Narbonne to St Jean

[bellafeure]

Hi

I walked Camino Frances in 2000 and again in 2005. In 2005 I met my partner at Villafranca del Bierzo and we are now living together in Australia. I walked part of Camino Portugués in 2006.

We are looking into walking from Narbonne to St Jean in 2008.

Can anyone help with info on this walk? I would appreciate any advice - guidebooks (if any) and suitable maps.

I would also like to know if anyone knows how much of this route coincides with the Sentier Cathare?

We are a couple of history nerds and are seeking to incorporate this element.

Any tips will be gratefully received!

 

[sillydoll]

Hi there,
I am thinking of doing the same walk in 2009.

These are some of the useful the websites I have been using to research the route:

http://vppyr.free.fr/vpp-index-etapes.php3 (Narbonne to St Jean)

http://perso.orange.fr/cheminsdecompost ... emont.html (Narbonne to Santiago)

http://perso.orange.fr/vtt.compostelle/piemont.htm

http://perso.orange.fr/ariege.com/chemi ... comp09.pdf

http://www.aucoeurduchemin.org/spip/spip.php?page=carte


The only historical reports I have read in English were in Walter Starkie's classic "The Road to Santiago" where he relates fascinating historical accounts of the areas he journeyed through from Narbonne to Somport.

Let's share - if I find anything more, I'll pass it on.
Hugs,

 

[Peter Robins]

I would also like to know if anyone knows how much of this route coincides with the Sentier Cathare?

none, the SC is further south. Overview map for example on http://www.cathares.org/le-sentier-cathare.html

 

[William Marques]

Although the Cathar castles are south of the route normally taken if you started in Perpignan you could include them. It would add considerably to your time though as there is no direct route which includes the castles and the landscape is mini-mountains.

Queribus

Peyrepetuse

The old monastery of St Hilaire is only just South of Carcasonne.

 

[bellafeure]

Hi Everyone

Thank you very much for your prompt response and your feedback - I am very grateful to have had some sense made of the research I was doing. It was very helpful to be able to just ask!

Thank you for the sites, Sillydoll. I had found most - but the one at the top of your list has proved to be the most useful. I will let you know if I find anything more substantial in the way of a guide to the Narbonne route. At this stage it looks as though the best bet is a combination of the info on the vppyr.free.fr site and the French GR topo maps.

A combination of the two walks might be the best option for us.

William Marques, thank you for the inspiring photos!

 

[sillydoll]

There is a guide book called:
Les Chemins du Piémont - Compiled by Louis Laborde-Balen and les Amis du Chemin de St Jacques des Pyrénées Atlantiques. 2000. (Guides du Bourdon #1) Available from the bookshop at the csj.org.uk

The chemins du Piémont run among the foothills of the Pyrenees, to the south of the Arles route. This guide describes the various routes from St Lizier via St Bertrand de Comminges to l'Escaladieu, and thence via St Jean-le-Vieux and St Michel to Roncesvalles Price: £9.00