THE GLORIOUS REPATRIATION ROUTE
Information
Length: 327km
Altitude difference: ↑ 13.930m ↓ 13.460m
Duration: 21 days
GPS track
This is a mountain route; a historical and cultural itinerary; a symbol of the return to one’s land, one’s home and the freedom to profess one’s faith. This is the Glorious Repatriation route! It follows the route of a journey that began on the night of 16 August 1689, two years after the forced exile, when less than 1000 men set out from the shores of Lake Geneva towards Savoy, in the hope of returning to their valleys in Piedmont.
Today, the itinerary covers 21 stages and starts right on the shores of Lake Geneva, from the village of Nernier and crosses the Alps. The Italian section begins at Col Clapier and finally arrives in Bobbio Pellice, at the Sibaud monument.
This itinerary starts from the village of Nernier on Lake Geneva. The mountains are still a long way off, but the first climbs are already visible on the horizon. Leaving the shores of the lake, the first part of the stage leads into the Chablais countryside. The path is easy in the first few kilometres, but this should not mislead you because to tackle this stage you need to be well trained, otherwise it is better to split it into two parts. The route is long, with a demanding final ascent to the Col de Saxel. The signposting is not always accurate, especially in the crossing of the Planbois forest and in the final stretch towards the Col de Saxel, so be careful.
Here it would be very useful to have the GPS track of the route and of course, the guidebook.
Astonishingly, when they arrived at Saint-Jeoire, the Waldensians had not yet finished their first day’s walk. We however, have the privilege of travelling slowly, and can contemplate the meadows, forests and beautiful villages of the Haute-Savoie. The main challenge presented by this stage is to keep to the right path between Boëge and the Col de Ludran. The signposts are not always precise and the complex terrain and the pastureland fences can make walking and orientation difficult. It is nevertheless accessible, with easy climbs and long descents. In the distance, the Alpine peaks forming the Mont Blanc massif are clearly visible.
From Saint-Jeoire, walk along the hillside, first up the valley of the Le Giffre stream, then along the wider, urban Arve valley. There is a lot of tarmac to be covered, but always along on minor roads that offer good views and easy walking. The exception is the section between the old Marignier bridge and Brannaz on the D6 (a wide, busy road). This brings you to Cluses, the small capital of Faucigny, famous since the 18th century for its watchmaking workshops. The village owes its name to the narrow gorge of the Arve, at the foot of which the town developed.
This easy stage runs along the Arve torrent, approaching the Mont Blanc massif, which is the background to today’s efforts. The effort needed is limited to the altitude and difficulty in finding the road. Three long dirt tracks along the Arve will relieve the asphalt sections for a while.
This stage offers great views of the Mont Blanc massif, at the price of some moderate effort. You will climb above 1000 metres for the first time on this journey, yet the ascent is not excessively tiring. A little too much asphalt has to be covered, but this is unavoidable.
This is first big climb of the Glorious Repatriation Route, and the Alps immediately begin to make themselves felt. The difference in altitude is just under 1000m. The climbs along the ski slopes are very tiring. It can also be difficult to find the right route, so be careful!
Note: on reaching the top of the Col de Véry you will find the delightful “Refuge de la Croix de Pierre”, where we recommend you spend the night.