Geneva - Le Puy - SJPP - Santiago de Compostela - Muxia/Finisterre! Is my schedule reasonable?

[camino_vida20]

Hi everyone!

Does this schedule seem reasonable to you based on your experience? I am in my mid-20s and quite fit but I just don't want to be a crazy lady and squash too much in per day.

Via Gebenennsis (Geneva to Le Puy-en-Velay): 18 days
Via Podiensis (Le Puy-en-Velay to St Jean Pied-du-Port) + Detour to Figeac/Rocamadour/Célé Valley: 30 days + 6 days (I will take the train to Rocamadour from Figeac and back to Figeac and then walk to Cahors taking the Célé Valley detour)
Camino Frances + Muxia/Finisterre: 35 days

Hoping to travel at 35 Euros or less per day too, getting food from supermarkets or farmers markets if possible due to allergy issues ...

Just wanted to check in with you guys before I book my tickets!

Best wishes!

 

[ziggzagg]

I'm afraid I don't have much to offer you here, since I'm planning almost the exact same walk for the early Fall of 2015, but I'll definitely be tuning in to see how you manage. Also thought I'd drop a message to keep the thread fresh.

Personally, I have been looking into a break-off point on the Via Gebenennsis at Gillonay south towards Arles (blue book at the bottom of this page: http://chemins.amis-st-jacques.org/?page_id=6), from which I would continue on the Arles Route to the Frances or Norte, though I'm still very torn between Le Puy and Arles (and Frances v. Norte, for that matter). I decided to get a very lightweight one-person tent, thinking that opportunities to camp might be common and frugal on some of these routes. I looking forwards to any advice anybody can give.

 

[Kanga]

@ziggzagg no recent posts from this member so maybe he/she is no longer interested. I'd favour Le Puy over the Arles route btw - having walked all of Le Puy and part of the Arles route. My good friends who walked all of Arles and part of Le Puy also preferred Le Puy. Both have their highlights but generally Le Puy has better infrastructure, more company, lusher landscapes, and those lovely river towns. I'd say camping is not necessary or easy on either route but you'd be better advised by those who have tried it. If you search the forum you will find a few relevant threads.

 

[ziggzagg]

@Kanga

Thank you for your reply. It seems she reposted the question in the LePuy forum, but I'm glad I found it, since it alerted me to the fact I misunderstood the visa restrictions within the Shengen area. For some reason I thought that the 3-month limit applied individually to each country within the Shengen area, which would allow me to leisurely stroll through France and then continue on through Spain without a worry. However, 3 months for the whole shebang seems a little bit tight, and I certainly don't want to feel rushed. It would have been nice for me to walk my way through two border crossings, but I'm disappointed to see that might not be in the cards.

Thank you for your advice regarding Le Puy v. Arles. My main concerns (also concerning the Frances v. Norte) would be the crowds. Especially this year I've been hearing reports that the Frances and Le Puy have been very crowded, and the website for the Confraternity of St. James, which I've found to be a very good resource, suggests that even first time pilgrims consider alternatives.

My decision to bring a tent is mostly a miserly one. While I understand the accommodations are very cheap (though moreso in Spain than France), the exchange rate is still uphill, and I was hoping to rough it as much as possible to stretch my funds. However, my friend who walked the Camino Frances several years ago also told me that if he were to walk it again, he would take a small tent, since he had trouble finding accommodation at times. The tent I have is barely a kilogram, so I thought it could only hurt so much to bring it along. However, I am completely naive to the realities of the camino, so I appreciate the input you can give me.