Day's Off?

[davkel]

Hi All
My Significant Other (MSO) and I will be starting from Le Puy, including the Cele variant, and walking to (and beyond) SJPP on May 10 this year. We're comfortably can do 25 Kms per day but having a day off from walking each week gives us (and particularly MSO) a chance to refresh before pushing on again. This worked well on the Frances (Pamplona, Burgos, Leon) and on the Portuguese (Tomar, Coimbra, Porto) where we were able to stop in relatively large cities which provided accommodation and 'day off' activities.

Given that there aren't any 'cities' (Cahors? Moissac?) of comparable size on the Le Puy route that might provide extra days diversion, I was thinking that maybe just having short (up to 10km) 'rest' days might be a way to go. Also the rest days need to be about a week apart - there's little point having a rest day, walking a day or two then having another rest day and then walking for two weeks straight.

So I guess my questions are:

• How did you manage the distance between Le Puy and SJPP?
• Are there places that you would recommend to spend rest days?
• If so, what might one do on said rest day (apart from resting that is) in those specific places?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Davey Boyd]

Hi, When I walked the Le Puy route I tended to prefer short walking days instead of days off. I just got bored with a full day somewhere. However, if you do stop in Moissac be sure to go and see the singing nuns! Oh, and stay at Gite Ultrea too!

Davey

 

[davkel]

Hi, When I walked the Le Puy route I tended to prefer short walking days instead of days off. I just got bored with a full day somewhere. However, if you do stop in Moissac be sure to go and see the singing nuns! Oh, and stay at Gite Ultrea too!

Davey

Thanks - I'm putting it on the list!

 

[C clearly]

there's little point having a rest day, walking a day or two then having another rest day and then walking for two weeks straight.

Why not? I've done that happily.

 

[Momonne]

Imprefer walking shorter days. No sense taking a « rest day »to walk just as much or as much as a real walking day, and little to see on tired feet regardless of where one is. Tired feet mean no enjoyment to explore.

 

[davkel]

Imprefer walking shorter days. No sense taking a « rest day »to walk just as much or as much as a real walking day, and little to see on tired feet regardless of where one is. Tired feet mean no enjoyment to explore.

Good point - it's more a rest from carrying a pack than from actual walking, I suppose...

 

[Kiwi-family]

We did three caminos without regular rest days (the second one being over 1,500km). After that the kids said they thought we should do a camino where you took days off to look round a town. So we chose the Via de la Plata as it had many fabulous towns to stop in. Funnily enough, as much as we enjoyed those days, when we came to plan this year's camino the kids said, "Can we just walk? No rest days! You lose your rhythm."
The good thing for you is that you know how you like to do it - but don't be scared of trying a different approach!

 

[HedaP]

Yep, another vote for a short day instead of a rest day but should add have only walked the CF where there are lots of accommodation options. I liked staying on the outskirts of big cities and then spending a few hours the next day looking around the city before either staying the night or walking onto the next closest albergue. Take Pamplona as an example. I stopped the night at the wonderful albergue in Trinidad de Arre. Next morning I walked the 4 km into Pamplona. Got there early enough to find a bed for that night and leave my pack. Spent the rest of the day sightseeing (cathedral, museum, plaza, etc.) and then walked out early the next morning.

 

[trecile]

"Can we just walk? No rest days! You lose your rhythm."

That's how I felt too. I took one rest day in Leon during my first Camino, and it felt strange to wake up in the same place two days in a row, and not put on my backpack and set out. On my Camino last year, I walked shorter days when I wanted a break, and I preferred that approach.

 

[Victoria65]

So. My first time out, my hubby and I became "walking machines"! Walked nine days straight without a "zero" day (as my brother puts it). That morning we wound up in the little town of Navarette by ten a.m. Too early to stop but we did. Checked into a cheap hotel, with our own bathroom, a balcony overlooking a plaza with outdoor terrace and restaurant. We piled all our laundry on our hostess and then lay down "for just a minute". Couple hours later a knock at the door woke us, our laundry was handed to us. We stumbled across the street, ate a late lunch and then back to our room, slept a couple more hours then across the street for dinner with a new batch of pilgrims we hadn't met, then back to bed. Next morning (late) we decided to explore the town for a whopping half an hour, went back to take a nap and did exactly what we had done the day before. Sometimes you just need a break. A wonderful large town to explore is not necessarily needed. Cathedrals will always be there waiting for later.

We realized that on our zero days, if we made them truly zero days, we had so much more energy and enthusiasm when we got back on the Camino. Each to his own, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Thanks - I'm putting it on the list!

I'll be walking the LePuy route as far as Moissac during the month of June and will also be staying at Gite Ultreia. I always hear such great things about the Irish couple who own it. Can't wait!

 

[davkel]

So. My first time out, my hubby and I became "walking machines"! Walked nine days straight without a "zero" day (as my brother puts it). That morning we wound up in the little town of Navarette by ten a.m. Too early to stop but we did. Checked into a cheap hotel, with our own bathroom, a balcony overlooking a plaza with outdoor terrace and restaurant. We piled all our laundry on our hostess and then lay down "for just a minute". Couple hours later a knock at the door woke us, our laundry was handed to us. We stumbled across the street, ate a late lunch and then back to our room, slept a couple more hours then across the street for dinner with a new batch of pilgrims we hadn't met, then back to bed. Next morning (late) we decided to explore the town for a whopping half an hour, went back to take a nap and did exactly what we had done the day before. Sometimes you just need a break. A wonderful large town to explore is not necessarily needed. Cathedrals will always be there waiting for later.

We realized that on our zero days, if we made them truly zero days, we had so much more energy and enthusiasm when we got back on the Camino. Each to his own, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it!

I've done 'zero' days like this too. I had one in Leon in 2012 when I had had a bad bocadillo a couple of days before in Sahagun and needed (really needed) to lie in bed for several hours. The hotel had a spa and I remember availing myself for a substantial part of the day too.

 

[naplesdon]

I research market days along whatever Camino I am walking and time my zero or short days to coincide with them. Normally on a market day the local restaurants offer a extra special menu del dia. One of my favorites is Thursdays in Estella where roast suckling pig is on many menus plus the atmosphere of a market day is very special event in itself. It's a nice opportunity to check into a private room and do laundry.

 

[davkel]

I research market days along whatever Camino I am walking and time my zero or short days to coincide with them. Normally on a market day the local restaurants offer a extra special menu del dia. One of my favorites is Thursdays in Estella where roast suckling pig is on many menus plus the atmosphere of a market day is very special event in itself. It's a nice opportunity to check into a private room and do laundry.

That's a very good suggestion! Rather than focus on the town/city focus on the occasion. It's reminded me that we actually did this on the Portuguese, working our arrival into Barcelos to coincide with their market day (Thursday from memory). The only problem is that there is so much temptation and so little carrying capacity on one's back...

 

[sharon w]

Have walked this route twice. The first time we had factored in rest days in Conques and Moissac.There was not much to do after initial exploration of the towns. We also had 2 nights in St Jean Pied de Port before continuing to Santiago. The second time, we had 2 nights in Figeac, as we caught the train out to Rocamadour for a side trip. This was great. No other second night till after St Jean Pied de Port when we caught the train to St Jean de Luz on the coast. We had 2 nights here before walking the Norte.

 

[davkel]

Have walked this route twice. The first time we had factored in rest days in Conques and Moissac.There was not much to do after initial exploration of the towns.

Yes, this was what I was thinking...

The second time, we had 2 nights in Figeac, as we caught the train out to Rocamadour for a side trip.

This could be a thing! We went to Rocamadour in 2000 and I have some great memories. Perhaps this, with some shorter walking days, picking up the suggestion of hitting market towns, might be just the thing.

I think in part I'm still getting my head around the camino trope of 'let's see where the day's walking takes us' and the need on the Le Puy route to book ahead at least a couple of days.

 

[Kitsambler]

The first issue is, the LePuy route has some physical differences from the ones you've walked before. It's much stonier (many sections resemble walking along dry streambeds, because that's what they've become), and there is much more hill climbing/descending. So your feet can actually get quite sore. So don't discount rest days. Conques and Moissac are both worth exploring for sure. Cahors, Moissac, and SJPP are, actually, cities, with larger markets and services that might be needed.

Not to mention that you're in France, and why would you rush to the end of a trip in France?

 

[davkel]

The first issue is, the LePuy route has some physical differences from the ones you've walked before. It's much stonier (many sections resemble walking along dry streambeds, because that's what they've become), and there is much more hill climbing/descending. So your feet can actually get quite sore. So don't discount rest days. Conques and Moissac are both worth exploring for sure. Cahors, Moissac, and SJPP are, actually, cities, with larger markets and services that might be needed.

Not to mention that you're in France, and why would you rush to the end of a trip in France?

It's always the way with things, isn't it. Just when I thought I'd made up my mind about what to do (day off for a side trip for Rocamadour but otherwise shorter walking days) along comes someone with some good reasons to take days off.

I would say that I'll just wait until we're there, but the requirement for some forward booking (even if it's only a day or two) gives me a bit of concern.

Anyway, thanks for the perspective - it all helps even when it questions what I thought (or especially when it questions what I thought)

 

[Kitsambler]

I would say that I'll just wait until we're there, but the requirement for some forward booking (even if it's only a day or two) gives me a bit of concern.

A bit of both: having a plan and listening to your (and your partner's) feet. At the time you are walking, there will not be much competition for beds, so calling one-two days ahead should be perfectly fine.

 

[MichaelC]

I had mentally budgeted for three rest-days somewhere along route, though in the end only took two, in Estaing and Moissac. I made the decision on both the night before.

While I needed to stop in Estaing to give my feet and body some TLC ... which is easier to do on a lazy morning ... nothing was open in town until late afternoon. I was bored and restless, waiting for the cafes to open and the next wave of pèlerins to arrive.

Moissac was a good choice. The 7th century Abbey is amazing, and it was nice to take my time exploring it. There is some interesting art deco architecture in town, too.

I could have easily spent more time in Condom and Cahors. Both had interesting architecture, museums, historical churches, lively outdoor cafes, and nice places to walk around town.

Conques is amazingly beautiful, but I thought a short day there was enough.

For short walking days, I can't recommend enough Cabrerets to Peche Merle (stop to visit the caves; reserve online in advance) to St. Cirque Lapopie, which is only 12 km.

 

[MichaelC]

More on short days: I took the advice of a lot of people on the forum and started off with a set of short days. This breaks up some of the hills nicely:

Le Puy-en-Velay
Montbonnet - 17.3 km
Monistrol-d’Allier - 14.4 km
Saugues - 12.9 km

I think in part I'm still getting my head around the camino trope of 'let's see where the day's walking takes us' and the need on the Le Puy route to book ahead at least a couple of days.

This will come naturally!

 

[Victoria65]

I research market days along whatever Camino I am walking and time my zero or short days to coincide with them. Normally on a market day the local restaurants offer a extra special menu del dia. One of my favorites is Thursdays in Estella where roast suckling pig is on many menus plus the atmosphere of a market day is very special event in itself. It's a nice opportunity to check into a private room and do laundry.

Most excellent idea! Think I'll do some research myself. What an awesome way to absorb some of the culture and daily living!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Yep, another vote for a short day instead of a rest day but should add have only walked the CF where there are lots of accommodation options. I liked staying on the outskirts of big cities and then spending a few hours the next day looking around the city before either staying the night or walking onto the next closest albergue. Take Pamplona as an example. I stopped the night at the wonderful albergue in Trinidad de Arre. Next morning I walked the 4 km into Pamplona. Got there early enough to find a bed for that night and leave my pack. Spent the rest of the day sightseeing (cathedral, museum, plaza, etc.) and then walked out early the next morning.

Yes, I have done that, too, in bigger cities, so sometimes you feel like you've seen quite a lot with the majority of a day there, so don't always really need to stay two nights.