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

 

[Kanga]

Welcome to the forum @Joanne P - saw your other post but this is a better place to reply. For planning purposes you are probably best to start reading through the various threads on this forum in the Le Puy section. Then, as you become more familiar with the forum you could venture into the Camino Francés section - which is huge - and covers the route from St Jean Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela. The search function is also very useful once you master it, and tags can also be helpful.

Most people who walk from Le Puy rely on the Miam Miam Dodo book for information about accommodation and services - it is in French but very easy to understand. It is updated annually and lists all accommodation within 5km of the path, together with services (supermarkets, banks, shops, taxis etc). It also has schematic maps with distances which were enough for me, but some people found too simplistic. Available through Amazon France here. There is also an app but I can't download it in my geographic region very easily.

More detailed map guides come in various other guide books - the Topo guide, the Michelin guide are two.

As you are not going until 2018 I would wait before buying any guidebook because they are constantly updated, and you want the latest one. Although the route remains the same accommodation changes all the time, and it is also useful to have up to date information on services.

This is just the start of a beautiful journey! Buen Camino.

 

[OttawaWalker]

I used MMDD last year walking from Le Puy to Moissac along with the Michelin maps 161. I found both to be invaluable and easy to follow. This year I am going to use a new English guidebook by Lightfoot (also available on Amazon) to walk from Moissac to St. Jean. It contains the same accommodation info as MMDD plus a little description of places the Chemin goes through as well as written route directions.

 

[jsalt]

Hi, from Le Puy to SJPP I used the Michelin guide, a nice slim booklet, which I bought at the tourist office in Le Puy. But I had also printed out Peter Robins’ maps, which were much more useful, and we ended up scrutinising them carefully every day. The maps would show the GR65 going around town, instead of through it, so we would branch off at the most convenient point to go into town. Or the GR65 would seem to wander off over the hills aimlessly, so we would take a short cut. The maps also served another very useful function of being my daily journal: I wrote up my journal at the end of the day on the back of the map. Peter Robins’ maps are no longer available online, but I am hoping they will be again soon, as they are absolutely brilliant . . . https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/peter-robins-pilgrim-routes-database.38617/ . . . Jill

 

[Joanne P]

Welcome to the forum @Joanne P - saw your other post but this is a better place to reply. For planning purposes you are probably best to start reading through the various threads on this forum in the Le Puy section. Then, as you become more familiar with the forum you could venture into the Camino Francés section - which is huge - and covers the route from St Jean Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela. The search function is also very useful once you master it, and tags can also be helpful.

Most people who walk from Le Puy rely on the Miam Miam Dodo book for information about accommodation and services - it is in French but very easy to understand. It is updated annually and lists all accommodation within 5km of the path, together with services (supermarkets, banks, shops, taxis etc). It also has schematic maps with distances which were enough for me, but some people found too simplistic. Available through Amazon France here. There is also an app but I can't download it in my geographic region very easily.

More detailed map guides come in various other guide books - the Topo guide, the Michelin guide are two.

As you are not going until 2018 I would wait before buying any guidebook because they are constantly updated, and you want the latest one. Although the route remains the same accommodation changes all the time, and it is also useful to have up to date information on services.

This is just the start of a beautiful journey! Buen Camino.

Great info, thank you. A simple map is good for me Yes, I did think I might be best to wait and get the most up to date version closer to the time. I have so little info on the walk though, so I need to get my head around the different sections, and how much I can do in the time I will have. I can see this forum is going to be invaluable and my "go to" place for information.

 

[Joanne P]

Hi, from Le Puy to SJPP I used the Michelin guide, a nice slim booklet, which I bought at the tourist office in Le Puy. But I had also printed out Peter Robins’ maps, which were much more useful, and we ended up scrutinising them carefully every day. The maps would show the GR65 going around town, instead of through it, so we would branch off at the most convenient point to go into town. Or the GR65 would seem to wander off over the hills aimlessly, so we would take a short cut. The maps also served another very useful function of being my daily journal: I wrote up my journal at the end of the day on the back of the map. Peter Robins’ maps are no longer available online, but I am hoping they will be again soon, as they are absolutely brilliant . . . https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/peter-robins-pilgrim-routes-database.38617/ . . . Jill

Thanks Jill

 

[NadineMc]

I have the " Lightfoot Guide to the Via Podiensis" and the Cicerone Guide to The Way of St. James-France. Both look pretty good...hope to use them in summer 2017. Good Luck!

 

[BShea]

I used the Godesalco site to calculate the # of days it would take to walk both routes. I think most people try to average around 20-25 kilometers per day.
http://www.godesalco.com/plan
Just click on "Chemin du Puy" or "Camino de Santiago".

Also, I found this site to be helpful when looking for accommodations in France. It reminds me of the Miami Miam Dodo book, but better since in addition to including prices, there are photos. (No surprises) I'm sure the book has more places but I didn't want to carry the weight.
http://www.chemindecompostelle.com/Selection/CarteFrance.html

I also have a one page (both sides) list of places to stay (gites) in France. PM me your email address if you would like me to send you a copy. When you reach the pilgrim office in St. Jean Pied de Port, they give you a list of places (albergues) in Spain.

 

[BlackRocker57]

Hi Joanne, I have used all of the guides referred to above ... MMDD [Les Vieux Crayons] is the bible for accommodation and services along the path ... and this year they have published a new mini guide with wonderful fold-out topo maps and stage profiles ... cost is just €5, a bargain at that price. It is called: La Carte Miam-Miam-Dodo GR65 ... check it out here ... <http://www.levieuxcrayon.com/nouveau-lacarte>.

The new LightFoot Guide to the Via Podiensis looks excellent and published this year in June, so it is very up-to-date. Both the Cicerone guide [in English by Alison Raju] and the Michelin pocket guide are now a little dated but still useful.

If you speak a little French, the FFRP Topo guides are superb with accurate topo maps [published by the national mapping agency of France, the IGN] on every alternate facing page plus track notes and a host of cultural information as well.

I walked the GR65/Le Puy route from Moissac to StJPP this year and found the iPhiGéNie app the best of all when on the trail ... if you are even just a little tech-savvy this is the best thing since sliced bread You can load it on your iPhone or android smartphone and it will guide you along the path! I used it every day this time ’round ...

Bon chemin et bonne chance!

 

[Tracying]

Was about to ask the same question.
I'm on holiday is Cahors right now and have become fascinated by the idea of walking the Camino from Le Pu through Cahors so will look up some of those guides. Is the Le Puy walk on the regular roads or on smaller tracks.
A word of warning, we meet a walker yesterday in Cahors catherdral who said he was running out of money as the hostels didn't take cards...all his cash was gone.

 

[Doogman]

I used the Cicerone guides by Alison Raju. They are very detailed on the route description, a little sparse on the history/background, and not particularly good for accommodation. I found that the detailed route description was not really necessary, as the trail is marked very well. I tended to read the guide the night before to get a feel for what was coming up, and then put it away while I was walking.