Via Francigena in Switzerland: From Lake Geneva to the Great St. Bernard Pass
214 kilometers of pure alpine beauty. From the terraced vineyards above Lake Geneva to the epic climb to the 2,473-meter Great St. Bernard Pass, the highest point of the entire Via Francigena.
Overview & History: The Pass Crossed by Legions and Emperors
Although Switzerland has the fewest kilometers after England, it is the section every pilgrim has circled in red from the day they leave Canterbury. You enter from France across the Jura Mountains into Sainte-Croix, descend toward the blue waters of Lake Geneva (Lausanne, Vevey, and Montreux), follow the deep glacial valley of the Rhône River, and tackle the final 2,000+ meter vertical climb up to the Great St. Bernard Pass.
For millennia, this high alpine pass served as the vital artery between northern and southern Europe: Celtic tribes, Roman legions, Archbishop Sigeric in 990 AD, and even Napoleon Bonaparte’s army in 1800 walked across these exact rocks. In the 11th century, St. Bernard of Menthon founded the famous Hospice at the summit to rescue travelers from blizzards and avalanches—an unbroken tradition of hospitality spanning nearly a thousand years.
The 3 Phases of the Swiss Section
| Phase / Sector | Key Route | Terrain & Trail Experience |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Descent from the Jura & Vaud Countryside | FR/CH Border → Sainte-Croix → Yverdon-les-Bains → Orbe → Cossonay → Lausanne. | Alpine forests, dramatic gorges like the Gorges de Covatanne, and a steady descent toward the great lake basin. |
| 2. Lake Geneva Shores & Rhône Valley | Lausanne → Lavaux → Vevey → Aigle → Saint-Maurice (Abbey) → Martigny. | You walk through the UNESCO-listed terraced vineyards of Lavaux with snow-capped peaks across the water. In Saint-Maurice, you visit the oldest continuously operating Christian abbey in the West (founded in 515 AD). |
| 3. The Climb to the Great St. Bernard | Martigny → Orsières → Bourg-Saint-Pierre → Hospice (2,473 m). | Three stages of relentless climbing up the Val d’Entremont. On the final day from Bourg-Saint-Pierre, you gain over 840 meters of elevation past waterfalls, snowfields, and thin air until reaching the icy summit lake. |
Official Stage Table in Switzerland (Stages 32 to 42)
Click on any Swiss city or alpine village to open its map in Google Maps (handy for spotting Coop/Migros supermarkets and water fountains along the route):
| # | Code | Start (Map) | Finish (Map) | Km | + Ascent (m) | – Descent (m) | Difficulty | Km from Canterbury | Km to Vatican |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland — Canton of Vaud | |||||||||
| 32 | CH01 | Sainte-Croix | Yverdon-les-Bains | 17.5 | 10 | 650 | Medium | 816 | 1210 |
| 33 | CH02 | Yverdon-les-Bains | Orbe | 19.6 | 280 | 244 | Low | 834 | 1190 |
| 34 | CH03 | Orbe | Cossonay | 25.4 | 430 | 338 | Medium | 853 | 1165 |
| 35 | CH04 | Cossonay | Lausanne | 24.9 | 50 | 238 | Medium | 879 | 1140 |
| 36 | CH05 | Lausanne | Vevey | 21.7 | 260 | 257 | Medium | 904 | 1118 |
| 37 | CH06 | Vevey | Aigle | 24.9 | 190 | 146 | Medium | 925 | 1093 |
| Subtotal 6 stages in Canton of Vaud: | 134 | 1220 | 1872 | ||||||
| 🇨🇭 Switzerland — Canton of Valais | |||||||||
| 38 | CH07 | Aigle | Saint-Maurice | 17.9 | 480 | 477 | Medium | 950 | 1075 |
| 39 | CH08 | Saint-Maurice | Martigny | 16.4 | 370 | 317 | Medium | 968 | 1059 |
| 40 | CH09 | Martigny | Orsières | 19.4 | 970 | 547 | Very High | 984 | 1040 |
| 41 | CH10 | Orsières | Bourg-Saint-Pierre | 13.6 | 830 | 90 | Medium | 1004 | 1026 |
| 42 | CH11 | Bourg-Saint-Pierre | Great St. Bernard Pass | 12.2 | 840 | 6 | High | 1017 | 1014 |
| Subtotal 5 stages in Canton of Valais: | 80 | 3490 | 1437 | ||||||
| Total 11 stages in Switzerland: | 214 | 4710 | 3309 | ||||||
Budget, Camping & Survival in the Most Expensive Country on the Route
As soon as you cross the Swiss border, you swap the Euro for the Swiss Franc (CHF) and the cost of commercial hotels or restaurants skyrockets. However, you can cross Switzerland on a strict backpacker budget by applying three simple rules:
- Coop & Migros supermarkets are your best allies: Skip restaurant menus. Buy fresh bread, local Swiss cheese, cured meats, fruit, and orange-sticker discount items (50% off before closing time) at Coop or Migros supermarkets, plus shared camp meals when walking with fellow pilgrims who carry a stove. In addition, every Swiss town has stone fountains pouring ice-cold, 100% drinkable mountain water.
- Pilgrim Rates at Swiss Campsites & Parish Hostels: If you arrive on foot carrying a small tent and show your official Pilgrim Credential, many campsites along Lake Geneva and in the Alps charge a special reduced pilgrim fee (around 10 to 17 CHF, or ~€14.60 on average). In the Valais mountains (such as Martigny and Orsières), parish halls also welcome pilgrims at very low cost.
- The Great St. Bernard Pass: At 2,473 meters, alpine weather changes in minutes and temperatures can drop below freezing even in August. Checking in with your Credential at the summit or sharing the ascent with fellow hikers before crossing the border line into Italy the next morning is an unforgettable rite of passage.