Lord Colliers Active Retirement Life

As I enter Day 11 on the Via Francigena, it’s becoming clearer with each step that this journey is something truly epic. The physical challenges are relentless, but so are the emotional ones. Compared to the Camino, which I walked previously, this feels like a completely different beast. Both are fantastic, but the Via Francigena demands more—of the body, the mind, and the spirit.

Life lessons tend to sneak up on you during these long pilgrimages. Today’s came wrapped in a practical challenge: my left shoe finally gave out. Completely unusable. Replacing it wasn’t exactly straightforward—try finding decent hiking gear in a town where an “active lifestyle” means something entirely different! But after a bit of a scramble, I managed. It’s moments like these that test your patience, your adaptability, and yes—even your sense of humor.

And then—Reims. What a gem of a city. It caught me off guard with its charm and energy. Sure, the Notre-Dame Cathedral is world-famous—and for good reason. This is the very place where French kings were crowned for over 1,000 years. From Clovis in 496 AD to Charles X in 1825, Reims was the sacred heart of royal France. The cathedral is a masterpiece of Gothic architecture, and standing inside it, you can almost hear the echoes of history whispering through the stone.

But there’s more to Reims than cathedrals and coronations. The entire city feels effortlessly elegant—stylish shops, cozy cafés, refined restaurants, and a lifestyle that seems to balance sophistication with genuine warmth. It has that rare mix of cultural weight and livable charm. It’s the kind of place that invites you to stay a little longer—and to maybe return one day, preferably not dressed in high-vis hiking gear!!!!

The people here have a certain grace to them. They’re friendly without being overly familiar, and their fashion sense and ease with life are quietly inspiring. 

No surprise, really—this is the Champagne capital of the world. Of course, I treated myself to a glass of the local specialty. Tomorrow, I venture deeper into the Champagne region, and something tells me the bubbles will keep flowing.

This path continues to surprise me—with its challenges, yes—but also with its beauty, history, and quiet revelations. More tomorrow.