From Namur you can follow the river Meuse (or Maas in Flemish) south into France. The GR654 route has a guidebook ('topoguides')in French with maps, and will take you all the way to Vezelay, the starting point for one of the four main routes in France. The GR 654 is quite a 'curly' route and pilgrims sometimes prefer to walk in straighter lines! But the guides will be very helpful, even if you sometimes walk other routes.
We have cycled from home in the UK, via Holland and Belgium and France, using the Vezelay route. Our blog (address below) might give you some idea of the sort of places we stayed.
In Belgium we used some of the RAVel routes, which use canal paths, old railways tracks etc which are very pleasant for walking and cycling. I think you would use RAVel 2. The Belgian tourist office sent us guidebooks for these free of charge.
In France we used the IGN maps 1:100 000 scale. You need 05,10, 22,28, 27, 35, 41, 47, 56, 63 and 69, I think! You can buy them as you go - they are cheaper in the shops in France than they are to buy over the internet.
try these links:
http://www.stanfords.co.uk/stock/gr654- ... 10-142563/ New guidebook Namur to Vezelay due very soon
http://www.stanfords.co.uk/stock/gr654- ... rs-176771/ Guidebook Vezelay south
http://www.vezelay-compostelle.eu/?lang=fr there is a good guide to the Vezelay route available from here (and also through the CSJ website)
http://www.belgiumtheplaceto.be/index.php Belguim tourist office; you could email them questions.
The topoguides have lists of places to stay. There are not very many pilgrim places north of Vezelay but there is a variety of places to stay. There are more albergues and other pilgrim accommodation after Vezelay, but not nearly as many as on the
Camino Frances. The albergues are delightful, quiet and well equipped. Usually you collect the key from the tourist office or town hall in the town and let yourself in, returning the key in the morning. The cost or donation is usually about 5 euros.
This will be a very long pilgrimage, but delightful! Here are some blogs of people who have done similar ones:
http://verylongwalks.blogspot.com
http://winterpilgrim.blogspot.com
Do send us a private message if you want to ask moredetailed questions!
best wishes
Bridget
