Vezélay - Preparation

[Uchiha]

Hi!

I need help with these issues, about Vezélay Route :

1-Water/Food along the route
2-Cash/ATM machine

Thanks!

 

[LesBrass]

Hi Uchiha - I've not walked the route but it passes very close to my home so I know part of the route well... I would say that most villages (not hamlets) will have a small shop or a bakery or a bar so I think you should be able to find food and drink along the way.

Most small towns (upwards) will have a bank with an ATM... some of the larger supermarkets also have them but not all by any means. They will all take visa and mastercard... and some of them will even give instructions in english.

Hope you have a wonderful time - I maybe biased but this route passes through a great little corner of the world

 

[Uchiha]

Hi LesBrass, thanks for your answer.
Can you tell me where I can buy "Vezelay route" guide in France (Saint Jean Pied de Port or other towns).Not online.

Cheers

 

[SYates]

...
1-Water/Food along the route
2-Cash/ATM machine
...

1- No problem, the French like to eat also ;-)
2- Nearly every bigger village / small town will have one.
Buen Camino! SY

 

[AJ]

Food CAN be a problem on this route as I found when I walked it in 2010. Get yourself a guidebook in advance in order to find out which villages have shops/bars. Some pilgrim refuges supply food/drink on an honesty box basis. The best guide available when I walked was the Chassain guide. Try the CSJ bookshop.

 

[Uchiha]

Thanks to everyone for your replies

I don't have time to buy online,my journey begins tomorrow.
I will try : FNAC (Bayonne) or Saint Jean Pied du Port.

 

[LesBrass]

Hi - I bought a map of all the french routes recently in my local Intersport shop in Perigueux... I was also going to suggest online but this is too late for you

here's a link to the map... I reckon you'll find one in bookshops here and maybe also larger supermarkets?

http://www.amazon.fr/dp/2758504022/

good luck x

 

[vicrev]

Back to basics,as far as I'm concerned,when walking in France,NEVER take for granted, you will be able to get food readily. I always carry back up food for one meal, cous cous, tinned fish.powdered milk,muesli,tinned pate,& always have fruit in my bag,have fallen back on it ,many times,'especially when Iv'e felt like walking into the evening.......................keep smiling.........Vicrev

 

[jl]

For that reason I always carry a box muesli bars - I always leave Australia with a couple of boxes, which means I am covered for the first 8 hrs or so in France. At a pinch I can survive on a couple of muesli bars overnight if I have to! I always carry a bag of pan du lait too for the same reason.

When I walked this route many of the albergues supplied food - pasta, canned fish, fruit etc, with an honesty system for payment. I always carry a small plastic container (the disposable salad kind) when on the chemin, and often made extra food at night and took it as a pasta salad for lunch the next day. I always carry a plastic spoon - that is useful for every type of food I might carry in my pack. If I need one my pocket knife has a can opener. A container is also handy to put things like a tomato in to avoid a soggy mess in the bottom of my pack! Cheers, Janet

 

[vicrev]

I think, it's just a fact of life with us Aussies, to carry a bit of food,go for a 1 day, or whatever hike, we have to carry food, & usually water , there arent any corner shops, or cafes, in the bush, like in Europe........................Vicrev

 

[jdpiguet]

I agree with you Vicrev, on the country side in France, finding to eat can be tricky.
I'm used to keep 1 or 2 pack of dry soup (excuse my English ) and a small amount of pasta in my backpack.
It's the emergency food which allow to survive a day without grocery or bar.

Another "good to know":
the small groceries are mostly open at Sunday, but closed at Monday
the super markets are mostly closed at Sunday, but opened at Monday

For the water, there is no problem:
1. Almost all villages have a cemetery: cemetary imply flowers, flowers need water!
So go around the churches you will find a tap...
2. If you don't success with point 1, have a look for an inhabited house, knock at the door and say that you are a pilgrim and need water.
I never have been refused a refueling of my bottle.

For the ATM's, they are quite easy to find: I don't remember to have not see one at least every 2nd day.

Bonne route, Jacques-D.