Via Francigena - Looking for Touring Partner + Tips

[wrenne_dangleterre]

Hello,

I'm planning on going from Canterbury to Rome, starting in early-mid August. This will be my first long-distance tour and tour outside of the UK. My plan is to cover the route in twenty cycling stages with a couple days in Rome at the end followed by a return train via Zurich (see below). It would be great to have some company and mutual encouragement for any of the route.

I wonder how challenging the heat will be. I might push my start date back a bit into late August/September, although I unfortunately can't go beyond mid-September owing to work commitments. I had thought about a tent, but am now thinking of bivvying due to the seeming frequency of pilgrim accommodation and the season. I am having all the inevitable gear weight musings and wild camping conundrums.

I would be really interested to hear about camping along the route and any of these stages from anyone who has done it. Is there anything else I might not have thought of in relation to this route?

Very exited!

Day	Leg	Depart	Arrive	Distance (km)	Distance (miles)
1	Canterbury - Dover - Calais - Wissant	Canterbury	Wissant	37	23
2	Wissant - Arras	Wissant	Arras	123	76.4
3	Arras - St Quintin - Laon	Arras	Laon	124	77
4	Laon - Reims - Châlons-en-Champagne	Laon	Châlons-en-Champagne	112	69.6
5	Châlons-en-Champagne - Dienville - Bar-sur-Aube	Châlon	Bar-sur-Aube	101	62.7
6	Bar-sur-Aube - Langres	Bar-sur-Aube	Langres	90	55.9
7	Langres - Besançon	Langres	Besançon	121	75
8	Besançon - Pontalier - Lausanne	Besançon	Lausanne	126	78
9	Lausanne - Martigny	Lausanne	Martigny	72	45
10	Martigny - Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard	Martigny	Col du Gran SB	41	25.5
11	Col du Grand-Saint-Bernard - Aosta - Ivrea	Col du Gran Saint-Bernard	Ivrea	102	63
12	Ivrea - Vercelli - Gropello Cairolli	Ivrea	Gropello Cairolli	113	70
13	Gropello Cairolli - Fidenza	Gropello Cairolli	Fidenza	130	81
14	Fidenza - Pontremoli	Fidenza	Pontremoli	99	61.5
15	Pontremoli - Lucca	Pontremoli	Lucca	111	69
16	Lucca - St Gimignano - Monteriggioni	Lucca	Montegriggioni	103	64
17	Montegriggioni - Siena - St.Quirico D'orcia - Radicofani	Montegriggioni	Radicofani	99	61.5
18	Radicofani - Acquapendente - Bolsena - Montefiascone - Viterbo	Radicofani	Viterbo	77	47.8
19	Viterbo - Rome	Viterbo	Rome	84	52
20	Rome	Rome	Rome	0	0

 

[bluenotebob]

Sounds wonderful - have a great trip!

I can't help you with the route - but perhaps @Cathryn can give you some advice on the Italian leg.

I also think that @roubaixtuesday was in St Gimignano a few weeks ago. Perhaps he can help too.

The weather in Italy often 'breaks' around 15/20 August - prior to that it can be very hot (35C) and afterwards cooler but possibly very wet. I think you'd need a back-up plan if you intend bivvying.

Good luck and bonne route

 

[roubaixtuesday]

Sounds brilliant. I've no camping advice I'm afraid, we're wimps and are staying in B&B/hotels.

We were early season and benefited from most accommodation being entirely empty. I would anticipate August being *much* busier, and would suggest looking for smaller, less well known places to visit and stay in (all small towns in Italy seem to be absolutely lovely, so you're not missing out!). Eg I wouldn't recommend just dropping into Siena on route; it's absolutely spectacular but will be totally rammed and it's about a mile of cobbled streets to reach the campo.

Re. heat, we stayed by all of the lakes north of Rome. I see you have Bolseno on route, would recommend, and the others too. Jumping in a lake definitely helps to cool down.

Finally, be prepared for terrible road surfaces. Viterbo to Rome, particularly; we didn't go into Rome but skirting to the east found many roads almost uncyclable due to potholes and subsidence.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Your itinerary looks a very nice daily distance breakdown. Hopefully you’ll find someone for some or all. How exciting.

 

[Jameshow]

Definitely on my to-do list!

I recently red a book from Ringwood to Rome which inspired me!

Not the right time for me sadly but definitely want do it.

Enjoy!!

 

[Emanresu]

Have done most of this and the southern bit - Rome/Brindisi. Some of your sections may need adjusting. For example, Pontarlier to Lausanne is tough. Martigny to GSB Pass is about 6,000 ft climb. (I'm walking it in a week or so, as I had to skip this section as it was closed due to snow).

Fidenza - Pontremoli also might need adjusting as you are going over the Cisa Pass. If you add in another column to show the elevation gain, it might help clarify some decisions.

Have you any rest days pencilled in or are you up against a timescale?

PS They've also added another 80+ miles to it - Via Francigena Britannica - a London to Canterbury section.

PPS Trying to do Montegriggioni - Siena - St.Quirico D'orcia - Radicofani in one day is a crime. Both Siena and St.Quirico deserve some time. And the climb to Radicofani at the end of a day will test you.

 

[Cathryn]

We did the bottom stretch last year. It was mid august and very very hot! Formello, about 20 miles from Rome, was a beautiful surprise!