Swiss Leg

After Lausanne the weather was superb and even though Swizterland is famed for its mountains i must say that the route of La Via Francigena around Lac Leman was a delight particularly through the vineyards of Chasselas grapes planted centuries ago by Cistercian monks.    Montreux overwhelmed me with its blatant wealth.    What a contrast to the Abbey at St Maurice whicvh has looked after the town for 1500 years.  And a good days walk to Martigny.   Note that a lot of the trails are narrow mountain ones.  Take a walking pole.   In Orsieres I attended a very moving signing mass,  Of course the mountains may have given me an incorrect sense of power becasue foolishly I went from Orsieres to the Grand St Bernard pass in one day.    I recommend stopping over at Bourg St Pierre before the final ascent.   Also it was a delight to stay at the hospice at the pass  where i attended mass and prayers and ate good swiss beef.   This is the Pass of history .. . Hannibal, Charlemagne,  Napoleon .... it seems to mark the crossing from north to southern europe.

Now I am in Aoste, with its rich roman heritage.  The weather is mild.

Paul Gauguin.

I shut my eyes in order to see.

For is not imagination the inner eye?

Deus Nobiscum in Via

Oz Peregrinus