Guides / descriptions

[biloute]

I have a somewhat odd request. I teach French, and our level two language students have the Camino as their theme for the course because it ties together very nicely all the topics we study. I haven't been able to find much information on the different routes in terms of cheap or free guides (online or Kindle), and the students will need information in order to choose which route they're "walking." I know Le Puy is very hilly, and most of it is scenic, with trees. And I read that the Paris or Tours route is flat but didn't get more info than that. Can anyone give a brief summation of any of the routes, as for terrain, availability of accommodations, etc.? Or at least point me to where I can find them?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Chemin du Puy profile can be generated here:

http://www.godesalco.com/plan/podense

 

[david townsend]

www.forwalk.org is the one that was recommended to me. It has all the routes. the elevation changes. the accommodations. restaurants. sites.

pretty comprehensive.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can see the route from Arles here:

http://vppyr.free.fr/pages_transversales/voie_garonne/voie_de_garonne.php

http://vppyr.free.fr/pages_transversales/via_tolosana/via_tolosana.php

http://vppyr.free.fr/pages_transversales/voies_aspe/voies_aspe.php

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Webcams for the walk up the Aspe River and down Aragones River:

http://www.lookr.com/lookout/1323409819-Bedous

http://www.lookr.com/lookout/1337152225-Etsaut

http://www.lookr.com/lookout/1419839992-Canfranc

http://www.lookr.com/lookout/1323864144-Los-Arañones

http://www.lookr.com/lookout/1232548537-Jaca

 

[pudgypilgrim]

There is less information available about the Tours route than many of the more popular routes like Le Puy.

For an overview of one of the GR655, which is roughly the way most people start:

http://idf.ffrandonnee.fr/708/html/le-gr-655.aspx

Some sites with more specific info on the Voie de Tours for pilgrims:

http://chemincompostelle.over-blog.com

http://www.compostelle-tours.org/index.html

http://viaturonensis.pagesperso-orange.fr/heberg.htm

http://www.compostelle17.fr

http://www.compostelle2000.org

 

[pudgypilgrim]

Forgot to say that what the French consider "plat" is very often not much like what we Americans would call flat, at least not in my part of the world.

 

[pudgypilgrim]

Oops, forgot one:

http://pelerins-compostelle.com/pelerinage-compostelle-chemin-tours-etape-itineraire/#contenu

gives stages on the Voie de tours going through Orleans.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I read that the Paris or Tours route is flat

It is the flattest of Tours, Vezelay, Le Puy, and Arles, but has hills as well!

There are guides in French for the route, such as:

http://www.amazon.fr/Europe - Chemins-Saint-Jacques-limousine-dArles/dp/2742425314/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1421077736&sr=8-7&keywords=chemin tours

http://www.amazon.fr/dp/2742433627/

 

[pudgypilgrim]

Yes, and this one seems to be about the most popular of the printed books (unfortunately there's no Miam Miam Dodo for this route):

http://www.amazon.fr/chemin-Saint-Jacques---Compostelle-Saint-Jean-Pied---Port/dp/2915156360/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1421083949&sr=1-1&keywords=guide lepere voie de tours

Didn't mention those because I was assuming you'd prefer free resources.

Oh, I should say that I have the Lepere and the main book seems fine, but the one for the Chartres variant is a bit sketchy in comparison.

 

[madame_shepard]

I have a somewhat odd request. I teach French, and our level two language students have the Camino as their theme for the course because it ties together very nicely all the topics we study. I haven't been able to find much information on the different routes in terms of cheap or free guides (online or Kindle), and the students will need information in order to choose which route they're "walking." I know Le Puy is very hilly, and most of it is scenic, with trees. And I read that the Paris or Tours route is flat but didn't get more info than that. Can anyone give a brief summation of any of the routes, as for terrain, availability of accommodations, etc.? Or at least point me to where I can find them?

Bonjour, I'm a French teacher from Ohio who's starting the Le Puy route in June. (I walked the Camino Frances in 2013 and 2014.) What a great idea to do a unit on this! Are you familiar with the film, Saint Jacques la Mecque? Although it would need to be edited for school use, your students might enjoy it. I don't have any authentic written materials on the route, but if I can serve as a resource in any other way, please let me know.

 

[biloute]

Thanks for all the links! They've been particularly helpful. I think I'm able to provide good summaries for my students now.