Day 345 – EU – Italy/Switzerland [Fondotoce to Ascona]


15/03/21

42km

  From Fondotoce (Italy) to Ascona (Switzerland)

Europe


Running along Lake Maggiore towards Ascona, where my Grandma grew up, a stunning place

Lake Maggiore from Fondotoce

As I left Fondotoce I hit the lake’s shoreline road straightaway. There was a mighty headwind blowing hard, which only got stronger and stronger throughout the run. But the landscapes were superb, everything was worth the extra effort. Two-third’s of the way in I crossed into Switzerland again. This morning was the first morning of the “Italian lockdown” and quite frankly, traffic was very busy, people were out in the streets (wearing masks) but nothing indicated some drastic measures had been implemented.

The bay of Ascona – Locarno

Though I left Italy behind, the architecture remained very much that of Italy. The part of Switzerland I have entered is that of the Canton of Ticino, which is the Italian speaking part of Switzerland. This is where my Grandmother, Yolande Righetti-Leautey (see Bio scroll-down to her bio) spent most of her youth. Half the year in Ascona, half the year in Paris, until it was time for her to study. I was very much looking forward to seeing the place I had only heard about.

I could see the shoreline of Ascona from quite a distance. The Piazza is by the lake, lined up by bright multicolored houses, with the Alpine snowy summits in the background and Lake Maggiore at its feet. How truly stunning. I climbed up the hill of Ascona, on Via Sasso Boretto, and at the top of the hill stood a bright majestuous yellow villa. The house where my Grandma grew up. The view from up there was beautiful.

Ascona’s Centre, by Lake Maggiore

Besides the life of my grandmother in itself which always fascinated me (the multicultural, cross-country bringing-up, the chemistry studies at La Sorbonne and ending up at the helm of the first Feminist Library of Paris – and being the most loving and best grandmother one could wish for) I was also greatly impressed by her side of the family. Her father (my great-grandfather, whom I have never met) was amongst the Italians who migrated to America in search of a better life. He spent over a decade in the US, working in railways companies and banks in California and famously was in San Francisco during the great-earthquake. Then came back to Ascona. A topic of fascination for me when I was younger.

Villa Sasso Boretto, where my Grandma Yolande Righetti-Leautey grew up

A very memorable day for me today.



Check my daily run GPS data on or

Here is the map of today’s run: