Camino de Santiago de Compostela

[The Solitary Walker]

I walked the Arles Route (Arles - Puente la Reina) from 7 September to 22 October this year and am now blogging about the experience at http://www.solitary-walker.blogspot.com

You can also read on the same website my account of the Le Puy Route (Le Puy - Compostela) I walked from mid-October to mid-November last year.

I loved the Arles Route. It's a bit tougher than the Le Puy Route, and not as well waymarked - but with a guide book you should be OK. It's not quite as 'lonely' as some descriptions suggest, and I constantly met other walkers and pilgrims. I did reserve by phone some of the French gites the day before, but it wasn't really necessary in September. I think the route is becoming more popular now - and no doubt accommodation will increase in the future to meet the demand. The scenery is always pleasant, sometimes outstanding. There's some higher ground to cross than on the Le Puy Route - for instance the hills of Haut-Languedoc. And sometimes you wander for days through woods and forests. The Spanish section along the Aragon valley is beautiful, and much more isolated - but there's always a village with an albergue where you can spend the night.

[Anniesantiago]

Well, I tried looking at your blog, but I just couldn't figure out how to follow it.
I guess I'm computer illiterate.
I could only find the first page, then nothing about the trip itself

[The Solitary Walker]

Sorry about the delay in replying. You simply just click on "My 2nd pilgrimage (Arles) starts HERE" in the CAMINO widget on the R hand side of my blog. This will take you to the 1st post called "Real Love Is A Pilgrimage". Then simply click on "Newer Post" at the foot of each entry for each consecutive post about the journey. Or alternatively you can bring up Oct, Nov and Dec '08 from the ARCHIVE widget - a bit lower down on the R hand side.

[TrishGray]

Hi .. I am interested in the part of the route just before Arles, having seen Frejus as a starting point on the routes map of the Confraternity of St James. I am wondering if there is any information (I can't find any, but I am not very good at searching internet-wise)about the route from Frejus - Arles. Particularly does the route pass through Carces?
trish874

[The Solitary Walker]

I don't know anything about the Fréjus - Arles route, I'm afraid. Perhaps you could ask in other places on the forum? I tried searching the Internet but it didn't come up with much.

[falcon269]

For the start of some routes:

http://www.provenceweb.fr/f/mag/outdoor ... ar.htm#gr9

http://www.gr-infos.com/gr9e.htm

[herman]

Hi .. I am interested in the part of the route just before Arles, having seen Frejus as a starting point on the routes map of the Confraternity of St James. I am wondering if there is any information (I can't find any, but I am not very good at searching internet-wise)about the route from Frejus - Arles. Particularly does the route pass through Carces?
trish874

I walked this summer from Rome to Compostella. The route passes by the Carces lake but I didn't walk through the city. I didn't find/follow an officially signed route in the part from Pietrasanta to Arles. I am currently building an information page in English on my weblog http://herecomesherman.wordpress.com but it is far from finished. The story on the road is there too, but it is in Dutch ...

[newfydog]

Hi .. I am interested in the part of the route just before Arles, having seen Frejus as a starting point on the routes map of the Confraternity of St James. I am wondering if there is any information (I can't find any, but I am not very good at searching internet-wise)about the route from Frejus - Arles. Particularly does the route pass through Carces?
trish874

Yes the route goes right through Carces. It is a beautiful well marked route and takes in two old churches. It does not go out to the lake.

[IanWilliamson]

The Solitary Walker

Found your account of the Arles Pilgrimage route very interesting and informative. My wife and I plan to do part of that route (perhaps between Toulouse and Castres) in October.

Trust you are well and thanks for all the useful information.

I'm Scottish (my wife is German) and also noticed your account of your trip near Ullapool, including the reference to Norman McCaig. It might interest you to know that he had been my primary school teacher in Edinburgh in the late 50s/ early 60s, which rather gives away my age. He was a lovely man and an inspiration to me.

Ian