Paris to Roncesvalles
Hi Omar,
In 2004 I walked from Orleans to Roncesvalles. You can read about it at
http://www.amawalker.blogspot.com
The CSJ-UK offers a 1998 Paris Pilgrim City Guide and a pilgrim guide from Paris to the Pyrenees which now comes with up-dates.
I bought the book ‘Walking to Santiago’ by Dr. Mary E Wilkie who walked from Paris to Santiago in 1998. I also downloaded the walking schedule of Philippe Du Ngoc from his website on the Internet.
As we intended walking ± 28kms each day I pre-booked most of our accommodation. We booked five Youth Hostels that cost ± €9 each. I did ‘Google' searches for hotels and used the LOGIS and Federal Hotels web sites to book online. The average cost of a double room in France was €40 - €50 and in Spain €30 - €40. We only managed to stay in one refuge in France, a charming little gité in St Martin Lacaussade outside Blaye which we had all to ourselves. There are more refuges the further south you go and I do have a list of refuges if you would like a copy - just email me and I'll send it to you.
Our journey started in Paris. We got our first ‘tampon’ (stamp) at the Cathedral of Notre Dame. We then visited the Tour St Jacques (all that is left of the huge church of St Jacques-de-la-Boucherie) Rue St Jacques and St Julien-le-Pauvre. We had a one-hour train trip to Orleans where we started our pilgrimage on 13th May 2004.
The route from Orleans to Spain is nothing like the
Camino Frances. Until one reaches Aulnay – about 300km from Orleans – there are no pilgrim signs and no places of refuge. We did not see another backpacking pilgrim until we reached Ostabat on our 26th day.
Much of our route was done on tarred roads, some frighteningly busy but we did try to take the petit rues suggested to us by locals. St James is evident in churches and cathedrals all along the route, especially in the church of St Jacques in Chatellerault which displays one of the most familiar, brightly coloured effigies of the saint with his hat and cape encrusted with scallop shells.
Between Aulnay and Mirambeau one can follow the ‘Les Chemins de St Jacques’ path with scallop shell steles for about 115km. We found it overgrown, indistinct in places and often difficult to follow. From DAX we did a side trip to Lourdes and spent a few hours there before returning to Peyrehorade to continue our walk. Four days later we reached Roncesvalles.
1 & 2. Paris City Guide and Paris to the Pyrenees. Available from the CSJ-UK.
http://www.csj.org.uk
3.
cranleigh@northnet.com.au Mary Wilkie’s Book on her walk from Paris to Santiago
4.
philippe@doph.net Philippe Du Ngoc
5.
http://www.federal-hotel.com Federal Hotels
6.
http://www.logis-de-france.fr Logis Hotels
Hope this helps
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edit by ivar: changed...
4.
http://www.philippe@doph.net Philippe Du Ngoc
to..
4.
philippe@doph.net Philippe Du Ngoc
... since I assume this should be an e-mail address and not a link to a webpage]