How busy is the Le Puy route starting in late July?

[ogresmash]

Hi there, I have an open plan for the Camino and am thinking about starting in Le Puy at the end of July in just a few weeks. My only concern was about how crowded the route will be and finding accomodation.

Does anyone know whether this will be a very busy time to start walking?

 

[SYates]

I fear so, as August is the main holiday/vacation month in France. Bon Chemin, SY

 

[NavyBlue]

Hello,

I read in the Miam-Miam-Dodo (2014), for the Le Puy way : Contrary to the common beliefs, the busiest monthes are April-May-September. Accommodation will be less busy in July-August-October.

Many explanations can be found : pilgrims wanting to walk in France or to arrive in Spain before the hottest monthes, long french week-ends in May, retirees released from grand-parents duties in September...

Try to book ahead one or two nights, according to common practice in France. Your host will be happy to do it for you if you are not fluent in French. Beware of the Saturday nights, when the odd wedding party might rent a whole gite.

 

[Kitsambler]

July and August are seldom walked, due to the heat. And, as mentioned, the grandparents (France's largest cadre of walkers) are home keeping the grandchildren. So, since there are very few walkers, many of the gite owners take time off. Your problem will be finding gites that are open. Calling ahead several days in advance will help avoid surprises. And have tonight's host call ahead to ensure that tomorrow's host knows you are coming.

 

[ogresmash]

Thank you for the replies. I asked because I'd found people had widely varying views as was the case here, but it seems the general view is that it isn't as busy as May or September. I'll just plan to bring a tent with me to add flexibility in case there are fewer open gites to be found.

Thanks again!

 

[zammy]

Don't take any chances, book ahead and cancel if your plans change.
This year there were fewer people because of the terror attacks.
July and August is the "youth" time to hike and from my experience the gites will be booked.
If you are unsure, try booking in -May June and "feel" the gites. then you decide .

 

[lovingkindness]

Bonjour, this summer I followed Le Voie du Puy and other trails heading northeast from a little village in Le Lot et Garonne to Taizé, a community near Cluny. I set off at the end of July walking via Rocamadour. Between Figeac and Conques 150 to 200 pélerins passed me by each day all heading in the opposite direction. I stopped counting after Conques. There seemed no point. At the end of each day I found somewhere inside to sleep. I didn't book ahead...

Cheers

 

[Thornley]

Bonjour, this summer I followed Le Voie du Puy and other trails heading northeast from a little village in Le Lot et Garonne to Taizé, a community near Cluny. I set off at the end of July walking via Rocamadour. Between Figeac and Conques 150 to 200 pélerins passed me by each day all heading in the opposite direction. I stopped counting after Conques. There seemed no point. At the end of each day I found somewhere inside to sleep. I didn't book ahead...

Cheers

We ended up staying in Concots and Bach for a few extra days just because of the friendliness from their Tabac's .
There is a very serious restaurant in Bach.
You must divert a fraction off the GR 65 for these great and appreciative villages.
They all have paths sign posted back to the GR

 

[Thornley]

Hi there, I have an open plan for the Camino and am thinking about starting in Le Puy at the end of July in just a few weeks. My only concern was about how crowded the route will be and finding accomodation.

Does anyone know whether this will be a very busy time to start walking?

Find in MMDD the word PISCINE
If they have a pool they will be there as you should be.

 

[Marion-SantiagoInLove]

Beginning of July is the least busy for the Le Puy route (~2 first weeks)
Pensioners are back home from their vacation in June and other people (workers, parents, kids, ...) start to leave by mid-July.
If you can move your vacations a little earlier...
Bon Chemin!

 

[pilgrim82]

Hello from Moissac, just to reiterate a lot of what has been said. The busiest months on the Le Puy route are May and September. In this time it is better that you book a couple of days ahead. The first two weeks of July tend to be quiet, so much so, a lot of gites are now taking the first week of july as a break week and closing up. So less people for sure. The biggest element of walking July and August is probably the heat. It can get very hot, but you can generally get around that by starting early and finishing by mid day, if you can. Also if it is very hot, allow a little slack to take a day off if it is too difficult. The best thing to do is try to plan the first 2-3 days walking, and after that judge, if its quiet, book day to day or just walk. If its busy book a couple of days ahead. Most gite owners will book ahead for you if you need help.

 

[Thornley]

Hello from Moissac, just to reiterate a lot of what has been said. The busiest months on the Le Puy route are May and September. In this time it is better that you book a couple of days ahead. The first two weeks of July tend to be quiet, so much so, a lot of gites are now taking the first week of july as a break week and closing up. So less people for sure. The biggest element of walking July and August is probably the heat. It can get very hot, but you can generally get around that by starting early and finishing by mid day, if you can. Also if it is very hot, allow a little slack to take a day off if it is too difficult. The best thing to do is try to plan the first 2-3 days walking, and after that judge, if its quiet, book day to day or just walk. If its busy book a couple of days ahead. Most gite owners will book ahead for you if you need help.

Every single word in above Quote is correct , 100% correct.
Well explained P82

 

[Kitsambler]

Hello from Moissac, ...

I will be walking from Geneva to Lyon in July 2017, and wondering about the situation there. Planning to leave Geneva on Bastille Day (is this a bad idea??).

 

[gittiharre]

I will be walking from Geneva to Lyon in July 2017, and wondering about the situation there. Planning to leave Geneva on Bastille Day (is this a bad idea??).

Hi Kitsambler. I found accommodation relatively easily on the Geneva Route in August/September. It was extremely hot though. I had booked into the Fromagerie in Beaumont and confirmed the week before, first day out of Geneva and got very lost that day, ended up getting there at 8 pm after walking 28 km in a jetlagged state, tripping twice in extreme heat, (sustained a foot injury from orthotics, which later turned out to be a fracture) and the place was closed, rubbish and empty beer cans everywhere. Apparently the owners had gone on holiday and had had some workmen there. I could have cried. I managed to get rescued by an Accueil Jacquaire in the neighbouring village thankfully. Make sure you have the guidebook from the Association Jacquaire de Rhone d'Alpes with private accommodation addresses of people who take in pilgrims on a donation basis.
Having said this, the hosts now expect a reasonable payment due to the fact that a lot of pilgrims, take advantage of the hospitality, fresh linen, 3 course meals, aperitifs, wine, tea, breakfasts, washing machine etc...and then leave ridiculously little money in the kitty, sometimes only 5 Euros. They have certainly hardened up since I walked this route in 2010.
I paid 35 to 45 Euros per day in Accueil Jacquaires on this round, which is just about what you pay in a Bed and Breakfast...or a gite d'etape.
I walked the whole way on a metatarsal stress fracture, excluding 2 days when I hitchhiked as my foot was so sore.
It was still a wonderful walk, but the hardest ever due to heat, foot pain and incredibly challenging paths, steep, rocky, had forgotten how hard it was.