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For me the Frances is the only "Camino": the long distance walk, with lots of other people, walking through villages, towns and cities whose history is all about the Camino. Lots of history and architecture. Lovley country side. Lots of opportunities to socialise and walk with many of the same people day after day, as well as during the day.
The other routes are, for me, about long distance walking through, gorrgeous landscapes, and inxpensive shelter shared by other walkers, many of whom you will be seeing for the first, and often last time.
There is a difference between the crowds during the day, and the race for a bed. Laurie is right, the ratio of walkers to beds on the Primitivo is getting tight, as there are few albergues. But during the day you will most likely be on your own until the next albergue.
On the Frances you will see people in front of you at all times or just aboit, and hear them behind you (not the place for bird watching ;0) ) but there are beds almost around each corner.
So it depends on what you are hoping this experience might be like.
Many people I came across on the Norte and Primitivo are long distance walkers. And good ones! They will walk from first to last ray of sun light. On the Frances many people are on a walking holiday, taking it easy, following the suggested etapas in the guide, stopping for cafe con leche (a must), lunch, enjoy a restaurant meal with red wine. Don't think I came across any North Americans on those routes, and if so, there weren't many.
There is beauty is both the Frances and Primitivo, and both will leave your jaw wide open, but for different reasons.
As for language skills, I don't see a difference between the routes. People who cater to pilgrims cater to pilgrims and you'll use your same 25 words no matter the route you are on.
You can't go wrong. Even if in the end you discover you would have liked to see more, or less, people, you will have experienced something wonderful and can pick a different route next time.
For me the Frances is the only "Camino": the long distance walk, with lots of other people, walking through villages, towns and cities whose history is all about the Camino. Lots of history and architecture. Lovley country side. Lots of opportunities to socialise and walk with many of the same people day after day, as well as during the day.
The other routes are, for me, about long distance walking through, gorrgeous landscapes, and inxpensive shelter shared by other walkers, many of whom you will be seeing for the first, and often last time.
There is a difference between the crowds during the day, and the race for a bed. Laurie is right, the ratio of walkers to beds on the Primitivo is getting tight, as there are few albergues. But during the day you will most likely be on your own until the next albergue.
On the Frances you will see people in front of you at all times or just aboit, and hear them behind you (not the place for bird watching ;0) ) but there are beds almost around each corner.
So it depends on what you are hoping this experience might be like.
Many people I came across on the Norte and Primitivo are long distance walkers. And good ones! They will walk from first to last ray of sun light. On the Frances many people are on a walking holiday, taking it easy, following the suggested etapas in the guide, stopping for cafe con leche (a must), lunch, enjoy a restaurant meal with red wine. Don't think I came across any North Americans on those routes, and if so, there weren't many.
There is beauty is both the Frances and Primitivo, and both will leave your jaw wide open, but for different reasons.
As for language skills, I don't see a difference between the routes. People who cater to pilgrims cater to pilgrims and you'll use your same 25 words no matter the route you are on.
You can't go wrong. Even if in the end you discover you would have liked to see more, or less, people, you will have experienced something wonderful and can pick a different route next time.
You don't fail on history, but perhaps on feeling.I thought the oldest camino was the Primitivo ????
Maybe i fail history again .
I assume this post is directe to me. Let me rephrase" to me the Frances is the only 'Camino'". When I say this I mean the Frances is the onlyone that is about Camino families, pilgrim services, cafes con leche, the holidayish Camino.
On the Primitivo you will be hard pressed to find pilgrim services ( A Fondagradawas the first oneI came upon), there are too few walkwers, amd many hardcore walkers, to create a so called family. I really don't think that people who hear of the Camino for the 1st time would expect life in the Primitivo.
Just today a forum member wrote she was concerned she had not found her "Camino family". Sad to me, as I believe this idea of a Camino Family comes from forums, and not fro pm tne Camino. I was stunned once upon a time when someonerefered to me as his "Camino wife".What???!! Now I realise this comes from the land of the virtual camino. A bit sad.
Then again. Who is walking the Primitivo? Hard core walkers with little need or desire for an evening pilgrim mass.I would hate to think people looking for this would be encouraged by others to walk this way.
Funny, this posts makes me wonder how different oneexperinces the Camino when one walks it alone vs with a spuse, friend, someone who sees things through their common lens.
The whole point of the Camino for us was the solitude, not finding a 'Camino family'. Neither of us had walked long distance before walking the Camino and had to train beforehand to achieve even the 15kms-20kms per day which is my comfort zone. We divided our stages to stop as often as possible at shorter rather than longer distances. We met some lovely fellow pilgrims, and saw some of them again in Santiago which was good. The feel of the Primitivo is amazing, so much so that you can feel when you have left the correct path in places where the Camino remains on its original route (which is most of it).
The friendliness of the locals and time to talk with them, plus opportunity for solitude, made this our perfect Camino which is why we decided that there is no way we would want to walk the Francés with its party atmosphere and pilgrims constantly in view while walking.
Each to their own but please recognise that pilgrims (not hard-core walkers necessarily) looking for religious and historical experiences do walk the Primitivo and find it best for them. For those looking for partying, Camino families or holiday atmosphere then the Francés will work, and better IMO than bringing that expectation or atmosphere to the Primitivo.
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And to finish off and get a few hairs standing.......200km minimum for Compostela.
Yep! Very hilly, rude people and no accommodations/supplies. Better avoid it!the Primitivo is living hell...yes, with 12 feet of snow and bedbugs and everyone is a horribly loud snorer...go away. go away, all of you pilgrims, save yourselves (and leave the Primitivo to me)
ok but i snore. and carry bedbugsYep! Very hilly, rude people and no accommodations/supplies. Better avoid it!
@Smallest_Sparrow : Sorry, there will be 2 of us there...
OK, you, me and Marion-Santiagoinlove. but that's it. I'm putting up a closed sign.Doesn't matter, I have ear plugs and know how to de-bug a backpackBuen Camino, SY
You make the 4th 'sort of following the signs' pilgrim on the Ruta do Mar.I didn't know there was a set walking path to San Andres, so just wandered my own lost way...
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