- Day 27 - day 6 for 2023
- Thursday, 14 September 2023
- Montreux to Aigle
- 675 km to yesterday
- 16 km today
- 691 km on my Via Francigena
The hostel has breakfast in the standard manner and I imbibe.
As I set off, Henrietta and I wish one another well.
It is but 5 km along the side of Lac Leman. While I am coming to the eastern end, the Lac stretches all the way back to Geneva at the western end. There is much to see along the lakeside at this hour and many things capture my attention as I pass and some I even stop for. Like many European towns I have encountered before, one aspect is defences against marauding intruders.
Shortly after leaving the Lac, I am at the town of Villeneuve. It is shortly after 09h and the downtown area I am in is bustling.
I quickly find a wonderful café doing a roaring trade. What was pain-au-raisin on Tuesday morning at Hopiteaux du Neufs has stayed the same visually and physically but is now called escargot - very much more exciting to be eating a snail.
My intention today is Aigle.
Across the road from the café is what, very much from the outside, looks like as a church. I enter to say the morning office and find I have entered the town administration offices and, in particular, The Information (Tourist) Office. The lovely lady agrees to phone the two or three lower priced accommodation properties. One say she has a bed not "sold" and please use the nominated booking agent. I do that to find "nothing available". The other properties do not respond. Ah well!
While waiting and using a map, I point out some land in the south west Pacific that look like a fish, with the mouth being near where I live. The story of Maui, his brothers and the upturned waka goes down well. (as also happened at Romainmotier and Montreux, and as will also happen at Milano - and at each I also explain the farewell on parting - kia kaha).
As no response from the other properties of forthcoming, I bid kia kaha and set off for Aigle, now quite late in the morning. .
After another hour or so, I pass through Roche and pass by what looks like a grand restaurant doing a good trade also. I settle in and enjoy a tres bon large "small salad please". And a glass of wine, s"il vous plait.
Again I surrender myself to the way. I am definitely in the final reaches of the Rhone Valley in Switzerland. Like the Waikato and Lake Taupo, the Rhone passes through Lac Leman to continue from Geneva through France and emerge into the Mediterranean. But I don't see any of that today.
The temperature is still warm and I am struggling a little. As I walk I think about covid as a possibility. It all seems to be in the head. Is it just tiredness?
On this last 5 km, I see in the distance what look like vineyards on steep slopes. And not just vineyards. Other crops occup the same slopes. As do residential areas, seemingly well away from villages and towns, with no apparent centres. And no apparent roads to and from.
And the hills either side of the valley just seem perpendicular with a jagged skyline.
I struggle into Aigle, find the Information Office and the only accommodation available is the hotel next door. A mere snip at Swiss Francs 172 for the night. The property itself offers a special deal for one person of CHF 150. The room is comfortable but less than generously sized and no special features - just a pretty standard, but small, NZ motel room.
I got to the centre of Aigle, near the large train station (for a town of about 10 000 inhabitants) and have a biere.
And so to bed.
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