Starting in Le Puy

[PattyKoed]

Hi Everyone, I am in the beginning stages of planning my Camino and am thinking to start my walk from Le Puy in mid-March (and anticipate reaching Santiago by early June). I've searched but haven't been able to find a route map that shows Le Puy as a starting point. Any advice/suggestions are sincerely appreciated.
Many thanks!
Patty

 

[Deleted member 3000]

http://www.chemindecompostelle.com/Selection/CarteFrance.html

The website has far less information than the print edition of Miam Miam Dodo.

 

[PattyKoed]

http://www.chemindecompostelle.com/Selection/CarteFrance.html

The website has far less information than the print edition of Miam Miam Dodo.

Falcon, thank you so very much!

 

[Sedona11]

Hi Everyone, I am in the beginning stages of planning my Camino and am thinking to start my walk from Le Puy in mid-March (and anticipate reaching Santiago by early June). I've searched but haven't been able to find a route map that shows Le Puy as a starting point. Any advice/suggestions are sincerely appreciated.
Many thanks!
Patty

We started this route first week in March 2014, we thought it was too early, must of albergues were closed, follow miam miam and restsurants have rooms you can stay and they are good and safe, for one person, you will spend $40 euros per day. We took a train from Moisac to St Jean because it was dangerous to cross rhe Perenees with all that snow! Albergues open April 15, during the entire route, we only came across 2 pilgrims....it was beautiful!

 

[PattyKoed]

We started this route first week in March 2014, we thought it was too early, must of albergues were closed, follow miam miam and restsurants have rooms you can stay and they are good and safe, for one person, you will spend $40 euros per day. We took a train from Moisac to St Jean because it was dangerous to cross rhe Perenees with all that snow! Albergues open April 15, during the entire route, we only came across 2 pilgrims....it was beautiful!

Hello Sedona, thank you for your reply. I was thinking of leaving the US on March 17. Do you still think most albergues will be closed? I looked online for Miam Miam guides and they all seem to be in French. I speak neither French nor Spanish. :/

 

[Doogman]

Hi: The Alison Raju guide (which is in English) contains overview maps that are not very useful for route finding, but give you a sense of where you are headed. The route finding is fairly easy, as the trail is very well marked, so detailed maps are not necessary (in my opinion), although it may be more difficult to see the red & white markers in March in a snowstorm. There are also French guidebooks with more detailed maps. The Le Puy route follows GR 65, so if you Google that, you should find a number of options.

 

[PattyKoed]

Hi: The Alison Raju guide (which is in English) contains overview maps that are not very useful for route finding, but give you a sense of where you are headed. The route finding is fairly easy, as the trail is very well marked, so detailed maps are not necessary (in my opinion), although it may be more difficult to see the red & white markers in March in a snowstorm. There are also French guidebooks with more detailed maps. The Le Puy route follows GR 65, so if you Google that, you should find a number of options.

Thank you, Doogman. I definitely want to be able to cross the Pyrenees (safely) so perhaps I need to change my start date. :/

 

[AlwynWellington]

@PattyKoed , hi.

I started from Le Puy-en-Velay early April this year. On reflection I think I was too early. Too much mud and slush etc. But only two days for wetweather gear. But you need to go when you need to.

Guides: three come to mind.

Miam Miam Dodo. Too much detail in general. Good for accommodation.

GR 65 from FFR, in three volumes. Again a lot of detail.

Together a lot of weight. For my personal use only I scanned these (as PDF) and stored on my tablet.

The guide I used day to day was from Michelin.

And if you have an Android tablet I suggest mapping service OsmAnd+ and turn on walking routes. A God send when you think you are lost.

Take care with your training. Please include many long distance walks with all you equipment on your back etc. Build up your stamina - as many hours as you can before stopping. And as much hill as you can fit in, say 600 metres of elevation in two hours. These, of course, are not mutually exclusive.

Kia kaha ( be brave be strong)

 

[rsmith0000]

Hello, Alwyn,
I'm leaving in two weeks to start at Le Puy, so am interested in the Michelin guide you mentioned. Was it for the Chemin de Saint Jacques or for the GR 65 route? Does it list accommodations, fountains, etc.? I'm struggling with Miam Miam Dodo, since I don't speak French, and am afraid I may miss some important information as I fumble with Google Translate! Thanks.

 

[PattyKoed]

Thank you

@PattyKoed , hi.

I started from Le Puy-en-Velay early April this year. On reflection I think I was too early. Too much mud and slush etc. But only two days for wetweather gear. But you need to go when you need to.

Guides: three come to mind.

Miam Miam Dodo. Too much detail in general. Good for accommodation.

GR 65 from FFR, in three volumes. Again a lot of detail.

Together a lot of weight. For my personal use only I scanned these (as PDF) and stored on my tablet.

The guide I used day to day was from Michelin.

And if you have an Android tablet I suggest mapping service OsmAnd+ and turn on walking routes. A God send when you think you are lost.

Take care with your training. Please include many long distance walks with all you equipment on your back etc. Build up your stamina - as many hours as you can before stopping. And as much hill as you can fit in, say 600 metres of elevation in two hours. These, of course, are not mutually exclusive.

Kia kaha ( be brave be strong)

Thank you Alwyn. I will take all of this wonderful advice into consideration. While I welcome the opportunity to meet other pilgrims, I really don't want to be on my walk during the height of the tourist season. I am hoping for a more intimate experience which is why I thought starting in late March/early April would be best. I don't really mind the mud and slush as long as I can find shelter when necessary. I think my biggest concern is getting lost. I have an iPhone, but what happens when one can't get a satellite signal or if the battery dies? All that being said, I have faith that the Lord will guide my steps and that the Camino will provide. To say I am grateful for all of the advice and guidance I have received from this Forum would be an understatement. Px

 

[marbuck]

We left Le Puy in late April, we had lots of rain, sleet, cold and mud. But it is a wonderful walk/Camino. We speak no French but got by with the MMD guide book. You will be surprised by how much French you can read by the time you get to SJPDP. Take every detour you can, they are all worth the extra walk.

 

[PattyKoed]

We left Le Puy in late April, we had lots of rain, sleet, cold and mud. But it is a wonderful walk/Camino. We speak no French but got by with the MMD guide book. You will be surprised by how much French you can read by the time you get to SJPDP. Take every detour you can, they are all worth the extra walk.

Thank you Marbuck. I sincerely appreciate your post.

 

[Magnara]

Hi Everyone, I am in the beginning stages of planning my Camino and am thinking to start my walk from Le Puy in mid-March (and anticipate reaching Santiago by early June). I've searched but haven't been able to find a route map that shows Le Puy as a starting point. Any advice/suggestions are sincerely appreciated.
Many thanks!
Patty

We started at the end of April and it was a great time. Mostly we planned using the thread on this forum (thanks!). It's not complicated and everyone seems to just use the Miam Miam Dodo. The main decision is whether to take the Cele Valley alternative section (we did, because it sounded nice, and it was indeed lovely). There were not too many pilgrims walking at that time, enough to make it interesting but May has three public holiday weekends and the French are great hikers so there a quite a lot of those out over the long weekends (so you do need to book accommodation a day ahead at those times). March will be cold and probably wet but if you can wait till April to start you have the great pleasure of walking day after day through fields of picture-book wildflowers - as Australians we were childishly happy about that!

 

[PattyKoed]

We started at the end of April and it was a great time. Mostly we planned using the thread on this forum (thanks!). It's not complicated and everyone seems to just use the Miam Miam Dodo. The main decision is whether to take the Cele Valley alternative section (we did, because it sounded nice, and it was indeed lovely). There were not too many pilgrims walking at that time, enough to make it interesting but May has three public holiday weekends and the French are great hikers so there a quite a lot of those out over the long weekends (so you do need to book accommodation a day ahead at those times). March will be cold and probably wet but if you can wait till April to start you have the great pleasure of walking day after day through fields of picture-book wildflowers - as Australians we were childishly happy about that!

Thank you, Magnara, I am childishly happy about that too -- this is great advice and I thank you very much.