Not all pilgrims and travelers would cross into Italy via Gran San Bernardo. For those people traveling from Santiago de Compostela in Spain by land there were some more direct routes through France, one could take. These include:
A. Crossing into Italy from France at Colle di Monginevro, descending the Val di Susa, and passing by Torino to connect with the Via Francigena at Vercelli.
B. Taking Ligurian coastal route from Menton in France and/or Ventimiglia in Italy, and following it to Spezia and reconnecting with the Via Francigena in Sarzana.
A more detailed summary of both options follows:
A. Crossing the Alps at Colle di Monginevro (Montgenèvre to Vercelli)
Paul Chinn and Babette Gallard, authors of the Lightfoot Guides describe this route as:
“The majority of the route follows a combination of small tracks and roads, showing a high degree of local knowledge, while the signs are painted at regular intervals on trees and street furniture”
Pilgrims traveling from Santiago would first arrive in Arles and then travel northeast along the Via Dormitia (now known as the GR653D) and reach Montgenèvre. It takes another long seven days or fourteen shorter days to reach Vercelli where you can connect with the official Via Francigena route to Rome.
For current guides and maps, please visit the following links:
Guides:
Monica D'Atti & Franco Cinti "Guida alla Via Francigena" ISBN 8889385650
Maps
La-Via-Francigena.-Cartografia-e-Gps (new ed. 2010)
For more information on this route, please visit the following sites:
1. Via Colle di Monginevro (Montgenèvre/Susa from France)
2. Via Domitia GR653D at Montgenèvre
B. The Coastal Routes
Pilgrims traveling by land from Santiago and not wishing to cross the Alps would again first arrive in Arles but then travel southeast along the Via Aurelia (now known as the GR653A) and reach Menton before crossing into Italy.
Today there are actually two possible options available for modern day pilgrim hikers. One is to the take the newly opened coastal route the 350 km La Via Della Costa consisting of 12 long stages from Sarzana to Ventimiglia that weaves in an out of towns such as La Spezia and Levanto, later skirting around Cinque Terre and through Genova, along sometimes busy roads and sections at times. The route recently opened and what you should expect are some sections to be incompletely signed. Accommodation however is plentiful but expensive in some places.
Alternatively, consider taking the scenic 440 km mountain ridge route consisting of 43 short stages called the Alta via dei Monti Liguri, also known as the High Trail of the Ligurian Mountains. This trail is the work of the CAI and is well signed and well used. Accommodation is a mixture of refugees, small bed and breakfasts and pensions.
In reality for those, wanting to tackle either way, a combination of both routes might be required or considered and thus one should plan for 3 weeks to complete this section.
For more information about this section, please visit the following links:
1. The La Via della Costa
2. The Alta Via dei Monti Liguri
3. Via Aurelia GR653A
Final Note:
Paul Chinn and Babette Gallard recently completed a pilgrimage with their packhorse, Nellie, tracing an intersection route connecting the Camino de Santiago in France to the Via Francigena in Italy. Their journey started in Arles on the Camino de Santiago and continued to Montgenèvre and then to Vercelli to connect with the Via Francigena. From Vercelli, they continued to Sarzana, returned along the coastal and alpine routes to Menton, and then back to Arles. They plan to publish two books:
LightFoot Linking the Chain:
Vol One - Arles to Rome - Via Domitia/Via Francigena
Vol Two - Rome to Arles - Via Aurelia/Via Francigena
The new guides will follow the Via Domitia and Via Aurelia in France that will include variations and deviations where necessary and desirable. You can follow their progress and initial accommodation information (prior to the publication) by visiting their blog.
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