Walking the Via Francigena in three parts

[Raymond Aquilina]

Dear Forum members,
I have walked several Caminos in Spain and I just completeda whole Camino from San Vincente de La Barquera to Santiago de Compostela, This included the Camino Lebaniego, Vadiniense, The San Salvador and the Primitivo.
I am now planning to walk the via francigena from Canterbury to Rome this year being the Holy year.
My plan is to divide it into three parts which I will walk in 2025.
The first part will be From Canterbury to lausanne between the 3rd week of March till the end of April. The second part from Lausanne to Lucca the whole of June and the Third part from Lucca to Rome in October.
Could someone help me to be sure that the timing is fine regarding weather.
Thank you and Buen Camino,
Raymond Aquilina

 

[Bradypus]

The only potential fly in the ointment I can see might be late snow at the Grand Saint Bernard pass. The road and the path usually open in early June but it cannot be guaranteed.

 

[DreamWeaver]

Ya, as Bradypus mentioned, depending on condition on the GSB pass, this was back in mid June of 2024, still quite a lot of snow

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Partiti ieri dal passo Gran San Bernardo

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[Tandem Graham]

As you may have picked up already from other sources, there are many variants to the VF route, particularly in France. If you are going to be traversing the French and Swiss Jura in early April, you may have to take the conditions into account when you choose which paths to take.
There are several options after Besancon; which you take would depend on water levels in the valleys and snow/ice/wind higher up.

As JabbaPapa says, you will probably be OK re: snow on the approach to GSB, but no guarantees.

The Via Francigena was a great adventure for me, requiring more self reliance and creative problem solving than my other caminos. It generated a lifetime of memories and a greater confidence in my own abilities in hiking and navigation. I'm sure you will have some different but similarly memorable experiences. Enjoy!