Travel Tips

I took a walking trip in France and Italy in May 07.

The itinerary was as follows:

May 18th - Belfast -> Nice Easyjet - pm Cannes Film Festival
May 19th Train and walk in Briel Sur Roya - stayed Nice
May 20th Train and walk in Cap St Jean Ferrat - stayed Nice
May 21st Train Nice to Torino - walking tour Torino stayed Torino
May 22nd Train Torino to Aosta- bus to Cogne - walk and overnight to Refugio Sella, Gran Paradiso
May 23rd Walk from Refugio to Cogne - Bus to Aosta- train to Milan- stayed Milan
May 24th - Train Milan -> Rome - stayed Rome
May 25th - Flight Rome - Belfast

Average budget travel, subsistence and accomodation - 75 euros

I travelled to Aosta from Torino by train where the local tourist office advised getting the bus to Cogne, a beautiful alpine village. At the Cogne tourist office, where english is not spoken, I received a list of refugi. Even though it was May, only 2 were open, I phoned ahead to Refugio Sella and booked a room for the night.
I walked to the refugio and made it within the indicated 3 hours 30 minutes, climbing circa 4000 feet in the process.

The view from Refugi Sella during my return walk. Obviously it was a lot easier going down but still quite exerting. I was amazed to meet a group of elderly Italian walkers who were going to Refugi Sella for lunch, a climb of some 4000 feet from where they had started. They were all in great humour and quizzed me in Italian, with partial success, about weather conditions. I look forward to a similar climb at their age!