Walking Guides and Accommodations - First Timer

[GuyA]

Hi,

I am planning on walking from Le-Puy-en-Velay to Finisterre and would appreciate assistance in a few areas based on your experience.

Walking Guides

I have seen names like Alison Raju, Ben Cole / Beth Davies, John Brierley associated with walking guides. Do you favour one particular guide and if so why? Is a walking guide even necessary or does on simply "follow the arrows"?

Accommodations

I am looking to stay in Bed & Breakfasts, small hotels etc. and would like to hear from you as to particular web sites that would be helpful or even better obtain actual accommodation recommendations based on your Camino experience.

Thanks for taking the time to read my basic questions and also thanks for sharing your thougths to help me out.

GuyA

p.s. I also posted this on the Camino Frances and Santiago to Finisterre and Muxia boards. If this was improper sorry in advance.

 

[robertt]

Hi Guy

I did Le Puy to Pamplona recently, and, like you, I prefer small hotels and B&B accommodation. I'm not quick enough to compete for space, hot showers etc, and I have a prob with snoring, so the dormitory situation was not for me. That said, I did have some great experiences with shared accommodation in Saugues, Espalion and other places.

When I go again I'll be taking a light tarp (Bear Paw) so I have the option to camp out. But I'll also do as before and negotiate for single accommodation at a modest price. Sometimes, twenty euros bought me luxury, sometimes more than that did not buy much at all.

I started with a map guide but found it unnecessary. The Miam Miam Dodo guides and a French mobile phone gave me all I needed. If you have a little French, MMDD could be just the thing.

If you check out our various blogs, many of us drop the odd recommendation for good places to stay. As to whether the trip is worth making...I've already said I'm going again!

You are in for a great experience. Let us know how it goes.

Rob

 

[sillydoll]

For gites: http://www.gites-de-france.com/gites/

For all accommodation on the route: http://www.aurelle-verlac.com/composte/composte.htm

 

[jl]

Hi Guy, I used the tourist office copy of Miam Miam Dodo, and carried with me the Alison Raju guide. I really liked that guide because she is SO particular. There were just one or two spots which were a bit doubtful as to where to go, but by reading carfully what AR had to say in the Cicerone guide, I was able to establish exactly where I was. She also gives a few useful tips re what is to be seen in places too. It uses heavy paper, but is handy to poke in the side pocket of you pack, or alternatively in your trouser pocket. Maps are not good - just a few line maps - but I took photo copies of the relevant pages from a road atlas and discarded them as I went.

As I have said previously, I made use of the Tourist Office to book accomodation ahead - sometimes gites and sometimes hotels.

Cheers, Janet

 

[GuyA]

Rob,
Sil,
Janet,

Just the kind of info I was looking for...really appreciate your taking the time to respond. Rob, while I haven't completely read your blog it's really well done and confirms that this is something that I want to do.

Merci,

Guy