2017-08-13 @Onsala, "Ultreïa et Suseïa"

When I started the walk from Lausanne to Le Puy in April I had the intention to write this blog while I walked. That never came to be. So I have written, or rather reconstructed it, during the last weeks based on my handwritten notes, that I always try to keep.

If you want to see all blog postings you may have to press the line "August 2017" in the right hand margin, or the line "Older posts" at almost the bottom of the sequence of blog entries.

On September 11 I expect to travel south again to Le Puy to restart the walk through France on Via Podiensis. During that walk I'll try to continue this blog. "Ultreïa et Suseïa"! Further on and Higher up!

For Via Podiensis the route from Le Puy to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port can be found on the following homepage: https://www.traildino.com/trace/continents-Europe/countries-France/trails-GR65_-_Via_Podiensis

Voy a continuar la ruta entre Le Puy y St-Jean Pied-de Port en 12 de septiembre. Además, añado un mapa. ¡Ultreïa et Suseïa!

2017-04-27 Le Puy (2 / 480 km)

Up very early. Breakfast in the reception room of the Gite. Quite a lot of people. Then off across dark streets to the cathedral and the morning mass at seven. Well there I noted that there were fairly many pilgrims. What had I expected? Max 20 I would say.

It proved to be around 60 at the gathering after the mass. From all parts of the world. A Norwegian woman just happened to stand next to me. She came from Bergen and planned to bike first to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and then onward to Santiago. What more? A couple of persons from South Korea, one from Japan, one from Australia, some from Canada, others from the US. And of course a lot of people from France and Germany. A rather special mass. I understand why people want to start from Le Puy.

Then "the gang of four" went for morning coffee, a farewell coffee that ended in me saying farewell to the rest. I continued to the railway station. Notre Dame de France on her hill greeted me silently with an "au revoir" - see you later.

But I was not alone at the station. First I met a guy from Germany who liked to walk alone. He was there to fix his ticket since he planned to go home the next day. Then I spoke to couple from Luxembourg where she had got some problems with acing joints. She had first got that when they some time ago traveled around in Mexico. Probably some infection. Antibiotics cured the illness she thought earlier, but not really, now it had returned. Difficult. They were on their way home for her to cure the illness more definitely.

I first had to take a bus to Saint-Éntienne and then train from there to Lyon. They were repairing the tracks to Le Puy. I later arrived to the main railway station in Lyon, Parte de Dieu. Realized that it actually was a tram leaving from the outside that should take me to the airport. But that tram proved to be a wolf in disguise. Well outside the streets it behaved like a high speed train. The airport Saint Exupery was much bigger that I had realized. Two to three times Gothenburg. It was in a rebuilding process with the famous Calatrava as architect, among others.

After some searching I found a room in a cheap hotel, IBIS, at the end off the runway. There was a confusion were it was located. Signs pointed at another place than the right one. Got a room, printed my ticket back home and slept.

The day after is not much to say about the day after except that I flew home uneventful via Brussels. And that's it!

En la madruga las siete visitamos la catedral por la misa peregrina. ¡Fuimos sesenta personas un día normal! Le Puy esta unos de las cuatro salidas famosas de los caminos de Santiago desde Francia. Después la café común final. Yo continué hacia la estación ferrocarril y los otros hacia su día final en Le Puy. ¡Hasta la vista!

2017-04-26 St-Julien-Chapeteuil - Le Puy (22 / 478 km)

Left St Julien behind us. Easy walking. Some suburbs to Le Puy could be seen at a distance. Long road into the city St-Germain-Laprade. Visited the church. Lunch at a bar in the center.

Continued towards Montjoie (Mountain of Joy) a hill with some stones and a couple of left boots. But from here we could see Le Puy at a distance for the first time. The place reminded me of a small version of Monte de Gozo - that name meaning the same - outside Santiago. On th way there I reminded the others that in Spain you would first pass Lavacolla and clen yourself there before going up the last hill. Well what did we see here in not a car wash at the side of the road.

We continued downhill. Roger and I practiced the Zorba version of Utreïa a Suseia. Actually we had during the passed days tried to transform that song adapting it to various style music and rhythms. And had a lot of fun in that. It's fantastic what you can do when you have musical people around you. Not only Paul as an old musician but also Ava proved to have been a singer in a band earlier in life. And Roger and I hummed along.

The outskirts of the city brought more dense housing. A bit later we crossed the river Loire that here not is the big and broad version that it will become later. Here close to its source it was more narrow and smaller. We continued to walk along the left side of Loire through parts of the city for quite a while. Then left up along another smaller river. Up towards the very center of Le Puy. But first some coffee at a square which was necessary since it was very chilly and rainy day. On the way we had admired the two of the remarkable monuments, the red Notre-Dame-de-France that 1860 was made from metal that the French troops under Napoleon III took from the war in Crimea Russia. The other is the remarkable chapel Saint-Michel-d'Aiguilhe that was built already 961 by the bishop Gothescalk on top of a steep volcanic rock close to the center of Le Puy. You can reach it via a number of stairs.


The final hill, very steep, even so steep that the last portion was stairs, up towards the cathedral. The cathedral with its famous black madonna (la Vierge Noire) where a black Jesus as a child looks out through her dress. You even find Saint Jacques (Santiago) himself in the cathedral.

Got the stamps and all that in the cathedral and then we continued to a Gite nearby.

Good but with a little special structure. Manned by volunteers from all over. Filled with people on their way to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle (Santiago). Le Puy is one of the four famous starting points in France.

The gang of four had our last common dinner at a restaurant close to the cathedral. Aval will walk on towards Santiago. Robert an Paul will spend the next day in Le Puy to see all sights. I will travel towards Lyon to fly home from there. We have had a lot of fun together.

Habíamos pasado St-Germain-Laprade llegamos a Monjoie (Monte de Gozo), no tan alto, no tan grande, donde vimos Le Puy, la meta, por la primera vez. Cruzamos el rio Loire entrabamos la ciudad. Pasabamos los altos volcánicos con sus monumentos famosos, Notre-Dame-de-France y Saint-Michel-d'Aiguilhe. Últimamente subimos la cuesta escarpada hasta el catedral con su Vierge Noir (Virgen negra). La meta de esta etapa. Visitamos el catedral, trovamos la Gite y después la cena final.

2017-04-25 Papeterie (close to Tence) - St-Julien-Chapeteuil (30 / 456 km)

After breakfast in the old paper mill we soon walked into Tence. There it was a market day with boots and stands everywhere. Robert bought a knitted cap.

Then I tried to trace the way out of town and searched for markings. I thought that I had found it. (When I looked at the map a bit more carefully it was actually the old routing of the GR coming in to town !!!!) But happily I asked a elderly gentleman from the city. He said in good English that we were heading in the wrong direction and that he should show us the right exit. Really one of those Santiago persons at the right time and place! I have often wondered why that often happens when needed. I remember one time at another walk when even I was that person to guide a couple that later became friends.

Rain and rain clothes. After a while I realized that my big rain poncho worked well.

We had coffee for lunch in St-Jeures before we continued towards the highest pass at 1261 m in Raffy. The rain had then eased so there was a fantastic view over this remarkable volcanic landscape. Ava had wanted to walk alone for a while. The remaining three of us sat waiting for her in Queyrières, but no one came. Ahigh place that obviously had snow during the winter sason since the sings told us that there was a center for Nordic skiing in Meygal nearby.

We decided to split and I walked in advance down the hills.

When passing through the village of Monedeyeres a couple of kilometers later I heard from behind a corner someone calling my name. Ava! She had been taking a short cut and arrived only a couple of minutes earlier. Good old Santiago had once again fixed the situation for us. We called the others so that they could stop waiting and continue.

Went through a very fine valley with among other tings an old mill. Crossed a stream and then up and on following other narrow trails that eventually became narrow roads that finally became St-Julien-Chapteui.

Having almost reached the center the other caught up with us. We arrived at the Gite in the center of the city. Locked! We had to walk to a camping site a bit outside the city and got the key from a not-so-happy lady.

We found our beds and a bit later, went out to find a place to eat. It took some time since most places were closed. It was a snack-bar with food prepared in the micro. Not the best in the world but possible to eat. The locals had a difficult dialect and we wondered what type of people that beside us came to the bar that night. Back to the Gite through silent and dark streets.

En la mañana entramos Tence y un mercado la con muchas puestas. Robert se compró un gorro. Cuando probé, probamos trovar la salida de la ciudad otro Santiago un viejo hombre que nos dirigí hasta la salida correcta. Pasamos Raffy, el paso más alto 1261 m. Un poco más tarde estábamos esperando Ava en Queyrières. Decidimos dividirnos. Yo continué. Cuando pasaba una esquina oí mi nombre. ¡Ava! Ella había elegido una otra senda. Todos entrabamos St-Julien-Chapteui una hora más tarde.

2017-04-24 Les Sétoux - Papeterie (close to Tence) (30 / 426 km)

Had a good breakfast together with all in our gang of four plus the German elderly couple plus two German ladies. Also got a little extra to put in the backpack. And Paul could do his morning Tai Chi just outside the Gite.

The first part of the road out of the village was simple. The only thing that happened was that we met the German couple that had forgotten their copy of "Die Rote" (the red variety of the German Guidebooks - there is also a yellow). Then paths up and down hills in the hilly landscape.

Walking along a little road with little traffic I got engaged in a conversation with Roger about the roma people that we both were interested in and held similar views. We were so engaged that we missed a not so well marked turn-off. A car stopped us, we realized our mistake and we turned back.

We found the place where we should turn off the road.Saw Paul in front of us and Ava. Ava stopped at a small stream that we crossed. Very stony and bad and long uphill through a forest. But all hills have their end. And also this one had.

Later we had lunch in Montfaucon-en-Velay at a small bar. Visited both churches. The second one was the finest. A sign in Swedish and the special painting of the flight to Egypt - in snow -  left an impression.

We continued steaming on along old roads and tracks. Sometimes hills, that are remainders of old volcanoes, could be seen. You recognize them directly, even with forest on, due to their form. We had arrived to Mordor as Roger said. All of this landscape has been covered by volcanoes long ago.

The Chemin has a new routing here. The reason, the old paper mill that had been made a Gite, showed up eventually. The place was quite OK but no food available. We should have announce our arrival in advance. However the the host couple was very friendly and drove into town (Tence) to get some for us.

Normal routines. A bit later we had a late dinner combining what was available. Actually that mix was really good.

As I'm writing this Ava is practicing her instrument and Paul his Ta Chi. Chilly outside. Let's see what tomorrow holds. Rain expected. We are aiming at St-Julien-Chapeteuil and expect to pass an old chain of old volcanoes. (If you want the video, please contact me by e-mail)

Madrugábamos. Paul haciendo su Tai Chi. La pareja alemana olvidado su guía. Un poco más tarde Robert y yo absorbidos en una conversación sobre romas fallamos girar donde el camino giró. Pero teníamos un ángel de guardia, un Santiago, un hombre en un coche. Un día en un paisaje con antiguos volcanes. Mordor según Robert. Subiendo y bajando sendas pedregosas. Llegando en una antigua fábrica de papel, ahora un Gite. Cantos en la noche.

2017-04-23 Saint-Julien-Molin-Molette - Les Sétoux (26 / 396 km)

10 € was a low fee for staying at the camping. Besides Robert got a T-shirt.

Down to the city. A lot of people and and activities downtown in spite of this being a Sunday morning. This was the election Sunday. The first election round to pick two of many presidential candidates. Morning coffee at a coffee house in the center. We were not alone..

Across new hills over into the city of Bourg-Argental that we gradually got into. A good portion of the road entering the city went along the river. Met several pilgrims, one of them being the German couple from the day before. The woman now clearly realized that she had problem with a hip joint that she had replaced a year earlier. She need transport to the next stop Les Sétoux.

In the center people were just leaving the church and we stopped to have the second morning coffee. At tehe main square all of the presidential candidates had been equipped with red clown noses by someone at night.
We continued along the valley partly on steep tracks upwards, partly on roads. The one we got up to after a while, later proved to have been a railroad (sic!) Ava wanted to go alone. We took a rest at playground close to La Gare (the old railway station) of St-Saveur-en-Rue and had something to eat from our backpacks. Then it was steep upwards at roads through the forest. We four had split for a while and I was alone. Paul was fast uphill. I was slow. At the top at 1200 m I ran into Robert. Then I took the wrong route. The reason was that two GRs crossed each other here and being a bit tired I took the wrong branch. After a short while I heard a sharp whistle. It was Robert and Paul that stopped me and made me return to the crossing and picking the right direction towards Les Setoux.

Having entered the small village I noted a row of women leaving what I thought was the Gite. Having waited for a while a lady told me that the Gite was at the other end of the village. And I found it quickly. It was disposed like one of the traditional larger albergues in Spain. Only a few persons there, so it was not difficult to find a bed.

The normal routines: bed - shower- washing up my dirty clothes. Very good!

The other dropped in after a while. And the dinner was up in the house where I had first stopped. Was fine night with good food and interesting conversations in several languages with fellow pilgrims. A bit later it became a singing night at the Gite. One of the German ladies from the dinner joined us.  Now we were trying to sing the Pilgrim chant "Ultreïa et Suseia" in French. We met the chant the first time at the dinner table when the hostess introduced it. It was not the last time we tried that song. You may find it at various places of the web like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qWWA-tCW-Rs

Domingo y el día de elección presidencial primero. La plaza de la ciudad lleno de gente y actividades. Después la ciudad Bourg-Argental donde los candidatos en los carteles estaban equipados con narices de payasos rojos. Subíamos, subíamos de los altos arbolados. Abetos, abetos y más abetos. Fatigoso. Por fin la aldea Les Sétoux y un Gite muy bueno. Y también una noche muy buena con cantos común con otros peregrinos. ¡Ultreïa et Suseia!

2017-04-22 Clonaz-sur-Varèze - Saint-Julien-Molin-Molette (30 / 370 km)

Breakfast at the hotel. Ava joined and we passed over the plain not far from the nuclear power plant.

A long bridge across Rhône and soon into the city of Chavanay, that seem to be a nice place at the hillside. We had some coffee and did some shopping there before we crossed the small river and got up to a small stony track up the hill to the known Chapelle du Calvarie. A fine place with a view.

A lot of small villages that were growing wine, apples and other fruit. We were at the side of the Pilate natural reserve and were gradually entering the "Massif Central" area, a very hilly and mountainous area.
We encountered a man who said he had met a girl that we might know. It proved to be Ava that was sitting waiting for us a bit further on.

We continued across many hills, villages and small cities. Upwards, upwards. Passed a German couple that also were making their way upwards. The woman seemed to have problems to walk the stony path. In good German we understood that they were almost neighbors to Paul and Robert (some 30 km away). But the couple walked slowly due to the problems of the woman so we passed them.

The four musketeers stopped for a food break at the ridge with a view, before continuing downhill down and into the small city of St-Julien-Molin-Molette.

Well into the city we realized that we had to walk to the camping site just outside the city. We got lodging in a big portable house, a cottage, but had to walk down to the city center to get something to eat. On the way up and down we passed the old factory for knives and other similar edge tools. This used to be a manufacturing city. But today the old factory building seemed to be a place for various non-commercial activities.

The evening contained a lot of singing together in the cottage van. A really pleasant night.

Pasando una central nuclear y después el puente del Rhône llegamos a Chavanay y su Chapel du Calvarie continuábamos a través de aldeas, viñas y huertos a lado de Pilate. Entrabamos la Massif Central, una región poco poblada, montañosa, con viejos vulcanos, bosques etc. El día terminaba en St-Julien-Molin-Molette con más cantando en un camping fuera la pequeña ciudad. 

2017-04-21 Revel Tourdan - Clonaz-sur-Varèze (29 / 340 km)

The day started in a good way with Indian breakfast. Then we hit the road again. We had been advised to take an alternative road through the forest instead of the main route that passed through the villages of Bellegarde and Saint-Romain-de-Surieu. So we did. We saved 3 km. That gave us all time to talk to each other for me especially to one of the Germans and the new group member Ava.

Reached the village of Assien that proved to be another "dead village". We had to eat our back-pack meal of, for me, water and bread.

Then it became interesting. Due to the fact that I had not prepared well enough I thought that we should continue along GR65. Normally GR65 and Chemin de Compostelle (the pilgrim road) are the same. But not so here. We started to miss the shell symbols and at a crossing in Cheyssieu I together with the others realized that I had taken the GR instead of the Chemin. Ooops!
My fault no doubt. I had not been careful enough.

However with the help of the GPS the map in the guidebook I quickly realized how we should reach the Chemin without having to walk all the way back to the place where the two split. But due to my mistake Ava was not fully certain of my navigational ability so she asked some locals that confirmed the my shortcut was a good one. So we, after some discussion, continued the way I suggested.

After a while we passed down the hills in Clonas-sur-Varèze and ended up at the bar near the center - where else?! Some refreshments later we ended up singing to the guitalele (a small ukulele sized guitar) that Ava was carrying with her in the backpack. And Paul was more or less a guitar expert. Being a musician besides an architect. What a combination! Really good and we had fun!

We three older boys got an accommodation on top of the bar while Ava found an own place to stay nearby. We had dinner at the bar were we stayed.

Usamos un atajo por el bosque no pasábamos los lugares Bellegarde y Sait-Romain-de-Surieu pero pasábamos Assien. Un tiempo para parlar entre nosotros y especialmente con Ava que se llama la mujer, el nuevo miembro de nuestra pandilla. Pero faltamos las conchas. Y cuando llegamos hasta el pueblo Cheyssieu comprendimos había seguido la GR en vez del Camino (le chemin). Normal los dos son las mismas. Pero no aquí. ¡Mea culpa! Con mi GPS y mis mapas trové un atajo hasta el Camino. Hablando francés su lengua propia, Ava comprobó con unos lugareños. Y, sí, mi propuesta estaba correcto. También este era el día del guitalele. Ava llevaba una guitarra muy pequeña, un guitalele, con un tamaño de un ukulele, en un bolsillo fuera su mochila. Y Paul también sea un músico de la guitarra a lado de la arquitectura. ¡Que combinación! ¡Nos divertimos!

2017-04-20 La-Côte-St-André - Revel Tourdan (28+3 / 314 km)

Met the others at breakfast. They had the day before eaten what they carried with them at the hotel.

A day with walks trough forests and meadows. We tried to find lunch at Farramans but failed. Eventually we reached Revell Tourdan. The entry was fine across a yard but then it became worse. The hotel that we aimed at was closed until 5 pm. No other places open. We were uncertain what to do.

We had seen some signs that told about an Indian place about 3 km after Revell Tourdan. We decided that I should stay and secure the hotel while the others should continue. It took some time before they phoned but then they said that it was a good place. I had to say by-by to the hotel and continue. I passed a bee-keeping place and got rather surrounded by its inhabitants.

A bit later I reached the Indian place. Met the others plus a girl from Switzerland (Suisse Roman - the French speaking part). We were all lodged in a big hall at the second floor of an annex building to that of the owner (old barn??). Usual end of the day activities followed by a superb Indian dinner. The place is recommended.

Este día pasamos Farramans y Revell Tourdan. En Revell Tourdan discutimos cuando nos quedaremos aquí. Inseguridad… También habíamos visto que estuve un Gite (albergue) indio unos kilómetros más adelante. Decidimos separarnos. Yo me quedaba para salvaguardar el hotel, los otros continuaban para puedan encontrar el lugar indio. Una hora más tarde telefoneaban. Sí, este es un buen lugar. ¡Ven! Y venía un poco más tarde y encontré los otros y también una mujer joven de Suiza.
 

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2017-04-19 Le Pin - La-Côte-St-André (34/256 km)

The day started with a breakfast at the otherwise empty hotel. Then we were driven up to the crossing in Le Pin again and the walk of the day together with the two Germans started. A rather uneventful walk through a pastoral countryside with meadows, cattle and fields. Lots of small villages. Some fine views. Some bad hiss with stony paths up or down. (Don't forget stable shoes if you intend to walk this way!)

The markings and road signs varies bur are usually good. Here in the province of Isere the are often of a bit simpler variety - but sufficient.

Lunch was planned for "Le Grand Lemps" but most of its places were closed. However we found an open bar at the dug-up square and took a coffee.

Onward through many and long villages along the side of a stretched out hill. A big plain below with among other things the airport of Grenoble. Really a bit away from that city. But usually there were farms and farmland.

Finally we reached "La-Côte-St-André". Went in through arcs and a bit market hall without wall, only roof. Spoke to various people regardig where to sleep and found the worn down hotel just opposite the post office.

I had a lot of job waiting for me but first I went out to eat a little at a Vietnamese restaurant of the simpler variety. A chilly and windy day in spite of the sunshine. Thoughts about the journey home. Probably Lyon but no decision.

Volvíamos a la cruz de La Pin en la madruga. Pasamos “Le Grand Lemps” y un numero de pueblos casi siempre pequeños. Al fin llegamos a La-Côte-St-André” donde dormimos.

2017-04-18 Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers - Le Pin (34/256 km)

Left Saint Genix at around 8 - without breakfast. Passed some big dams close to the river. They were part of a recreational area. Onward a bit. Then I noted my two friends from southern Germany coming after me. We got to talk more now. One of them, Paul, was an architect that worked for the church and the other, Robert, for a manufacturing company in a management role. Connected to car parts manufacturing? Well, it has slipped my mind when I write this. But I have not forgotten that he was the proud owner of a Renault 4L or "quatre L" as it is called usually.

Really a calm day in a calm landscape. At some point a view towards the Alps in the east opened up. But that was about the only excitement. The lunch-place of the day became Les Abrets. We were a bit early so first it had to be coffee (to make up for my missed breakfast I suppose) and then lunch. Missed to buy the backup food that I usually have in my backpack, since the shops were closed after lunch.

We had hope to have the afternoon coffee in Valencogne but everything except the church was closed. Also the Gite. The week after Easter seems to be a holiday week in France. The church had a lot of things associated with Saint Jacque. Up to the ridge with sometimes a fine view towards the lake of Paladru. Then downwards again on stony and windy roads.

The Le Pin. We went into the bar at the main crossing and asked. The man in the bar had nothing but promised to help us to find a place to sleep. Non of his normal places would work so we asked us if the hotel a bit away was OK with us. We said it had to be. The owner would come to pick us up. That took some time but finally.. The Germans got a double room and I a single in Charavines some 3 km from Le Pin. Once there I note an open shop across the street where I went to buy the food for my backpack that I needed. Birgitta my wife called me.

Had dinner together with the other two. Then went back to my room and worked my way through the mailbox that had filled during the day. Did also look at the stage planning the days ahead. Looked like it would be another 8 days to reach Le Puy. That indicating that I ought too book my flight back in a couple of days.

Después había caminado un rato me di cuenta de mis dos a amigos de Baviera. Paul el arquitecto trabajando con la iglesia y Robert como un jefe industrial, ¡pero también el propietario de un Renault 4L o “quatre L”!  Pasamos Les Abrets y Valenconge últimamente llegamos a Le Pin. Con la ayuda del hombre detrás del mostrador en un bar tenemos un chambre en Charivin cerca del lago Paladru. El propietario traemos en su coche.

2017-04-17 Yenne - Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers (29/222 km)

This was to be a special day. It started at breakfast with the two German ladies from Good Friday. Now we spoke German a long while, something that went well. Talked about roads and walks.

The I went out and soon the uphill began. I passed the Notre-Dame-de-Montagne (Our Lady of the Mountain) and onward up on the ridge that here runs parallel with the river. A fine morning sometimes with caterpillars that hung from the trees in fine treads. It was like passing though a curtain. Many points with a good view over the river and the valley.

At one point you had to walk at a narrow shelf towards the abyss. For me with vertigo it was a trial. And I had to fix my eyes at a point on the track at the other side of this difficult pass. But all went well and I survived. A bit later I met a man on a mountain-bike. I wonder how he could pass that shelf.

Onwards and upwards. A stony and steep track, but a bit later I was up at the highest point at 850 m up from Yenne at 250 m.

Then downward in more farm-like surroundings. Reached Saint-Maurice-de-Rothiers. According to the guidebook there should be a possibility to eat. But nothing. Talked to a couple of the locals that confirmed my suspicion. One of them even offered to drive me a portion of the way, but I declined. I continued walking - without any food. I passed sever Easter closed villages and the road approached St Genix.

All of a sudden at the entry of Saint Genix the marking said that I should turn right, contrary to what the map in the GPS said. Well, I did what the signs said and got into the small center of Saint Genix and stopped outside the "hotell de ville" (not the town hotel but the town hall). Sat down and tried to find out a place to sleep. Thought that the most likely place was "Au Coq en Velours" at the other side of the river in Aoste the twin city of Saint Genix. But locked and closed. What to do. I walked back over the the bridge and found an open bar where I could eat a little, and more important, think. Sleep outdoors? Other places where I could sleep according to the guidebook were too far away.

Went back across the bridge again and noted a sing in a garden that I had not seen before. A hotel sign. Was not listed in my book. According to the info on the web - bad! But I went there an saw a woman outside the front door. I went up to her and asked. We are closed she said, but nevertheless went away to talk to her husband. Well, yes, they could open a room and help me with some cold food. So I go a whole hotel completely on my own. And the cold food I got later tasted well. However she did not accept my credit card. Was the hotel in bankruptcy? Nevertheless she became my angel that day.

Subí la cresta cerca de rio pasando la capilla y estatua de Notre-Dame-de-Montagne. Hay un parte de la senda que era muy difícil por un hombre con vértigo. Yo tengo. La senda era estrecha y el precipicio alto en ambos lados. ¡Una prueba! Pero pasé. Últimamente llegue a Saint Genix. También aquí tengo problemas con un sitio para pasar la noche. También aquí últimamente encontré un hotel cerrado. Otra vez estuve el huésped único después había apelado a una mujer encontré fuera la entrada. Mi ángel del día. 

2017-04-16 Chanax - Yenne (21/193 km)

After breakfast at the worn down hotel the road went up through the alleys of Chanax actually a very small place. Passed the old mill built at one of the streams coming down from the hills.

The last houses of the village went by and soon there were fields and grooves around me. Passed three girls and exchanged some words with them. They were from Geneva and spoke French. And my French is not the very best. A little later a passed a man looking to be in his fifties. Also from the area around Geneva. He could speak a little English but I sensed that he preferred to walk alone. More small villages and a crossroad. I took the over the hill variant.

At the top of the hill there was a small chapel where once it had been a statue and perhaps a place of worship of Sylvan, the Roman forest god. But that statue was removed in the 5th century. Had a little to eat from my backpack. And then the track went down the hill. Very steep down!! I had to take out and use my telescope pole that proved to very useful here. My handbook actually warned for taking this route during rain since it could be dangerous. But I made it eventually.

A fine walk along the river followed.

Passed under a road and there was Yenne. I had decided to walk to the monastery. Difficult to find so I set down to figure out how I could find it by using the maps and the directions of my mobile. Then I realized that I had walked in the wrong direction for a while and the alternative pilgrim marking - a shell with an additional dot - did not show the direction to the monastery but an alternative route onward.

Well I did find the monastery and pushed the button at the front porch. Nothing happened. So I went away and back to the center of small Yenne. Found the only hotel that was open. However no possibility to eat there so it had to be a kebab at the only open place at the square. Returning to the hotel I passed the two German guys that I had met a couple of days before. Exchanged some words with them. They did also stay at the hotel that they said was "the only". Then I continued to the hotel. Rather tired for some reason. Phoned home and had a possibility to talk to Amelie. But the only thing she said was hello then she only listened. A phone is a mystical thing when you only are two.

En la cima de unos de las colinas después Chanaz estaba una capilla. En la antigüedad había sido el sito de una estatua de Sylvanus (Silvano) el espíritu tutelar del bosque. Un poco después la senda muy escarpada descendía la pendiente alta. Muy difícil con piedras y barro. Mi bordón telescópico fui muy útil. Más o menos imposible cuando está lluviendo. En la Semana Santa mucho estaba cerrado en Francia. También el monasterio en Yenne. Por esto, el hotel otra vez, el hotel único. Encontré otra vez los dos hombres de Alemania fuera una cafetería cerca de hotel. 

2017-04-15 Frangy - Chanax (39/172 km)

The city was not very big so after having crossed the river I was soon up in the hills again. Through several smaller villages. Among them Desingy and later Pelly where I noted a sign pointing to my first "gite d'etape".

Later I reached a young lad from Germany. He came from Kontanz (in earlier DDR). He now worked in Switzerland for ABB. He was a well organized walker. Lighter backpack than me inspite of the he slept in tent. We left each other at the Seyssel crossroad since I wanted to have lunch there down by the river Rhône. Probably unnecessary since I later found several places to eat later on after the two roads had joined again just before the river Fier where it enters Rhône.

But Seyssel was an interesting place.  It is as far as the Rhône is possible to navigate. So there you can pass the river on a low bridge, a bridge with Note Dame (Our Lady) on top. There was also another lady to meet. The first election day for the presidency approached and you saw ads for a number of the candidates everywhere. Among them Marine Le Pen for the nationalistic party Front National. Not seldom someone had equipped her with a Hitler mustache.

After the bridge I passed a big recreational area where there were a number of people. Several of the dressed up in various costumes for Easter. Then I continued along the Rhône. Sometimes very close sometimes a bit further away. Rhône is here divided in two parts one river and one channel. I walked on the river side. It was a long day of walk but I had determined to reach Chanaz. Later on I waked on a protective wall towards the river for quite a long while.

Ultimately I reached Chanaz. Seemed to be a place of pleasure and recreation that is connected to the channel, "Le canal de Savières" that runs between "Lac du Bourget", a rather big lake and Rhône. After the big camping area outside Chanaz you had to pass that channel on a high walking bridge. And here I met a lot of people a lot of them dressed up for "veille de Pâques", Easter Eve. Many of them were boarding a passenger boat that runs on the channel and for which you bought tickets close to the bridge.

I went in to the tourist office and asked for places to sleep but the lady behind the counter did only want to sell other the more expensive alternatives. So I went out and walked on along the main street by the channel and found an old run down hotel. That became my place for the night. I was probably the only guest. At least I was the only one having dinner a bit later that night. Phone contact with Onsala to celebrate the 2 year birthday of Amelie - a bit early. Also early in bed. Really tiered. Some problem with the stomach during the night.

Difficult to plan the next stage. Either a bit short or too long!

Durante el día deviaba un poco del camino y pasaba Seyssel una ciudad situado en la ribera del Rhône. Rhône esta navegable hasta aquí. Había la primera vuelta de la elección presidencial el domingo próximo y todos los candidatos en los tablones de anuncios. Marin le Pen de Front Nacional algunas veces con bigotes de Hitler. Legué horas más tarde a Chanaz una ciudad muy pequeña pero interesante y ahora turística a lado de un canal entre el lago “Lac de Bourget” y Rhône. En la oficina turístico solo había alternativas caras. Pero yo mismo trové un hotel viejo y semi-abandonado y además tenía una habitación libre. Creo que estuve el huésped único. 

2017-04-14 Col du Mont Sion - Frangy (25/134 km)

(Good Friday / Viernes Santo)
At breakfast I talked to a Frenchman that spoke good English. He worked for ABB in Switzerland with power products.

Just outside it was already Christmas with the houses of Père Noël (Father Christmas) and Mère Noël (Mother Christmas). A bit strange with all the decorations and reindeer but I guess a paradise for children. Nevertheless I did not stay but walked on.

Beautiful landscape with paragliders over the hilltops. At one place you could actually see Mont Blanc. (I less than a month I should be there.)

Narrow roads and tracks across hills and small forests. Had walked behind a couple of persons that walked almost at the same speed as I. Caught up with them a bit further. Two Germans that used to walk a week or so each year - originally from Regensburg in Bavaria. They hoped to reach Santiago eventually. That was my first encounter with two of the persons that I came to share much of the way with later. But I did not know that there and then.

A bit later the three of us caught up with two women that came from the northern German speaking part of Switzerland. All of us hade company for a while and at a less well signed crossing I helped with the navigation using my GPS.

A bit later we crossed a stream that had made its way down into the limestone rock. The other four stayed to rest and take photos but I wanted to continue so I continued on my own. Steep upwards through a village. Then after crossing a road further up through a forest. There I made a less good choice of way that made me pass outside the village Chaumont. When I realized that I thought about walking up to the village but changed may mind an continued. It was not very far to Frangy that I reach after a steep downhill.

In Frangy I first found an ATM (distributeur de billets) and got some more euros, and then a café and had a little to drink in the heat of the day. The owner pointed me across the street where I got a pizza. Had planned to continue but realized that I was very tired. So I decided to stay at the restaurant that proved to have 2 rooms to rent. I rested on top of my bed for a while and then phoned home only to find out that my sister in law had died during the day. To me that happened unexpected fast. I knew that she had cancer but had expected her to live for another month or two. My wife told me that it was chilly at home with unstable weather. Quite different from the summer weather I experienced.

Walked around Frangy a bit and went into a shop but realized after a while that I had forgotten my money and had to walk back to my room. Went out for dinner and ended up close to two persons from Haute Savoie the province where I was at the moment. One of them had participated in the Swedish Rally. The night became an exercise in French mixed with some English. A good end of a "tired day". I wonder what tomorrow brings.

Había visitado Papá y Mamá Noel en las casas de estos en Mont Sion continué. Entre las colinas altas encontraba dos hombres de Alemania y después dos mujeres. Separamos en un arroyo y yo continuaba. Llegué a Fangy donde comí y después comprendía que estaba cansado y me quedaba allí. Cuando comía encontré un hombre de Haut Savoi había conducido Svenska Rallyt (Rally Sueco).