We enter Italy

5th June 2017

Col Grand Saint Bernard to Etrouble

This morning we had breakfast with the De Mesa family. Jose, Victoria and their four children. They are from Spain, but currently live in Geneva where Jose works for the United Nations. We met them at dinner last night and they proved to be a charming family. I hope we meet them again. It was 3C degrees when we left the Gt St Bernard Pass. The lake by the hospice was frozen solid and the day was foggy and wet. From a track overlooking the road we were on we heard greetings. It was Jose, Victoria and their youngest child Paula who were calling us and wishing us Bon voyage. A splendid start to the day.

100 metres later we were in Italy! No fanfare, no welcoming crowds, no brass bands. Even so it was with a great sense of pride that we stepped into Italy knowing that our great adventure is now half done!

A couple of hundred metres later we descended into the old Roman road cutting across the mountain side, short cutting the numerous bends of the road above. We hurried as the streams flowing down into the valley seemed to be gathering strength and we did not want to be cut off. Down and down we went with our friends Peter and Johanna following about an hour behind. Eventually we reached the village of St Rhémy en Bosses. At this point we had the option of taking a shorter route via the mountain to St Oyen or reach the same place via a longer but easier route. We naturally opted for the shorter route. Soon after we saw that the route had been fenced off. Undeterred we carried on and soon realised our mistake. This time the route had been closed off for a reason and we soon found that in parts the path had eroded to the extent it had become somewhat unstable. By this time, to have turned back would have added another hour to our journey so we decided to carry on albeit very slowly and carefully. After what seemed an eternity we reached the end of the track which at times was almost invisible, to find that this had been closed off. We struggled to find a way through but eventually made it to the road and from there made our way to St Oyen. There we had a delicious lunch and carried on to our destination Etrouble. When we got there we found that the Gite we wanted was closed. We went looking for an hotel. Also closed! Eventually we found one that was open and we took the last available room! 

After yesterday's mammoth climb to the St Bernard Pass, together with our little experience over the mountains today, we are feeling very tired so it's good to have a nice hotel to relax in! Tomorrow we continue to Aosta.