More castles, ancient abbeys, incredible mountain vistas, and railways that vanish skyward. There is so much to see and do in Switzerland – all it takes is lots of money.
The walk today is steeped in history, but I guess that applies to Europe in general.
The vf path followed by Sigeric has been well trodden: Julius Caesar, Napoleon, possibly Hannibal and his elephants (although there is significant debate on this point). The town of Martigny has many Roman ruins on display, after Caesar negotiated to build an encampment on the other side of the river to the existing settlement. I missed the turn to the amphitheatre, but the trail actually went through other excavated sites.
Martigny is at a cross roads – you can turn left and continue up the Rhône river and cross the Simplon Pass into Italy, or swing right and cross the St Bernard pass, where the VF goes, and there are big dogs with casks of booze around their necks to sustain you should you get lost.
Martigny is a happening town – or maybe it’s just that I’m here on a Friday night. The old part of town is full of outdoor bars and cafes, but sadly, the hotel I booked is a couple of km up the road (price the determining factor). At least my day tomorrow will be a couple of km shorter!
I included a pic of the Rhône river: it is a significant creek up here so far from the ocean.
Daily km: 30.8
2saunter 