First time from Le Puy to St.Jean

[GerryFitz]

Having walked the Camino Frances from SJPP to Santiago in 2014 and through to Finisterre in 2015, I'm planning to walk from Le Puy to St Jean this September. I'm having some difficulty in sourcing good guidebooks / maps and would appreciate any advice from fellow pilgrims who have made this journey before. I'm planning to stay in the 'gites d'etape' unless anyone has better advice. Many thanks!

 

[edandjoan]

We used the MiamMiam Dodo..it is written in French...we studies French for several months for our trip and got along fine with it. We also ordered th book early and studied it and looked up words so we would have a better idea of what it said. Here is a link to our blog. At the end of each entry is is where we stayed. Of course there are many places to stay. http://edandjoanonthechemin.blogspot.com
We used our hosts and the tourist office to book ahead for the following day.
It is a beautiful way wonderful people.

 

[GerryFitz]

We used the MiamMiam Dodo..it is written in French...we studies French for several months for our trip and got along fine with it. We also ordered th book early and studied it and looked up words so we would have a better idea of what it said. Here is a link to our blog. At the end of each entry is is where we stayed. Of course there are many places to stay. http://edandjoanonthechemin.blogspot.com
We used our hosts and the tourist office to book ahead for the following day.
It is a beautiful way wonderful people.

Hi Ed and Joan - many thanks for your reply and blog link - looking forward to reading it! Was just reading up on the MiamMiamDodo book so will definitely check that one out - I speak reasonable French which is another reason for taking this route (my lack of Spanish on recent trips was slightly embarrassing). Thanks again!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can find the Miam Miam Dodo everywhere in France, but if you want an advance copy, try amazon.fr

 

[Kitsambler]

Your experience with French will add greatly to your enjoyment of this route. And you know enough to decipher Miam Miam Dodo (it's mostly graphics and lodging listings). We have discussed the differences between the Le Puy route and the Camino Frances at considerable length in other threads in this section of the forum, so I won't repeat them here. I walked in two sections in consecutive years, with daily details in my blog.

 

[GerryFitz]

Your experience with French will add greatly to your enjoyment of this route. And you know enough to decipher Miam Miam Dodo (it's mostly graphics and lodging listings). We have discussed the differences between the Le Puy route and the Camino Frances at considerable length in other threads in this section of the forum, so I won't repeat them here. I walked in two sections in consecutive years, with daily details in my blog.

Many thanks - I intend to go back over the various threads on the subject and looking forward to the tranquility of the French countryside - I did find my second Camino Frances last year very crowded in parts and the scramble for beds was a little off putting - I never book forward and prefer to walk on and stay in smaller Albergues often between listed 'stages'.

 

[Bavio]

Having walked the Camino Frances from SJPP to Santiago in 2014 and through to Finisterre in 2015, I'm planning to walk from Le Puy to St Jean this September. I'm having some difficulty in sourcing good guidebooks / maps and would appreciate any advice from fellow pilgrims who have made this journey before. I'm planning to stay in the 'gites d'etape' unless anyone has better advice. Many thanks!

Hello GerryFitz,

I used a combination of 3 books as my French was very limited. Miam Miam for accommodation and facilities, Michelin guide for maps and The Way of St James France by Alison Raju for English descriptions of what I was going to see or more often than not, what I had walked past.

 

[billmclaughlin]

MMDD is your Bible. And on this route I found less devotion to the identical stages, aside from the major start and stop points the French use for one-week treks.

 

[GerryFitz]

Hello GerryFitz,

I used a combination of 3 books as my French was very limited. Miam Miam for accommodation and facilities, Michelin guide for maps and The Way of St James France by Alison Raju for English descriptions of what I was going to see or more often than not, what I had walked past.

Thanks Babio
I have started reading Alison Raju's book which I got from the library earlier and have just ordered the MiamMiamDoDo online so all coming together - appreciate all the advice!!

Hello GerryFitz,

I used a combination of 3 books as my French was very limited. Miam Miam for accommodation and facilities, Michelin guide for maps and The Way of St James France by Alison Raju for English descriptions of what I was going to see or more often than not, what I had walked past.

 

[Kitsambler]

I did find my second Camino Frances last year very crowded in parts and the scramble for beds was a little off putting

That won't be a problem on the Le Puy, which has one-tenth the number of walkers as the Frances.

I never book forward and prefer to walk on and stay in smaller Albergues often between listed 'stages'.

So the Le Puy also has one-tenth the number of lodgings. So this is a very different situation from the Frances. The French custom is to call a day ahead to book a bed. This is a thinly-populated region of France, so generally there are not towns or lodgings between the towns.

 

[GerryFitz]

Good advice - I can appreciate that accommodation is much sparser but happy to make the call if necessary - I just enjoy the flexibility of stopping when I feel like stopping

E="Kitsambler, post: 398819, member: 3210"]That won't be a problem on the Le Puy, which has one-tenth the number of walkers as the Frances.

So the Le Puy also has one-tenth the number of lodgings. So this is a very different situation from the Frances. The French custom is to call a day ahead to book a bed. This is a thinly-populated region of France, so generally there are not towns or lodgings between the towns.[/QUOTE]

 

[gittiharre]

Having walked the Camino Frances from SJPP to Santiago in 2014 and through to Finisterre in 2015, I'm planning to walk from Le Puy to St Jean this September. I'm having some difficulty in sourcing good guidebooks / maps and would appreciate any advice from fellow pilgrims who have made this journey before. I'm planning to stay in the 'gites d'etape' unless anyone has better advice. Many thanks!

Hi. Fantastic route. Check out www.chemindecompostelle.com. website. It has the Miam Miam Dodo maps and links to a number of accommodations. I have walked this route twice. Absolutely love it. My blog is on www.gittiharre.blogspot.com There are links to photo album with each of my earlier blogs.

 

[GerryFitz]

Hi. Fantastic route. Check out www.chemindecompostelle.com. website. It has the Miam Miam Dodo maps and links to a number of accommodations. I have walked this route twice. Absolutely love it. My blog is on www.gittiharre.blogspot.com There are links to photo album with each of my earlier blogs.

That's great info - many thanks! Will check out your links too! Looking forward to this region big time!!

 

[NorthernLight]

My first camino, I walked the Le Puy trail in July. I never booked anything ahead and only once was at risk of not getting a bed. That was in a small village with limited choices, but I got the last bed in the gite-d'etape. I was also willing to stay in private rooms, so options were usually there.

 

[nalod]

Having walked the Camino Frances from SJPP to Santiago in 2014 and through to Finisterre in 2015, I'm planning to walk from Le Puy to St Jean this September. I'm having some difficulty in sourcing good guidebooks / maps and would appreciate any advice from fellow pilgrims who have made this journey before. I'm planning to stay in the 'gites d'etape' unless anyone has better advice. Many thanks!

Hello fellow Irishman, I have walked about eleven Camino and the Le Puy one is my favourite. You have already got good advice, an up to date Miam Miam is really excellent for Accom and prices etc, their maps are not great but it is a GR and GRs are well marked with the red and white blaize. It is GR 65. Book a day or two ahead as the French hikers are very organised and often book their entire route in advance. September will see glorious Vineyards and you will be walking through the Armagnac region. There should be loads of beautiful wild Figs to pick and eat with great cheeses. There is a fair bit of climbing which makes it interesting and the food is magic.

Do remember the cost will be higher than in Spain. Where there is a Demi Pension option which I often went for is between 33 to 42 euro. A lot of the Gites don't have a kitchen you can use. Most of the Gites have towels and sheets. If I am doing that route in Sept I would only bring a silk sleeping bag liner. Here is a link to photographs taken from Espallion to SJPDP. http://dermotdolan.blogspot.ie/2014/10/the-le-puy-route-gr65-chemin-st-jacques.html it hopefully will give you a feel for the route. I have done this route twice on three visits. This is a link to my website which covers photographs from Le Puy to SJPDP but not in Geographic order bit the website one are all titled. http://www.caminogallery.com/gallery/?id=11&area=9 Enjoy. Regards Dermot (Nalod) PM me if you need any more help/advice.

 

[GerryFitz]

Hi Dermot - many thanks for your detailed reply and advice - lovely photos! I visit France a lot as I spent most of my working life in the wine business so I am really looking forward to taking some reflective time alone out on this quieter trail. I found the crowds on the Frances a little off putting last year although I love this route and will do it again perhaps at a quieter time. Again many thanks for your advice - you have whetted my appetite!! Gerry

 

[AlwynWellington]

As I write I have just finished day 8 from Le Puy-en-Velay.

So far I have not had a problem.

I am encountering many small groups or singles here for a week or fortnight (on holiday) picking up from where they left off last year.

But, if you are quite sure where you will be the next night it would be good to book ahead to give you some certainty.

 

[GerryFitz]

Thanks Alwyn - hope you're enjoying it! I will probably decide day to day on stopping point, I usually do but am hoping there won't be too much pressure on beds in September. If there is then I guess I will phone ahead.
I imagine April is a very pleasant month for walking? Best of luck!
Gerry

 

[AlwynWellington]

As well as MMD please also check out Michelin guide #161.

It takes you from Leeds Puy in 32 stages, but you can mix and match as suits.

For each stage the top page has an elevation profile with the bottom (facing) page having a normal Michelin map with the GR65 route shown in a dark sea blue. Also on the bottom page is a thumbnail showing the major towns along the entire route with the distance covered so the end of this stage and the distance remaining.

It is light weight and may fit easily in some pockets.

 

[Magnara]

The French love walking, so you will find it different to Spain - you will encounter lots of people just out for a hike for a day or a few days. This affects both the atmosphere (not better or worse, just different) and the availability of accommodation, especially at weekends. For the first time in 3 caminos we had to book ahead, often getting the host to phone for us. But only a day or two ahead. (We were also 5 walking Le Puy, instead of 2 as previously, so that probably also affected our options). If you have a little bit of leeway with your budget, there is plenty of varied accommodation, and actually you should plan for this - it is definitely more expensive than Spain.

 

[AlwynWellington]

Thanks Alwyn - hope you're enjoying it! I will probably decide day to day on stopping point, I usually do but am hoping there won't be too much pressure on beds in September. If there is then I guess I will phone ahead.
I imagine April is a very pleasant month for walking? Best of luck!
Gerry

Just finished day 13.

The several days to Golinhac were a temperature challenge. The weather was good but even light winds caught the cold from the nearby snow and ice and created a chilly atmosphere such that my one long sleeved top was doing overtime.

But once away from that it goes well and most days have me wearing just one short sleeved top.

 

[Angelynn]

There's a new guidebook in English to the Le Puy Route/Via Podiensis published by Pilgrimage Publications: http://pilgrimagepublications.com/pp_2014/product/lightfoot-guide-via-podiensis/

 

[GerryFitz]

Thank you very much Angelynn - I will check that out