french route in january-february?

[mmonomm]

i was wondering when can i start my second camino. i did the first one this year, from Porto, on the coast. i still feel the call to go on, but i cannot take holidays this year any more so i was wondering how difficult is a winter camino? from sjpp? are albergues open in winter? i wont have time to reach Santiago, but that does not bother me. for 2 weeks which part do you recommend? i heard some of you starting sooner the sjpp, from where? just not to be exhausted one the first day from the Pirenees. i am a 29 old woman, had no problem in doing the portuguese route, just a nerve-block one the way (i do not know how to say it, when a nerve causes trouble.... ) but i met some very nice pilgrims who helped me out a whole day long carrying my backpack, when i could hardly carry myself (this pain comes and goes, even now, after 3 months, when i tire myself, with too much swimming, or walking) Would you help me with your advice?

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Hola

I´ve been out on the Camino Frances in January. A lot of albergues are closed but many remain open. It can be a bit unpredicatable as hospitaleros take holidays in the quiet months. So there may be longer distances to walk but there should be sufficient open for your purposes. The big challenge might be the weather. Again impossible to predict and it may be cold be clear and sunny. You need to prepare for all weathers with very good winter kit.

Best wishes

John

 

[mmonomm]

thank for your answer.
one more question: when do the quiet months finish? march is not quiet any more?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Good reading:

http://kaybeetravels.blogspot.com/2009_ ... chive.html

 

[sillydoll]

Wilna Wilkinson (a fellow South African) walked the camino from St Jean in February 2006. You can read her story " The Way of the Stars and the Stones – Thoughts on a Pilgrimage"

I have a 'walking in winter' post on my blog but as Johnny says, weather is unpredictable and you could have clear, cold weather in January and February and freezing snow storms in April!

http://amawalker.blogspot.com/2009/10/w ... inter.html

 

[viajero]

I walked in 2008 starting in early March. I'd say it was relatively quiet. Generally, by day, I wouldn't really see other pilgrims and in the evenings there were usually around 6-12 people in the albergues. Holy week was early that year and that week, of course, there were a lot more people, also from Sarria on to Santiago there were more people. There were always plenty of spaces available at the albergues.