25th anniversary re-run of my first camino

[Takahiwai]

Hi,
I know this French route is not the most popular, but I've noticed that there are a few experts who regularly offer advice to those who are going to do the Via Turonensis, so I'm hoping they might weigh in here!

Background
I'm hoping to start this in the second half of February 2024. In my 1998 version, I got the ferry from Portsmouth to Caen, and then the train to Chartres, where I started walking. A casual acquaintance invited herself on this trip, but failed to provide herself with adequate footwear, and had to drop out at Tours. This friend sadly passed away earlier this year, so I thought I would recreate the journey as a kind of tribute to her. However, I'm 25 years older now, and don't have four months to spare either, so I thought I might try to do the French part by bicycle, and the Spanish part on foot. I thought I could walk to Tours, and then raid Decathlon for a cheap bike in order to get to the border. I don't feel I need to stick rigidly to plans after Tours, since she didn't do any of the route after that.

Quandary/questions
In that initial part of the Via Turonensis, accommodation was very hard to come by. We were both carrying tents etc., but midway through September, all/almost all the campsites closed, and other forms of accommodation were very sparse, especially since my companion was only able to walk about 10km a day towards the end. I don't think I would be well-organised enough to phone ahead and book gites d'etape, or other forms of private pilgrim-friendly accommodation, so my first question is whether anybody knows whether the accommodation situation has improved at all on the way from Chartres to Tours. When I say 'accommodation', I mean any kind, really - including hotels, etc. I've also done two bike trips down to the border, but travelling somewhat further west (St. Malo - Vitre - Angers - along the Loire to Chinon and down to Chatellerault, and so on to the main Via Turonensis. It was much easier to find somewhere to stay each night, so I'm wondering if it would be better to do that, although it would wipe the 'memorial' section of the pilgrimage off the plan (which would make me feel guilty!).

My plans at the border are a bit nebulous. I'm torn between heading for Irun and repeating the Norte until it branches off at Villaviciosa, and hopefully completing the Primitivo, which has defeated me twice, due to illnesses contracted, or turning off it at Bilbao and doing the Camino Olvidado, and then the Camino de Invierno. I will have around ten weeks to implement any of these plans. Any thoughts or suggestions would be very gratefully received!

 

[mspath]

Takahiwai,

What a splendid new journey you are planning!

As you research on the forum you will find posts from several other "old hands" like yourself who walked years ago.

For additional pilgrim accommodation throughout France in the local tourist offices do ask about the donativo Chaîne d'Hospitalité Locale .Those who offer pilgrims such hospitality do so for the pleasure meeting/greeting pilgrims as well as helping them.

During past years my husband and I ran a b&b/pilgrim house in our farmhouse facing the Marne river as part of the local Chaine. My first pilgrim shell from 2004 hung at the door marking it as a pilgrim place.

Happy planning and wherever/however you do go Carpe diem.

 

[Takahiwai]

Takahiwai,

What a splendid new journey you are planning!

As you research on the forum you will find posts from several other "old hands" like yourself who walked years ago.

For additional pilgrim accommodation throughout France in the local tourist offices do ask about the donativo Chaîne d'Hospitalité Locale .Those who offer pilgrims such hospitality do so for the pleasure meeting/greeting pilgrims as well as helping them.

During past years my husband and I ran a b&b/pilgrim house in our farmhouse facing the Marne river as part of the local Chaine. My first pilgrim shell from 2004 hung at the door marking it as a pilgrim place.

Happy planning and wherever/however you do go Carpe diem.

Thank you - I will most certainly do some research into that. I have been off the camino for coming up to twelve years now, so I am absolutely bursting with impatience to get started!

 

[stevetay3815]

I walked from Paris to St. Jean d’Angeley from Aug 3-Sept. 18. I used the Miam Miam Dodo as my basic guide. I’m an 84 yo woman traveling alone. 20 km per day was pretty much my limit. I could find accommodation without too much trouble. The federations of st. Jacques would be helpful to you. Look them up online. They “seem” to be in districts and each one has lists of available refuges—or people who will take you in.
My best advice to you is to be VERY phone capable. I found that EVERYTHING is done on your phone, now!

 

[Takahiwai]

I walked from Paris to St. Jean d’Angeley from Aug 3-Sept. 18. I used the Miam Miam Dodo as my basic guide. I’m an 84 yo woman traveling alone. 20 km per day was pretty much my limit. I could find accommodation without too much trouble. The federations of st. Jacques would be helpful to you. Look them up online. They “seem” to be in districts and each one has lists of available refuges—or people who will take you in.
My best advice to you is to be VERY phone capable. I found that EVERYTHING is done on your phone, now!

Thank you! I am fairly phone-competent, although shy in French. You are an inspiration!

 

[ThreeWishes]

I recommend consulting the website of the Association des amis de Saint Jacques d'Eure et Loir for information on the Chartres-Tours route, including accommodation.

Have a look at the section on Google Maps to get an idea of the hotel situation. AirBnb may turn up some gems in the less populated areas.

The route from Tours is popular with cyclists- I met several this spring who had started from home (in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, etc.) and were headed to Santiago- so I'd expect that you would have no issue acquiring and maintaining the necessary equipment.

 

[Takahiwai]

I recommend consulting the website of the Association des amis de Saint Jacques d'Eure et Loir for information on the Chartres-Tours route, including accommodation.

Have a look at the section on Google Maps to get an idea of the hotel situation. AirBnb may turn up some gems in the less populated areas.

The route from Tours is popular with cyclists- I met several this spring who had started from home (in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, etc.) and were headed to Santiago- so I'd expect that you would have no issue acquiring and maintaining the necessary equipment.

Thanks very much - I will check out that link.

 

[Takahiwai]

I recommend consulting the website of the Association des amis de Saint Jacques d'Eure et Loir for information on the Chartres-Tours route, including accommodation.

Have a look at the section on Google Maps to get an idea of the hotel situation. AirBnb may turn up some gems in the less populated areas.

The route from Tours is popular with cyclists- I met several this spring who had started from home (in Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, etc.) and were headed to Santiago- so I'd expect that you would have no issue acquiring and maintaining the necessary equipment.

I need to give you a second thank you for this advice. I spent today, between classes, painstakingly going through the different 'departments' and their websites. There is certainly a wealth of accommodation of different types. The only places where I found scant information were the last two departments - Landes and Pyrenees-Atlantique, but I am well familiar with both, so I'm not too bothered about that. Thanks again!

 

[ThreeWishes]

I'm glad it was useful.

Refer to this list for accommodation from Gradignan to SJPdP (Gironde/Landes/Pyrenees-Atlantique).

Happy planning and bon chemin!