Accommodation in the Morvan/ Massif Central ... and keeping

[Rae]

We're heading off from London at the start of January and hope to get to Santiago sometime between August and October next year, depending on how much R&R we take. Or we might get to the Channel and turn back...

So a lot of the advice on how little to take won't be relevant - I'm expecting cold and wet. But what I'm getting most concerned about is the amount of accomodation on the GR 13 between Vezelay and Le Puy in France. Has anyone done anything on this route - can you comment on the accommodation situation?

Also, I get really bad Raynaud's syndrome (excessive tendency to cold in the extremities - not good for walking in the winter) - has anyone got any tips or advice for dealing with that?

I've spotted some people planning to walk the routes next year - I've no idea if we'll overlap, but I'm looking forward to all the fellow pilgrims we do meet.

Rae

 

[brendan nolan]

Hi Rae,
Just a little bit of info re Pilgrimage from Vezelay to Le Puy. If after this you think I can help we can go into more detail. ( Maybe best then to go on to private mail.)
In 2005 I set off from home, crossed to Amsterdam aiming for Le Puy, I thought a more direct route via roads was better, bearing in mind I wasgoing to be on the road for four months. A factor for me was to try as far as possible to go direct north/south to Le Puy and the GR routes often wander, so I didn't try to follow the GR routes.
However, I did walk from Vezelay, through the Morvan, on the way to Le Puy, and it was wonderful on minor roads, possibly better if you follow a GR route. I didn't even check out the GR13. The area is beautiful, relatively undiscovered so lodgings should not be a problem, but you need to check carefully where they are in case places are closed, and plan stages carefully. Bear in mind that many places are closed Sunday evening and maybe all day Monday in rural areas.
Hope your plans go well,
Buen Camino, Brendan

 

[Deleted member 397]

To state the obvious-if you have a medical condition that makes you susceptible to cold why are you going in Winter? I walked from Le puy last late june and some days were cold and wet-and that's in high summer!

 

[Paulus]

But what I'm getting most concerned about is the amount of accomodation on the GR 13 between Vezelay and Le Puy in France. Has anyone done anything on this route - can you comment on the accommodation situation?
Rae

Rae,

A good planning of the different etappes is necessary to get a bed at night........

1) Vezelay - Marignny L'eglise: Gite d'etappe de Bourg contact at the "mairie ".
2) Marigny - Lac de Settons: different commercoal options plus Gite d'etappe de la Faye (fam. Mourier)
3) Lac de S. - Athez: Gite d'etappe mme. Genevoix
4) Athez - Larochemillay: Auberge Morvandelle+Gite d'etappe communal.
5) Laroche - Issy L'eveque ( par le CR13) Camping, gite détappe, hotel, chambre d'hotes.
6) issy - Bourbon-Lancy : different hotels+chambre d'hotes+camping+Gite du Moulin du Roy
7) Bourbon- St. Leon : (follow the CR 3 from here): Saint Léon: camping (no showers!)+ bar/hotel Ma Campagne
8) St. leon- Arfeuilles : Gite d'etappe contact Dédé a 04 70 55 52 00 or 04 70 55 56 28)
9) Arfeuilles - Lavaoine : Auberge de la Source outside the town (closed in October!)
10) Lavoine - Chabreloche : Camping + hotel le mandarin + hotel Relais des Voyageurs
11) Chabreloche - la Chambe : Gite communal Mme. Jalier (tel 04 77 24 91 43)
12)La Chambe - Col de Béal (15 km): difficult and refuge only opened from May till Septembre
13) Col de B'eal - Col des Supereyes (15 km): Gite d'etappe "La Chalet des gentianes'M. Leclercq
14) Col de S. - La Chapelle en Lafaye: Gite communal contact la mairie or Rest./Auberge du Mairais
you can also go further to Estivareilles ( camping + Gite communal or gite de Mme. Pallandre).
15) La Chapelle - Retournac : Hotels + different chambre d'hotes
16) Retournac - Vorey : Hotels+ campings + Gite d'etappe.
17) Vorey - le Puy en velay.

Total 466 km.

Good luck!!!

Paul (who at this moment is searching a house along the Gr13 there to settle and provide shelter for the walking and biking pelgrims....)

 

[Rae]

Hey Paulus, this is really useful information, thank you so much. We're steadily drawing in information and plotting it on the maps - this is great. I hope you find your place to set up accommodation for pilgrims - I'm sure everyone reading the forum will keep a watch out for it.

To state the obvious-if you have a medical condition that makes you susceptible to cold why are you going in Winter? I walked from Le puy last late june and some days were cold and wet-and that's in high summer!

And Omar, yes, I often wonder how I got myself into this. But since we're walking from London all the way (and not a straight line either) I'm most concerned to be in the Pyrenees bit in the summer/ September. We're allowing 8-10 month for the whole thing, so it means that at some point we'll have to be walking in the bad weather. I just forgot about the lumpy bit in the middle of France that still has winter weather in May. But I try not to give in to my body!

Rae

 

[Paulus]

Hey Paulus, this is really useful information, thank you so much. We're steadily drawing in information and plotting it on the maps - this is great. I hope you find your place to set up accommodation for pilgrims - I'm sure everyone reading the forum will keep a watch out for it.
Rae

Rae,

Let me know here when you do have some "missing places'" on your map................. because of the search after a house/fermette along that route I know the region very well between Vezelay and LePuy, although the most southern point in our search is Bourbon-Lancy.
Besides I have a small booklet (in French) called "Guide de poche du randonneur et du pelerin" about the traject Vezelay-LePuy en Velay in which is some usefull information.

Paul