The Via Francigena road by bike

Transcription

1 The Via Francigena road by bike Four days of cycling to discover the Lombard itinerary of the Via Francigena road. The itinerary is 160 km long and goes from Palestro to Piacenza, crossing the whole Pavia province territory and the Basso Lodigiano (Lodi lower plains area). The cycling itinerary intertwines with and sometimes overlaps with the pedestrian itinerary of the "Via Francigena di Sigerico", offering several chances to create ring-shaped itineraries at one's pleasure. The Via Francigena cycling path is an initiative sponsored by the Tourism and Thermal Activities Office of the Pavia Province.

2 FB04 - THE VIA FRANCIGENA ROAD BY BIKE - LEG IV Start node info Lambrinia, railway station End node info Piacenza, railway station Total length 28.3 km Category Cycling Suggested type of bycicle Hybrid Cycle time 01:28 (hh:min) Uphill 21 m Downhill 39 m Max height 64 m Difficulty by cycle Easy Coated 79 % Offroad 18 % Mountain track 3 % Cyclability 100 % On cycle road 26 % Signals <p>ciclovia del Po</p> Suggested time <p>all year long</p> How to arrive <p>railway Line Codogno-Pavia</p> How to get back <p>railway Line Milan-Bologna</p> Description The last leg of the Via Francigena by bike itinerary in Lombardy follows the river Po.No water supply point is found outside towns and cities. Elevation Ref. Km partial Km total Description at the asphalt road turn left and reach the Lambrinia railway station or turn right to continue on Via Francigena at the Junction take a right into State road 234 towards the bridge on Lambro 2

3 Ref. Km partial Km total Description immediately after the bridge turn right and take a white road bearing the sign "Transitum Padi", cross the railroad and ride on a nice panoramic stretch on the raised "arginelle", or banks after 1 km ride past a first Junction, and at the second Junction take a left towards Orio Litta, before the bar, taking a grass-covered path near the village turn left on the asphalt road once at the Grangia Benedettina take via Roma towards East in front of the Villa Litta we follow the Via Francigena on the way down continue downhill along Via Francigena after a brief slope downhill take the white road on the right for Cascina Cantarana once you have arrived next to a cabin of the gas pipeline continue straight ahead following a cart road continue on the bank towards Corte Sant'Andrea continue on the bank following the signs of the Po cycle route towards San Rocco and Piacenza From the access ramp to the pier of the boat on the Po continue straight ahead on the paved bank, which you're following for some kilometers you can see on the left the town of Guzzafame get on the bank and take from the left after about 3 km, by Cascina Castelnuovo, ride on a short dirt stretch at the crossroad continue on the bank of the Po towards Piacenza, going downhill towards the river you will find a refreshment point and the bicycle rental service of Gargatano near Valloria leave the bank and take the road tat stretches alongside it, then turn left for the centre of the village cross Valloria and ride on the bank on the opposite side continue along the cycle path Po to San Rocco al Porto continue on the cycle path towards Piacenza crossing the river Po after the bridge turn left on the bicycle path and go straight for the railway station end 3

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8 FB01 - THE VIA FRANCIGENA ROAD BY BIKE - LEG I Start node info Palestro, railway station End node info Tromello, railway station Total length 43.3 km Category Cycling Suggested type of bycicle Hybrid Cycle time 02:12 (hh:min) Uphill 46 m Downhill 72 m Max height 121 m Difficulty by cycle Easy Coated 64 % Offroad 28 % Mountain track 7 % Cyclability 100 % On cycle road 3 % Signals <p>not available in the cycling track, only partially available in the pedestrian track</p> Suggested time <p>all year long</p> How to arrive <p>fs Railway Line Pavia-Mortara-Vercelli</p> How to get back <p>fs Railway Line Pavia-Mortara-Vercelli</p> Description From Palestro the path follows the bends of the river Sesia up to Rivoltella and Robbio, home of the S. Valeriano monastery and the S. Pietro church. In past times there was a "Hospicium" (hospice) nearby. From the Sant'Albino and S. Croce abbeys in Mortara, mandatory stops for any real pilgrim, the path then carries on up to Tromello. Elevation Ref. Km partial Km total Description From the station take the road ahead of you 8

9 Ref. Km partial Km total Description at the traffic light by the crossroads go straight for the centre of Palestro cross the centre and keep the left on via Garibaldi at the fork at the stop sign go straight for Rosasco and at the Y junction immediately after, keep to the right follow the beautiful asphalt road that winds in the countryside near the Sesia river at the fork continue for Robbio and cross the hamlet of Rivoltella follow on the asphalt road for Robbio at the crossroads go straight for Robbio at the stops sign go straight and follow the signs for the centre of Robbio at the fork turn right into Rosasco continue straight on via Cernaia for Mortara at the traffic light go straight and by the old church of S. Pietro keep to the right shortly after turn left for the Ponella farm on via Roggetta at the stop sign go straight across the crossroads and when the asphalt road ends go straight on the long stretch of dirt terrain ride through a railway crossing and at the fork, where the dirt terrain ends, go straight at the following fork go straight at the stop sign turn right for Cilavegna and ride past the Agogna stream at Nicorvo turn left and follow the signs for Cilavegna and the Afficciati farm at the square turn right for Mortara ride past a crossroads of country tracks and continue on the Provincial road continue on the Provincial road towards Albonese ride past a country track on the right and continue on the Provincial road at the fork turn right on the dirt road for the Afficiati farm at the farm turn left on a grass-covered country track 9

10 Ref. Km partial Km total Description at the first little bridge cross the irrigation ditch on the right go straight at the two crossroads at the fork go straight towards the cluster of houses nearby the dirt terrain ends shortly after at the church of S. Maria del Campo go straight cross the railway crossing on the right at the fork go straight at the stop sign go straight into via A. da Cantiano get to the back of the Mortara railway station and turn right at the square, near the water tower, go straight for the dead end road take the bicycle and pedestrian underpass and go straight as you exit get to the Mortara railway station and turn right onto C.so Garibaldi continue on C.so Garibaldi towards the centre at the church of San Lorenzo continue on C.so Cavour keep to the right at the Town Hall at the fork go straight for S. Albino on C.so Cavour, then take the bicycle path on the other side of the road go straight at the roundabout go straight into via S. Albino Alcuino on the bicycle path follow the bicycle path on the right and cross the underpass at the abbey of S. Albino turn right on the unpaved road that runs along a pond at the fork keep to the right ride past the railway crossing and turn left at the fork by a group of trees keep to the left 10

11 Ref. Km partial Km total Description at the fork immediately after keep to the right at the fork before a farm turn left go straight at the Cavour channel at the fork go straight for the group of trees at the T junction take a right and into a wide white road at the crossing by the fishing reservoir go straight at the fork before the farm turn right at the locks cross the Cavour canal and turn left into the towpath at the following crossroads by a brickwork bridge go straight by another lock move to the other side of the canal go straight at the following crossroads at the crossroads take a left on the asphalt road at the fork go straight for Tromello and follow the road that winds among the poplar groves at the stop sign cross the State road and continue straight for the centre of Tromello at the bottom of via Corridoni turn right and ride on a short stretch of via Dante against the traffic, making sure you walk your bike let's proceed straight on as far as piazza Campegi, then turn left at the traffic light turn left for Mortara immediately after turn right into via Roma and get to the railway station end 11

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18 FB03 - THE VIA FRANCIGENA ROAD BY BIKE - LEG III Start node info Pavia, railway station End node info Lambrinia, railway station Total length 51.5 km Category Cycling Suggested type of bycicle Hybrid Cycle time 02:48 (hh:min) Uphill 65 m Downhill 80 m Max height 76 m Difficulty by cycle Easy Coated 78 % Offroad 21 % Mountain track 1 % Cyclability 100 % On cycle road 7 % Signals <p>none</p> Suggested time <p>all year long</p> How to arrive <p>fs Railway Lines Milan-Genoa, Alessandria-Pavia, Vercelli-Pavia and Codogno-Pavia</p> How to get back <p>fs Railway Line Codogno-Pavia, Lambrinia station</p> Description This path leads out from Pavia and alternates cycling track to ordinary (motorised traffic) road sections up to S. Leonardo, where a narrow country road takes us to Belgioioso. After having visited the 14th century castle of the town the path leads to S. Zenone from where the path takes us to Lambrinia via the Po riverside. The final part of the path, from Lambrinia to Corte S. Andrea, is made via unsurfaced roads. Elevation Ref. Km partial Km total Description from the railway station take viale V. Emanuele II right in front of you 18

19 Ref. Km partial Km total Description in Piazzale Minerva turn right on the bicycle lane of Viale della Libertà at the bottom of the avenue before the bridge keep to the left on lungo Ticino Visconti and get on the broad sidewalk near Ponte Coperto continue on the wide sidewalk that follows the course of river Ticino after the Imbarcadero floating bar do right towards river Ticino follow the bicycle path and keep to the right after the footbridge at the end of the bicycle path near the locks on Naviglio Pavese go straight along the water at the crossroads turn right into V.le dei Partigiani after the church of S. Pietro in Verzuolo, and before the traffic light, turn right into Francana go straight to the bottom and take the dirt road ahead of you at the end of the dirt road turn right and immediately left to take the gravel ramp at the asphalt road turn right at the stop sign turn right take the bicycle path at the end of the bicycle path continue on the asphalt road keep to the left at the fork at the stop sign turn right for Broni an the trafficked State road at the roundabout continue on Valle Salimbene a small bicycle path begins shortly after at the end of the bicycle path, by the fork for S. Leonardo go straight for Linarolo at the fork just out of the village go straight for Linarolo at the following fork go straight again for Linarolo at the fork go straight for the no entry sign and immediately after take a right for S. Giacomo on the dirt road at the end of the dirt stretch keep to the left 19

20 Ref. Km partial Km total Description ride past S. Giacomo and its beautiful namesake church and continue on the main road past the side roads go straight towards the Castle of Belgioioso nearby ride past S. Margerita and after a slight ramp get to the Castle of Belgioioso; at the traffic light turn right on the trafficked State road ride past the traffic light at the crossroads at the fork turn right and follow the signs for Torre de' Negri at the fork continue for Torre de' Negri continue on the asphalt road towards Sostegno ride past the village, keep going on the asphalt road, get to Sostegno and at the crossroads go ahead for Spessa go straight and enter Spessa by P.zza A. Scuri turn left into via Roma by the City Hall take a left into via dei Caduti at the Provincial road go straight for S. Zenone al Po cross the small centre and take the bicycle path the bicycle path ends at the cemetery of S. Zenone after the bridge over river Olona turn right for Zerbo immediately after take the dirt bank of river Po on the right and go past a barrier pass another barrier where the dirt road ends at the fork ride past the two barriers and continue on the bank for a long stretch at Mezzano cross the asphalt road and go straight on the bank cross State road 412 taking extra care for passing vehicles and go straight on the bank ride for a very long asphalt stretch on the bank of the Po, past many barriers; once at Chiavica del Reale, go straight on the bank as its terrain becomes dirt the dirt road ends at Castellaro 20

21 Ref. Km partial Km total Description immediately after, at the bend by the lock in the river, turn right on the unpaved road continue on the unpaved road towards river Lambro the unpaved road runs along river Lambro; after the railway underpass turn left end Overview map 21

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