Best Guide Book

[Joanne P]

Hello. I am planning to walk in 2018, and am not sure where to start planning / researching.
Can you please suggest the best guide book for walking from Le Puy to Finesterre?

Thank you

 

[Trevor Batley]

Hello. I am planning to walk in 2018, and am not sure where to start planning / researching.
Can you please suggest the best guide book for walking from Le Puy to Finesterre?

You are probably better off asking in the Le Puy discussion
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/the-le-puy-route.50/

The later part of your trip, is well covered here....

 

[Joanne P]

You are probably better off asking in the Le Puy discussion
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/the-le-puy-route.50/

The later part of your trip, is well covered here....

Thanks Trevor, I will do. I'm new to the forum and still finding my way around

 

[marbuck]

You are going to need two guide books, no one guide book does both. When we walked the Frances we used Brierley's and when we walked the Le Puy route we used Miam Miam Dodo, excellent but in French. Another thing you will need is a lot of time, it is a long way. Both are great walks I am sure you will enjoy yourself, we did.

 

[NualaOC]

Another point to consider - Brierley's guide doesn't cover the Santiago to Finisterre route. If you want a guidebook for those final few days, the Raymond Joos or Dintaman & Landis guides to the Camino Frances also cover Finisterre. Alternatively, you could use Brierley and just pick up the Finisterre route information in the tourist office in Santiago.
Happy planning and Buen Camino!

 

[sabbott]

For the Frances and to Finisterre, I had the Joos guide in English on my phone, and the Wise Pilgrim apps, which have good lodging info and allow for making reservations on booking.com if you want to do that. I had a paper copy of just Brierley's maps. Combined with google maps to help find my lodging coming into cities, this combination was all I needed, and lightweight.

 

[obinjatoo@yahoo.com]

Do yourself a favor: forget Brierly. Use the Michelin guide across Spain. It's much more open and leaves a lot to be discovered.
Happy walking!

 

[scruffy1]

Miam Miam Dodo hands down for both, No French (?), straight turn left turn right easily mastered, good list of lodging and food, both routes well marked maps helpful but not really needed. Give my regards to Serge in Cahors!!!

 

[kmrice]

For St. Jean to Finisterre, I've used, and can very highly recommend, Gerald Kelly's Walking Guide to the Camino de Santiago, available in both hard copy and as an eBook (I've only used the eBook). A new edition was published last fall. He also has an app, which seems to have all or much of the same information. I have it and plan to use it on my Camino this year, but I have only actually used the eBook. The app does look very good.

I've used an liked Brierley's book and maps.

For Le Puy to St. Jean, I have been using the Miam Miam Do Do app (search for iMiam in the iPhone app store) for planning purposes. Have not yet actually used it in the field. It seems to be good, although there are places with accommodations it does not list.

 

[DowtyCamino]

Wife and I used Brierly for our Frances in 2014. A couple of excellent things about the book were its size, combination map and profile map. I found it to have just about the right amount of info for our first time. However it wasn't a book to read on the couch. I found it much more helpful to get a feeling for what was ahead the next day or two.

What I really was missing though was more indepth stories and history to enhance our trip. Others on this forum recommended "The Pilgrimage Road To Santiago - The Complete Cultural Handbook" by David Gitlitz and Linda Davidson. We are finding the book "enjoyable". "Enjoyable" <in quotes> because it does indeed provide huge amounts of information about the history, legend, and particularly architecture found along the Camino Frances. There are smatterings of geology, art, flora and fauna as well as some background on saints lives. When I say huge amounts of data, I mean HUGE. It's very detailed - particularly in the field of art and architecture. That said, we still have months to go before our next Camino and we're reading a bit each day at lunch and that makes it more enjoyable.

Since you aren't going until 2018, may I recommend this book for now. You can get a "guide book" later or just use online resources on this forum for planning. Better yet - as you'll hear often repeated - don't plan too much....let it happen. Yea, I know...I wouldn't have (and didn't) listen to that advice on our first Camino either.

 

[Joanne P]

You are going to need two guide books, no one guide book does both. When we walked the Frances we used Brierley's and when we walked the Le Puy route we used Miam Miam Dodo, excellent but in French. Another thing you will need is a lot of time, it is a long way. Both are great walks I am sure you will enjoy yourself, we did.

Thanks. Ah yes, it is a long way! I can see now that I misunderstood some info I was given LOL .... I may have to change my plans and do two separate walks.

 

[Joanne P]

Another point to consider - Brierley's guide doesn't cover the Santiago to Finisterre route. If you want a guidebook for those final few days, the Raymond Joos or Dintaman & Landis guides to the Camino Frances also cover Finisterre. Alternatively, you could use Brierley and just pick up the Finisterre route information in the tourist office in Santiago.
Happy planning and Buen Camino!

Thank you!

 

[Joanne P]

For the Frances and to Finisterre, I had the Joos guide in English on my phone, and the Wise Pilgrim apps, which have good lodging info and allow for making reservations on booking.com if you want to do that. I had a paper copy of just Brierley's maps. Combined with google maps to help find my lodging coming into cities, this combination was all I needed, and lightweight.

Thanks

 

[Joanne P]

Do yourself a favor: forget Brierly. Use the Michelin guide across Spain. It's much more open and leaves a lot to be discovered.
Happy walking!

Thanks for your input too

 

[Joanne P]

Miam Miam Dodo hands down for both, No French (?), straight turn left turn right easily mastered, good list of lodging and food, both routes well marked maps helpful but not really needed. Give my regards to Serge in Cahors!!!

will do

 

[Joanne P]

Wife and I used Brierly for our Frances in 2014. A couple of excellent things about the book were its size, combination map and profile map. I found it to have just about the right amount of info for our first time. However it wasn't a book to read on the couch. I found it much more helpful to get a feeling for what was ahead the next day or two.

What I really was missing though was more indepth stories and history to enhance our trip. Others on this forum recommended "The Pilgrimage Road To Santiago - The Complete Cultural Handbook" by David Gitlitz and Linda Davidson. We are finding the book "enjoyable". "Enjoyable" <in quotes> because it does indeed provide huge amounts of information about the history, legend, and particularly architecture found along the Camino Frances. There are smatterings of geology, art, flora and fauna as well as some background on saints lives. When I say huge amounts of data, I mean HUGE. It's very detailed - particularly in the field of art and architecture. That said, we still have months to go before our next Camino and we're reading a bit each day at lunch and that makes it more enjoyable.

Since you aren't going until 2018, may I recommend this book for now. You can get a "guide book" later or just use online resources on this forum for planning. Better yet - as you'll hear often repeated - don't plan too much....let it happen. Yea, I know...I wouldn't have (and didn't) listen to that advice on our first Camino either.

Thank you

 

[Joanne P]

For St. Jean to Finisterre, I've used, and can very highly recommend, Gerald Kelly's Walking Guide to the Camino de Santiago, available in both hard copy and as an eBook (I've only used the eBook). A new edition was published last fall. He also has an app, which seems to have all or much of the same information. I have it and plan to use it on my Camino this year, but I have only actually used the eBook. The app does look very good.

I've used an liked Brierley's book and maps.

For Le Puy to St. Jean, I have been using the Miam Miam Do Do app (search for iMiam in the iPhone app store) for planning purposes. Have not yet actually used it in the field. It seems to be good, although there are places with accommodations it does not list.

Thank you

 

[Joanne P]

Wife and I used Brierly for our Frances in 2014. A couple of excellent things about the book were its size, combination map and profile map. I found it to have just about the right amount of info for our first time. However it wasn't a book to read on the couch. I found it much more helpful to get a feeling for what was ahead the next day or two.

What I really was missing though was more indepth stories and history to enhance our trip. Others on this forum recommended "The Pilgrimage Road To Santiago - The Complete Cultural Handbook" by David Gitlitz and Linda Davidson. We are finding the book "enjoyable". "Enjoyable" <in quotes> because it does indeed provide huge amounts of information about the history, legend, and particularly architecture found along the Camino Frances. There are smatterings of geology, art, flora and fauna as well as some background on saints lives. When I say huge amounts of data, I mean HUGE. It's very detailed - particularly in the field of art and architecture. That said, we still have months to go before our next Camino and we're reading a bit each day at lunch and that makes it more enjoyable.

Since you aren't going until 2018, may I recommend this book for now. You can get a "guide book" later or just use online resources on this forum for planning. Better yet - as you'll hear often repeated - don't plan too much....let it happen. Yea, I know...I wouldn't have (and didn't) listen to that advice on our first Camino either.

I will definitely look that book up. As the trip is so far away I need something like that to research the history for now. I actually love the idea of letting things unfold on the walk. I wont be planning too much in advance in regards to accommodation etc. I will use the forum to jot down recommendations for accommodation and things to see along the way, but I will be going with an open mind to letting my body dictate how far I walk each day, and wherever I end up is where I'm meant to be on that day.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Use the Michelin guide across Spain.

It is rarely updated. The last revision was in 2010, so the accommodation information is obsolete. It is light, and the terrain does not change, but the exact routing of the Camino does change a bit, so it is just a map booklet. If you want just maps, the Brierley map book is regularly revised. All-in-all the Brierley books is most current and best (except for internet websites). Buen camino.

 

[Gillean]

I'm a bit of a map person so I like a guidebook with maps that actually reflect the terrain. The Brierly guides don't excel at that in my opinion. I will say no more on that subject. Many people really like them as you can see from the comments above.
For the Camino Frances my first choice is my old copy of Ben Cole and Bethan Davies "Camino de Santiago Map, 2nd Edition" spiral bound so it lays flat, all the essential information, great maps and some excellent advice for side trips to points of interest. Unfortunately it is out of print (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0973169850/?tag=casaivar02-20) Bethan and Ben, please, please, please consider bringing it back! On the bright side Ben and Bethan have provided their guidebook (not the map book) as a free download here: http://www.pilipalapress.com/
My other choice for the Camino Frances would be the bici:map book: http://www.guiasenbici.com/guia_de_santiago_2014.php which is in Spanish but pretty easy to decipher if you have even beginner Spanish under your belt. It's available in most good bookstores in Spain as well as on line from their website. Full disclosure: I used their guide to the Via de la Plata but haven't used the Camino Frances one yet. I really like the maps in their guides. They are simple and accurate. They are drawn to a good, useful scale (1:75,000) and they cover the walking routes as well as the cycling routes. And they also extend out to Muxia and Finisterra. Their recommendations for accommodations and food were consistently good (on the Via de la Plata). There is a pdf sample extract here: http://www.guiasenbici.com/descargas/extracto_cst_2014.pdf
As a second choice I would consider the Rother guidebook in its English translation. Again, good maps. https://www.rother.de/rother-english titles-camino de santiago-4835.htm
Miam Miam Dodo is the default for the LePuy route although, if memory serves me correctly it doesn't cover some of the variants such as the detour to Roncamador. You can usually get that sort of info from the tourist information centres in the larger towns though. The large scale maps in MMDD provide pretty good mapping information if you are looking for large scale detail.
The LePuy route to Santiago is great. A nice contrast between France and Spain and lots of great people and wonderful scenery along the way. I'll give you one recommendation for a gite in France, "Ultreia" in Moissac http://www.ultreiamoissac.com/indexeng.html and one for a casa rural in Spain, "Molino Golochas" on the outskirts of Villavante (a long day west from Leon) http://www.molinogalochas.com/ Ask Mercedes if she'll let you sit in Martin Sheen's chair! Hope you have a great camino!

 

[Kanga]

Yes, Miam Miam Dodo does have the Rocamador variant, and the Vallée du Célé.

 

[pierre_bzh]

I'd like to give a different perspective on this question.

I'd recommend no guide book at all for Spain. Just walk until you get tired and stop there. Take the list of albergues in St Jean (assuming you continue on the camino francès) and look how far the next albergue is and you will know by then if you can make it. Ultreïa. (Not this probably works better when not in high season when the hordes of pilgrims are around). Then just follow the yellow arrows. they are everywhere and your chances of missing one are remote. (Suddenly there won't be anybody anymore on the way...)

In France it is unfortunate but you probably have to book your accommodation every night (or take a tent). Or bet that somebody will not make it that day at the albergue so you will take his/her place. So if you need to book the MMDD is probably your best bet. You don't really the map and all that either. Your motto in France should be 'if I don't see any markings, go straight'... But this is only valid after a few days. the first few days are extremelly well marked.

The good thing is that you just follow the markings and do not get confused because all guides are 1 to 10% out of date.

Again, the way is very well marked and travelled. You are anxious because it is unknown, but Le Puy to Santiago is a pilgrim highway and there are plenty of businesses and albergues/gîtes to go to. If you get lost it will never be for long.

Pierre. Lost once without guide for about 300m... between Le Puy and Santiago.

 

[Joanne P]

I'm a bit of a map person so I like a guidebook with maps that actually reflect the terrain. The Brierly guides don't excel at that in my opinion. I will say no more on that subject. Many people really like them as you can see from the comments above.
For the Camino Frances my first choice is my old copy of Ben Cole and Bethan Davies "Camino de Santiago Map, 2nd Edition" spiral bound so it lays flat, all the essential information, great maps and some excellent advice for side trips to points of interest. Unfortunately it is out of print (https://www.amazon.com/dp/0973169850/?tag=casaivar02-20) Bethan and Ben, please, please, please consider bringing it back! On the bright side Ben and Bethan have provided their guidebook (not the map book) as a free download here: http://www.pilipalapress.com/
My other choice for the Camino Frances would be the bici:map book: http://www.guiasenbici.com/guia_de_santiago_2014.php which is in Spanish but pretty easy to decipher if you have even beginner Spanish under your belt. It's available in most good bookstores in Spain as well as on line from their website. Full disclosure: I used their guide to the Via de la Plata but haven't used the Camino Frances one yet. I really like the maps in their guides. They are simple and accurate. They are drawn to a good, useful scale (1:75,000) and they cover the walking routes as well as the cycling routes. And they also extend out to Muxia and Finisterra. Their recommendations for accommodations and food were consistently good (on the Via de la Plata). There is a pdf sample extract here: http://www.guiasenbici.com/descargas/extracto_cst_2014.pdf
As a second choice I would consider the Rother guidebook in its English translation. Again, good maps. https://www.rother.de/rother-english titles-camino de santiago-4835.htm
Miam Miam Dodo is the default for the LePuy route although, if memory serves me correctly it doesn't cover some of the variants such as the detour to Roncamador. You can usually get that sort of info from the tourist information centres in the larger towns though. The large scale maps in MMDD provide pretty good mapping information if you are looking for large scale detail.
The LePuy route to Santiago is great. A nice contrast between France and Spain and lots of great people and wonderful scenery along the way. I'll give you one recommendation for a gite in France, "Ultreia" in Moissac http://www.ultreiamoissac.com/indexeng.html and one for a casa rural in Spain, "Molino Golochas" on the outskirts of Villavante (a long day west from Leon) http://www.molinogalochas.com/ Ask Mercedes if she'll let you sit in Martin Sheen's chair! Hope you have a great camino!

That's very helpful - thank you!