July 2018

This update is offered with thanks following the journey made by Mark and Diane Stringfellow from New Zealand.

Mark and Diane drew attention to the difficulty of navigating through the Clairvaux forest but their comments are true for hiking in any forested area.

Signposting or tree marking is very unreliable as the signs are either hidden by foliage or the the trees felled.  This is a situation where as a fall back you may need to use the distance measures from the instructions (remember 15 minutes walking is approximately 1000m) or if you have a GPS enabled phone and the downloaded waypoints then carefully monitor your progress between waypoints and if necessary set your own route to the next point.

Stage 45:

The apartment in Lignerolle (Bigitte Lambercy) is closed.  However, a chambre d’hôtes (Auberge du Cerf) has opened in the centre of Lignerolle offering dormitory accommodation for 45CHF per person per night including breakfast. Contact Roncière Audrey et Philippe, Rue du Collège 2, 1357 Lignerolle tel: +41 (0)24 441 64 24 or +41 (0)79 653 53

Stage 52:

If you are travelling when the GSB is officially closed you should note that snow shoes and other winter gear should be rented or purchased before leaving Orsiéres.

In the low season the bus (using the tunnel) schedule also reduces to just Tuesday and Friday when there are both a morning and evening service. Alternatively it may be possible to hire a taxi for the tunnel transit. Pedestrians and cyclists are not allowed in the tunnel.