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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