Wednesday 11 September 2013

Day 2 From Orsières to Bourg-St-Pierre 13 km

Wednesday 11th September

walking from Orsières to Bourg-St-Pierre
Orsieres 880 m - Bourg-St-Pierre 1632 m

I got out of my sleeping bag this morning and my first few steps felt as though I'd done 1000 squats at Hannah's boot camp! 
Started off the morning with a strong black espresso from the bar across the way from the cathedral, love the way it only serves coffee, nothing to eat here, but obviously is a regular stop off for several locals for their morning espresso before work.
We stocked up on a breadstick, ham, cheese and tomato to make a snack - lunch along the way.



Photo of Chris above, handing in the accommodation key to the parish priest. Tom and Yvonne are cycling to Bourge , Chris is also heading to Bourge-st-Pierre and will walk with us today, he's a university student and has a few weeks off. Lina is heading off the other way to Martigny.

This stage climbs along a forest paths and meadows first west then east of the river, on the historic path from Liddes to Bourg-Saint-Pierre.  


I was wondering how they can cut the hay on suchnsteep slopes- looks like this is one of the gadgets used. 


View looking back at Orsiers

We spotted Tom and Yvonne cycling along the road way down below our high meadow walk.

A couple of locals outside the grocery shop in Liddes, another village full of character and fascinating buildings.

Apparently there may not be a place to buy food at Bourge-St- Pierre, so we stocked up on dried fruit and nuts, and supplies in case we need to organise our own dinner and lunch. 
when we arrived at Liddes, the small grocery shop was closing for lunch and wouldn't serve us, so we went down the road to a cafe for a rest, coffee and some salad. Was lovely to sit outside in the sunshine with my boots off! 


Chapel on the way out of Liddes - snow on the mountains ahead!
still following route 70. - got lost a couple of times, not too badly.

http://www.wanderland.ch/en/routes/etappe-01033.html  route description and information
http://www.wanderland.ch/en/services/places/ort-0518.html description and information about Orsieres

Bourg-St-Pierre Accommodation 

No Parish or pilgrim accommodation here, we stayed at 
Auberge Au Petit Velan. Rue du Bourge 6 1946 Bourge St Pierre www.petit-velan.ch 

52 Swiss francs each for bed, breakfast and dinner. 20 francs for room only in dorm.
nice accommodation and food, friendly people.

Bourge St Pierre is stunning!

Tom and Yvonne with their bikes in Bourge-st-Pierre

arched stone bridge above a deep gorge - cant even imagine how it was built!
remains of a strategic stone fortification to guard the bridge over the gorge.

The old watermill on the edge of town


Off to St Grand Bernard Pass tomorrow!



 






























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