Pilgrim's Progress – Long Distance Walks in Europe and the UK

Our doubts are traitors,                                       And make us lose the good          We oft might win                          By fearing the attempt.

William Shakespeare – Measure for Measure Act 1 Scene IV

As I headed off from the Chateau de Pelly shortly before 8am, I wasn’t entirely confident that I would reach Yenne in one piece.

The weather forecast suggested another warm day with cloudless skies. To cover 44 km in a day would be quite a challenge. The mind was willing, but the flesh might turn out to be weak!

As I climbed the ridge towards Moucherin, I couldn’t resist a glance back towards the Chateau de Pelly. The chateau itself had lived up to expectations although I never got to use the swimming pool! Supper had been enjoyable, but Gilles was a somewhat reserved individual and I wasn’t convinced that he was entirely cut out for the hospitality business.

Gilles appeared briefly at breakfast and enquired whether I had slept well. He then disappeared, leaving me to eat breakfast on my own. Having packed my backpack, had my pilgrim passport stamped and paid my dues I was on my way without so much as a word from Gilles who seemed disinterested in my plans for the day. Ah well, c’est la vie.

Most of the day was spent walking beside the Rhone. At 814km, the Rhone is the 3rd longest river in France after the Loire and the Seine. Rising in the Alps it flows west and south through Lake Geneva and Southeastern France before discharging into the Mediterranean Sea near Arles. That is pretty much where my walk over the next fortnight will take me.

The last time I’d seen the Rhone was 3 years ago on my walk along the Via Francigena. Curiously I didn’t see any boats on it during the entire day.

Although it was still extremely warm, there were occasional reminders en route that Autumn was on the way, including some enormous pumpkins, the size of over inflated beach balls, which I spotted in a potager near the hamlet of Versières.

The village of Chanaz, which I reached shortly after 1pm, must qualify as one of the most picturesque on the Via Gebennensis. Situated on a canal beside the Rhone, the village was bustling with tourists enjoying lunch in a string of bistros lining the canal banks.

Known as the little Venice of Savoy, Chanaz would have been the perfect venue to have indulged in a long lunch. Sadly, with 16km still to go, I had to forfeit this pleasure and opted instead for a couple of small quiches from the local bakery.

Not a huge amount happened on the rest of the walk to Yenne. The signposts at Chanaz suggested I wouldn’t make it to Yenne much before 6pm. As it turned out, I arrived at the campsite an hour ahead of time.

My worst fears hadn’t been realised and I managed to cover the 44km from Pelly to Yenne in 9 hours. Thankfully I had no blisters or aches and pains. After a frugal meal of pasta and water, I pitched my tent and made plans to bed down for the night. The host families I had contacted in Yenne about putting me up for the night had all been away on holiday. The only available accommodation was the campsite beside the Rhone. I thanked my lucky stars that I had decided to bring my tent with me.