Le Puy to Santiago de Compostela by bike 3/28-4/30/2013

[chinook]

Hi! Just found this forum. Hello to everyone. Plans as above. Am planning to go unguided through France, then join my brother for an unaccompanied tour from Roncevalles for the rest of the trip. Anybody think going on my own through France without reservations or a tour company is a bad idea? Do you need a tour company for the Spanish portion? Let me know what you think. Thanks.

 

[newfydog]

I sent my 77 year old step mother with a tour coompany. I went with no plans or reservations.

Most people fall between those two approaches. Tell us about yourself and we will suggest what works for you.

 

[freeflyer123]

Hello, and welcome to the forum. You will find loads of helpful hints and information on here. I don't think you will have any problem travelling through France, or Spain, on your bike solo. We (not sure if I'm dragging my husband along, or he's dragging me along :lol: ) are riding the Camino de Santiago, but won't be leaving our house (in the middle of the UK) before the middle of August. We plan to ride down to Spain through France and are taking our tents for this. Only because it's probably still the cheapest way to go. Having said that, we've never found any problems finding a reasonably-priced place to stay while cycling through France. However, I suspect that, in the present climate, you might have to be prepared to ride on to yet another small village before you can find anywhere to stay. As in the UK, I am sure that many of the holiday/B&B places would have closed. Another good reason why a tent can come in handy!

Once in Spain, we think it might be difficult to find camping sites because there are so many organised places to stay in - so we just might pack up our tent at that stage and send it on to Santiago (from St John Pied de Port).

There are also organised bike trips - we know of one in September - if you would rather go with a crowd. But this can be expensive, of course. I am sure that, whatever you do, and whichever way you go, you will have a great time, and meet some excellent people along the way.

P.S. Going alone won't be any problem as many of the walkers do just that. Loads of cyclists go to countries in the EU without forward planning and survive to tell the tale. Remember to keep a logbook of all the wonderful things you see, and do, along the way. A bit of French (on the French side) and Spanish (on the Spanish side) is always appreciated but not strictly necessary. You might have more problems in France than Spain because the deepest bits of France obviously you will only find French spoken. While, on the Camino, I get the impression that many of the locals are happy to practice their English given the chance. But whichever way, it's always a matter of courtesy if you at least know some of the basic words. If you can take along an ipad, or mobile phone with the facility to translate for you, this may be a help.

 

[mspath]

chinook,

For biking in Spain you may wish to investigate the Spanish Bike-Lne site for the Camino Frances which lists those albergues which are especially cyclist friendly. See >> http://bike-line.blogspot.com.es/. On the opening page scroll down until you see on the left BIKELINE 2012 - NUEVOS AMIGOS DE CAMINO and on the right column a red backed photo of bikers entitled PASAPORTE BIKELINE. Hit this photo and in another window will download their PASAPORTE or list of all the cyclist friendly albergues .

Links to other cyclist/camino sites are found at Webs de Interes further down on the right on the opening page of the Bike-Line site. For example here is one in English >> http://www.bicigrino.info/albergues/cat ... category=3

Happy pedaling and Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[chinook]

Thank you all for the quick response and the encouragement.

I am 60, and will be pedaling a small Bike Friday collapsible bike I am bringing with me from Alaska. I plan to fly into Paris, and take the train to Lyon and Le Puy.

My bike usually travels in a large suit case, but I don't know what to do with the case once I start. I can take it as a trailer, but would rather not. Best if I could ship it from Paris to Santiago de Compostela, but not sure if I can do that. I might bring it on the plane in a travel bag packed with cardboard. I can discard the cardboard in Paris, use the bag as a panier, and find some more cardboard at the end to.repack it.

I am in some shape, not prime but some, and will be traveling very light. I wasn't going to take a tent or sleeping bag, but maybe some sheets. I speak very little French, and a bit of California Spanish. I will bring a smart phone to translate with.

My brother is 65, and is trying to get into some shape now. He will be renting a full sized bike. Iff he has a hard time along the way we plan to trade and shuttle him.ahead with my collapsible bike in a bus or taxi.

 

[mspath]

chinook,

See these two additional Forum threads about cycling your route in France >>
the-le-puy-route/topic9231.html and
the-le-puy-route/topic13767.html

This English guidebook for cycling from Le Puy to Santiago also looks VERY useful.

http://books.google.fr/books/about/The_ ... edir_esc=y

Cheers,

Margaret Meredith

 

[rickster]

Is taking a bus along Le Puy route similar to Camino Frances where you can just pick up bus at a stop and pay fee to driver? Are there numerous stops? Anticipate that I might need to take bus after 2 1/2 weeks to make connections for plane to Porto.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Bus and train routes do not parallel the Le Puy route; they mostly cross it every week or so. That means that you go to some major city north or south of the route, then connect to a major city further down the route. It is not convenient!

 

[newfydog]

Thank you all for the quick response and the encouragement.

I am 60, and will be pedaling a small Bike Friday collapsible bike I am bringing with me from Alaska. My bike usually travels in a large suit case,

Ok, now we need to talk...

The Bike Friday is a nice bike on the road, but the route is a hiking and mountain bike trail. It won't work very well out there.

You can take paved roads which sort connect most of the towns. There is a guide book written by a couple who did just that:

http://www.cicerone.co.uk/9781852844417.cfm

The route in the book is not very good, but it is a starting point for the road alternatives.
I'd get a mountain bike. It is one of the greatest long trips on the planet.

Here's a good view of the trail surface types:

http://vimeo.com/56522540

 

[obinjatoo@yahoo.com]

I cycled from Dieppe, France on the north coast. I went solo with no plan, guide or tour company. I was prepared for camping in France. I had a great time. Camping was unnecessary in Spain. If you are planning to cycle with a credit card and no gear, I suggest a solid plan and maybe a tour guide or company through France. There are some printed guides but I couldn't find one. But I didn't look very hard either.
Also, if I might throw in another opinion: If you have the time, I suggest storing or shipping your bike from Roncesvalles, Pamplona or what have you and walk the rest. There are some companies that ship bikes and support bicigrinas. If it's a bike tour you want then by all means cycle it. If it's a pilgrimage you are after then walk it. I walked from Leon and had a very different and more fulfilling experience. I will walk my next pilgrimage. I think from Murcia to Sevilla and on to Santiago via Portugal.
Good Luck,
Robin

 

[newfydog]

I If it's a pilgrimage you are after then walk it. I walked from Leon and had a very different and more fulfilling experience.

I would not doubt the experience of a fellow pilgrim, but i must say, my personal experiece has been different. I return each year on bike. I have walked as well, and can say, from my experiences,the bike trip is more heavenly. To me.
Figure out what works for you.

 

[rickster]

Thank you, Falcon. You're always a wealth of information!

 

[chinook]

This has been great. I really appreciate all the input. Not that many people up my way have done this trip, though a lot of them are thinking about it.

Any suggestions on a nice place to stay in Le Puy near the train station where I can assemble my bike?

Newfy - very impressive ride, and it is fun to think about mountain biking it. How did you get a mountain bike to Le Puy? One of the attractions about the Bike Friday is that it travels so well. The Pocket Llama is a bit of a crossover, but unless I hear otherwise I don't plan on taking it on much more than a gravel road.

Mspath - Bikeguy's blog was very helpful. Thanks. I will drop him a line.

Obinjatoo - if there were but world enough, and time...

Rickster - when are you going?

Free - I have decided bring a small tent and sleeping bag along.

Mike

 

[newfydog]

Newfy - very impressive ride, and it is fun to think about mountain biking it. How did you get a mountain bike to Le Puy?

We used to just throw them in a box and go. To return, we go to a department store and ask for another box. The bikes we use have been back and forth to Europe five times, no problem.

Some airlines are charging high fees these days, but if you check around, some do not charge for international flights, and at our little airport, they often just don't bother to charge.

Now we keep a set of bikes in France, either at a house we often rent, or with a friend in Paris..


"THE BEST:
According to Bicycling, JetBlue, Frontier and Southwest are the bee’s knees, with each charging only $50 for placing your bike on board. Additionally, they note that Frontier will transport your bike by hand from the ticket counter to the plane.

THE WORST:
Because of the sky-high fees, on the following airlines, Bicycling.com doesn’t advise trying to stash your bikes on board: Delta/Northwest ($175); United ($175); American ($100 + regular checked bag fee of $20-$30). Also of concern to United passengers, their weight limit is only 50lbs, so don’t plan on packing your expensive bike in a hard case."

 

[chinook]

oh, well. already have my Delta ticket. My bike is in a case. A friend said to say it is a.massage table to avoid bike charges.

Attached is a picture of me riding to work in January.

 

[chinook]

Leaving for the airport in few hours. Still some packing to do.

 

[chinook]

In Le Puy. Have to get my bike together.

 

[chinook]

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/luggage- ... ompostela/

Wrapping things up here in Le Puy. Everyone here has been great. Went to the cathedral this morning. No mass since it was Good Friday, but the priest gave us a nice blessing, and now have my credential. there were pilgrim's from Italy, Germany, Madagascar, and me from Alaska. I don't know how many languages the priest knew, but he said he knows a lot.

Just finished shipping my case off to Santiago de Compostela via French post office , 56e for 13kg. See the link above. It is pretty rainy and cool, so I sent my camping gear ahead as well. I will plan to stay at hotels, and travel very light.

Decathelon here in town was a great place to top off on bike gear. it's a sporting goods store, and they have a nice bike section.

Will look into getting a health card at the tourist office, and an early dinner.

 

[newfydog]

Good call on the camping gear---there are many places to stay, of all levels.

Be sure to learn about the Bete of the Gevaudan, and go to the museum in Sauges if it is open. You are heading into the Bete's land.

Bon chemin!

 

[chinook]

I don't know what is happening to the formatting on my smart phone, but as I copy and paste paragraphs to put them in different formats I am losing paragraph separation.  I am going to try to address this by putting a -P- between paragraphs to see if this helps. -P- I also want to thank Higginson for his book, The Way of Saint James, a Cyclist Guide, which I am following on this trip.  If I quote him without giving credit it is not intentional, and I apologize. -P- Day 1 3/312013. Starting at Le Puy: -P-I woke up around 2 AM after sleeping about 4 hours, which was better than the previous night, but then I fell asleep again at 5 for 4 hours more.  Gave me a late start, but at least I'm getting over my jet lag. -P- I ate and finished packing the bike, which seemed heavy, but it was time to go.  I walked out through town to the Rue St. Jaques where pilgrims are supposed to start, wearing only socks and sandals, shorts, and a light shirt, with my wind breaker tied around my waist. -P-    From there it was a couple mile uphill slug, first on cobblestones, and then really steep tarmac.  I walked, sweating, until things began to level out, and then jumped on my bike.  I had to tweek the brakes a bit.  Next time I'll take it into a bike shop  for a tune up after I put it together. -P- So here I am, peddling across the French county side, which looks a lot like Mendocino.  I'm thinking it was silly for me to bring so much clothes when it's this warm, only to have to lug it up and down these hills, and that I should have brought just lighter sandals, the wind breaker, an extra shirt and pair of shorts, and maybe an extra pair of underwear and socks.  Live and learn. -P- Then 30 minutes later after passing through Bains and entering the wild moorland of Gevaudan I'm shivering in a rural bus stop shelter after being hit with a near freezing down pour, and I'm trying to put on everything I've got, insulated shirt, both jackets, storm pants, wind pants, the excellent bike gloves that Nurse Audrey gave me for Christmas that I almost left at home,  The only things I didn't wear before the day was over were 2 pair of underwear and a synthetic t-shirt, and I probably should have put them on, too. -P- And I'm upset with myself for not bringing my Gortex shoes and heavy wool socks, because I'm wearing 2 pairs of socks and the midweight sandals the REI guy and I thought would be plenty, and my feet are still soaked and freezing. -P- Then I find out something really rude.  After struggling over these mountains and plunging into the step descent of the Allier gorge I realize that the downhill is worse.  You're going fast enough you get wind chill, and you aren't pedaling to generate heat. -P- By the time I got to the bottom at Monistrol d' Allier I am becoming seriously hypothermic, and I know what hypothermia feels like. -P- So I stop at this small hotel and restaurant (paindesucre.com).  The owner Peter looks at me and gives me some cognac and a hot pizza.  Then he looks at me some more and insists I drink some coffee, which I don't usually do. -P- I say I feel a lot better, but my feet are still cold.  Peter goes and gets an old pair of his son's shoes and insists I take them, to be left at a bar in Saugues, where I can find a better pair of shoes at a good men's shoe store down the street from the bar. -P- He tells me not to take the published route, but to walk my bike on the walkers track for a couple miles, and then pick up the main road.  I start out fine, but then get confused over road signs (I'll try to post the picture.  Go to the right!) and end up taking the long way through St. Prejet d' Alliers, which adds another 10km or so, which I don't have in me.  By the time I find the right road I can't peddle uphill anymore, and there is more uphill than ever.  I start to walk up anything that isn't level or downhill. -P- I stop and ask several people if I'm going the right way.  They tend to have philosophical discussions about the roads and bike riding and pilgrimages, very little of which I understand.  But they all are nice, and I appreciate it. -P- I get to Saugues just before the shoe store closes, and get a nice pair of light Gortex water resistant shoes.  I realize I've lost my helmet and skull cap somewhere, either leaving  them at Peter's hotel, or losing them when I crashed after wandering onto the soft shoulder while trying to put my  gloves back on.   So the lady at the shoe store sells me a warm knit cap.  Bike helmets don't seem to be required in France, and they are kind of hard to find. -P- I get to the hotel where I am staying (la Terrasse).  The owner comes out and insists on carrying my bike to the storage area under the hotel.  He says I look too tired to carry it.  I shower and wash my quick dry clothes and lay everything else out to dry, because everything I wore today was wet. -P- I have the plate de jour for dinner, because it's too complicated to go over the menu.  Turns out I like sheep cheese.  -P-I drink 3 quarts of water and an electrolyte pack because my legs were starting to cramp up on the road.  My kidneys gradually give up their grudge. -P- And now I am going to go to sleep. -P- The forecast is for snow tomorrow morning, followed by sun and warm temperatures in the afternoon.  Go figure.  This isn't Alaska, and I guess it can have whatever weather it wants. -P- I'll plan to go to Easter mass at 11, and if the weather is improving I'll then head out late to Aumount-Aubrac, 46 exposed km away.  If the weather still looks bad I'll wait another day, and have some more cheese. -P- Mike

 

[chinook]

Day 2, 4/1/2013.  Leaving Saugues:Woke up refreshed today, which is pretty unusual for me, and deserves explanation.  Sure enough, I'd slept in till 11:30.   Rushed around trying to get packed and on the road. -P- The clothes I rinsed last night were still damp.  I asked the owner of the hotel if he had a dryer.  He said sure, and hung them up in front of his furnace. -P- Despite my complaining in an earlier post that I travel very light, with only about 2 changes of clothes for this 1 month trip.  That means I have to wash every day, or try to. -P- We waited till 1:30, but my clothes were still wet. I strapped them over my bike bags where they could dry some more, and took off. -P- The weather wasn't bad if you are from Alaska. Blustery, patches of snow, but at least little or no rain.  3 different 200 m climbs today, which beats the 2 500m climbs yesterday. -P- The country appeared to be rich farm land and pastures.  I could hear crowing, clucking, and mooing along the way.  I passed through lots of tiny villages of tightly packed old stone houses set on local highpoints.  Sometimes I'd go through without seeing anyone, sometimes I'd just see a kid or two. -P- The air is very clear. -P- In my hurry I had left without breakfast, so I stopped about 15km out at a little bar.  There were 4 people talking in a little kitchen to the side.  They talked for a couple minutes more before a lady came out and got me a small glass of beer and a sandwich. -P- I showed the lady some pictures from home, which she talked about for quite some time.  She gave me 2 glasses of water, and said something about me being thirsty.  She was nice. -P- I had gotten so dry yesterday I'd promised myself to keep hydrated today.  I also figure that beer is as good as a power bar. -P-I pedaled another 15 km or so, walking up some steep grade for a mile or so.  Then it was downhill to St. Alban-Sur-Ligamole where I stopped again for more water and beer. -P- Well, there was nothing to do but start pedaling again.  2 of the climbs were in the next 15km, and I walked when I had to.  To me bike riding is like skiing.  It's not smart to go to the point of exhaustion.  You've got nothing left, even if you miscalculated and have farther to go than you thought.  You also get inattentive and have an accident and hurt yourself.  I don't need that on this solo walk about/vision quest.  Better to pace yourself and walk up the step grades. -P- I made it to Aumont-Aubrac at about 5:30, which wasn't bad considering what time I'd left. I had a couple more beers while I checked out the town, one at a hotel I was trying to decide if I should stay at.  It was 60e a night, and I told myself I had to start staying at the gites/hostels.  I got back on my bike and pedaled back to where I'd seen a hostel.  The sign on the door said 46e with plate du jour and petite de'jeuner. -P- I knocked on the door, rang the bell, said hello, but no one came.  It was locked up tighter than a drum. -P-It was still daylight, but I think the temperature was down to about 40 F, and dropping. -P- I thought about it, and decided God had sent me a hotel, and to drop my expectations of a gite. -P- So I went back and checked into the hotel.  I had some duck. My host gave me a 2l bottle of water, and told me not to drink out of the faucet.  He said I could, but not to, not this time of year.  I nodded and went to my room. -P- My clothes were still wet from yesterday.  There was a heated rack in the bath room.  I hung up the wet clothes from yesterday, and washed today's clothes, and put them all on the rack.  I guess we'll see. -P- Tomorrow is a long run of 76km to to Estaing, but a lot of it is downhill and then level in the hopefully warmer Lot valley.  The trick will be not to get caught in bad weather on the Massif Central, which I think has some ski resorts, though hopefully they're closed for the season. -P- Mike

 

[chinook]

Day 3, 4/2/2013. Leaving Aumont-Aubrach: -P- Woke up this morning at the hotel ( Pruniere) in Aumont-Aubrac at about 3 or 4, having slept fitfully again due to lingering jet lag.  Had breakfast - baguettes, jam, fruit, OJ, tea.  I asked one of my hosts if he could help me add money and minutes to my phone, but the computer wouldn't take my American credit card over the phone.  He very nicely paid $20e from his own card, and I reimbursed him.  That only gave me 50 minutes of air time, and we don't know how many texts.  -P-I think the thing to do next time is to go with one of the international plans with the home phone.  They seem kind of pricey, but in reality if you use Skype and Whatsapp for calls and texting whenever you have Wi-Fi, which so far has been often, then all you really need is urgent access, and that's minimal.  I'm going to look into a phone card for local calls.  I definitely wouldn't go with an Orange SIM card again. -P- My clothes were all nice and dry this morning, so after the phone was taken care of I packed up and hit the road at about 9:30. The  forecast was for near freezing in the morning, and I was climbing 300 in the first 26 km or so, so I dressed warm, long johns and all. -P- Turned out to be too warm.  Within 6 km or so I made a stop and stored the foam Kuhl jacket and my long johns. -P- I kept heading up over these mores.  It was exposed and windy, with some snow on the ground and mist, but the wind was to my back a certain amount.  I had on my foam shirt and wind pants, and was puffing away and generating a lot of heat.  I felt ok. -P- I stopped again for lunch in Nasbinals, hot tea and a sandwich.  The people were still friendly, but I definitely got the impression that I got the finger from a bunch of geese along the road. -P- I finally got to Aubrach, about 1340 m, the last stop before going over the pass.  I knew enough to put on my wind breaker, gloves, and knit hat before plunging off the other side. I didn't  put on much more because I was going to be hitting warmer air on the way down, and didn't want to spend any more time in the weather at the top than I had to. -P- Turns out I didn't know enough.  I'd forgotten my meteorology from flight school, thermal inversions and down drafts from  snow fields.  It was a 35 km run from the top, and not only did it not get warmer, but now I had a 20 mph chilling head wind, I was damp from the mist and a light drizzle, and I wasn't pedaling anymore.  In fact I was holding still on the bike to keep control in a higher speed situation. -P-After about 20 km or so I was completely frozen.  I bailed and warmed up in a little restaurant just after Saint Chely-d'-Aubrac, where I put my neoprene Kuhl jacket and storm pants back on under my wind breaker and wind pants. -P- The rest of the day wasn't so bad.  Once I got down to the Lot the road leveled out, and the rain warmed up. I passed through some absolutely charming little villages, stopped at a couple chapels, including the one dedicated to St. Hilari'on. -P- And now I am at the Hospitalite' in Estaing, where we had a charming and nourishing warm dinner and heart felt companionship. We washed the dishes, said our prayers, and now I'm texting in my bunk after lights out while my and the other pilgrims clothes dry next to the furnace. -P-We get up for prayers at 7:15, and I think we're invited to leave shortly after the breakfast that follows.  I am planning to take the long way around to Conques, about 46 km, because it is flatter.  Should be an easier day, as long as I don't wake up with a cough from being such a moron and letting myself get so cold today.  Again. -P-Mike