Stage 10: Pavia to Lausanne, Chur to Füssen

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The Po and Rhine valley’s, Lake Geneva and crossing the Alps 

Stage 10: Pavia to Lausanne, Chur to Füssen

During September 2026 I walked for a total of 21 days, ca. 600kms. I made three walks:

  • Via Francigena. I have already walked between Pavia and Rome, and this time walked between Pavia and Lausanne over the Grand Saint Bernard Pass.
  • Via Francisca del Lucomagno. I have walked between Pavia and Chur during the spring of 2026, and chose to complete my walk to Lake Constance
  • Through Germany. The first few stages om my walk from north to south (or south to north) through Germany: I walked from Lake Constance to Füssen across the Bavarian Alps.

Pavia to Lausanne

Returning to Pavia, from where I’d headed north along the Tinico river in May. As the Grand Saint Bernard Pass didn’t open until June, I headed towards Lausanne on Lake Geneva in Switzerland.

This was undoubtedly a stage of contrasts.

The flat Po Valley and its endless rice paddies, the heights of the Grand Saint Bernard Pass and the beautiful scenery descending from the pass and on the banks of Lake Geneva.

I walked the stage in reverse, meeting many people who were walking towards Rome – few all the way from Canterbury, others starting in Lausanne, Pavia or elsewhere and going all the way, and yet other doing it one part at a time.

All in all it was beautiful trip, in fantastic weather, although very hot with temperatures often passing 30 degrees.

Day 178: Pavia to Gropello Cairoli August 30, 2026 My wife had her second shingles vaccine yesterday and had had a rough night and was not feeling well. We felt it was probably just the side effects of the jab, and it would be silly to cancel when flights were booked, and she was fully fit tomorrow. It was with some concern that I… Read more >
Day 179: Gropello Cairoli to Mortara August 31, 2026 It was going to be a hot day. The thermometer had already passed 25C when I rose at 6.30. After an Italian breakfast with lots of cake, I was packed and on my way by 7.45. Well, I thought I'd packed, but I'll come back to that. Today was going to be a 31km day,… Read more >
Day 180: Mortara to Vercelli September 1, 2026 Not a particularly memorable walking day, but a day I'll remember for my non-walking activities. I ended up walking 43km and was shattered upon arriving at the hotel I was staying. I was up at 5.30am, showered and walked the 2,5km to the station. I have left my toilet bag and medicine at the motel… Read more >
Day 181: Vercelli to Santhià September 2, 2026 After a total of 42km yesterday, today was a "mere" 26km. Whilst there was a light partial cloud cover, it was still super hot. I slept until 7am, had a leisurely breakfast and was on my way by 9am, walking along a ring road at the edge of town. I stopped at the supermarket next… Read more >
Day 182: Santhià to Ivrea September 3, 2026 Gone are the rice paddies. Not a single one after leaving Santhià. Officially today is the longest day at 38km. Many walkers split it into two stages of 24 and 14 kilometers. 14kms is short, so others do Ivrea to Vercelli in three ca. 20km stages. I took a different approach. I'd read that the… Read more >
Day 183: Ivrea to Forte di Bard September 4, 2026 I met the owners of the B&B this morning. It is the family home, and has been a B&B since his father died.  It is beautifully renovated and a pleasant stay. Breakfast was also excellent. Living in Scandinavia the overwhelming position on the Russian-Ukraine war is that the Russians are the aggressors. The owners have… Read more >
Day 184: Forte di Bard to Chatillon September 5, 2026 As I left Forte di Bard, it almost felt cold - it was "only" 25c and as I walked over to have an excellent breakfast it felt as though I might need my fleece. I soon agreed with myself that a fleece was overkill - it was after all 25c! After descending upon the five… Read more >
Day 185: Chatillon to Aosta September 6, 2026 Another beautiful day. A day along the Aosta valley, just short of 30km, 1000m elevation and 30+ degrees. Although I finished walking more than a couple of hours ago and it is after 6pm, it is still over 30 degrees. Thankfully there is a slight wind. I wrote most of this post sitting in a… Read more >
Day 186: Aosta to Bourg de Saint-Rhémy September 7, 2026 A short day in terms of kilometers, only 24kms, but a big day in terms of elevation gain. The difference between Aosta and Bourg de Saint-Rhemy, 7kms before the Grand Saint-Bernard Pass, is 1085m, reaching over 1600m, and the total elevation gain of ca. 1500m. In many respects it is an odd walk. The vast… Read more >
Day 187: Bourg de Saint-Rhémy to Bourg-Saint-Pierre September 8, 2026 I started the day at ca. 1600m and ended the day at ca. 1600, but in between I climbed to the Grand Saint Bernard Pass at 2470m above sea level, before descending again to Bourg-Saint-Pierre where I spent the night. I was eating breakfast at 7.30 and on my way by 8.15. It was a… Read more >
Day 188: Bourg-Saint-Pierre to Martigny-Bourg September 9, 2026 Thankfully I sleep with earplugs. Therefore, I didn’t hear most of the thunder claps during the night. But one of them was so loud that the hotel shook. And it wasn’t only me that felt it, the Australian couple I spoke with at breakfast had also felt it. They had planned to walk up to… Read more >
Day 189: Martigny-Bourg to Saint-Maurice September 10, 2026 After several hard days, today was, at last, a relatively short day. 20km with a minor detour to see one of only two gorges listed as national heritage sites in Switzerland - at least according to worker in the florist selling tickets to see it - yes tickets were sold at a florist. It was… Read more >
Day 190: Saint-Maurice to Montreux September 11, 2026 A 28km day turned into 32km thanks to diversions, missed turns, a coffee break and doing laundry. Far from the most exciting day, in fact perhaps one of the most boring and irritating days I recall. An 8am start and a day without even the smallest climb, meant that despite the extra kilometers and an… Read more >
Day 191: Montreux to Lausanne September 12, 2026 Today is the last day of my walk along the Via Francigena - at least for now. Arriving in Lausanne, I will have walked between between Lausanne and Rome, over three stages. Whether I continue through France to Canterbury, time will tell. It was a beautiful walk to end on - partly along the banks… Read more >

Chur to Füssen via Bregenz on Lake Constance

I walked from Pavia to Chur during the spring of 2026, and it was a beautiful trip over the Lucomagno pass and through Switzerland’s incredibly beautiful scenery to Switzerland’s oldest town Chur.

This trip took me to Bregenz on Lake Constance where I concluded my Via Francisca trip (the official route starts/ends in Constance). It was a flat 100km trip along the Rhine, through Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Austria.

From Bregenz I started my walk through Germany, 100km and almost 3000m elevation across the Bavarian Alps. This was a beautiful walk where I reentered Austria for a few kilometers and watched the cows come down from the mountains. It was only 100km of the 1.300kms in total I will need to walk, but a start.

 

Day 192: Chur to Maienfeld September 13, 2026 Back in Chur and ready to continue along the Via Francisca del Lucomagno, where I left off in spring, where I'd walked from Pavia to Chur over the Lucomagno Pass in the Alps. The Via Francisca del Lucomango is normally walked from Konstanz on Lake Constance to Pavia in Italy, but I walked it in… Read more >
Day 193: Maienfeld to Ruggell September 14, 2026 This could be the shortest post I have ever written. A very uneventful day, perhaps apart from visiting a country, Liechtenstein, which I have never visited before. After a fine breakfast at the Heidi hotel, I was on my way shortly after 8 o’clock. It was grey and damp as I passed the village, Maienfeld,… Read more >
Day 194: Ruggel to Lustenau September 15, 2026 The most noteworthy thing from today's walk was that I visited three countries. I started in Liechtenstein, walked through Switzerland and ended up in Austria. A first for me. I have never walked in three countries in one day before. Otherwise it was a very uneventful day. I walked 24km and there was 100m of… Read more >
Day 195: Lustenau to Bregenz September 16, 2026 Day 18 of this trip and my 195th walking day since leaving Sagres. Today I reached Bregenz which marks the end of the Via Francisca del Lucomagno for me. As I mentioned in an earlier post, the official route ends in Constance in Switzerland, elsewhere on the Lake Constance. Today is a two part walk.… Read more >
Day 196: Bregenz to Oberstaufen September 17, 2026 What a beautiful day. A beautiful stage through the green and rolling hills of the lower Alps. Beautiful weather, sunny with mostly blue skies, no wind and temperatures in the lower 20’s. The Bergenz JUFA offer a very nice and varied breakfast and I was down to enjoy it just after 7 o’clock. I would… Read more >
Day 197: Oberstaufen to Rettenberg September 18, 2026 A day that didn't live up to the very high standards set by yesterday's hike, but enjoyable non the less. 26km and the only noticeable climb was at the end, climbing into Rettenberg. I had a good nights sleep and an enjoyable breakfast. The man managing the breakfast room knew everybody, many giving him a… Read more >
Day 198: Rettenberg to Meilingen September 19, 2026 The church bells rang all night. Once at quarter past, twice at half past, three times at quarter to and four times on the hour. On the hour the four chimes were followed by the time of day, twice - so at 5am the bell rang 14 times. But it got worse, at 6am, beyond… Read more >
Day 199: Meilingen to Füssen September 20, 2026 After a great breakfast I was on my way on a short 12km trip to Füssen, on the Austrian-German border. Today marks the end of my autumn journey where I have walked ca. 600km in Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Liechtenstein and Germany. Five countries on one trip, I don't think that I ever walked in more… Read more >