France routes

[cdoug1946]

Hi, my name is Christina. I did the camino frances three years ago and this summer i will be doing it again with my daughter and husband. We have an extra month before we meet her at the start of it in the Pyrenees at St. Jean the end of august and was wondering what French route would be lovely to do. We are older and want a reasonably easy one and one with many accomodations, some camping and hostels reasonably priced and fantastic country. We also are willing to only do part of a route. I have the Confrat guide for Le Puy but was rather turned off because it mentioned one should have some knowledge of French, which I don't. Not that i wouldn't try to speak French,....I love the language. I have read about the different routes from this web site but would love some personal info. christina, I am a U.S. citizen, although i live in Baja California, Mexico.

 

[robertt]

Christina, the approach to the Pyrenees and Saint-Jean along the Chemin du Puy would be good physical preparation, since it is just hilly enough. Gascony and the Bearn have plenty in the way of food and accommodation, though you would be advised to book ahead as you advance. A Miam Miam Dodo guide, up to date, would be a help in this regard. Because I'm just not a summer walker, I can't say what conditions will be like, but plenty of people will be out and about, campers and GR hikers as well as pilgrims.

Moissac is a handy start-point if you don't have time to do all the Chemin du Puy. There is a train station and the Ultreia gite nearby, where an Irish couple, Rom and Aideen, are used to giving guidance to English speakers starting out.

Some may be surprised at the notion of taking a whole month to get from Moissac to the Pyrenees, but, with sufficient dawdling and rest days, all things are possible. (Truth is, you could do the whole Chemin du Puy in a month - but I never talk about such things.)

Best

Rob

 

[newfydog]

To me the route from LePuy to SJPP is the best part of the whole network. No human could be worse with French than me. Go do it!

 

[gittiharre]

I agree, don't worry about the french language bit, it is possible to book accommodation in advance from tourist offices where they speak english. You will not meet many english speaking pilgrims on that route though, most are french, german or swiss or austrian. I love this route and am about to walk it for the second time, this time with my 80 year old husband. We will start in Le Puy and take about 45 days to do it. I did it comfortably in 37 days on my own a couple of years ago. I really enjoyed the bit after Figeac, through Limogne en Quercy to Cahors and on to Moissac via Lauzerte and Lascabanes and Auvillar after that, it is all stunning and there are great gites. I could just walk that route over and over again, so much walking on natural paths and so many beautiful villages and small towns, no stressful biggish places to navigate through...all the best, Gitti

 

[julie]

Christina, don't be put off by your lack of French. The le Puy route is stunning and the people in the gites and the tourist offices are very helpful.

I agree with Gitti, if you don't have the time (or inclination) to walk the route in its entirety, Figeac would be a good place to start.

It is not a "reasonably easy" route though and has many more ups and downs than the Camino Frances.