How important is it to book ahead in August?

[ehudros]

Hi everyone,
Me and my wife plan on walking 10-11 days on the le-puy road this coming August, from Le-puy to Conques.
I was wondering how important it is to book ahead in gites/hotels - I'm a little confused whether or not August is considered "high season". Ideally I'd prefer to not plan ahead too much and stop along the way, but if the route is very crowded I'm worried we can find ourselves with no accommodation.
Thanks

 

[ranthr]

August is high season. Holiday month in France and a lot of groups are on the way with preebooked gites or hotels walking for a week or two as from Le Puy to Conques.
You should book at least a day or two ahead. The gites are not so big. Went there in August 2009. Started from Le Puy 15.8. I had booked before I left. It was not a problem. Some days I could have walked further but I took it as some kind of a rest day. People I met on the road started to book for 1-3 days ahead because it was difficult to get a bed at the gites. If you start in the middle of the week it might be different from starting at weekends. The GR 65 in France differs much from the caminos in Spain. Not so many places to stop and not so many places to sleep.

Bonne route!
Randi

 

[Kitsambler]

As with so much else, the most accurate answer is, "It depends". The more fluent or conversant you are in French, the more options and the less difficulty you will have. The French themselves take vacation in August, as you know. And they routinely make advance reservations for themselves. So you can expect to see many other walkers with you.

That being said, however, I suspect you will find accommodations where you seek them, just not at the price you were hoping. The tourist offices can assist in locating accommodations, too, if you travel without reservations.

I walked from Le Puy the first weekend in September last year, and most places were pretty full well past Conques.

 

[Sagalouts]

its a beautiful walk the jewel of Camino's,I walked it in April 10 great days,never booked ahead once,Aug is a hell of a lot different,the French walk in groups with car backup and book blanket days ahead quite often not bothering to turn up, you can't beat them only join in,if I was walking by myself I would risk it,its a lot more relaxing and there is always a bed somewhere but you are a couple and it is August,enjoy your camino
Ian

 

[aysun]

Oh, now you guys make me worried! iam starting my walk at Le Puy on 17 of august, i don´t speak any french and i haven´t booked anything. Iam travelling alone, maybe i should at least book a hotel in le puy.......i will arrive to lepuy around 6or 7p.m depends on if i find my way from lyon to lepuy. After reading the forum it did´nt seem to be very easy either.
Am i worried for no reason?....

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Find a bilingual friend early on the walk, and have him/her help with calling ahead. Accommodations are often small, and will be full if you try to drop in. August sees a lot of French taking their holiday. This gite in Le Puy will take reservations:

http://www.lescapucins.net/

You can search for hotels on the internet.

From a travel website:

Note: In France the months of July and August are traditionally when the French take their holidays. For this reason, the less touristic parts of France are quiet during these months, while coastal resorts, especially in the south, are very crowded.

 

[robertt]

Falcon's advice is wise. I started by booking at Les Capucins.

After that, things will unfold. In August, you may find crowds, but you will also meet many French friends, who will not be shy about organising food and accommodation. Don't compete with them, go with them.

It's going to be great. I met sagalouts - hi, Ian! - on the Le Puy route, and can only agree with him that it's a jewel of a camino.

 

[grilly]

For having been an hospitalière in Conques, I could recommend you, if you wish to stay at the Abbey which is a neat place, to ask for the room 15, with a view on the abbatiale. If you want a more romantic effect, you can ask for room 1 or 2, which are at the top of the tower, right under the little oratory (The view is of the roofs). Ask also if it will be possible to visit the top of the abbatiale, where it is wonderful to walk listening to Br Jean Daniel's organ music...

Otherwise, if you have the opportunity of stopping at one of the gîtes of the Haltes de Compostelle (http://www.haltesverscompostelle.fr/32322/index.html), you're pretty sure to get a fabulous welcome. You can also sleep in a yurt in Aubrac if this appeals to you. The owner is a fabulous woman. If I remember well, it is called l'Ange Guardien, The Guardian Angel. She knows medicinal herbs and makes fabulous healing oils. (http://angegardien-compostelle.fr/)

Otherwise, as other pilgrims before me have said, this is one of the most beautiful parts of the Camino.

Wishing you and your wife a wonderful time!

Bonne Route!

 

[grilly]

Find a bilingual friend early on the walk, and have him/her help with calling ahead.

Yes. A friend, or sometimes the gite owner will be able to help you and call for you. Then, remember St James is looking after you