The Via Francigena between Savoy and Val di Susa. Medieval castles and monasteries in the Alps
5 DAYS / 4 NIGHTS
Description
In the Middle Ages, Italy was travelled by pilgrims from all over Europe on their way to Rome. The pilgrims from France would enter Italy by crossing the Alps between Piemonte and Aosta Valley, thus calling the road from there to Rome Via Francigena, that is, road of the French.
On our journey, we depart from Chambéry, in France, the ancient capital of the Duchy of Savoy, and, crossing the Alps, we come across cathedrals and monasteries, high-altitude forests and parks, castles and fortresses, before arriving, in Italy, at Susa, once an important town of the Roman Empire.
An itinerary for understanding the roots of Europe, because, as historian Alessandro Barbero states, "the Duchy of Savoia was a multiform and contradictory reality, made up of a French and an Italian side, profoundly different in language and culture: a true laboratory for that innovation effort that characterises European history".
Schedule
Day 1
Meeting with the tour leader at the train station in Chambéry, the capital of the Savoie department in France. Check-in to a boutique hotel or similar accommodation in the central area and walk in the historic centre. Dinner in a restaurant selected from the main tourist guides with traditional Savoyard dishes, return to the hotel and overnight stay.
Day 2
Breakfast at the hotel. Guided tour of the Chambéry castle and the Sainte-Chapelle. Transfer (about 28 km) to the Comba di Savoia for a tasting of local wines and typical products. Walk from Saint-Jean-de-la-Porte to Saint-Pierre-d'Albigny (3 km) following “Le Chemin des Vignes - The road of the vineyards”. Transfer to Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne (45 km). Check-in at the hotel, dinner in a restaurant with traditional local dishes, overnight stay.
Day 3
Breakfast at the hotel. Tour of the cathedral of St-Jean-Baptiste, the Gothic cloister and the 11th century crypt. Transfer to Avrieux (35 km). From the small alpine village of Avrieux we hike with the environmental hiking guide (7 km) towards the Esseillon forts. Stopover with tasting of typical products. Transfer to Aussois (8 km). Check-in at a hotel in the area of Aussois or Val-Cenis, dinner in a restaurant with traditional Alpine dishes, overnight stay.
Day 4
Breakfast at the hotel. Transfer to the Colle del Moncenisio (27 km). We walk (7 km) along the Via Francigena starting from the village of Moncenisio to arrive at the (8th century) abbey of Novalesa. Tasting of typical products. Guided tour of the Abbey and Romanesque chapel of Sant'Eldrado and meeting with the Benedictine monastic community. Transfer to Susa. Check-in at a hotel in the Susa area, dinner in a restaurant with traditional Alpine dishes, overnight stay.
Day 5
Breakfast at the hotel. Tour of Susa with tourist guide: Arch of Augustus, Roman archaeological area, and cathedral of San Giusto founded in 1029. Visit to the Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art. Tasting of typical products. Transfer to the Porta Susa railway station in Torino. End of services.
Rates / Supplements
Price per person from:
€ 1.850,00 (groups of 6 pax)
€ 2.430,00 (groups of 4 pax)
The price includes:
• Tour leader (speaking Italian, English, French, Spanish, German, Russian, Chinese) present during the entire period of the trip
• Transport by minivan (seating 7-9 people) to the locations indicated in the program. The minivan has a combustion engine. It is possible (for a surcharge) to travel in “green” mode with an electric minivan. See the “Possible Supplements” section for more information.
• Admission to: Chambèry (Castle and Sainte-Chapelle), Saint-Jean-de-Maurienne (Cathedral of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, cloister and crypt), Novalesa (Abbey, Chapel of St. Eldrado), Susa (Cathedral of San Giusto, Diocesan Museum of Sacred Art)
• Visit to Chambèry and Susa with a local tour guide
• Visit to Avrieux / Esseillon with environmental hiking guide
• Accommodation in "boutique" hotels or accommodation facilities (agritourism, bed & breakfast, ...) selected from the main tourist guides (Michelin, Routard, Lonely Planet, Italian Touring Club, ...) and verified by Effatà Tour, in a central location, in twin bedded en suite rooms
• Full board from dinner on the 1st day to lunch on the last day. “Light” lunch at restaurants, agritourisms, farms, with local products. Dinners in restaurants selected from the main tourist guides (Michelin, Routard, Lonely Planet, Italian Touring Club, ...) and verified by Effatà Tour, with seasonal menus promoting local products
• Local taxes and VAT
Hiking tours
The stages on foot are optional (minivans are available), without particular difficulties, require no specific experience but participants must be in good physical shape. They take place on secondary asphalted roads, dirt roads, easily passable trails.
Meditations and insights
Along the way there will be rest stops enriched by meditations, organised by Effatà Tour, taken from the stories of pilgrims’ journeys, studies by historians and medieval documents. The “Via Francigena” becomes an opportunity to practice a path of spirituality and experience the hike as an interior journey.
During the transfers, the Effatà Tour guide introduces and comments on passages read aloud, music, and audiovisual projections, which help the participants to appreciate artistic, historical, spiritual and cultural aspects of the “Via Francigena” in Savoy and Val Susa.
The price does not include:
• Mandatory individual fee for paperwork management: €60 includes the individual cost of handling the file and the Axa insurance policy for medical expenses. Please contact Effatà Tour to consult the terms and conditions of insurance
• Travel cancellation insurance (optional). It is possible to take out a “Cancellation” insurance which allows you to cancel the trip. Please contact Effatà Tour for a personalized cancellation insurance quote.
• Tips to drivers, local guides, restaurant / hotel service staff
• Drinks during meals, personal expenses in general
• Supplement for specific dietary needs: to be defined according to the participant's requests
• Admission fees and excursions not indicated in the program
• Procedures and fees for the entry visa (for participants from non-EU countries)
• Anything not specifically indicated under “The price includes”
Supplements:
Single room surcharge: €270
Green Trip with eco-sustainable mobility
A minivan with an electric motor can be booked for use during all scheduled transfers (a surcharge is applicable). For 6 participants: €190 per participant. For 4 participants: €240 per participant)
Other
Holiday formula:
Families, Groups, Individuals
Guided tour:
Yes
Equipment required:
Comfortable clothes
Lightweight backpack
Sneakers
Sun cream
Sun hat
Sunglasses
Trekking boots
Water bottle
Windproof jacket
