Saint-Maurice to Martigny

This was an eventful day and a boring day. We needed to be in the reception area of the abbey by 7:30, as one of the cantons (priests) was to meet us there to take us to breakfast. He led us to a room with a table laid with china, fresh bread, large containers of jam, hot coffee and milk, and cheese. Two other pilgrims joined us for breakfast. While we ate, the canton told us the story of Saint Maurice and the Theban legion, a short history of the abbey and its buildings, and a bit of his story of coming to the abbey. He spoke in French, but his animations and expressions helped us to understand some of the stories that he shared. We learned that the village of Saint-Maurice had suffered from a major earthquake back in 1946, which destroyed part of the abbey, which abuts a mountain. Evidence of this could be seen in nearby buildings, which had large cracks in their structures.

Much of today’s walk was on pavement, with monotonous terrain. Theoretically, staying on tarred paths sounds easier than hiking on dirt and rocks but it was so consistent that our feet were aching by the time we arrived in Martigny. There were a few sites along the way, however.

Today was TJ’s day to be excited. We passed at least 6 sets of beehives. The hives were often in small clearings in woods. One set had several boxes with clear walls so that the activity of the bees inside could be observed.

We traveled alongside the Rhône River and crossed one of its tributaries, the Saint-Bartholémy, which flowed through a small gorge.
We are much closer now to Mont Velan, an Alpine mountain located in Italy just across the Swiss border. This mountain ascends 3,727 meters, and together with Grand Combin, shoulders the Grand Saint-Bernard pass. It has served as our marker for our destination, gradually appearing larger and more defined. It is no longer just a triangle shape, but now we can clearly see geological features, including marks left by rock avalanches, as well as paths on the mountainside.

We passed a line of toblerones, “dragon’s teeth” anti-tank fortifications found throughout the Vaud. They were built during World War II as a means of preventing tanks from entering the region and have been left in place, partially as a means of creating habitats for local fauna.

Finally, we passed the Cascade de Pisse Vache, or “Cow-Piss Waterfall.” This waterfall descends about 30 meters total, and its mist was cooling on a warm day.

Reaching Martigny was a marker for us, as it marks the end of fairly flat walks and the start of the climb to the pass. It also marks the mid-point of the trip, and is the last town with full services until we reach Aosta, Italy. We will rest here for one day before continuing on.


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