Italian VF signs, this meant we would be looking out for blue and white VF signs.
We had to walk for a couple of km’s out of Aosta to find the cycle route which was behind the train station and over a bridge across the Dora Baltea river.
Unlike the turquoise Alpine rivers we had been used to, this river was brown and flowing fast as a result of the storm last night.
Still following Russell we made our way along the cycle path. As we left Aosta the distance covered was marked on the path at half km intervals. Often, what has become a usual thing on our Via Francigena’s is to walk in a line with Russell leading, then Roza, then Chris and I was usually at the back taking photos! Of course, we do intersperse, mix things up and speak to each other 🙂
The route followed the south of the Dora Baltea river almost all the way to Chatillon. The walking trail would be across the river and up in the mountains shown in the above photo.
While flat this route was paved 100% of the way which was perfect for cycles but the relentless pounding on a hard surface was tough on our feet!
Despite the storm last night we passed many fields with sprinklers watering grass. We assumed this to be pastureland for cows.
Walking under a bridge…
During a brief rest stop, it started to drizzle, prompting us to put on our capes.
Roza and Russell had ‘proper’ capes but for some reason, mine and Chris’s proper (10 year old) capes (taken around the world on our 2016 travels) remained at home in a box in the garage but we both had our so far unused thin yellow Mulu bat cave capes with us, as purchased in Borneo 2 years ago!
As these worked perfectly keeping ourselves and our packs dry in this light rain, we will ensure that next time we take our proper capes!
Although drizzly it was pleasant to pass through a nature reserve called ‘Les Iles’ which added a bit of interest to the walk. This 35.4-hectare protected wetland is an important feeding and resting ground for migratory and resident bird species.
Located on the floor of the Aosta valley there are two lakes which were partly created by past quarry mining activities.
Herons, egrets and moorhens can be seen, as well as amphibians and reptiles.
Continuing along the cycle path, through the nature reserve…
We knew in advance there would be very limited options of coffee or food along the way so we had enough water and provisions with us. However after several km of trudging along in the drizzle, a hot drink and sit down would be welcomed.
We came across this random gift type shop and called in. When we enquired about coffee, the woman suggested a nearby cafe was “a two minute walk away”.
We set off in the rain, walking through a dingy underpass under the busy main road and walked along a grey track and past a grey industrial estate in the opposite direction for at least 10 minutes looking for the coffee shop.
We couldn’t see any sign of one so we had to turn and trudge back to get back on our route. This detour wild goose chase for non existant coffee added 20 minutes and another km or more to our already long day 🙁
Looking back at a village, the low cloud and mist reminded Chris and I of our second day at Machu Picchu in 2016!
Above is small digression with a throwback photo of Chris, complete with his cape, in Machu Picchu in similar misty drizzly conditions!
Next we had a lengthy section with the river next to us on our left and a minor road to our right.
At the end of this bit a footbridge over part of the river was closed meaning we had to clambour over a fence and a metal road barrier.
We were optimistic for a coffee as we entered a small town called Fenis but the optimism soon faded as Fenis felt like a ghost town, eerily quiet and mostly shut.
We found a hotel, restaurant and cafe but that too was shut. Next to this were some picnic benches and close by, on a dreary Wednesday lunchtime was a group of about 25 adults and children cooking some kind of barbeque… it felt a bit like a commune and it was weird that this was the only sign of life in the town of Fenis.
The medieval Fenis Castle is one of the most famous castles of the Aosta Valley and as such, is a popular tourist attraction. We went past Fenis castle but we didn’t visit. (Maybe we would have seen more signs of life there?)
After Fenis, we had a long track which crossed underneath the motorway and back a couple of times.
Then we were next to the river again. The path went on and on and by now my 6 kg pack was feeling heavier and heavier…
As we got closer to Chatillon, the weather started to brighten up however there were few VF signs and we were not to sure of the route. With a combination of google maps and the VF app we found our way up a hill and to our final destination of Chatillon.
Hurrah! At 4:30 pm we stopped in the first open bar we came across in Chatillon relieved to finally arrive and to be able to sit down and have a drink that was something other than water! There was a nice cosy atmosphere in the Bar Chez Coco and we were given some savoury snacks to go with our local beers.
We spent an hour or so in the Bar Chez Coco before the final push to our accommodation for the night. The sun was fully shining and we enjoyed the last 15 minutes as we walked through pretty Chatillon to locate our hotel.
Chatillon is split into two by a dramatic rocky ravine carved out by the Marmore stream. We crossed a bridge high above the stream, lined with colourful pink flowers.
In my opinion, the lovely views from Chatillon were the best of today’s route, especially with the sun shinining again.
Chris and I didn’t visit this church, but this was the official end of this stage from Aosta. When we complete another section of the Via Francigena, this will be our next starting point!
We located our hotel, checked into our rooms and later in the evening we met Russell and Roza for our final VF meal. Roza had booked a table in the Cave Des Amis restaurant which was situated next to the Rendez Vous hotel where we were staying.
We were surprised that the large restaurant was absolutely packed so we were fortunate to get a table.
Popular with locals, Aosta Valley fondu is thicker and creamier than Swiss fondu. Made with Fontina cheese it is usually served with polenta and croutons. The 4 of us shared this as a starter.
My generously sized main of shrimp and king prawn linguine was tasty too!
Departing Chatillon
Although our Via Francigena hiking had come to an end, this wasn’t the end of our holiday as we had 2 nights in Turin to look forward to.
After an acceptable hotel breakfast we checked out and walked down the hill to Chatillon train station. Here we purchased tickets from the ticket office and had an espresso macchiato each while we waited for our replacement bus to our connecting train station at Ivrea. As part of a multi-year programme, the train line is being modernised.
Summary
We both felt sad that the VF part of our trip had come to an end. We had both enjoyed the simple lifestyle with no pressures and nothing to worry about except following the VF signs… well actually following Russell who lead the way each day!
While tough at times, trekking along ancient pilgrim trails is addictive and something we are keen to continue.
We’ve put our pilgrim passports away until next time…
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