My first time

[clarisse]

Hello

Next year I want to make the French Camiño. I was thinking leaving from ponteferrada, but it's my first time I do the Camino all by myself. Can you help me out? Wich is the best time to do it? April/May? Documents necessary for getting a room in the albergs.

 

[Hermanita]

Hi Clarrisse
I see this is your first post. Welcome!!
You have come to the right place to get all the anwers that you need for your Camino walk. So surf around and ask as many questions as you need to. There are so many wonderful helpful people here.
I just finished my first Camino and learned everything I needed to know from this forum.

As for where o start, well, how much time do you have? There is no correct starting point.
I am sure there are pros and cons when to go. I walked from September 8 October 10. The weather was perfect for me. We did have several rainy days, but not enough to gripe about.
You can get your "credential" (kind of a passport), which is the document that you need to have stamped daily, at any of the albergues that you start at or send for it before leaving home. I live in the USA and got mine by simply applying online from the American Pilgrim association.

Good luck...you are in for an amazing experience!!

 

[freespirit]

Hi Clarisse,it will be my first time next year,some time in June 2010,iam hoping to start from Lourdes,to Oloron st Marie,then Saint-Jean-Pied-de Port,then onwards into the wild blue yonda,
i myself would also be glad of any details or info on this route,as for the credential (passport)i live in London,and got mine from the Confraternity of St James,Blackfriars road, London,you can look at there web page,you may get the info you need,also there are some good small movies other pilgrims have made,so as to get an idea of the kind of gear to take,good luck,,John :shock:

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Hi Clarisse,it will be my first time next year,some time in June 2010,iam hoping to start from Carcasonne,along the Chemin du Piemont Pyreneen,along the foothills to Oloron st Marie,v Lourdes,i myself would also be glad of any details or info on this routeJohn

John,
You may have seen this website already. http://vppyr.free.fr/vpp-index-partir.htm It is in French, but if you don't read French, the photos are inspirational! You can get an idea of what each stage is like by clicking on Les etapes.
Margaret

 

[grayland]

(QUOTE)
You may have seen this website already. http://vppyr.free.fr/vpp-index-partir.htm It is in French, but if you don't read French, the photos are inspirational! You can get an idea of what each stage is like by clicking on Les etapes.
Margaret[/quote]

I sure would like to see that site in English. My French just won't let me follow even the basic distances involved.
This looks like a fantastic way to expand the Camino.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Grayland, the site doesn't come in English, unless you apply a "google" type of translation to it- never very satisfactory in my experience. However, if you go to each of the etapes pages, eg http://vppyr.free.fr/vpp-index-etapes.php3 you can see many photos of each stage, plus a google map with a distance scale. What I have found most useful about the site is the photographs, that have helped me work out what the terrain is like, and where I might 'hook in' to begin part way along the route.
Margaret

PS Actually, and here is a much clearer page just with the Google map links to the stages:
http://vppyr.free.fr/vpp_cartes.php

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The home page showing several pilgrimage choices is:

http://vppyr.free.fr/vpp.php3

 

[grayland]

....SNIP......Grayland, the site doesn't come in English......SNIP
http://vppyr.free.fr/vpp_cartes.php

I did realize that there was not a English equivalent. I was lamenting that fact :wink: