Le Puy via de Podiensis- sleeping bags and what type of wet weather gear?

[Marina Millar]

Hello all! We are currently excitedly putting our plans together for our Le Puy to St Jean PDP Camino for march 2018. We have the bug! Having recently returned from the Camino Portuguese where we walked from Lisbon to Santiago, we found that we only used our sleeping bags once at a municipal Alburgue at the Spanish end. We were so well looked after In Portugal , all hostels provide beautifully curated beds with all linen, duvets etc. provided. We are keen to try all levels of accomodation in France, from their municipal dorms and basic level through to the Gites d'Etapes and hotels -b&bs. We do have very light sleeping bags, but every ounce counts! Or should we just bring sleeping liners? Also as we are West Aussies and not accustomed to a lot of rain as you might have in Euroclimes, could someone please enlighten us as to how equipped we need to be for the french springtime. Also can someone please recommend some geolocation apps that might help with our route. Thanks so much!!

 

[zammy]

March is a problem. Most places are closed.
The high parts of the trail might be snowed and impossible to hike like Aubrac
Do you plan on snow/cold weather hiking?
You have to call NOW and find out which if any are open and if open will they turn on the heating.
In general you will need high boots,warm hiking clothes,rain gear.
The trail is well marked and there is no need for geolocation devices

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Plan for rain and cold. Get the Miam Miam Dodo guidebook to see the kind of accommodations you can expect. It won't be like the Camino Portugues, and it will be far different from Spain. You do need to call ahead in France, particularly in March. Much will be closed until April, even mid-April. Hosts do not sit around waiting for drop-ins. I found sufficient blankets that my lightweight sleep sack was fine for me (I like to be a bit cold when I sleep). Heat will be reluctantly turned on, or non-existent in gites d'etape. Remember that everything is closed Sunday and Monday, so be prepared for self-catering and shopping. Bon chemin.

 

[Kitsambler]

In 2018 Easter comes early - on April 1 (Ash Wednesday is on Valentine's, for heavens sake), so there will be a surge of walkers beginning the preceding weekend. The first ten days of the Le Puy route (Le Puy to Figeac) are up on the Massif plateau, over 1000 m (4000 ft). So spring comes late, and it is invariably wet.

If you are constrained on your dates, might it be possible to walk the second half first? Start at Cahors, walk to SJPP, take (several) trains to Le Puy, walk to Cahors? That way the much lower elevation (500 ft) of the second half would align with the colder weeks.

 

[Marina Millar]

Kitsambler, Thankyou for that! I don't think that between the two of us we would have thought of that! We had budgeted on 6 1/2 weeks away , with 5 or so on the walk and another week visiting Barcelona from where we return to Perth. It would mean a few more trains but it's worth a serious think about !

 

[Marina Millar]

Plan for rain and cold. Get the Miam Miam Dodo guidebook to see the kind of accommodations you can expect. It won't be like the Camino Portugues, and it will be far different from Spain. You do need to call ahead in France, particularly in March. Much will be closed until April, even mid-April. Hosts do not sit around waiting for drop-ins. I found sufficient blankets that my lightweight sleep sack was fine for me (I like to be a bit cold when I sleep). Heat will be reluctantly turned on, or non-existent in gites d'etape. Remember that everything is closed Sunday and Monday, so be prepared for self-catering and shopping. Bon chemin.

March is a problem. Most places are closed.
The high parts of the trail might be snowed and impossible to hike like Aubrac
Do you plan on snow/cold weather hiking?
You have to call NOW and find out which if any are open and if open will they turn on the heating.
In general you will need high boots,warm hiking clothes,rain gear.
The trail is well marked and there is no need for geolocation devices

Kitsambler, Thankyou for that! I don't think that between the two of us we would have thought of that! We had budgeted on 6 1/2 weeks away , with 5 or so on the walk and another week visiting Barcelona from where we return to Perth. It would mean a few more trains but it's worth a serious think about ![/

Plan for rain and cold. Get the Miam Miam Dodo guidebook to see the kind of accommodations you can expect. It won't be like the Camino Portugues, and it will be far different from Spain. You do need to call ahead in France, particularly in March. Much will be closed until April, even mid-April. Hosts do not sit around waiting for drop-ins. I found sufficient blankets that my lightweight sleep sack was fine for me (I like to be a bit cold when I sleep). Heat will be reluctantly turned on, or non-existent in gites d'etape. Remember that everything is closed Sunday and Monday, so be prepared for self-catering and shopping. Bon chemin.

March is a problem. Most places are closed.
The high parts of the trail might be snowed and impossible to hike like Aubrac
Do you plan on snow/cold weather hiking?
You have to call NOW and find out which if any are open and if open will they turn on the heating.
In general you will need high boots,warm hiking clothes,rain gear.
The trail is well marked and there is no need for geolocation devices

Thank you also Falcon! The French route sounds like such an enigma on the outset- so beautiful in its naturalness, yet the necessities are not so easily dispensed as the other routes. I have been at the Alliance Francais learning French for the past 4 months and will continue until we leave so I will at l sat have some basics down pat- it sounds like I might need to be asking for the heat to be turned on! being so cold worries me, and I like to be very warm when I sleep, so I think my ultralight down sac will definitely need to be in my pack! I will definitely start emailing some places at the outset so thanks for that. I have the Miam Miam Dodo book from 2015 ( hopefully not too much has changed - I was going to do this walk a few years ago and had to cancel - postage if the book to Australia was pricey!)
So much to look into! It was so easy being spontaneous in Portugal!

 

[Marina Millar]

Thank you also Zammy! It is definitely our first attempt at cold /snow hiking (if it comes to that) and I am a bit nervous about it! We have some very good ultralightweight rain gear with gaiters and we both have mid boots nicely broken in from last year ( lovely wide Keens) . I am only a bit worried about missing signs that may be covered with snow . also as well as being warm enough- we both have icebreaker thermals, a mountain ware down jacket and lightweight cashmere sweater as well as a mid layer- with beanie and gloves- but at least all that exertion should keep us warm!

 

[Marina Millar]

Which french route for March/April 2018?
Comparisons between LePuy, Vezelay and Arles routes. We are blessed to have 6 weeks to walk next year.... we had planned on walking from Le Puy into SJPP, but are a bit anxious about walking in snowfall in the Aubrac area. There has been a kind suggestions of jumping ahead to Cahors then coming back to Le Puy as time progresses and spring warms things up a bit. But we were wondering if anyone could provide s bit of s comparison of these three walks for this time of year. Thanks so much in advance!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Vezelay is lightly traveled, very scenic, and requires a lot of flexibility in accommodations. It has the least infrastructure, but there is sufficient.

Via Tolosana is a bit more traveled, and generally takes you to Puente La Reina rather than SJPdP. I have not started in Arles, but it is said to be a tough hike in the beginning.

Via Podiensis has the most traffic, has few pilgrims going to Santiago but lots of local French hikers, and the best infrastructure.

As a first walk in France, I would suggest starting in Le Puy.

 

[Marina Millar]

Thank you so much for that Falcon. You have really helped us make our minds up. Really appreciate your help! Regards, Jim and Marina

 

[Kitsambler]

I have to agree with Falcon: for first-time pilgrims in France, take the Le Puy route. There is substantially more infrastructure than on the other routes, and more forgiving of limited French language capacity. If the French mode appeals to you, there will be plenty of opportunities to explore the more lightly-traveled routes later on.

 

[Debora]

When you call ahead...I feel guilty asking this...but do most of the individuals running the Gites speak English?

 

[Kitsambler]

do most of the individuals running the Gites speak English?

No - this is France, after all. Miam Miam Dodo indicates which gites are English-speaking, and it runs about 25%. But your gite host tonight, the Tourism Offices, and your fellow walkers (especially Normands, Quebecois, and Swiss) will be able to call ahead for you in French. Even if you speak good Parisian French, the accent in this region is tough to understand. You can also email (in French). I had a canned short paragraph in French I used, just substituting the business name, town name, and date of arrival.

 

[Pilgrim9]

Please help me understand the terminology.

Most of the posts above refer to the “Le Puy” route, but Kitsambler has introduced two route identifiers that are new to me: “Via Podiensis” and “Via Tolosana”.

Is “Via Podiensis” the official name of the entire pilgrimage walking route from Le Puy en Velay to SJPdP, or is it a variant of that route, or is it some different route?

Ditto for “Via Tolosana” please.

Thank you.

 

[Kanga]

Via Podiensis is the route between Le Puy and SJPDP (the modern GR65), Via Tolosana is the route from Arles to Ste Marie Oloron (the GR653). The GR routes don't strictly follow the old pilgrimage routes because they tend to avoid roads. But pretty much the same.

The use of the word "via" I think is because the pilgrimage routes use many of the old Roman roads.

 

[Pilgrim9]

The GR routes don't strictly follow the old pilgrimage routes because they tend to avoid roads. But pretty much the same.

Thank you, Kanga, for this explanation.

One more question (for anyone):

Is it the the GR routes that tend to avoid roads, or is it the old pilgrimage routes that do so? (I prefer to avoid roads.)

Thanks, everyone.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The GR routes do everything they can to avoid roads. It results in some of the strangest twists and turns!

 

[Kitsambler]

The GR routes do everything they can to avoid roads.

The French association that lays out the hiking routes wants you to enjoy the views and the scenery. So they will climb unnecessary hills, and walk around three sides of a square rather than taking the short route. The actual old pilgrimage routes were mostly paved over to become roads and highways, but in a few stretches you will encounter ancient moss-covered stone walls and well-worn footpaths that are a meter or more below grade. It gives you a real sense of walking in the footsteps of history. But no, the Le Puy route has nowhere near the degree of road walking that is found on the CF.

 

[Pilgrim9]

Very good. It sounds like I should add the Le Puy route aka the Via Podiensas to my list, possibly this year or <pour le prochain>.

Thank you, falcon269 and Kitsambler.

 

[Glenshiro]

The French association that lays out the hiking routes wants you to enjoy the views and the scenery. So they will climb unnecessary hills, and walk around three sides of a square rather than taking the short route.

The French walkers' federation (FFR) is responsible for devising the grands randonnees (long-distance paths) in France and, boy, do they like you to experience their hills!

I found that, using a good guide book (Alison Raju's is my favourite) and a 1:100000 IGN (French govt mapping agency) map, I could sensibly and usefully ignore pointless detours and use the occasional quiet rural road (a good example is between St Come d'Olt and Espalion, but there are many others.)

This will be all the more important early in the year when you can expect a lot of mud. (Parts of the GR65 are little more than dried watercourses. Dry in June, that is!)

 

[Kitsambler]

the occasional quiet rural road (a good example is between St Come d'Olt and Espalion

I remember that stretch! Leaving the bakery at St Come d'Olt that very dark and foggy morning, I followed the hiker in front of me. (It was dim. The markings in town are always a tad sketchy, especially when you leave the route to get services.) I was well along before I realized I was not on the marked route at all. Turns out to not be a bad thing, in that section, actually.

 

[LakeMcD]

The French walkers' federation (FFR) is responsible for devising the grands randonnees (long-distance paths) in France and, boy, do they like you to experience their hills!

That explains it then, last summer we had planned on walking the GR10 from SJPP to Hendaye to begin our Del Norte trip. A ridge trail is exactly that, a trail that follows the full contours of the ridge, spare none. Trails rarely benefited from switchbacks regardless of what was underfoot. I recall a rather treacherous descent on the second day through a scree field, that had us opting for plan "B", - hoping on a train to Hendaye. As a seasoned hiker who routinely hikes the mountains in and around Glacier National Park, this came as a bit of a surprise.