Walking the Via Francigena Pilgrim Route - Part 2 - The Reverend Sandy Brown

Discover the enchanting stone cloisters, medieval towers, and cobbled villages along the Via Francigena on this central section of the renowned pilgrimage route, a 726 km journey from Lausanne on Lake Geneva to the historic city of Lucca in Tuscany. Walk shaded lakeside paths by Lac Léman, cross the historic Great Saint Bernard Pass, traverse the Po Valley’s cultural heart, and finish among the scenic hills and coastline of Liguria and Tuscany, where medieval villages and vineyards meet stunning sea views. Designed for modern-day pilgrims and those seeking a reflective walking experience, this comprehensive Cicerone guidebook breaks this section of the Via Francigena into 32 manageable daily stages. The route is described from north to south, beginning in Lausanne on Lake Geneva and concluding in the medieval Tuscan city of Lucca. Each stage features a detailed 1:100,000 route map to guide your journey across the diverse landscapes of the Via Francigena, with enhanced 1:25,000 city maps for Lausanne, Martigny, Aosta, Pavia, Fidenza, and Lucca, providing clear navigation through these key urban centres. Comprehensive, step-by-step directions guide you along the route, whether crossing the vineyards around Vevey, the alpine valleys approaching the Great St Bernard Pass, or the rolling hills of Tuscany, with each section supported by downloadable GPX files for GPS devices and smartphone apps. For every stage, you’ll find start and finish points, precise distances, total ascent and descent, estimated walking times, and a terrain summary, helping you plan for days that might take you from the lakeside promenades of Montreux to the medieval streets of San Gimignano. Accommodation and refreshment options are listed for each stage, highlighting welcoming places to stay and eat in towns and villages, including Lausanne, Montreux, Aigle, Aosta, Pavia, and Lucca, as well as trail-side facilities and services in smaller settlements. A handy trek planner and route summary table let you customise your itinerary, whether you want to linger in the Roman spa town of Aosta, explore the historic abbeys of Pavia, or enjoy the world-famous cuisine of Parma. With detailed mapping and practical advice, this guide ensures a safe, enjoyable, and culturally rich Via Francigena walking experience, whether you’re tackling alpine passes, following riverside paths, or exploring the cobbled streets and lively piazzas of Italy’s northern cities. Plan your Via Francigena adventure from Lausanne to Lucca with confidence, and experience one of Italy’s most iconic long-distance pilgrim walks with this definitive guidebook.