- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2018 (CF); 2022 (Via Tolosana -part)
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Thank you, @jl, thank you, @mspath. I couldn't do it without my Camino Family.Good to hear that you have had such a wonderful time before you begin the walking part of your pilgrimage. The journey you have made to visit and celebrate with friends is part of your pilgrimage, but now, no doubt, the hard work begins! I will await with bated breath to hear what plans you have added, and what ones have gone out the window! I will look forward to reading (and later hearing) all about this "road less travelled", Remember to be kind to yourself and take one step at a time. Ultreya, Janet
I love this route ! Ultreïa... enjoy ! I hope you will continue to post--if you're on Facebook there's a group dedicated to this route https://www.facebook.com/groups/2087986454769678Olivier dropped me in front of the Gare de Toulon, and the TER to Arles, via Marseilles has just just left the station.
Thanks to many friends, old and new, I have had an amazing, emotional 10 days in Toulon. How many of us have the good fortune to take part in 5 days of continuous celebration, recognizing the 100th Birthday of a wonderful friend, survivor of WWII, who, 100 years and 1 week, still plays etudes de Chopin and lieders de Schubert at his grand piano, then spends hours at his computer, communicating with friends across the globe? I am so blessed and thankful to my adopted French family, and their community in Toulon, for the hospitality and good times I've enjoyed the past few days.
Now the Pilgrimage begins. 2 nights à l'Auberge du Pelerin at Arles, then starting Monday, 9 mai ( my birthday!) towards Toulouse or a bit further over the next few weeks. Thank you, @anamcara, @mspath, @Paul-CH and Janet Leitch and Australian Friends of the Camino at home in Oz, for all the good advice and support that got me here. More to follow.
A very good FB group, with very helpful and knowledgeable members!if you're on Facebook there's a group dedicated to this route https://www.facebook.com/groups/2087986454769678
Yes, thanks, I'm a member of this FB group already, but seem to gravitate more towards the Camino Forum. I know the members of the Via Tolosana group are very knowledgeable and I will check in there, too. (I just dislike FB in general more and more recently).A very good FB group, with very helpful and knowledgeable members!
Bonjour Jenny, yesterday, first day, was difficult but I made it to St Gilles finally and was welcomed and rehydrated at the accueil pelerins et la Maison Marcel Avignon. Saw no one at all en route and lost sight of any balisage and finally took to the D572n autoroute to arrive at last. Today will be better, I've lightened my sac and sent a packet of clothes ahead to Olivier's flat in Puteaux. I must say, the way markings are quite sparse or completely absent on that first leg out of Arles, and this is the opinion of all the pilgrims I met here, French and others, not just my view! But, on y vas, ça ira mieux aujourd'hui !Bonjour Anna.
Have just seen your thread. Yeah, you are on your way. Couldn’t agree more about Arles - a wonderful town.
Wishing you a TRES BON CHEMIN! Loved the Arles Way - hope you will too. Bon courage
Anna, sorry I missed your birthday, as I have just now paid attention to your thread. I will add you to my calendar - I have two others marked in that day as well. Another anniversary but not of a birthday, so I will not forget. What a beautiful start for you. Such an inspirational person, your centennial friend! I will now keep an eye on your thread, and thank you for posting.Olivier dropped me in front of the Gare de Toulon, and the TER to Arles, via Marseilles has just just left the station.
Thanks to many friends, old and new, I have had an amazing, emotional 10 days in Toulon. How many of us have the good fortune to take part in 5 days of continuous celebration, recognizing the 100th Birthday of a wonderful friend, survivor of WWII, who, 100 years and 1 week, still plays etudes de Chopin and lieders de Schubert at his grand piano, then spends hours at his computer, communicating with friends across the globe? I am so blessed and thankful to my adopted French family, and their community in Toulon, for the hospitality and good times I've enjoyed the past few days.
Now the Pilgrimage begins. 2 nights à l'Auberge du Pelerin at Arles, then starting Monday, 9 mai ( my birthday!) towards Toulouse or a bit further over the next few weeks. Thank you, @anamcara, @mspath, @Paul-CH and Janet Leitch and Australian Friends of the Camino at home in Oz, for all the good advice and support that got me here. More to follow.
Sorry to hear that Anna. As wonderful as Arles is, we found (as others often do) that the days between Arles and Montpelier were the least appealing. I don’t recall about the way marking but I was with Domi - and two others for the first few days - so between us we must have managed.Bonjour Jenny, yesterday, first day, was difficult but I made it to St Gilles finally and was welcomed and rehydrated at the accueil pelerins et la Maison Marcel Avignon. Saw no one at all en route and lost sight of any balisage and finally took to the D572n autoroute to arrive at last. Today will be better, I've lightened my sac and sent a packet of clothes ahead to Olivier's flat in Puteaux. I must say, the way markings are quite sparse or completely absent on that first leg out of Arles, and this is the opinion of all the pilgrims I met here, French and others, not just my view! But, on y vas, ça ira mieux aujourd'hui !
Thank you, Kirkie, for your affirming message. If you saw my post/reply to @anamcara earlier today, I had a challenging first étape to St Gilles but with a happy ending. Today, my second étape, to Vauvert, was much better overall, and beautiful at certain points, but still challenging due to the complete solitude the entire day, and worries about dwindling water reserve again (nowhere at all to replenish water). But, the balisage/way marking was much more evident and easier to follow. I am delighted with my accommodation tonight chez Mme Sylvie Brouès, Chambre d'hôtes Maison Porte St-Louis - highly recommended!Anna, sorry I missed your birthday, as I have just now paid attention to your thread. I will add you to my calendar - I have two others marked in that day as well. Another anniversary but not of a birthday, so I will not forget. What a beautiful start for you. Such an inspirational person, your centennial friend! I will now keep an eye on your thread, and thank you for posting.
Good for you Anna. I think a 5km rest day sounds great. Love that you are receiving that wonderful French hospitality.Jenny, your reduced étapes of 20-25 kms are still longer than mine, I must say. Tomorrow, due to NO vacancies in any locations further ahead, I am going to stay at Villetelle, just 5 kms away! But I will count this as a rest day and let my sore left knee recover, then onward! I plan to take that bus from Vendargues myself, Jenny - the city walking is confusing I've found.
Anna Cameron,An interesting article from Le Figaro, reporting results from a survey (2021) of walkers and Pilgrims on the French Chemins de Compostelle. It reflects the perspective of French pilgrims but the descriptions of challenges and "deficiencies" on the pathways in France certainly reflect my own experience so far on the Arles Way. I'm happy to report that I've really enjoyed my last 2 days en Chemin and I'm about to explore the sights and monuments here in Villetelle.
Chemins de Compostelle : ces statistiques étonnantes sur le profil des voyageurs
Motivations au départ, itinéraires préférés... Une étude dresse le portrait des cheminants toujours plus nombreux à s'élancer, en France comme en Espagne, en direction de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle. Avec quelques surprises.www.lefigaro.fr
Bon voyage, Jenny et bon retour à Pretty Beach. Yes, I'm sold on Albi now, love museums, love Toulouse Lautrec. Re: Laperouse, I'm going to try and send you a photo I took in the Bibliothèque in Toulon, maps of Laperouse's explorations in OZ, coast of (now) SA and Kangaroo Is. Yes, it could all have been quite different!Bravo Anna. Love your attitude and adaptability. Your reward is some very special experiences that we only happen upon by opening our hearts and minds to ‘strangers’ and following our intuition. The French sometimes get a bad rap, in my view, possibly based on limited experiences in big cities like Paris where people are busy busy busy getting on with their own lives in a city bursting with tourists.
In my experience - even before I met and married one - French people are welcoming, kind and generous with their time and hospitality. It sounds like this will be a Chemin filled with ‘des belles souvenirs’. Bon continuation. Bon chemin.
From Singapore airport, en route from Paris to Pretty Beach
PS. Albi is a lovely town. I’m not much for museums, but loved the Toulouse Latrec museum. Also, Square Botany Bay and the Laperouse museum may be of interest to an Aussie - Laperouse was born in Albi. Just think if he’d arrived just a few weeks earlier (before Captain Cook) we’d all be French speaking.
A choir practice taking place in the Abbaye, while pilgrims and tourists sat in silent appreciation, a fascinating film in the Museum (who knew that much of the sacred statuary and sections of the ancient monastery and abbaye were purchased by an American in 19th century, to be preserved and displayed in the Cloisters in NYC - one of my favourite places in the world? Well, I didn't!)
A choir practice taking place in the Abbaye, while pilgrims and tourists sat in silent appreciation, a fascinating film in the Museum (who knew that much of the sacred statuary and sections of the ancient monastery and abbaye were purchased by an American in 19th century, to be preserved and displayed in the Cloisters in NYC - one of my favourite places in the world? Well, I didn't!)
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