Via Francigena

A 40-day adventure by Susan Read more

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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 6b
April 25, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 6c
April 25, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 46 °F
The woman at this café was extraordinarily nice. She whipped up some fries and a typical dish from the region involving various meats in a gelatin called potjevleesch. It means small meat salad.
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Via Francigena Traveler
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Stage 6: Licques to Tourneham-sur-la-Hem
April 25, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 50 °F
Wow!
4/30/23Reply
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Via Francigena Traveler
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Stage7: Tournehem-sur-la-Hem to Wisques
April 26, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 36 °F
Fields of wheat and colza, a couple windmills. No rain today!

Belén injured her foot so after some frantic activity we found someone to drive her to Saint-Omen where she’ll catch the train tomorrow and head for home.

I continued on and am staying at the Abbaye de Notre Dame in Wisques. Sixteen cloistered nuns live here. Sœur Lucie is a dynamo.Read more
Traveler A Windmill? Man of La Mancha???
4/26/23Reply
TravelerYes, I heard windmills are common in this region but so far I’ve only seen two.
4/26/23Reply
TravelerLámpara es tu palabra para mis pasos, luz en mi sendero (de la liturgia de la misa de hoy, San Isidoro de Sevilla)
4/26/23ReplyTranslate
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Via Francigena Traveler
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Stage 7a
April 26, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 46 °F
Love this!!!
4/30/23Reply
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 7b
April 26, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F
I stayed at the Abbaye de Notre Dame. The nuns are cloistered so I only saw two. I did attend their 8pm service, which was beautiful. They were all joyful.
TravelerWonderful!! Carry on.
4/26/23Reply
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Via Francigena Traveler
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Stage 8a
April 27, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 39 °F
TravelerDos caminos se abrían en un bosque amarillo, y triste por no poder caminar por los dos, y por ser un viajero tan solo, un largo rato me detuve, y puse la vista en uno de ellos hasta donde al torcer se perdía en la maleza. Después pasé al siguiente, tan bueno como el otro, posiblemente la elección más adecuada pues lo cubría la hierba y pedía ser usado; aunque hasta allí lo mismo a cada uno los había gastado el pasar de la gente. Dos caminos se abrían en un bosque, elegí… elegí el menos transitado de ambos, Y eso supuso toda la diferencia. (Robert Frost, El camino no elegido)
4/27/23ReplyTranslate
Beautiful photo!
4/30/23Reply
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 8b
April 27, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 41 °F
There is NOTHING in Thérouanne. Dinner was disgusting canned cassoulet ( 🤢) because there are no bars or restaurants here.
TravelerÀ par de la boue et des vaches Normandes. Courage !
4/28/23ReplyTranslate
TravelerPas de pluie aujourd’hui mais plein de flaques. Mes chaussures et chaussettes sont mouillées. 🙂
4/28/23ReplyTranslate
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Via Francigena Traveler
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Stage 8c
April 27, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 54 °F
Traveler Now that is a Pilgrim dinner!!!
4/27/23Reply
TravelerMom called that beanie wienies
4/28/23Reply
Traveler It was GROSS.
4/28/23Reply
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 8: Wisques to Thérouanne
April 27, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F
Lots of mud, lots of flowers. And, oddly, a small selection of dead animals. Rabbits and birds, mostly. Weird.
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 9: Thérouanne to Amettes
April 28, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
Neither Thérouanne nor Amettes have restaurants so it’s important to plan ahead. I bought the makings for a sandwich. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Amettes is where St. Benedict Joseph Labre was born.
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 9a
April 28, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 55 °F
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Via Francigena Traveler
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Stage 9b
April 28, 2023 in France ⋅ 🌬 55 °F
TravelerVery beautiful
4/29/23Reply
Love this!!!
4/30/23Reply
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 9c
April 28, 2023 in France ⋅ 🌬 57 °F
Too cold and drizzly to visit the home of St Benedict Joseph Labre. ☹️
TravelerHope your feet are holding up! They're probably fine with those boots you're wearing.
4/28/23Reply
TravelerA pie y con el corazón tranquilo tomo el camino abierto, saludable, libre, el mundo se abre ante mí y este largo camino pardo ante mí conduce adonde quiera ir. Ahora no pido buena suerte, yo mismo soy la buena suerte, ahora no reniego, ya nada pospongo y nada necesito, se acabaron las quejas domésticas, las bibliotecas, las críticas pendencieras, poderoso y contento recorro el camino abierto. (Walt Whitman, El camino abierto)
4/28/23ReplyTranslate
TravelerMy feet are doing pretty well. The first few days were really (!) hard and I had a couple hotspots. I taped them for a couple days and now they feel OK. Fatigued, but no pain. 🤞🏻
4/28/23Reply
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Stage 10: Amettes to Bruay-la-Buissière
April 29, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F
Lots of forest paths and a good number of cultivated and uncultivated fields. A couple more small, dead animals (unphotographed). A road between fields with lots of small potatoes, even though the fields were wheat. Weird.
I managed to slightly twist, or maybe just fatigue, my ankle, so I added an hour to my day hunting down a pharmacy.
Bruay-la-Buissière is an ugly former mining town.Read more
TravelerYou look so content, Sue! You are right where you want to be. Take care of that ankle. Love following along with you on your journey!! A real inspiration
4/29/23Reply
TravelerTo reach the unreachable star, Though you know it's impossibly high, To live with your heart striving upward To a far, unattainable sky! (The man if La Mancha)
4/29/23Reply
Traveler Is she picking her nose?? Lol
4/29/23Reply
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 10a
April 29, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 45 °F
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 10b
April 29, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 61 °F
TravelerLiking this post, except for the possibly sprained ankle 😏
4/29/23Reply
TravelerNow it’s my left knee. I’m falling apart! 🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️
4/30/23Reply
TravelerSorry about the knee, Sue. Take care!!
4/30/23Reply
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 11: Bruay-la-B to Ablain Saint-Naz
April 30, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F
Made it to Ablain Saint Nazaire in spite of a bum ankle. Very long, hot day through lots of forests, rolling hills, farmland….and WWI battle sites and a huge cemetery (45,000 graves).

One trail ended up at a locked fence so yours truly had to toss her hat, sticks and pack over the top and then climb over. That was a first. It was that or turn around and repeat about 5 miles. That was never going to happen…..

Now my left knee is blown out. It happened for no apparent reason about 30 minutes before arriving in Ablain Saint-Nazaire. So excellent timing. I’ll have to decide tomorrow what I can and cannot do.Read more
TravelerI have definitely entered the region most affected by war. In addition to the cemetery (huge battle here in WWI), the entire town was destroyed and rebuilt in the 1920’s except for the church.
4/30/23Reply
TravelerA pie y con el corazón tranquilo tomo el camino abierto, saludable, libre, el mundo se abre ante mí y este largo camino pardo ante mí conduce adonde quiera ir. Ahora no pido buena suerte, yo mismo soy la buena suerte, ahora no reniego, ya nada pospongo y nada necesito, se acabaron las quejas domésticas, las bibliotecas, las críticas pendencieras, poderoso y contento recorro el camino abierto. (Walt Whitman, El camino abierto)
4/30/23ReplyTranslate
TravelerImpresionante el cementerio de nuestra señora de Loreto, las dos guerras, imagino
4/30/23ReplyTranslate
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 11a
April 30, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 59 °F
I’m so enjoying following your journey Sue!
4/30/23Reply
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 12b
May 1, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F
A few details of Arras
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 13: Arras to Bapaume
May 1, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F
My knee is still iffy so I am off of it through tomorrow. Hobbled about a bit in Arras this morning and then took a bus to Bapaume.

I’d never seen black tulips before. 🤔
TravelerQué bonito el cruce vía francigena y camino de Santiago
5/2/23ReplyTranslate
TravelerDende aquí vexo un camiño que non sei adónde vai; polo mismo que n’o sei, quixera o poder andar. (...) i eu quedo encravada en onde arraigo ten o meu mal. Nin fuxo, non, que anque fuxa dun lugar a outro lugar, de min mesma, naide, naide, naide me libertará. (Rosalía de Castro).
5/2/23Reply
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 12c
May 1, 2023 in France ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 12: Ablain Saint-Nazaire to Arras
May 1, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F
So…… somehow I blew out my knee yesterday, luckily only about 30 minutes before arriving in Ablain Saint-Nazaire. After much thought I reluctantly decided to rest my knee for a day or two. My host drove me back to the cemetery to see the Ring of Remembrance, and then his wife drove me to Arras. Tomorrow another bus, to Bapaume.

Today is 1 May so most businesses are closed. There was a giant anti-Macron market in one square and a loud concert in the other. Another demonstration, which I missed. Nothing interesting. I did happen upon a nice Mass at the church of Saint Jean-Baptiste, with singing nuns from Lens and a priest from Africa.

The first photos are from the gîte where I stayed.

The cemetery and memorial are wrenching. The cemetery holds 45,000 graves from one battle. The town was on the front line for almost 4 years, and was completely razed. In all, in this small region, almost 600,000 soldiers died. Their names are inscribed in the Ring. Lots of Smyths listed.Read more
TravelerHe disfrutado mucho con esta obra de teatro. Especialmente en el descanso. (Groucho Marx)
5/1/23ReplyTranslate
TravelerJajaja!!!
5/2/23ReplyTranslate
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 12a
May 1, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 61 °F
The Mont Saint-Eloi. It was a monastery before the Great War.

The Tour de France went through here a couple years ago, which explains the bike “sculpture.”
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Via Francigena Traveler
Stage 13a
May 2, 2023 in France ⋅ ☁️ 52 °F
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