Le Puy to SJPDP, late August to early October

[tallrobert]

Hi Camino Forum friends! I‘m planning to walk from Le Puy-en-Velay from about August 27th. I walked the Francés in May/June 2012. Then, life happened and I’ve been gone from this site for a long time. There have been a lot of changes in my life since my first camino, especially since the plague began, and I find I’m really in need of some camino therapy! I’m planning a stay elsewhere in France later in the fall, so I have from August 27th until I meet up with my partner in Toulouse on October 6th. I figure that’s plenty of time to walk from Le Puy to St Jean, have a few rest days along the way and perhaps continue walking to Roncesvalles or Pamplona, stopping at Orisson to say hi again to Panchika and Jean-Jacques and to have a drink on my favourite patio in the world. This forum was an invaluable resource for me in 2012 and helped make that the best experience of my life. I know this camino will be very different from my first (Covid aside) but the warmth, support and willingness to share are still very alive in this forum and I’m thrilled to get reacquainted. ¡Ultreia!

 

[BillW]

Great to meet you, Robert.

My current plan is to leave Le Puy in mid-August but take my time and arrive in early October. So we should pass each other along the way. I look forward to meeting you face-to-face.

 

[Pilgrim-Pete]

Hello folks! I have similar plans along with my Camino brother Dan whom I met on the Frances in 2019. Beginning sometime between mid-Aug and early-Sep, we will start in Le Puy and continue to Roncesvalles or Pamplona. We then intend on repositioning to Oviedo to do the Primitivo into Santiago with the option to continue to Muxia. We have no set end date but I expect that we will be on the move for 6-7 weeks. Can't wait! Hopefully we will meet you on our travels.

Robert - I can't agree with you more about Orisson. On day one of the Frances, I met my Camino family on the patio and we ended up walking into Santiago together. They remain a very important part of my life.

 

[Speddy]

Hello, in 2010 l walked the CF.
I'm now planning on Le put to St. Jean in 2022 for my 60th, and hike the Haute route in Switzerland.
Happy trails
Buen Camino

 

[Sanman]

Hi All, my wife and i were planning to walk in 2020, then 2021 but we are locked and loaded for 2022.

Even though we are in our mid 60's we have decided to do a "warm up" walk from Geneva to Le Puys (350km) ha! and then take on Le Puys to SJPP.

Each time we walk i write something on my shell - thinking this time it might be " The Camino Calls Me"

Can't wait - hope you all have an awesome adventure and i will see you on the trail!

 

[Bearsmom]

My Camino buddy and I -- Barbara 1 and Barbara 2 (both in our 60's!) -- are planning on four weeks on the Le Puy to SJPP starting in early September. It was the most wonderful feeling when we booked the flight! I agree that this forum has been invaluable. This will be our third Camino and each trip is forever ingrained in my mind as the most peaceful and amazing journey.

 

[Patrice C]

Hi everyone,
I’m new to the website. We have a group of 6 women (ages 44 to 69) starting the Chemin in Saugues on Sept 8th. Tickets booked! We are planning on walking for 2 weeks. A couple of us have had knee surgery and are now rehabbing. I noticed in the miam miam dodo guide that there are a few places between Aubrac and Espalion that show the terrain as orange and red. Although some spots look like elevation changes others seem flat. Wondering if those are due to rocky or technical terrain. Any advice or info on those areas? We have a vehicle so could skip those days if needed to save the knees! This is a first for all of us. We trained to go last September but covid…. We have been really focused on finding the correct shoes and socks and getting some miles on them. Any advice is welcome. Can’t wait to try this! Hope to meet some of you along the way.

 

[ELMarch]

Greetings. My husband David and I will be starting from Le Puy on August 25. This is our first Camino. We had planned to go in May of 2020 but we are now good to go in August. Until then, I am working hard on my French and getting in shape for the hills. We hope we will have a chance to meet you all on our journey. Bon chemin!

 

[BlackRocker57]

Hi All, my wife and i were planning to walk in 2020, then 2021 but we are locked and loaded for 2022.

Even though we are in our mid 60's we have decided to do a "warm up" walk from Geneva to Le Puys (350km) ha! and then take on Le Puys to SJPP.

Each time we walk i write something on my shell - thinking this time it might be " The Camino Calls Me"

Can't wait - hope you all have an awesome adventure and i will see you on the trail!

I am also looking forward to doing that «warm-up» walk from Geneva, perhaps next year Certainly, from Le Puy to StJPP and including most if not all the Le Puy route variantes ... fingers and toes crossed that our government release us from detention by then

 

[BlackRocker57]

Hi everyone,
I’m new to the website. We have a group of 6 women (ages 44 to 69) starting the Chemin in Saugues on Sept 8th. Tickets booked! We are planning on walking for 2 weeks. A couple of us have had knee surgery and are now rehabbing. I noticed in the miam miam dodo guide that there are a few places between Aubrac and Espalion that show the terrain as orange and red. Although some spots look like elevation changes others seem flat. Wondering if those are due to rocky or technical terrain. Any advice or info on those areas? We have a vehicle so could skip those days if needed to save the knees! This is a first for all of us. We trained to go last September but covid…. We have been really focused on finding the correct shoes and socks and getting some miles on them. Any advice is welcome. Can’t wait to try this! Hope to meet some of you along the way.

Have a wonderful time, Patrice ... there are some challenging sections between Aubrac and Espalion BUT very do-able even with dodgy knees [I have two of them ] ... and not so technical [Dolomites is technical] ...

important just to walk at your own pace, not to push too hard to get from place to place ... and take the ground / path just as you find it ... and of course use your trekking poles ...

this is some of the most beautiful territory that you will cross ...

 

[BlackRocker57]

Greetings. My husband David and I will be starting from Le Puy on August 25. This is our first Camino. We had planned to go in May of 2020 but we are now good to go in August. Until then, I am working hard on my French and getting in shape for the hills. We hope we will have a chance to meet you all on our journey. Bon chemin!

bon chemin, ultreïa

 

[BlackRocker57]

My Camino buddy and I -- Barbara 1 and Barbara 2 (both in our 60's!) -- are planning on four weeks on the Le Puy to SJPP starting in early September. It was the most wonderful feeling when we booked the flight! I agree that this forum has been invaluable. This will be our third Camino and each trip is forever ingrained in my mind as the most peaceful and amazing journey.

Bon chemin et Ultreïa ... you are sure to this chemin

 

[Kanga]

Hi everyone,
I’m new to the website. We have a group of 6 women (ages 44 to 69) starting the Chemin in Saugues on Sept 8th. Tickets booked! We are planning on walking for 2 weeks. A couple of us have had knee surgery and are now rehabbing. I noticed in the miam miam dodo guide that there are a few places between Aubrac and Espalion that show the terrain as orange and red. Although some spots look like elevation changes others seem flat. Wondering if those are due to rocky or technical terrain. Any advice or info on those areas? We have a vehicle so could skip those days if needed to save the knees! This is a first for all of us. We trained to go last September but covid…. We have been really focused on finding the correct shoes and socks and getting some miles on them. Any advice is welcome. Can’t wait to try this! Hope to meet some of you along the way.

I think that as you are starting at Saugues you should be fine. The worst bit for knees is going into Monistrol, and Saugues is past that.

Between Saugues and Espalion the terrain is generally up and down out of river valleys, but nothing that is a scramble. Just take your time - its a marathon, not a race. My knees are crap but I managed with the help of my trusty trekking sticks. It is a particularly gorgeous section, and I would not skip any. The loveliest river towns! I'm envious.

 

[keith duke scott]

Hi Camino Forum friends! I‘m planning to walk from Le Puy-en-Velay from about August 27th. I walked the Francés in May/June 2012. Then, life happened and I’ve been gone from this site for a long time. There have been a lot of changes in my life since my first camino, especially since the plague began, and I find I’m really in need of some camino therapy! I’m planning a stay elsewhere in France later in the fall, so I have from August 27th until I meet up with my partner in Toulouse on October 6th. I figure that’s plenty of time to walk from Le Puy to St Jean, have a few rest days along the way and perhaps continue walking to Roncesvalles or Pamplona, stopping at Orisson to say hi again to Panchika and Jean-Jacques and to have a drink on my favourite patio in the world. This forum was an invaluable resource for me in 2012 and helped make that the best experience of my life. I know this camino will be very different from my first (Covid aside) but the warmth, support and willingness to share are still very alive in this forum and I’m thrilled to get reacquainted. ¡Ultreia!

That sounds like a terrific plan. My kids and I twice have purchase tickets to do the exact same route as you but as you mentioned the plague ruled last year and half of this. Now we are planning on a 2022 le.puy hike.ive studied the route a bit and fell on love with the tiny villages and challenging route. From the usa it was cheaper to fly to Barcelona then take a quick flight to Paris then train to le puy.
Enjoy the camino and best of luck hitting all your favorite spots along the way. Buen camino.

 

[Patrice C]

I think that as you are starting at Saugues you should be fine. The worst bit for knees is going into Monistrol, and Saugues is past that.

Between Saugues and Espalion the terrain is generally up and down out of river valleys, but nothing that is a scramble. Just take your time - its a marathon, not a race. My knees are crap but I managed with the help of my trusty trekking sticks. It is a particularly gorgeous section, and I would not skip any. The loveliest river towns! I'm envious.

Thank you for the advice. I had read that the first 3 days out of le puy were rocky so I was skipping those. I tore my meniscus last Sept in Utah on a super rocky trail so I’m trying not to repeat. We can’t wait! I originally planned this for the year I turned 60. Now I’ll be almost 62 and I hope it France is open to us. We are all vaccinated. If not will try again next year.

 

[Patrice C]

I think that as you are starting at Saugues you should be fine. The worst bit for knees is going into Monistrol, and Saugues is past that.

Between Saugues and Espalion the terrain is generally up and down out of river valleys, but nothing that is a scramble. Just take your time - its a marathon, not a race. My knees are crap but I managed with the help of my trusty trekking sticks. It is a particularly gorgeous section, and I would not skip any. The loveliest river towns! I'm envious.

Thank you! I’m ok with inclines just not the super rocky parts. I’m bringing my collapsible trekking poles. Hope they let me bring them on the plane and don’t make me check them.

 

[Lleslie]

Hi Patrice, we found the 7km path from Aubrac down to St Chely d'Aubrac quite rocky. (And saw two snakes!) It's down hill all the way and we were exhausted by the time we got there - mind you it was at the end of our day as we had walked from Finieyrols as we couldn't get accommodation anywhere closer it being the Transhumance festival - a sight worth seeing with many cows dressed in their floral headgear for the occasion. From Saint Come d'Olt there is a flat river path/rd you can take almost into Espalion rather than the hill climb/descent to Notre Dame de Vermus if you prefer. A short detour just before Espalion is the 12th century Eglise Saint Hilarian de Perse - the frescos on the ceiling are impressive. I wrote a blog on that trip - it's somwhere on this site under blogs/photos in the Le Puy section - walking500more.wordpress.com if you are interested. Bon Chemin to all the lucky pilgrims heading out. We are still not allowed to leave here in Australia. Linda

 

[Lleslie]

Hi Patrice, we found the 7km path from Aubrac down to St Chely d'Aubrac quite rocky. (And saw two snakes!) It's down hill all the way and we were exhausted by the time we got there - mind you it was at the end of our day as we had walked from Finieyrols as we couldn't get accommodation anywhere closer it being the Transhumance festival - a sight worth seeing with many cows dressed in their floral headgear for the occasion. From Saint Come d'Olt there is a flat river path/rd you can take almost into Espalion rather than the hill climb/descent to Notre Dame de Vermus if you prefer. A short detour just before Espalion is the 12th century Eglise Saint Hilarian de Perse - the frescos on the ceiling are impressive. I wrote a blog on that trip - it's somwhere on this site under blogs/photos in the Le Puy section - walking500more.wordpress.com if you are interested. Bon Chemin to all the lucky pilgrims heading out. We are still not allowed to leave here in Australia. Linda

 

[Lleslie]

Sorry, don't know why it posted twice

 

[Patrice C]

Hi Patrice, we found the 7km path from Aubrac down to St Chely d'Aubrac quite rocky. (And saw two snakes!) It's down hill all the way and we were exhausted by the time we got there - mind you it was at the end of our day as we had walked from Finieyrols as we couldn't get accommodation anywhere closer it being the Transhumance festival - a sight worth seeing with many cows dressed in their floral headgear for the occasion. From Saint Come d'Olt there is a flat river path/rd you can take almost into Espalion rather than the hill climb/descent to Notre Dame de Vermus if you prefer. A short detour just before Espalion is the 12th century Eglise Saint Hilarian de Perse - the frescos on the ceiling are impressive. I wrote a blog on that trip - it's somwhere on this site under blogs/photos in the Le Puy section - walking500more.wordpress.com if you are interested. Bon Chemin to all the lucky pilgrims heading out. We are still not allowed to leave here in Australia. Linda

Linda
Thank you so much! I will look at all your notes. Since we have a vehicle, we must take drive days. I’ll pick the days that might give me the most problem. I’m good going up hill. Downhill …still working on that with my rehab. Sorry you are still stuck in Australia. But hopefully it’s a nice place to be stuck. I’m checking every day about France allowing us in. Maybe soon, enough will be vaccinated to get it under control globally. I really appreciate everyone posting. Maybe we will meet on the trail in day.