Toulouse to Lourdes

[domigee]

Only doing a short section of the Via Tolosana with a detour to Lourdes. But very excited as I’ve just booked the flight for.... 4 April!!! Not long to go!
I’m so excited I had to share!
It is roughly the distance between o’Cebreiro and Santiago so it fits in with the little time I had around the Easter holiday. It will also tell me if I am fit to walk some more as I’ve had a few worries health-wise recently
If it all goes well I may start from Arles in the Summer.... We’ll see.
I’ll keep you posted.

 

[SabsP]

All the best @domigee !!

 

[Sixwheeler]

Ultreïa

 

[NualaOC]

How exciting! Wishing you a Buen Camino.

 

[domigee]

Thank you all.
There was another thread about being anxious before starting another Camino... Well, i succumbed to nerves today and bought a puffa sleeveless vest ‘just in case’ I have never walked in April!
Stupid, I know, as I have walked in minus temperatures, in the snow, in November and December
Ah well, another 200 g to carry! (I bought a cheapo one in Spain, the 80g ones are way beyond my budget - I don’t intend to walk again in April ).
Famous last words

 

[Felipe]

The good people of ACIR Compostelle (Clémence Isaure street 4, Metro Esquirol, Toulouse) have valuable info about this way, especially albergues. You can ask it to be sent (free) to your email. Just follow the "Demandez note documentacion" yellow button.
Bon chemin!

 

[domigee]

The good people of ACIR Compostelle (Clémence Isaure street 4, Metro Esquirol, Toulouse) have valuable info about this way, especially albergues. You can ask it to be sent (free) to your email. Just follow the "Demandez note documentacion" yellow button.
Bon chemin!

Merci @Felipe !

 

[VNwalking]

I'm coming very late to this party, but not too late to wish you a tres bon chemin, @domigee!
And......you may live to eat your words. Walking in April is wonderful!

 

[marie Louise]

Only doing a short section of the Via Tolosana with a detour to Lourdes. But very excited as I’ve just booked the flight for.... 4 April!!! Not long to go!
I’m so excited I had to share!
It is roughly the distance between o’Cebreiro and Santiago so it fits in with the little time I had around the Easter holiday. It will also tell me if I am fit to walk some more as I’ve had a few worries health-wise recently
If it all goes well I may start from Arles in the Summer.... We’ll see.
I’ll keep you posted.

Try and spend a night at the restored monastery of Tarastaix on your way to Lourdes (a day's walk before you get to Lourdes). Ideally, spend the Sunday there.

 

[nycwalking]

Enjoy!

 

[domigee]

Try and spend a night at the restored monastery of Tarastaix on your way to Lourdes (a day's walk before you get to Lourdes). Ideally, spend the Sunday there.

Noted, thank you.

 

[domigee]

And......you may live to eat your words. Walking in April is wonderful!

Mmmm...I take your word for it.
The weather forecast is horrid : rain and/or snow For the whole two weeks
Not good for a fair-weather pilgrim like moi

 

[domigee]

Well, my mini-Camino is over.

Roughly 150 km in 10 days, not too demanding but it got me back into walking.

I flew to Toulouse on a Thursday night, to start walking on a Friday and avoid the ‘gilets jaunes’ demonstrations on Saturday.

Weather: better than expected, I only had rain one day but it did rain every night, which meant very muddy paths... I sometimes switched to (quiet) roads as the heavy clay made walking very difficult.

Well sign-posted, I didn’t get lost, even in the forests but then I had 3 guide books! I’d describe it as ‘undulating’, ie lots of hills!

Accommodation: Apart from a hotel in Toulouse and in Lourdes, I stayed in pilgrim gîtes. Excellent, I thought. From donativo to 10, 15 or 20 euros. 30 when a meal was available. (I can give details of places if interested).

Extremely clean and much effort made to - successfully - avoid bed bugs. Very impressive.

Food: you have to carry supplies for lunch and sometimes breakfast.

Other pilgrims: I met 2 who were on their way to Puente la Reina, once in the gîtes. Walking was alone. But I did cross the path of one lady walking from Pau to Arles and two Spanish ladies who had started from home (San Sebastian) and were heading to Rome!

All in all a lovely walk - a bit too short for my taste but it was a start! I thoroughly recommend it (If you don’t mind your own company and don’t expect cafés every 5 km).

Planning to start again from Maubourguet and finish in Puente la Reina next time.

 

[VNwalking]

Wonderful photos, @domigee. Merci for sharing them!
It's definitely a good idea - to start in Lourdes and continue on the Frances at Puente la Reina.
The more crowded the Frances becomes from SJPP, the more appealing this thought becomes. And it's a double pilgrimage. Triple, if you were to go from Leon to Oviedo and arrive in SdC via the Primativo.

 

[Vacajoe]

I’ll be in Lourdes two weeks from now, but coming west to east. Curious as to why you did not stay at the pilgrim’s albergue there? We are debating there versus a hotel as it’s our final stop.

 

[Former member 35551]

Accommodation: Apart from a hotel in Toulouse and in Lourdes, I stayed in pilgrim gîtes. Excellent, I thought. From donativo to 10, 15 or 20 euros. 30 when a meal was available. (I can give details of places if interested).

Planning to start again from Maubourguet and finish in Puente la Reina next time.

I'd be interested in hearing about the gites - any that were extraordinarily great? I'm guessing from your last comment that you cut down right after Maubourguet to get to Lourdes rather than going to Oloron and then connecting to Pinemont to get to Lourdes? If so, did you stay at the monastery in Tarasteix?

 

[domigee]

I’ll be in Lourdes two weeks from now, but coming west to east. Curious as to why you did not stay at the pilgrim’s albergue there? We are debating there versus a hotel as it’s our final stop.

I was considering staying at ‘La Ruche’ but I also wanted to go to Mass the following morning (Palm Sunday) and be able to leave my rucksack at the hotel and not be rushed... They probably would have let me leave it at the albergue, I don’t know.

 

[domigee]

I'd be interested in hearing about the gites - any that were extraordinarily great? I'm guessing from your last comment that you cut down right after Maubourguet to get to Lourdes rather than going to Oloron and then connecting to Pinemont to get to Lourdes? If so, did you stay at the monastery in Tarasteix?

1 Léguevin - Maison Saint-Jacques
The whole house (belonging to the town) has been renovated by volunteers for pilgrims’ use. I had it to myself: one bedroom with 4 beds, kitchen, bathroom upstairs, small garden. Donativo.

2 L’Isle-Jourdain.
The tourist office gave me a key to a small bungalow giving onto the lake. Again, I was on my own but it can sleep 3 (bunkbed plus sofa in kitchen/livingroom). €12

3 Le Grangé (near Giscaro)
Family home that takes in pilgrims. Beautiful place and lovely hosts. I originally chose it because it said in the guide they provide evening meals but sadly they don’t any more. Provides bedding - rucksack and belongings have to stay downstairs. €20

4 Gîte Pied-à-terre en Gascogne (l’isle d’Arné)
Again, family home completely renovated with separate pilgrim house. Stunning, but cold (no heating but a fire can be lit in the living-room). No meal either but well equipped kitchen. Great hostess! €20

5 Auch - Accueil pélerins in Presbytère.
I had the whole second floor to myself - several bedrooms, bathroom, kichen and view from balcony onto the Cathedral. No booking, volunteers are there every day from 3 to 5pm to let you in. Donativo.

6 Barran - gîte pélerin.
Basic but clean. Cooking facilities. The Maire let me in as Mme Coco was away. I think it was €10.

7 Montesquiou (lieu-dit Arnaud)
Private house, very nice. Bedding provided. Meal provided. Lovely hostess! €30.

8 Marciac - Le Grenier
Another lovely house, bedding provided. Again, bags stay downstairs. Lovely kitchen, nice garden. Not heated (it’s the attic and I was warned). Two big bedrooms. €20

I’ll try and find some pics.

One warning: bed bugs in l’Isle-de-Noé. (At the time). This is not gossip, I was told by the President of the Association of gîtes to avoid it. They are trying to sort it out, if not I guess they’ll take that address off their list ☹

Order of the pics: 2, 1, 5, 3, 4, 7

 

[Former member 35551]

Thanks. I think there is only one gite in Isle de Noe. So, it must be Chez Edna. That's a shame.
BTW, beautiful pictures.