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  1. good_old_shoes

    The best time to walk the Camino Frances May or September?

    Well, any time is a good time for a Camino. But personally, I'd avoid may and september if possible, because it is the busiest time of the year for a walk from St. Jean. I prefer not to make reservations, and I don't like the drama about accommodation that is sometimes in the air during very...
  2. good_old_shoes

    Sleeping Pad? Day pack?

    I bring both. I use a shortened foldable z-lite sleeping pad, but unless you plan to sleep outside at some point, a very cheap and thin aluminium coated one is probably enough. They weigh next to nothing and fold up very small. Most others will tell you you don't need it, which is probably...
  3. good_old_shoes

    Camino Le Puy

    I've walked from Le Puy twice, both times continued on the Francés to Finisterre. I think it took ~ 2 months (or maybe a bit more) for me. I take rest days whenever I feel like it / I need them, but I prefer walking short days for rest, instead of "zero days". In '17 I think I had two rest...
  4. good_old_shoes

    Bed bugs in Navarrete

    Sorry you got bitten, and even more sorry that the hospitaleros didn't take it seriously. Sadly I've experienced similar behaviour by some hosts, too... "That's not bed bugs" (yes, they were) "But it's dead" (no, it still walked...) "But you brought it in" (No, I didn't, I'm allergic, take...
  5. good_old_shoes

    Question..Donativo/Muni albergues OR Private lodgings?

    I'd say, if a donativo seems to be almost full and you know there are still many pilgrims on the way, you can still just leave a donation and walk on to a private albergue, hotel, ect. You can also always ask the hospitaleros if they are very busy / expect to be full that day. If yes, you can...
  6. good_old_shoes

    Accommodation on the Via Podiensis

    In june / july, I'd say booking a day ahead will be enough. Or maybe a few days if you want to. I last walked the via podiensis in summer 2022 and the gites I stayed at were sometimes almost empty. One day I arrived after 8pm, there were only two other pilgrims in the gite. I called same day...
  7. good_old_shoes

    Municipal albergues' WiFi-Camino not working for most pilgrims

    Can't remember ever having a problem with the WiFi in the municipals. And I stayed at many, many of them several times. It's am amazing service that they offer it at all, at the low prices they have. If there's no wifi or it doesn't work and I really need it, I use my mobile data. If that...
  8. good_old_shoes

    German Jakobswege, Via Scandinavica, experiences, and how to continue!?

    I've done the route via Metz and Dijon. Has a good network of acceuil jacquaires apparently, but those are not always available. Since I didn't like making phone calls days before, I preferred the campsites (with some detours and long days, that worked most of the time). The yellow Outdoor...
  9. good_old_shoes

    German Jakobswege, Via Scandinavica, experiences, and how to continue!?

    I took a different way through Germany, but of the route you plan to walk, I've done the french section from Beaune - Cluny - Le Puy - St. Jean. Until Cluny I think I only met a handful pilgrims in about a month. After Cluny I met a few pilgrims each day, and from Le Puy onwards there are...
  10. good_old_shoes

    Backpack transfer to a place I’m not staying

    Refugio Gaucelmo in Rabanal as far as I know does not accept pilgrims that do not carry their own pack. The first time I stayed there, I remember them sending someone away who had had their pack sent to another albergue in town. If you want to stay at an albergue like that, stick to their...
  11. good_old_shoes

    SJPDP pilgrim office - why?

    Sadly the last times I stopped at the pilgrim's office I also got reactions like that when I mentioned I wanted to walk via Valcarlos. They said it would be all on the busy road (which isn't true, the N135 can be completely avoided until Valcarlos and at least partly after that) and "very...
  12. good_old_shoes

    Busy? I’m alone at Luquin.

    This is why I love walking the Francés in june / july. Better weather than in spring, and not that busy (well, until Triacastela...). I've never taken the Variant via Luquin. I think I'll try to next time I walk. It sounds good. Thanks for sharing!
  13. good_old_shoes

    SJPDP pilgrim office - why?

    You can get a printed list with all the albergues in the pilgrim office. That list also includes distances between the towns / albergues, availability of kitchens ect. in the albergues, how many beds, prices. ect. Very useful! Also, a printed info sheet which shows the elevation profile of the...
  14. good_old_shoes

    Unexpected: booked out gîtes on Le Puy

    One more thing to add: If you love the idea of walking without booking everything in advance, and are not averse to the idea of sleeping outside from time to time: There are countless official campsites on the way from Le Puy (almost every town / village has one) and many gites officially...
  15. good_old_shoes

    Unexpected: booked out gîtes on Le Puy

    Last time I walked from Le Puy in summer (june/ july '22), there were so few pilgrims that some gites even closed down for vacation for a few days because they had no reservations. I sometimes arrived very late (6, 7, 8 pm) without booking and there were only one or two other pilgrims in the...
  16. good_old_shoes

    Finally - real food in Santiago!!!

    I truly appreciate the information that the university of Santiago offers good food for a good price to anyone including pilgrims. As I said in my first reply (which was deleted by the moderators...), thanks for that. I'll probably check that cafeteria out the next time I'm in Santiago! It's...
  17. good_old_shoes

    Alternative to Pamplona for overnight

    Many of the most amazing albergues do not take reservations - like Zabaldika, Granon, Bercianos... give albergues like that a chance if you can. In june, usually it is not that busy that reservations are needed every night.
  18. good_old_shoes

    Alternative to Pamplona for overnight

    Yes, they play music in the morning as a wake up call. But they also ask everyone not to get up before that, please, so that people can sleep and there's no bag rustling at 4:40, not half a dozen alarms ringing at different times, ect.. I like that concept. I stayed there three times now, and...
  19. good_old_shoes

    Alternative to Pamplona for overnight

    If you want a more quiet, smaller albergue in Pamplona, try Casa Paderborn (when entering town, go left at the bridge). It's a german-run albergue with few beds, located next to a park area, but still close to the city center, and from my experience is a much more quiet place than for example...
  20. good_old_shoes

    Compostela: Electric Bikes Excluded?

    I've had a collision with a bike on the Camino. I was lucky that it was a young, fit cyclist on a lightweight mountain bike, who chose to half crash into a fence instead of completely running over me. Result was a few scratches for the cyclist and a big scare and slightly bruised knee for me...

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