Gignod to Chatillon 5/8/17
5/8/17 Saturday
Day 9
Gignod- Nus 26 km
Nus- Chatillon by taxi ?12 km
Full sun, heatwave in Europe
Up at 0500. By 0630 it's 22 degrees and
the locals are out tending their gardens.
We take the road towards Aosta, divert
to a smaller township on the way which redirects us with markers to
the off-road route.
Many gated entrances and property
boundaries secured with barbed wire.
Hot air balloons against a mountainous
back drop.
Brief sighting of a fox.
In Aosta the flourishing artisan
markets are bustling with weekend pedestrians. Friendly locals offer
us directions.
We pass under the Augusta archway and
through entrances built by the Romans in 25 BC.
Walk to Castello di Quart along a
meandering high route with a view of the mountains looming at 3480m.
It's extremely hot now with only occasional shade.
Pass orchards of figs, stone fruit,
apples and grapes.
The need for water is intense.
At a bar in Nus the bartender calls us
a taxi- at the unusually high temperature of 39 degrees we decide
against walking any further.
At Chatillon an old gentleman welcomes
us at the Ostello; he hails the Franciscan monk called Stefano. He
once lived in England so chats with us and stamps our credenciale
even though the three beds at the Ostello are booked. On his advice
we knock on the door of Hotel Balfour where a gracious old lady
beckons us inside. At her behest we drink beer in the hot bar
downstairs while she prepares our room.
Getting by with minimal Italian.
For dinner we eat thick sandwiches with
delicious tomato and feta fillings in a stuffy bar where the chef
obligingly leaves his card game to fulfill our order.
We repeat the order and the chef
begrudgingly leaves his card game to make our sandwiches- this time,
they're less delicious.
We have been given:
a pull-out couch and a bed in a small
room,
a fan,
and a view of the bright full moon
right outside our window.
4 Espresso/beer
8 Supermercado supplies
10 Taxi
4 Chips/beer
15 Hotel Balfour
17 Dinner Creperie
5 Drinks
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