Local and regional trails
The Via Columbani offers a great range of local and regional walks, in every country, across hugely varied landscapes.
There are attractive day or weekend walks, including for families or older people, but also hikes suitable for experienced ramblers, for a few days, a week or longer.
Those interested, whether walkers, cyclists or motorcyclists, can choose the stretches of the Via Columbani that they wish to follow, by using the Via Columbani route guide, or by getting in touch with the local members of the Partnership, identified on this site.
France
Bretagne:
Tro Breizh de Colomban
This large loop in the heart of Brittany connects 45 sites that preserve the memory of Saint Columban, his companion Saint Gall, as well as other Irish monks.
This 1,700 km itinerary is divided into five sections, which can be traveled either separately or in sequence. They are accessible through the following links:
18. Brittany Region (1/5)
19. Brittany Region (2/5)
20. Brittany Region (3/5)
21. Brittany Region (4/5)
22. Brittany Region (5/5)
Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and Grand-Est:
Annegray–Basel connection:
This itinerary through the Franche-Comté and then Alsace extends the route of Saint Columban’s arrival in Luxeuil to Basel, allowing those who wish to walk from Bangor to Bobbio to continue along his path of exile.
This 140 km itinerary is accessible through the following link:
Luxeuil-Saint Valbert-Luxeuil:
This one-day walking loop, mainly through forest, connects Luxeuil — a key site in the history of Saint Columban — to a hermitage where Saint Waldebert (595–668), the third abbot of Luxeuil Abbey, used to retreat.
This 18 km itinerary is accessible through the following link:
24. Luxeuil-Saint Valbert-Luxeuil
Boucle Amage (région Luxeuil):
This half-day walk, mainly through forest, connects Saint-Roch Chapel to a key site in the history of Saint Columbanus, where he lived as a hermit, marked by a cave and chapel bearing his name.
This 11km route can be accessed via the following link:
25. Region Luxeuil boucle Amage
Switzerland
Wattwil-Magdenau-Flawil:
One-day walk in the mid-mountain pastures.
This itinerary is accessible through the following link:
26. Region Wattwil-Magdenau-Flawil
St Gallen Bodensee:
One day of walking in the heart of the land where Gall, Columban’s Irish companion, withdrew as a hermit around the year 610.
This itinerary is accessible through the following link:
Balzers-Landquart:
One day of walking shared between the Duchy of Luxembourg and Switzerland, mainly through vineyards at the foot of the mountains.
This itinerary is accessible through the following link:
Bivio-Lake Colomban-Bivio:
This one-day high-mountain walking loop leads to the highest point along Columban’s European routes, marking his crossing of the Alps shortly after the year 610.
This itinerary is accessible through the following link: