Rocroi to Vezelay: Gr. 654 or Via Campaniensis?

[Willimpia]

Hi, we walk from the North of Holland to SdC via Vezelay, we arrived in Rocroi and have to make the choice between the "Voie de Vezelay, Gr. 654" or the newer "Via Campaniensis" that is shorter. Who can five us advice?

 

[smallie]

hello willimpia, i would like to answer with a poem i found here on the forum.

Caminante, son tus huellas
el camino y nada más;
Caminante, no hay camino,
se hace camino al andar.
Al andar se hace el camino,
y al volver la vista atrás
se ve la senda que nunca
se ha de volver a pisar.
Caminante no hay camino
sino estelas en la mar.

i can not give you advice on how to proceed, i myself started also the camino and am planning to go through vezelay as well. hope you get some answers so i can use them as well on my trip.
caminogreetings from me,
smallie

 

[Willimpia]

Hi Smallie, thank you for the beautiful poem, hope to meet you on the camino. Still wondering, are we the only ones that walk through Belgium and France via Vezelay to Santiago? Are there others? And if there are, can they give us advice about the camino between Rocroi and Vezelay? I am from Holland.

 

[FatmaG]

Hi!
I walked from Rocroi to Vezelay in several stages. I constantly switched from the GR to the way marked by the local association (randonneurs pelerins 51) : between Rocroi and Reims, I mixed the two of them. From Reims to Troyes, I followed the Via Campaniensis. Then I followed the GR again from Briennes le Chateau to Vezelay.

I guess all people having walked the one or the other way - so probably no one could compare the two really.

Years ago the Via Campaniensis (which wasn't called like that at that time) wasn't waymarked - you had to follow a rough description.

 

[Willimpia]

Hi Fatma, thank you for your response. What you descripe is what we started to do, we discovered the Via Campaniensis when we passed Rocroi and were planning to change to that path. In the meantime I discovered it's more straight than the Gr. 654. For us it's also easy that the guidebook is in Dutch. Good idea to use both. Also good to hear from somebody who also walked through whole France, I did not hear before.

 

[NolaVulling]

Hi Willimpia
I am starting in Den Bosch on May 25 and am also walking all the way to Santiago, across Belgium and France. I will be interested to follow your progress. Buen Camino

 

[Willimpia]

Hi Nola, I walk in parts, two times a year I walk together with a friend for a week or something. Maybe in a few years I can take a sabbatical from work and walk a few months. Are you going to walk the whole camino in may? Would be nice to follow your experience, buen camino!

 

[Alton D]

Hi Everyone,
How did your trips go? I am hoping to start in Namur and walk along the GR654. If I like it, maybe I'll come back and do the other route.

I am not sure how much camping there is, or are there only hotels along the way. Any advice? It matters how much and what I carry depending on the accommodations available.

 

[Freek Van Ootegem]

Hey guys, I just walked the Rocroi-Vezeley part using the Via Campaniensis and the guidbook of pelegrins 51.

My honest comment: I didn't realy like it. Maybe it's just the regions I passed, but the roads were to easy, to straight forward, not demanding, sometimes 20-30km straight (very dull). I do have to state, that I met two other pelgrims (age 60+) and they loved the straight and easy roads. So this might be the best idea if you want a relaxing, fysically undemanding camino (not my choice though)

Before the via Campaniensis, I used the GR 129 and GR 654. They were more difficult and at times they had big detours, but they were also more beautifull, rewarding and intence.

So I guess it depends on your personal preference: fast, easy = Campaniensis VS more difficult, more beautifull, longer GR 654.

You're own pick and I hope you enjoy!!!!

 

[Thomas1962]

At the moment I'm walking from Amsterdam to SdC, I'm just before Perigieux now. I did the pelerin51 route and I'm content with it. I found out that my goal is SdC and don't want too much of walking up and down just because it might be more beautiful.
In the end I switches the route, I went from Foret Chenu to Etourvy to visit a dutch albergue (see weerwoord.nl).
So indeed, it is a personal choice. At least there are enough options to sleep on the pelerin51 route