Bonjour Cecilie!
cecilie@thewolery said:
Is it easy to get to Le Puy from [Lyon]?
Yes. There is a bus from the airport to the downtown train station. Trains to Le Puy run every 2 hours or so. You will change trains at Saint Etienne. You can check schedules and fares at the French rail site,
http://www.SNCF.com or
http://www.raileurope.com
cecilie@thewolery said:
Will I need to get the GR65 map, or is the route easy to follow?
I have only used
John Brierley"s books before and found The Way of St.James harder to follow.
The GR 65 is very well marked, but not as frequently as the CF route in Spain. One must stay alert for the marks. There is a schematic map in
Miam Miam Dodo, also in the French language and German language guides, which you should be able to find in the local newsagents or booksellers once you are in Lyon or Le Puy. (Does anyone recall whether these are available at the Le Puy cathedral bookshop?) Raju's book English-language description of the route is useful for those times when you scratch your head and can't sort out the way ahead.
cecilie@thewolery said:
Is it easy to find cheap accommodation along the way? should I book in advance?
Lodgings in France are more expensive than in Spain; you should budget an average of 40 euros/day for demi-pension at private gites. Municipal gites will be less expensive, while chamber d'hotes and hotels will be more. Many lodgings will close for the season on All Saints (Toussant), Nov 1. So the issue will not be competition for beds; rather the issue will be finding lodgings that are still open. I strongly recommend you carry a copy of
Miam Miam Dodo, which lists all the accommodations and pilgrim services, their amenities, addresses, and contact information including telephone and email.
From Le Puy in 6 days you should be able to reach Aubrac, which has rail connections out. Remember this stretch is at elevation (4000 ft) and you may encounter winter weather including snow. So your clothing kit should be suitable.