Author: Redazione AEVF

On the 20^th and 21^st April, 100 students of the elementary schools of Ronchi and Bagaglione completed  the school project “Shall we go for a walk? The Via Francigena: a walk, a road, a territory”Through a photographic treasure hunt organised by the Association Francigenando, in collaboration with teachers, along the city section of the Via Francigena, which leads the children to the discovery of unknown details of Massa.

Today the Association Francigenando, together with the Association “From book to solidarity” planned a walk open for everyone on the Via Francigena along the Stage 25 from Avenza to Massa. An initiative that offers an evocative route about 12 km long, crossing the beautiful hills of Candia, between vineyards, breathtaking landscapes and unpaved roads.

Source: Il Tirreno

The alpine segment of the Via Francigena has been partially built and open to pilgrims 20 years ago. In order to celebrate this anniversary, the “Compagnons” of the Via Francigena organised a commemorative festival on the 2^nd September 2017, at the Great St. Bernard hill.

The event will gather the Aosta Valley and Vallese authorities, the staff of tourist offices from both slopes of the Italian-Switzerland border and the friends of this historical via. During the opening of this alpine route, there wasn’t a Via Francigena, yet. At that time, it was called TAM (Aosta-Martigny Tour) from Italian and Swiss municipalities. The realisation of the Via was made possible thanks to the dedication of the “Compagnons”, through an employment project for unemployed.

The main preoccupation of the “Compagnons”, properly proud of the work done, was the maintenance of the good travel conditions of the route and its safety. Therefore, they decided to establish a day of inspection over the year. Initially, the event happened on casual dates, based on everyone’s availability, but it became increasingly harder to organise it. Fittingly, it should have been held in spring, at the beginning of the best period for the use of the route. However, in 2002 the date still wasn’t found! The “Compagnons” decided, then, to establish a fixed date, that is the first Saturday after Easter and our dear departed Monsignor Roduit said: «Ah! But this is Quasimodo’s Saturday!». The name was largely appreciated and since that moment, every year the visit is organised on Quasimodo’s day!

As highest point of the Francigena, the alpine segment deserves particular attention for topographic difficulties. In winter, during the months from November to June, the path is not accessible for excursionists, except the ones provided with adequate equipment for the path and accompanied from a guide. However, this route can be equally travelled during winter time, thanks to a service of busses that travel regularly between the two cities, that is to say from Martigny to Aosta. Excursionists who could not cover the path during winter, will be able to walk on this prestigious route in summer, visiting the Hostel of the Great St. Bernard and its famous dogs.

Bernard Delasoie

The ‘Samedi de Quasimodo’ or in other words, the Saturday of Quasimodo, has by now become celebrated in the Canton of Valais and likewise in the Aosta Valley, despite being beyond the Alps. It is a day dedicated to the Via Francigena which takes place on the 22nd April.
Every year this day of ‘Samedi’, or rather the first Saturday after Easter, is dedicated to reviewing the Via Francigena, a check that is conducted along a brief segment of the walk, a part that by foot is an arduous and geographically demanding passage. Sigeric’s Via Francigena is still seen as a common thread between European communities and countries: the Italian Aosta Valley and Swiss Canton of Valais, united by the historical itinerary, collaborate to conserve the route as best as possible.

On the 22 nd April the group ‘Amicale des Compagnons de la Via Francigena Valais – Vallée d’Aoste’ organised the event, guided by the President, Bernard Delasoie. The European Association of the Vie Francigene participated in the initiative, as it does every year and at the end of the trek at Bourg-Saint- Pierre, the President of the association, Massimo Tedeschi, greeted and thanked the participants for their spirit towards this initiative.

The traced route took place entirely in the Canton of Valais, its course extending to the slopes of the Alps. Along the route one may enjoy striking panoramas: snow-clad peaks, framed by steep slopes and chalets that follow one after the other throughout the trek. Nature dominates the surroundings and renders the route pleasant and less demanding to complete, in fact one may even spot some deer that calmly watch the pilgrims, who proceed along the Valley.

Once again the event was extremely successful and revealed itself to be a valuable occasion to unite the communities through which the route passes. As well as the many Friends who, throughout the years have only increased in number, the company was joined by: Willy Fellay, the former President of the association and now honorary member; Daniel Maret, the Sub-Prefect of the Entremont district; Stève Lattion, the President of Liddes; Gilbert Tornare, the President of Bourg-Saint- Pierre; Joseph Voutaz, parish priest of Orsières and the valdostana; Palmira Orsieres, Friend of the Via Francigena, as well as the AEVF members of staff, Christian Schüelé and Luca Faravelli.

The next meeting is scheduled for the 2 nd September at the Great St. Bernard Pass in order to celebrate the 20 th Anniversary of the Association of the ‘Amicale des Compagnons de la Via Francigena’. It will therefore be fitting to once again unite the Italian and Swiss authorities who are working hard to improve and conserve this Cultural Itinerary of the Council of Europe.

Luca Faravelli

Watch the video on vimeo.

I walked for four days along the Via Francigena, in the segment from Bolsena to Capranica (in the area of Viterbo). I was together with 18 other people. Old and new acquaintances, united by the will to share a starting point, a journey and a destination.One step at a time. Hot, fatigue, sweat and blisters permitting. You stay together a lot, walking. And you stay alone a lot, too. Which allows the time, and the space, to breathe. To expand, to narrow. To then become something different from the usual time and the usual space. While you always go forward, on a more or less straight line, the thoughts follow their own courses, sometimes very alternative, intersecting as they wish and in every direction with the thoughts, expressions and emotions of others, in order to weave new and unpredictable plots. Sometimes, also incomprehensible. A map rather thick with emotions and anecdotes and experiences and words and silences that doesn’t exist anywhere else if not there, in that moment. Half hour after half hour. From stage to stage. Within the route. Easier to say than to try explaining, indeed.

The “rhythm” of the walk, however, seems to have nothing to do with the one of the real world. Even if it happens in the real world. News, text messages, phone calls, notifications that arrive during the walk seem almost clashing with the rhythm of the steps. They intersect badly with the surprising fresh air given by the shadow of a tree. They don’t surprise more than a sudden blast of wind. Or a small cramp in the back. Everything inevitable seems to become almost more redundant and lighter. In some ways, even more tolerable. Even if there are people who race to establish who is going to drop the biggest bomb; who modifies democracy to make it a dictatorship as much as possible; who keep sailing away from the usual war to land in the usual indifference. One who swear to come back and maybe who will and one who goes away forever and will never come back. Everything seems to go forward and to flow, as if it was easier than it really is. Along the whole space and for all the time needed. Inside every possible thought. A step after the other.

Filippo D’Arino

Source: La Stampa