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Via Aurelia – Arles to Menton

jsalt

Jill
Time of past OR future Camino
Portugués, Francés, LePuy, Rota Vicentina, Norte, Madrid, C2C, Salvador, Primitivo, Aragonés, Inglés
Hi, has anyone walked any parts of this recently who knows of any budget accommodations, or well-placed campsites? I have caminka’s list from 2012 (Thanks Caminka!), but wondered if anyone has any recent info, tips or anecdotes about accommodation along this route (the GR653A). I will be walking west to east (Santiago to Rome), and I have printed out the detailed IGN maps, but would now like to make relevant notes on the maps. Thanks!
Jill
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Found a French guide (PDF alert) online, with hébergements for every stage. Hope it is of some use to you. Bon chemin!

EDIT: and a rather colourful PDF list with all accommodations for the GR653A dated June 2018
 
Last edited:
Found a French guide (PDF alert) online, with hébergements for every stage. Hope it is of some use to you. Bon chemin!

Many thanks Purky! That’s the guide from Menton to Arles, i.e. towards Santiago. I have found the equivalent one from Arles to Menton, i.e. towards Rome.
Jill
 
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€46,-
Jill, how many weeks/months do you plan for this very long walk? How many total kilometers do you anticipate it being, and how heavy will your pack be if you include a tent for ocassional camping?...I'm just curious, but not considering an adventure such as this for myself! :)
 
Jill, how many weeks/months do you plan for this very long walk?

Hi Chris, about 2,800kms and just over 4 months. My pack will be about 8kg including the tent, no cooking equipment.
Jill
 
Hi Chris, about 2,800kms and just over 4 months. My pack will be about 8kg including the tent, no cooking equipment.
Jill
Wow, that will be an amazing accomplishment at any age... and I'm pretty sure you are not in your 30's! ;) I cannot even imagine such an undertaking. Thanks for answering all my questions! Oh, and one last question. Which 4 month stretch will you be walking?
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
When are you doing this? I'm doing a flip flop of most of your route in August 2018. Starting in Menton to Puenta la Reina. Return to Menton [not walking] and walk the the opposite direction to Rome. I've already gone to Santiago several times over previous Caminos, including the Francis.
 
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Hi @Camino Chris and @O Peracha
I am thinking of starting in Santiago end of Feb (2019), get to Aragonés end of Mar (probably snow over the Somport Pass, but will Plan B that bit), pick up tent in France (already bought and posted to @LesBrass - thanks Colleen!), Toulouse about Easter, so Arles to Menton will be through May, Via della Costa beginning of June, then Via Francigena arriving Roma beginning of July. I have absolutely no idea if I can physically, mentally or spiritually do this, but I am going to try.
Jill
 
Interesting. I'm flip-flopping specifically for the weather. Get across Somport before the snow/wind and avoid the heat in Italy. I can handle pretty much anything, rain, snow, wind, snoring, no beds, no food but heat (once it gets above 32C/90F) will knock me out. Couldn't agree with you more. Don't know if you can do it or not until you do it. Bonne route.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Hi Chris, about 2,800kms and just over 4 months. My pack will be about 8kg including the tent, no cooking equipment.
Jill
Jill,

I will be walking in reverse from Santiago to Rome next summer. I'd be interested to hear from you where you managed to find guide books for stages for the Arles Way, Arles to Menton and then Menton to Sarzana. Also, how'd you manage only 8 kg with tent and sleeping bag. i am at roughly 12 kg and only have one change of clothes. Although I am carrying a small computer and some ancillary tech gear which I think is about 2 kg total.

Thank you!

Liam
 
I will be walking in reverse from Santiago to Rome next summer. I'd be interested to hear from you where you managed to find guide books for stages for the Arles Way, Arles to Menton
As to this, there's only one I'm aware of, in French, from the regional pilgrim's association ; unsure if it's still in print though, and last I heard that version was out of date.

The online guide is here : http://www.compostelle-paca-corse.info/guides-chemins-paca-gr-653a-gr-653d-leurs-variantes -- though you can get paper printout of it in either French or Italian.

And I'm not sure that's "reverse", sounds like a straightforward Via Romea to me !!

The guide info anyways comes in two versions ; towards Santiago or towards Rome. The Camino down here goes both ways, and has waywarkers towards both Rome and Compostela.

There is an Italian commercial guidebook for the Ligurian section.

https://www.terre.it/prodotto/la-via-della-costa/?ref=2711 -- but it is out of print. Second hand copy maybe from online somewhere ?

Otherwise here -- https://viadellacosta.it/?lang=en ; though I find the organisation of the website to be frustrating.

The waymarking is a bit patchy for the whole route between Arles and Sarzana here : https://en.mapy.cz/turisticka?x=7.5535005&y=43.7848372&z=14&l=0 (hmmm, actually a lot better than last time I looked !! :cool: )

But you can download a mapy.cz app to your phone/tablet/computer, and download the offline maps for free.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Jill,

I will be walking in reverse from Santiago to Rome next summer. I'd be interested to hear from you where you managed to find guide books for stages for the Arles Way, Arles to Menton and then Menton to Sarzana. Also, how'd you manage only 8 kg with tent and sleeping bag. i am at roughly 12 kg and only have one change of clothes. Although I am carrying a small computer and some ancillary tech gear which I think is about 2 kg total.

Thank you!

Liam

Hi Liam, I stopped at Castres, so I still have Arles to Menton on my To Do List.

I started from Santiago on 11 Feb 2019, walked the CF in reverse to Puente La Reina, then turned off onto the Aragones, walked over the Somport Pass, and got to Castres on 18 Apr.

It was Good Friday next day and when I tried to book somewhere to stay everywhere was full. I couldn’t stay where I was, as they were fully booked for Easter. I’d decided I’d had enough anyway, after two months, so I changed my return flight and flew home.

I was carrying a tiny tent and sleeping bag, but sadly I can’t camp anymore as I now have back issues, so have since sold the tent.

I still have the downloads from Les Amis des Chemins de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle et de Rome: Guide Numérique du Chemin Menton-Arles, Via Aurelia, which I printed out, and still hope to use one day, although not in the immediate future.

When I do go I will have to look at it all again for updates. Sorry that doesn’t help you much!
 
Hi Liam, I stopped at Castres, so I still have Arles to Menton on my To Do List.

I started from Santiago on 11 Feb 2019, walked the CF in reverse to Puente La Reina, then turned off onto the Aragones, walked over the Somport Pass, and got to Castres on 18 Apr.

It was Good Friday next day and when I tried to book somewhere to stay everywhere was full. I couldn’t stay where I was, as they were fully booked for Easter. I’d decided I’d had enough anyway, after two months, so I changed my return flight and flew home.

I was carrying a tiny tent and sleeping bag, but sadly I can’t camp anymore as I now have back issues, so have since sold the tent.

I still have the downloads from Les Amis des Chemins de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle et de Rome: Guide Numérique du Chemin Menton-Arles, Via Aurelia, which I printed out, and still hope to use one day, although not in the immediate future.

When I do go I will have to look at it all again for updates. Sorry that doesn’t help you much!
Oh darn. When I first walked the CF I entered Sahagun on Palm Sunday and Leon on Good Friday. I did manage to find a place to stay in both towns. it was quite something.

I wish it was easier to find guides to the lesser known or popular routes.
 
Hi Liam, I stopped at Castres, so I still have Arles to Menton on my To Do List.

I started from Santiago on 11 Feb 2019, walked the CF in reverse to Puente La Reina, then turned off onto the Aragones, walked over the Somport Pass, and got to Castres on 18 Apr.

It was Good Friday next day and when I tried to book somewhere to stay everywhere was full. I couldn’t stay where I was, as they were fully booked for Easter. I’d decided I’d had enough anyway, after two months, so I changed my return flight and flew home.

I was carrying a tiny tent and sleeping bag, but sadly I can’t camp anymore as I now have back issues, so have since sold the tent.

I still have the downloads from Les Amis des Chemins de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle et de Rome: Guide Numérique du Chemin Menton-Arles, Via Aurelia, which I printed out, and still hope to use one day, although not in the immediate future.

When I do go I will have to look at it all again for updates. Sorry that doesn’t help you much!
Hi Jill,
I remember your sights were set on your amazing two month walk in reverse. You are definitely a female trailblazer! Did you need to use your tent often? Sorry to hear about the back issues you are now dealing with...nothing wrong with needing to get a good night's rest indooors.
I wish you well going forward!
 
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Hi Jill,
I remember your sights were set on your amazing two month walk in reverse. You are definitely a female trailblazer! Did you need to use your tent often? Sorry to hear about the back issues you are now dealing with...nothing wrong with needing to get a good night's rest indooors.
I wish you well going forward!
No, sadly I never got to use the tent, and I was so looking forward to doing so, as it already had had an adventure of its own.

@Bradypus posted this one on the forum https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/santiago-to-rome.51831/#post-630784 (post number 17), and I bought the same one, which I had posted to @LesBrass who then kindly forwarded it to me in Pau, after keeping it at her place for many months, so I was only carrying it from Pau onwards.

I never intended to wild camp, only to use campsites whenever I could. Meanwhile the arthritis in my spine was beginning to make itself felt, so it was never to be. Hopefully it has gone on to a good home 😃.
 

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