From 17th of April to 31st of May 2025
I walked in Switzerland and Italy from Lausanne to Roma along the Via Francigena.
In 2023, I walked between Le Puy-en-Velay and Roncevaux in France. That story is available at this link.
En 2024, I walked between Roncevaux and Santiago de Compostelle , then until the end of the earth to Fistera in Spain. That story is available at this link.
This year 2025 I walked along the Via Francigena from Lausanne to Rome. BUT I did two frog leaps:
– From Saint-Moritz to Aosta, I took the train to Chamonix and the then the bus to Aosta. I did not want to walk the col du Grand Saint-Bernard in the snow (I also believe it is forbidden).
– From Pavia to Fidenza, I skipped five stages; I took the train. I wanted to be back home for the 2nd of June to celebrate with Chris our 35th wedding anniversary.
I walked 970 km (error +- 50 km) during six weeks. I made a single two nights stop in Siena.
This English version is translated from the French version. I use google-translate to help me translate…. Oulala … Lazy!
I organised the pictures in four albums (with duplicatas). I know…. there are far too many photos…. have not succeeded to remove some yet:
- The cheminement
- The hearts: hearts in chapels and churches
- The marvels on the way
- The lunches
I collected a few anecdots along the way; they appears with a little triangle as just below this texte. You may be interested to read a few of them.
Crimson
Crimson has always been associated with passion, love, and strength. It is a color that represents power, courage, and determination. It also symbolizes blood, which is associated with sacrifice, death, and rebirth. In many cultures, crimson is considered a symbol of royalty and nobility – Google Search.
I essentielly walked on my own. I enjoyed the breaks with Eug who I met in San Miniato; we had a last coffee in Roma.
I owe a lot to Guy, whom I don’t know, who wrote a superb website describing his journey along the Via Francigena. I really like the way Guy describes his walk and was very inspired by his stops, his accommodations, and his suggestions. Thanks, Guy!
The official website of the Via Francigena also describes the stages, with much less brilliance. In fact, I don’t like the sites produced by the European Community; they are not practical and give too much importance to the advertised virtues of the EC.
The luxuries on the path:
- Walking for five weeks, step by step, in Italy, arriving in Rome, the Eternal City.
- Being alone enough to let go of bad thoughts as you go!
- Coffee! Wow!! And ice cream… (allowed after 30km in a day).
- Nature, in the Apennines, and especially in Tuscany. Everywhere, but still…
- Waking Up meditation sessions in the morning at 6:00 a.m., even in the dorm (with headphones).
- Religious paintings; madre mia…….
- Speaking Italian, or at least trying.
Other aspects of the path
- In the rice paddies, there are a lot of missing signs… Grrrr; I got really lost (I then discovered GPX viewer… super cool); I was angry at the whole world at times when a truck passed within three millimeters of me and I was lost in the middle of the rice paddies. Indeed, the Via Francigena runs on a lot of asphalt roads, especially in northern Italy, where traffic is quite heavy.
- Perhaps a little too much starch in this country, for a carnivore!
- I was quite diligent with DuoLanga for the first three weeks; then, I used the few words I’d learned and heard; my grammar progress was too slow.
I read On democracy and death cults – Israel and the future of civilization by Douglas Murray
and re-read
La solitude Caravage by Yannick Haenel
(cf Roma) with my freshly acquired kindle.
Here is the list of my stages; I slept in gîtes d’étapes, hotels, and in local homes. I indicate the estimated distances traveled according to the two websites I used, and the duration of the stage (not the duration of the pure walk), i.e. with breaks, detours, etc.
Jeudi 17 avril 2025 Sergy – Genève – Lausanne – Saint-Légier (bus, tram, train, marche) – 25 km (6h30) – Auberge communale de Saint Légier where I arrive soaked from head to toe. Dinner at the hostel restaurant: Hamburger without bread.
Vendredi 18 avril 2025 Saint-Légier – Aigle (CH) – 20 km (6h30) – It’s Easter today. The sun comes out around 2:00 p.m.: what a blessing! – B&B Le relais du château – A first for dinner: microwaved potatoes…
En route
Samedi 19 avril 2025 Aigle – Saint-Moritz (CH) – 17 km (6h) – Abbaye de Saint-Moritz – Great kitchen where I grill sublime Angus fillet.
Comment tout s’arrange
I mail my first package… and realize that the bus I was supposed to take the day after tomorrow, from Martigny to Aosta, won’t be running (there have been landslides).
I arrive in Saint-Moritz, drop off my things at the Abbey, which is great, and rush to the train station to find a way to get to Aosta. The station is closed, meaning there’s never anyone there anymore. I ask a ticket inspector: « Get on this train to Martigny, free; I’ll give you a free ticket for the return journey… I think that’s great!
Everything goes well in Martigny: my bus ticket is refunded and I buy a train ticket to Chamonix. I take the opportunity to go to the COOP to do my shopping for dinner: Angus fillet steak is on sale!!!
Dimanche 20 avril 2025 Saint-Moritz – Martigny – Chamonix – Aosta (IT) – Trains and buses, no walking. – Hotel HB Aostel – Dinner at the Moderne des 1946 a great Easter dinner.
Une journée sans marche
Train and bus from St. Moritz to Aosta. On the left, the break in Chamonix while waiting for the bus (coming from Geneva…) and it’s two hours late. It’s raining cats and dogs.
Lundi 21 avril 2025 Aosta – Châtillon – 28 km (8h) – Gîte d’étape: Monastère Franciscani Cappucini (The shower is on the Turkish toilet! A first) – Dinner at the Lanterna restaurant (Grazie Marco! You booked the table for me, as I was not yet speaking Italian!).
Poverino++
As I walked, looking down at a field with a cow competition, two hikers told me it was to choose the leader of the herd. Then they said to me: The Pope is dead, poverino… Over the next few days, I realized how much the Pope meant to Italians.
When I met Fra Alberto, who spoke perfect French, upon arriving at the monastery, he asked me what my job was. I mentioned CERN and asked him if he knew anything about it; he then looked at me as if I were asking a heretical question: “Ma si…La Gianottttti!”
After dinner, as I settled down to read in bed, one of the two other pilgrims in the room, whom I will now call Geronimo because I didn’t catch his name; he is Dutch, told me he was going to call his daughter. And then hell happens: not only is he talking, but his daughter too because he put it on speakerphone and their conversation lasts almost an hour. I’m boiling! I can’t read anymore. I hesitate to tell him to leave; I resist so as not to make him feel bad about his daughter. But after, when he hangs up, I tell him that it was « unbearable! ». Boo!!
Mardi 22 avril 2025 Châtillon – Pont Saint-Martin – 35 km (10h00) – Hôtel Albergo Carla – Dinner, great, at the pizzeria at the Gare (five lamb chops! Wow!)
Where I meet Geronimo for dinner
By chance, as I enter the pizzeria, I see Genronimo sitting at a table. I join him at his table. This stage was long and quite difficult.
To the left, a lovely pebble chapel that Geronimo hasn’t even noticed! He advances with his head down. To the right, from the hotel room
Mercredi 23 avril 2025 Pont Saint-Martin – Ivrea – 24 km (???) – Gîte d’étape: Canoë Club Hotel – I cook my dinner in the super kitchen.
Never take a shortcut!
I made a BIG MISTAKE by leaving the path to attempt to go faster… (rain was threatening); I almost got flattened by trucks on a road with no curb.
Jeudi 24 avril 2025 Ivrea – Viverone – 20 km (6h) – Entire house on the lake…. Great – Ribeye for dinner!
Second leap frog
I decided to skip five stops and take the train from Pavia to Fidenza, so I could be back home for our 35th wedding anniversary on June 2nd.
Left: Picnic in Piverone, at the foot of the bellflower. Right: Moorings on the shores of Lake Viverone.
Vendredi 25 avril 2025 Viverone – Santhia – 17 km (4h00) – Ostello tenu par Mario – Super stylé – Dinner at hôtel Vittoria.
La liberation
Sur la place de Cavaglia, où je me suis arrêtée et ai bu deux cafés délicieux, je regarde la cérémonie de la libération de 1945. Puis la fanfare entame « Bella ciao« ; oulala… les souvenirs des Caprices de Cabiron
Left: In Piazza di Cavaglia, where I stopped and drank two delicious coffees, I watched the liberation ceremony of 1945. Then the band started playing « Bella ciao. » On the right, Piazza di Santhia
Samedi 26 avril 2025 Santhia – Vercelli – 30 km (8h)- Ostello Amici della Via Francigena di Vercelli – Dinner at the ostello prepared par Giorgio et Valmer – super moment.
Vercelli & Valmert
Left: Cafe in San Germano where I posted my second package. Right: Vercelli is a beautiful and lively city. Along the way, I will meet several people who know Valmert. With the Friends of the Via Francigena association, he walked to Jerusalem. I really enjoyed this 30km flat walk, in the middle of rice paddies, without rice nor mosquitoes.
Dimanche 27 avril 2025 Vercelli – Mortara – 35km (9h) – B&B Brigitte – Dinner at pizzeria Santa Lucia: pulpo molto bueno!
Lost!
A long stage during which I got lost! It’s raining; I arrive in Mortara at Brigitte’s, who is German and to whom I ask: are you here? No!
Lundi 28 avril 2025 Mortara – Garlasco – 20 km (5h30) – Ostello Communale Casa des Pellegrino – DQueen dinner in a fantastic restaurant proposing an incredible pilgrim menu.
Viva Garlasco!
I really liked Garlasco; I was alone in the Otello; I realize I miss meeting other pilgrims; it’s not that I’m bored, not at all; I’m getting a little lonely! I’m haunted by the fact that I refused a lady’s invitation to sit and have a drink in her garden, right at the entrance to Galasco; all I could think about was going to the gîte; that’s really stupid!
Mardi 29 avril 2025 Garlasco – Pavia – 30 km (8h00) – Puis train Pavia-Milano-Fidenza – Hôtel Astoria – Fantastic dinner at l’Antiqua Trattoria Il Duomo.
Un festin sans prix!
No prices announced in this very pleasant restaurant; and in the end, a very reasonable bill! I then bought my return plane ticket… The die is cast
Right: bridge arriving in Pavia. Then train to Fidenza via Milano. I have dinner in a fantastic restaurant (again)… No prices announced in this very pleasant restaurant; and in the end, a very reasonable bill! I then bought my return plane ticket… The die is cast
Mercredi 30 avril 2025 Fidenza – Fornovo – 34 km (???) – Pieve di Santa Maria Assunte
Appréhension
I was dreading this 34km day in the foothills of the Apennines; in the end… easy. I asked a woman who was gardening for directions; I left with a bag full of food! – It’s a party in the square; the restaurant serves a minimal meal.
Jeudi 1er mai 2025 Fornovo – Cavazzola – 25 km (???) – Dénivelé 600m – Gîte Biutiful B&B – Dinner around a table: the first: very friendly and beautiful….
Never trust the locals
I hate walking on roads where cars and motorcycles go at 100 km/h! I’m pissed off that it’s allowed on the Via Francigena!!! It wouldn’t be possible on Compostela, grumbles the irascible veteran!
This morning, a woman took me to a closed café; and this afternoon, a woman sent me to a gîte that ‘wasn’t mine at all, but definitely not mine;’ and made me take a detour of at least five kilometers! My fault, of course, for thinking I was almost there already!
The moral of the day: Never trust the locals (in English in the text!)
Left: Somewhere along the way. Right: Dinner at Biutiful B&B: very nice!
Vendredi 2 mai 2025 Cavazolla – Passo dela Gisa – 19 km (6h) – Dénivelé 800m – Ostello della Cisa – Super dinner, again together around a table.
Fantastic day
Super dinner, again together around a table.; Laura & Stefano.
Samedi 3 mai 2025 Passo dela Gisa – Pontremoli – 22 km (8h) – Covento Padri Cappuccini – I cook some filet of beef, essentially divine.
Easier than anticipated
I was dreading this day with an 8km descent… I don’t like descents; in the end, I made it without any problems; in fact, just as I don’t look at the weather forecast, I shouldn’t look at the stage descriptions! Great day with 89.73% dirt road. Great kitchen in the monastery (see single room on the right!): I cook beef fillet: delicious.
Dimanche 4 mai 2025 Pontremoli – Campoli – 22km (??) – B&B Limone & Peperonico – Picnic for dinner (bought on the way)..
A day with variations
Morning coffee in a very nice café in Pontremoli. On the way, arriving in Fillatiera, a herd of bikers arrives for a biker party: I notice this tiny dog. I arrive at the B&B Limone & Peperoncino around 2:30 p.m. This cottage is outside the Francigena; I am the first pilgrim to stop here. A great time chatting with Carole who tells me about the podcast Méta de choc, which addresses some key points about cults.
My note book in which I write (nearly) every evening.
Lundi 5 mai 2025 Campoli – Aulla – 12 km (3h) – Abbazia di San Caprasio and dinner at the super pizzeria Natale
Tres repetita
This morning I left my spare underwear on the window handle where it was drying; I managed to find some in Aula (this is the third year in a row). It’s raining cats and dogs at the end of the day in Aula. During this night in Aula, a woman had a fit because a man was snoring; as is often the case in these situations, she was much more unpleasant, huffing and puffing and making loud comments, than the snorer himself (as when parents sometimes spend an hour telling their children to be quieter, they themselves being more annoying than their children).
Mardi 6 mai 2025 Aula – Sarzana – 22 km (6h00) – Parochia del Carmine; first ice-cream… Miam miam; dinner for pilgrims at the restaurant in the corner. Firstet dîner pélerin au restaurant juste à côté. Première glace en ville! Miam miam!
Oulala… three thousands feet up, idem down; it Hains cas and dogs et the road had collapsed.
I walked partly with Danièle and Jean-Paul; we consulted to decide how to cross the collapsed road. The walk in the trees was very beautiful. The lodge is a little strange, like a shack behind the church. Then the sea appeared in the distance, with La Spezia. Sarzana is great; I tasted my first ice cream, the best of my life! (Absolutely).
Mercredi 7 mai 2025 Sarzana – Montignoso – 32 km (9h) – Donativo and nice dinner with Anna and Dario..
Carrare marble on the montain
It’s raining heavily that day; I take refuge at the entrance of a library for a picnic. I arrive in Montignoso where I’m the only pilgrim. The two hospitable Anna & Dario cook a delicious dinner. From the bedroom window, we can see the sea!
Jeudi 8 mai 2025 Montignoso – Camaiora – 22 km (7h00) – Ostello Pelligrino Camaiore, fantastic; and the dinner……
Carnivore
A great day, with some lovely stops. At lunchtime, a picnic in the garden above the Pietrasante square (left photo). The Ostello is a former abbey (center photo). I dined alone at Alan’s Bistecchiera butcher shop and restaurant. I can assure you, I ordered a 750g rib of beef and devoured it whole. The fat was divine. It was so good, and I wasn’t ashamed.
Vendredi 9 mai 2025 Camaiore – Lucca – 26 km (7h) – Ostello B&B La Gemma Di Elena – Dinner in the garden.
Un papa yankee!
In the morning at the cafe in Camaiore, a man comments on the election of the new pope: A papa yankee!
My homemade dinner in the inn’s garden
Lucca was a bit off-kilter after two weeks spent almost alone; Lucca is very crowded.
Samedi 10 mai 2025 Lucca – Altopascio Badia – 18 km (5h) – Foresteria la Pistacchio@Altopascio and fresh porcini for dinner; miam miam! I very much liked Altopascio (peaceful Tuscany I guess)
Peaceful Tuscany
Dimanche 11 mai 2025 Altopascio – San Miniato – 29km (8h00) – Ostello de San Miniato – Dinner at Mercato centrale: tartare with truffles…. And…oulala two ice creams in the day.
De la désobéissance
Since Lucca, every morning as I leave, I tell Isabelle, « Today it’s forbidden to photograph the olive trees, the umbrella pines, and the cypresses. » She has never obeyed! And I understand her!
Lundi 12 mai 2025 San Miniato – Gambassi Terme – 24km (???) – Casa Baldi: an entire apartment…. I dine on a delicious carpaccio, bought at the village butcher.
Vous les français vous n’apprenez pas l’italien
Hamas has just freed the last American hostage. I’m with Sébastien at Casa Baldi. While I was at the grocery store, the owner, who spoke French very well, said that the French don’t learn Italian even though the entire culture comes from here…. I quite agree with him! He walked from Florence to Auschwitz in 1994 for the anniversary of the camp’s liberation. Then to Jerusalem. He filled me a mini bottle with olive oil: Italy in all its splendor. I went for a drink on the terrace of the café in the square; there was a table of Americans; two of them looked Nepalese; one of them said to me, « You walk so fast, so straight, …. incredible! » It made me laugh. It’s true that I overtook them at full throttle!
L: cypresses; M: Arriving at Gambasi Terme; R: the dining room of Casa Baldi.
Mardi 13 mai 2025 Gambassi Terme – San Gimignano – 13 km (4h00) – Ospitale de San Agustino (super stytlé) – Shared dinner: delicious and fun. San Gimignano is so beautiful; le duomo… oulala!
Le duomo de San Gimignano
Above: L: Anna, the cacti, leaving Gambasi; M: cypresses; R: the Duomo.
On the left, dinner: delicious and enjoyable: Seb, Augusto, Eug, Ruben, Cristina, the priest, Anna & Fabio (the hospitallers), Anna, Jean-Bertrand, Andrea.
Mercredi 14 mai 2025 San Giminiano – Abbadia Isola – 28 km (8h00) – Ostello Contessa Ava dei Lombardi (superbe!) – Picnic son the terrasse for dinner.
De l’avantage d’être une femme!
L: Leaving in the morning, with Eug.; M: Ostello Comtessa Ana dei Lombardi; R: Oliviers.
I’m alone in the large dormitory; the guys in the next room are six in the same room.
Jeudi 15 mai 2025 Monteriggioni – Siena – 22 km (6h00) – Casa della Balie (piazza del Duomo). Dinner at Osteria Il Grattacielo: fantastic!!!
Re-re-voir Siena et….
L: Morning coffee at the entrance to Montereggioni; M: Break on the way; R: El Duomo. On the way I met soldiers on duty who seemed scared; it was strange. I arrived in Siena around 1:00 p.m. I settled into the ostello before going to explore the city. I went to an organ concert in a palace. I had truffled tartare for dinner! Yum!
Vendredi 16 mai 2025 Siena: magnificient.
Difficult to give back to Siena what it gave me
I discovered a great little cafe, La Bottega del Cafe, on the street around Piazza del Campo; a regulars’ cafe where the coffee is very, very good. The owner and a delivery man were discussing tennis and saying good things about Roger Federer. In my 100-word Italian, I interrupted them by saying Nadal is the best! No, no…. Roger…. It was funny.
Samedi 17 mai 2025 Siena – Ponte d’Arbia – 26 km (6h30) – Ostello Centro Cristi – Picnic for dinner at the ostello.
Beautiful walk today
Cristina helps me find a place to stay for the last leg before Rome; there are more people for the last 100 kilometers, which entitles you to obtain the Testimonium; I’ve made inquiries: you have to go to the Vatican with your credential well stamped to obtain it.
L: Leaving Siena; M: Cypresses and umbrella pines; R: Ostello Centro Cristi.
Dimanche 18 mai 2025 Ponte d’Arbia – San Quirico – 27 km (7h30) – Foresteria Palazzo del Pellegrino – Dinner in a restaurant with Brigitte, Eug, Seb and another pilgrim..
The content of the shell
I left Ponte d’Aria at 6:30 a.m. A sublime walk. This is where I photographed the contents of the shell, on the dormitory bed. L: cypress; R: from the garden of the ramparts of San Quirico.
Lundi 19 mai 2025 San Quirico – Gallina – 19 km (6h) – Gîte de La Vecchia Posta – Dinner prepared in the ostello..
Plouf
I swim at Bagno Vignoni: delicious (L). I arrive at the Vecchia Posta inn and I’m hungry! I enjoy a banana. We all dine around the table; everyone has prepared their own dinner. R. the bedroom.
Mardi 20 mai 2025 Gallina – Radicofani – 14 km (???) – Albergo La Torre (super!) and dinner of a delicious ribeye, grilled vegetables and a tiramisu with pistachio! Miam miam!
Plouf-plouf
I bathe at Bagni di San Filippo (L). While I was lounging in the warm, sulfury water, it started to rain: I went to protect my precious backpack. Super nice hotel; the owner is an angel. I went up to the fortress: a storm is threatening (R)!
Mercredi 21 mai 2025 Radicofani – Acquapendente – 23 km (6h) – Ostello la Casa del Pellegrino; picnic dinner in the ostello.
Grrrrrr
Leaving Radicofani
A young American couple arrive at the lodge; they don’t speak a word of Italian and think they’re owed everything. And, worst of all, the guy starts criticizing my dinner, telling me it’s too greasy: Leave me alone! And the guy who tries to heat up his croissant in a pan burns the pan!
The hairy church bell tower next to the hostel.
Jeudi 22 mai 2025 Acquapendente – Bolsena – 23 km (???) – Casa de preghierea Santa Cristina – Delicious rabbit with hazelnuts!
Dogs make me happy, some people say
J(Roma)-6…. Bolsano is on the lake. The walk upon arriving at Bolsano is magnificent. The owner of the lodge piled eight of us into a dormitory of eight, while there were other empty rooms… I took my things and squatted in an empty room… (without dirtying it of course!). Dogs make me happy! really? For my part, I enjoyed a superb rabbit with hazelnuts.
Vendredi 23 mai 2025 Bolsena – Montefiascone – 18 km (5h) – Foresteria del Monastero di San Pietro – Fun shared dinner.
Red sky at the monastery
But why did they leave ?
Every day I wonder why my Italian friends, mostly my former colleagues, but also two friends of my sons, left this magnificent country. I understand of course that France is super stylish and that it’s good there, that the French, and especially the French women, are adorable. However…. Italy is great! A part of me is sad that these people whom I adore, admire, made this decision and thus are not present in their country. I think I know what were their motivations that led them to make this choice. Many Italians joined the CNRS: an incredible chance for us!
Samedi 24 mai 2025 Montefiascone – Viterbo – 18 km (6h) – Ospitale del Pellegrino – A première: an omelette cokes in the microwatt for dinner!
When you’re kicked out of bed at 6 in the morning, unaware!
The city is complex: a fairly touristy old town; a pro-Hamas demonstration in the bottom part of the city ! The woman at the guesthouse is unbearable; the next morning she got me out of bed at 6:00 a.m.! Her husband is much nicer: he shows me around the cloister of Santa Maria. At the pilgrims’ mass, a guy dropped his wafer on the floor. Right: Top: The papal palace.
Bottom: The flowers of the day!
Dimanche 25 mai 2025 Viterbo – Capranica – 32 km (9h) – Road to Rome Hostel – Fantastic shared dinner cooked by Trevis who is an angel.
Trevis is an angel
Left: leaving Viterbo; above: 11th century church at the entrance to Vetralla.
At the table at Trévis (on the right). A lovely stop!
Lundi 26 mai 2025 Capranica – Campagno di Roma – 31 km (8h30) – Ostello parrocchiale de San Giovanni – Dinner in the little shop of the farmer..
Dieu est amour but the showers are filsy
Upon arriving at the hostel, the priest who welcomes the pilgrims told me (he spoke very good French): God welcomes you with love; there’s a box at the entrance; you can leave any amount you want (donativo). I think this is where I left the least, the bare minimum for a bed: DISGUSTING showers….And that’s the bare minimum!
L: the forest; M: Campagno di Roma; R: Waiting for the steak!
Mardi 27 mai 2025 Campagno di Roma – Isola Farnese – 21 km (5h30) – Ostello Sotto al Castello – Dinner beyond expectations…. bought on the way. An epic evening: the last one!
The last supper & google-translate
This evening was great; Yamaha and Mario speak using Google Translate Japanese-Italian, with sound; it’s super funny, to see and hear; we laugh like crazy. In Formello, where I had a coffee and freshly squeezed orange break, I went to the butcher’s shop and there, the lady prepared me a queen’s carpaccio; she insisted on seasoning it; in the evening while tasting it, I thought of her (you can see it on the left!)
Mercredi 28 mai 2025 Isola Farnese – ROMA – 21 km (6h00) – Ostello Bello
Et voilà, c’est ‘fini!
L: two ladies met in the cafe in the morning. M: en route! R: descending to San Pietro.
Arrivée
And there we are! Arriving at San Pietro. I loved the descent to San Pietro, the view of Rome, among the trees. In fact, most of the way this morning was in parks. I sat among the millions of tourists, at the foot of a column, before going to get my testimonium… Then I walked towards the hotel, passing in front of the Coliseum. I then went out to buy myself some Roman clothes (I dreamed of them!); I has asked advices to Ludovica; and then to enjoy a super awesome gelato. Arriving at Saint-Piette was too hectic after six weeks of walking in nature, and without seeing more than five people at a time! I tried to go to the Trattoria next to the hotel; there was an endless line; after waiting 30 minutes, starving, I went to make myself some pasta in the super kitchen on the hotel terrace. Wow! It’s really great here!
Jeudi 29 mai 2025 Roma
Caravaggio and the churches, each one more spectacular than the preceding one!
Caravaggio’s paintings in Rome: Saint Louis of the French, Santa Maria del Populo, Basilica de San Agostino. I go to these three churches, and many others I encounter along the way. It’s amazing. I must admit that going to a museum no longer works for me! I love the works in their own homes. The frescoes in churches in Italy are incredible: they cover 100% of the surface of the walls, the ceiling, the columns and even the floor; as if something is telling us: everything is here! Your mind can’t go anywhere else.
1: Basilique papale
2+3: S. Maria del Populo
4: Nte Dame du Mont
In the evening, I have dinner next to the Coliseum, a succulent Roman pizza. The man in the red polo shirt makes stone necklaces that he shows to his friends; I ask him if he’d like to sell me a couple. Yahoo: he agrees!
Vendredi 30 mai 2025 Roma – Flight Roma-Marseille, arrived at 1h30 in the morning – Walk between in the fields, crossing motorways to find the hotel.
Une journée à Roma
Villa Medici
Chiesa San Lorenzo in Lucina. Coffee with Eug; we escaped from the cafe where we had an appointment: 7 euros for a coffee! After 1 euro all the way…. I then went to visit the Villa Medici and decided…. to apply for residency. The paintings (left) in the Cardinal’s office are simply sublime. Santa Maria de Arcola, Foro Romano. Great lunch (I’m not going to dinner in the evening so I’m allowed to have lunch at noon!) at the restaurant I didn’t manage to go to on Wednesday; I leave the hotel around 6:00 p.m. to take the train to Fumiccino airport to catch the plane to Marseille. About two hours late on arrival; I walk between the highways, in the reeds around Marseille-Marignane to reach my hotel 2km away. Very short night.
Samedi 31 mai 2025 Train Martigues – Nîmes – Bus Nîmes – Saint-Jean-du-Gard where Chris came to collect me at midday.
Et voilà! This third walk is over; in short, it was BRILLIANT, MAGNIFICENT, for the eyes, the ears, the soul, and the carcass!
And what about the crimson heart? I don’t know; I bought in Roma a bottle of crimson pigments (made in Italy) and a pair of water colour paints (made in France!) and I’ve been drawing with them since.
She supported me a lot on this journey, this carcass. Let’s hear her story (a song in French, from my favourite French singer)
Isabelle's 
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