So yesterday we got to Aosta, Italian gateway to the north and met Ray the mole who had burrowed neath Europe’s highest mountain to meet us on the station platform.
We then met the nice young lady who let us into our lodging for the night. Two bedrooms a sitting room and a kitchen in which cat swinging would be impossible. But which was perfect for our needs.
This morning Tim was up first and got cornetti and little jam tarts from the pastilleria down the street at 7.10 and later bread from the panaderia. Curiously pastilleria (pastry shops) and panaderia (bread shops) don’t necessarily seem to be the same thing. Or open at the same time.
It is not quite raining when we set off a short distance down the street to our first deviation of the day. To the church and Collegiate of St Ordo, this is worth a visit for anyone but especially Betsy who has heard is has some good misericords. They are very good as is the rest of the wood and stone carving in the church and cloisters.
The day however gets steadily damper as we ascend up the side of the very gently descending valley. Though it’s not as bad as the Met Office forcast would have us believe. -12 Deg and snowing. Although there is quite a bit of snow 2000m above us down in the valley it is about 11 degs+ Vines are starting to get going , new ones are being planted, iris are in bloom as are wisteria and a whole load of wild flowers. The irrigation system alongside the paths is full with melt water and bubbles over in one or two places.
We pass the Castle Quart not heavily fortified up here it doesn’t need to be and it was a farm for centuries after being the main feudal center of the area.
The rain gets heavier we find shelter under some trees and eat our sandwiches and trudge on down into Nus were a beer awaits and a little later our lodging a warm two bedroom apartment.
More tomorrow.