Gland to Château de Bossey, 16Km
The municipal hostel in Gland was a great stopover and probably the cheapest hostel on the Swiss Camino. It had every facility a pilgrim could wish for and was spotlessly clean, as you’d expect in Switzerland. The young German woman spoke good English, of course; we had a nice chat and she told me that she was walking from Rorschach on Lake Constance to Geneva. She stayed two nights in the hostel to rest before walking her final stage of 37Km because there is nowhere cheap to stay until the next hostel in the city. This morning she was up early, munching through a portion of muesli from her provisions and a cup of hostel coffee. And then she put her pack on, wished me a good Camino, sighed that it was her final day’s walk and set off.
I had a lazy day. I followed in her footsteps, but later, and stopped at the station cafe where the man served me a cafe au lait and checked if I wanted the croissant with almonds or not. I sat there for a long time reflecting on how, when I was very young, I used to travel around Europe on InterRail tickets, sleeping in youth hostels, on trains or occasionally on the streets, eating almost nothing.
Michael Schumacher lived for years in Gland on the shores of Lake Geneva, perhaps he is still there. No one knows. I’m now almost next door at the sumptuous Château de Bossey. It’s an Ecumenical Institute & Meeting centre but it’s very quiet this week and they’re accepting £75 B&B. That’s quite a bargain, just 22Km from Geneva where dull hotel rooms cost hundreds of pounds. So I’ve decided to take my rest day here instead. It’s got beautiful landscaped grounds rolling down towards Lake Geneva, a vegetable garden, a tiny vineyard and a giant outdoor chess set if you want to practice the Queen’s Gambit.
Pilgrimage 
So in your youth you could afford a train ticket, now you have to walk. Much better for you anyway. I note the other things haven’t changed.
It’s strange but the InterRail ticket has always been priced below the cost of a good pair of walking shoes.
Hi Tim
I’ m in late for the tick of yesterday.
I give you a grand mother’s recipe when you are alone in the country .
You take a bit of butter or oil, something greasy and you rub the tick.More it ‘,s small, more is difficult to take out.
This is very efficiency even on the cats or dogs.
I enjoy your comment about the farm 👍. I lived in little farm when I was young
Hi Huguette, my French accent is improving with use! I’m getting some success on the telephone to the gites even if they say they are full or closed. Thanks for the advice about the tick
I was in st Lo last week speaking French
Or at least I thought I was
How hard can it be to order two beers
A fellow rehydrater suggested I should say my order more forcefully
It appeared to work
Thought for the day
Speak bad French louder😂
Hi Clive, good to hear from you and thanks for the tip. I think it helps to also wave a 10 euro note around