Alpine Travel Was Difficult

Alpine travel was difficult. Much of it was conducted on foot up steep slopes or, if a person had some money, by mule or ass. Mules (a cross between a male donkey and a female horse) have a lot going for them. They are intelligent, sure-footed, calm animals, strong, adaptable, and with greater endurance than horses. They live longer and can travel up to 50 miles (80 kilometers) per day and are much cheaper to keep than horses. The horse had snob value—a bit like traveling business or first class—but usually only rulers, the wealthy, or important couriers used horses because they were expensive to buy and maintain. Their advantage was speed. Carts or coaches were rarely used for alpine travel because of the deplorable state of the infrastructure; the roads and bridges were often just the remnants of Roman originals or rutted, muddy tracks. Summer and fall were the best times to travel because there was less likelihood of extreme weather—although it could still get very hot in midsummer. Sensible people avoided alpine travel in winter.