Comradery - Le Puy vs. Camino Frances

[TravellingSonn]

Hi guys,

I'm curious to know, what's the comradery like on the Le Puy route?

When I walked the camino Frances in 2008, I experienced great comradery. Friendships I still cherish today.

I'm hoping I'll be fortunate enough to develop the same kind of friendships. The people I met on my last camino were the main reason why I had the time of my life.

Thanks again. Hope you're all well.

Love, light and smiles
Sonn

 

[jl]

Hi Sonn, I have walked both paths, and found both really friendly. That said, I found a different feel, on the le Puy path to the CF & also to the Vezelay path. On reflection, after my pilgrimages, I think that the different feel is due to the fact that there seems to be just as much emphasis placed on the le Puy path as a GR path as much as a pilgrimage route. This means that there are many hikers/walkers on the way as well as pilgrims. They drop in and out of the path depending when the holidays are and many are there for not much more than a long weekend. I found that many were "locals" - French, Swiss. They were pleasant company but it was difficult to make friends because people kept disappearing, though there was a small core group of pilgrims continuing along the way. By contrast, the Vezelay path had a very small group of pilgrims, but no other hikers when I was on the way.

As far as camaraderie is concered it has always been my experience that those who are willing to share experiences, laughter, and conversation will have it returned in equal measure. Janet.

 

[billmclaughlin]

Unless you speak at least a little French, your ability to develop much of a rapport with your fellow hikers will be limited. The majority -- perhaps a large majority-- will have no English.

Those who speak English will provide the sort of camaraderie you're expecting and will be more likely to be spending more time on the chemin than those who speak only French.

 

[cecelia]

I found people very friendly, although as Bill just said, English is spoken much less frequently than on the Frances. I met a few native French people who spoke English but for the most part, be prepared to communicate in French. It is France after all Even people who didn't speak English seemed to appreciate my stumbling efforts in French and were friendly and helpful. Hope you enjoy!

 

[rickster]

Have also walked both and found there to be more camaraderie on the Frances. Many walking the Le Puy, at least in mid-May to June are French, who are walking for only one or two weeks. Also, many are booking gites or other accommodations one to two weeks in advance and are having their packs shipped ahead to their next destination. Transporting packs seemed to be a big business on the Le Puy route. The Le Puy route is beautiful, however, if you get bad weather such as heavy rains, I found the trails more narrow and difficult. During normal weather I felt that there were more difficult spots on the Frances overall. Please take my comments as a snapshot because I have only walked each one time and the weather on the Le Puy was really tough making camaraderie a little more difficult.

 

[vicrev]

Sorry,I found the camaraderie on the Le Puy great, the terrible weather in April/May seemed to bring people together,like a lot of adverse happenings .....lots of laughing & joking about the weather.......maybe the French are more realistic about things they can't do anything about, & just get on with things..................keep smiling...Vicrev

 

[vicrev]

Sorry,Sonn,I meant to put a bit more on my post.......... communicating with other nationalities can be a problem on the Le Puy, I am a firm believer that laughter, is the universal language, & breaks down all the barriers .......the first thing I always pack, when I travel,is my laughing gear..................Vicrev

 

[Thornley]

Hi Sonia,
We found 99% were french , swiss , italian or german .
Many had started in Geneva or Mt Blanc.
Most disappeared after Conques.
Many after that were only on a week or two walk , going as far as Figeac and or Cahors and then returning by train to their homes .
The country french are warm and very helpful.
Language was no barrier and our french is very limited
And as vicrev said........... humour and laughter will go a long way [ especially in Moissac with a certain irishman , a good bloke]
It will be very different than Frances , less people, different age group as there is really not many options with accommodation and mostly couples just walking this beautiful GR

Jsst go mate, the best parties are never planned.

 

[Footloose_Dan]

Hi Sonn,
Even with my very bad French I've found the locals friendly and helpful. I hope to be walking the Le Puy camino around the same time you set out.
Dan

 

[TravellingSonn]

Hi Sonn,
Even with my very bad French I've found the locals friendly and helpful. I hope to be walking the Le Puy camino around the same time you set out.
Dan

Dan, that's great to hear to locals are friendly and helpful. My French is minimal. I'm looking at heading out the first week of June. What about yourself?

 

[TravellingSonn]

Guys,

Thanks for taking the time to reply to my question. It appears I have nothing to worry about when it comes to the comradery.

Only 5.5 months to go!

 

[Footloose_Dan]

Hi Sonn,
Have just been reading Kitsambler's journey account. Very interesting and helpful.
http://kitsambler.wordpress.com/2010/09/17/6-sep-le-puy-to-monistrol/
Also, am meeting some fellow camino walkers in Brisbane tomorrow. Don't know if they are considering the Le Puy route.
Haven't booked my ticket yet, but I'm thinking of arriving towards the end of May and starting in early June. I'll let you know dates when I book which will be in the next week or so.
Dan

 

[cecelia]

Hi guys,
I'm curious to know, what's the comradery like on the Le Puy route?
When I walked the camino Frances in 2008, I experienced great comradery. Friendships I still cherish today.

Hello travelling Sonn, I was just thinking about this part of your post and want to make this comment in case you are disappointed because this camino is different. My experience is that every camino is different from the previous ones. On my first camino (2003) I really wanted to be solitary and I certainly could have but I met so many wonderful people I couldn't resist engaging with them and enjoying the whole 'camino spirit'. So for my next camino, like you, I was really looking forward to enjoying that same camaraderie. As it turned out I talked with very few people and walked a very internal camino - even though the good people were obviously still there. At this point I try to start every new camino with NO expectations. That's difficult of course but it makes it easier if things don't go as I expect them to. Buen camino.
Cecelia

 

[Thornley]

Hello travelling Sonn, I was just thinking about this part of your post and want to make this comment in case you are disappointed because this camino is different. My experience is that every camino is different from the previous ones. On my first camino (2003) I really wanted to be solitary and I certainly could have but I met so many wonderful people I couldn't resist engaging with them and enjoying the whole 'camino spirit'. So for my next camino, like you, I was really looking forward to enjoying that same camaraderie. As it turned out I talked with very few people and walked a very internal camino - even though the good people were obviously still there. At this point I try to start every new camino with NO expectations. That's difficult of course but it makes it easier if things don't go as I expect them to. Buen camino.
Cecelia

Le Puy is very different indeed to Frances.
Less people , definitely older with not many young ones at all [ thats under 30] and very big french presence.
The country french are very warm and obliging.
However its a very beautiful way which we cherished.

 

[biloute]

All the French sounds great to me, but I speak French and don't get much opportunity for it here in Kansas. I haven't walked the route yet (starting from Le Puy May 31) but all previous experience in France is that the French, in all parts of the country, are generally very friendly. Just don't be the rude anglophone.

 

[Footloose_Dan]

Sounds like good advice, biloute.
I arrive in Paris a few days before you begin. I should begin the walk around the same time. Might see you on the track.
Dan

 

[Thornley]

All the French sounds great to me, but I speak French and don't get much opportunity for it here in Kansas. I haven't walked the route yet (starting from Le Puy May 31) but all previous experience in France is that the French, in all parts of the country, are generally very friendly. Just don't be the rude anglophone.

The kindness of the french can be shown with;

One beautiful large home being used as a pension in a very nice town.
The home is approx. 300 -400 metres from the towns centre.
** When do you pay??
***The next morning when you visit the owner in his bakery / Boulangerie .

You can arrive as early as you like [we left @ 6am] and he then proceeds to gives you breakfast ....which will be the best you receive on the GR.
For a private room [ at least 5m x 5m ] in this mansion and breakfast the total cost was 30 euros per couple.
As previously stated this camino is very different from the Frances.

 

[Dan]

Hey Thornley, that sounds terrific. Any chance you could name the "very nice town"? I'll do the detective work after that ;-)
Dan

 

[newfydog]

Typical lively dinner at the Gite in Saugues. We were the only Americans, and everyone at the table had to come ask us how on earth we ended up on this very French trip. Some of them, it turned out, worked in Indonesia the same time we did, so we spent some of the dinner speaking in Indonesian. After the food was gone we all polished off the box wine pretending we were sampling some great vintage. It is indeed a trip with good international camaraderie, but an older and less diverse crowd.

 

[Thornley]

Dan ,
Now that the heatwave is over we can leave the cold bath.

You will have to have a long day , 30km from the major town of Arzacq-Arraziguet , we stayed there but should have kept going.

A lovely gite that did not exist in our 2008 MMDD in a village called Fichous Riumayou , [ Maison Lompiere], was 10km onwards.
The wonderful people in Uzan, another 8km , who gave us a drink and told us to sit down in the shade in the garden.
Another 5km there is the village of Pomps which has a very popular gite and hotel, many stayed there.....and many, many french and italians diverted off the 65 to Morlanne
where there is some serious accommodation.
Another 7km from Pomps and you arrive at ** Arthez de Bearn ...........
After the shower, visit Cafe de Sports........when Didier or Phillipe realise you are from Australia your day can only get better..they KNOW every rugby player in our history.
We did not realise how big rugby is in the south of France........you will sleep this night Dan very well indeed.

If you do the 30km book into Bertrand's as there are only 8 spots the day before. We should have had a 20km day but the previous day was extreme in temp.thus the stop over in A-Arraziquet.

** The next day we stopped in the country side and had a very beautiful home for ourselves.Henry and Patricia have Chateau du Rieu and are just past Bignan.
There property is on the river , they leave tables and chairs for the pilgrims in their beautiful garden and the 20km to there was lovely.

***These last 5-7 days were our favourite as we really slowed up , found the quietest accommodation [ a pool in Aroue/Bohoteguia] and loved the hospitality that the Basque offer.