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Walking the Via Francigena Pilgrim Route - Part 2

Lausanne and the Great St Bernard Pass to Lucca

Guidebook to the Via Francigena pilgrim route from Lausanne to Lucca. Starting at Lake Geneva (Lac Léman), this 725km section crosses the Alps at the historic Great Saint Bernard Pass, descends the Po Valley, then climbs to cross the Cisa Pass into Tuscany. Described in 32 stages, with information on facilities and pilgrim hostels.

Seasons

Suitable for walking in spring, summer and autumn. The Great Saint Bernard Pass is fully open to hikers from June to September.

Centres

Lausanne, Martigny, Great Saint Bernard Pass, Aosta, Ivrea, Vercelli, Pavia, Piacenza, Pontremoli, Pietrasanta, Lucca.

Difficulty

Each stage is graded for difficulty (1-4). A few mountainous stages include steep and slippery slopes. No special gear is required to walk the Via Francigena in season, but off-season crossings of the Great Saint Bernard Pass require winter mountain gear and careful attention to changing mountain conditions.

Must See

Dazzling Lake Geneva, the 1500-year-old Abbey of Saint-Maurice, the spectacular 2469m Great Saint Bernard Pass across the Alps, the emerald peaks of Italy's Aosta Valley, well-preserved medieval cities of Vercelli, Pavia and Piacenza, spectacular views from the Monte Valoria at the Cisa Pass, resorts of the Lunigiana coastline and the charming walled city of Lucca.
ISBN
9781786310866
Availability
Published
Published
23 Jun 2021
Reprinted
13 Aug 2024
Edition
First
Pages
256
Size
17.20 x 11.60 x 1.40cm
Weight
300g
Overview

A guidebook to walking the 2000km Via Francigena pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome. Part of a three-volume set, this volume covers the middle 726km, from Lausanne, Switzerland, to Lucca, Italy. Suitable for most abilities – although the crossing of the Jura mountains calls for moderate fitness – this section can be walked in around a month, or there is the option to cycle some of the way.

The route is presented in 32 stages, of between 13 and 34km (8–21 miles).

  • GPX files available to download
  • 1:100,000 mapping plus larger-scale town maps for key locations
  • Handy route summary tables and pilgrim lodging details help you plan your itinerary
  • Comprehensive information about refreshments and facilities along the route
  • Advice on planning and preparation

Table of Contents
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The Reverend Sandy Brown Cicerone author SBROWN

By The Reverend Sandy Brown

Sanford 'Sandy' Brown is a long-distance walker and ordained minister who lives in Lucca, Italy. He was born in California and his great-grandparents migrated to San Juan Capistrano from Mexico in the 19th century. Inspired by The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho, he trekked the Camino de Santiago in 2008 and since then has walked over 15,000km on pilgrim trails in Europe and the U.S. He records his pilgrim adventures in his popular blog at https://caminoist.org. In 2020, Sandy joined Cicerone Press as Associate Publisher for Caminos and Pilgrimages.

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