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Piemont Planning 2022

BombayBill

Still Learning
Time of past OR future Camino
September 2024 Invierno / VdLP or Cathar
I hope to do the Piemont in fall 2022. I thought I would a post new thread to bring together 2022 resources and to gather other prospective pilgrims. Please note that LePere is publishing a book for Piemont in Feb 2022. You should also know that much of this trail is also known as the GR78.

If possible I suggest we keep this thread limited to planning and meeting each other and leave Covid / Visas etc. to other threads.

Here are the resources. Most are in French but if you use Chrome with translation enabled you can browse the sites in English.

Guide Des Haltes Voie Piemont 2019
Download on forum

Godesalco Camino Daily Stage Planner

VPPYR Itinerary Planner

Xacobeo Piemont Route Resources in French

Tourist Overview

Friends of the Ways - Piemont includes 2021 accom PDF

The Confraternity of St James

Maps

Books
 
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Down bag (90/10 duvet) of 700 fills with 180 g (6.34 ounces) of filling. Mummy-shaped structure, ideal when you are looking for lightness with great heating performance.

€149,-
I'm planning to walk the Piemont Route from Lourdes to SJPP, and then on to Pamplona, early April this year. Excited!
 
I'm planning to walk the Piemont Route from Lourdes to SJPP, and then on to Pamplona, early April this year. Excited!
We plan to start on 1 April. We are a bit short on time so will begin in Carcassone. 😎. We are just ‘up the road’ from you - at Pretty Beach 🏝

PS. Just saw you are starting in Lourdes so you will be ahead of us. Bon Chemin.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I walked from Narbonne in 2014. The info provided above is probably better than I can offer, however, my "as walked" itinerary is available to those who want to PM me their email address.
 
Great to hear that other people will be walking this Camino. I like a quiet Camino but it is always nice to meet other people. :) My daughter (who lives in Stockholm) and I start walking from Lourdes on April 10th. We plan to take 7 days to reach SJPP. I've just done a rough calculation of the time walking from Carcassone to Lourdes and I wouldn't be surprised if we meet up along the way.
 
Great to hear that other people will be walking this Camino. I like a quiet Camino but it is always nice to meet other people. :) My daughter (who lives in Stockholm) and I start walking from Lourdes on April 10th. We plan to take 7 days to reach SJPP. I've just done a rough calculation of the time walking from Carcassone to Lourdes and I wouldn't be surprised if we meet up along the way.
You never know. 👍 We also enjoy quiet Caminos - i dont imagine we will see many pèlerins and I’m sure we will say bonjour to any we see 😎
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
@BombayBill good for you starting the planning thread. I was involved in a recent planning thread for the Madrid Way which we had already walked. Enjoyed contributing and reliving. But I’m going to bow out of this one. We are very keen to just start walking this time around and not to have too much information in advance. We have a list of hébergements which should be enough.

I wish you all well. And hope to see a few pèlerins in April but not expecting many 🙏
 
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I hope to do the Piemont in fall 2022. I thought I would a post new thread to bring together 2022 resources and to gather other prospective pilgrims. Please note that LePere is publishing a book for Piemont in Feb 2022. You should also know that much of this trail is also known as the GR78.

If possible I suggest we keep this thread limited to planning and meeting each other and leave Covid / Visas etc. to other threads.

Here are the resources. Most are in French but if you use Chrome with translation enabled you can browse the sites in English.

Guide Des Haltes Voie Piemont 2019
Download on forum

Godesalco Camino Daily Stage Planner

VPPYR Itinerary Planner

Xacobeo Piemont Route Resources in French

Tourist Overview

Friends of the Ways - Piemont includes 2021 accom PDF

The Confraternity of St James

Maps

Books
I hope to do the Piemont in fall 2022. I thought I would a post new thread to bring together 2022 resources and to gather other prospective pilgrims. Please note that LePere is publishing a book for Piemont in Feb 2022. You should also know that much of this trail is also known as the GR78.

If possible I suggest we keep this thread limited to planning and meeting each other and leave Covid / Visas etc. to other threads.

Here are the resources. Most are in French but if you use Chrome with translation enabled you can browse the sites in English.

Guide Des Haltes Voie Piemont 2019
Download on forum

Godesalco Camino Daily Stage Planner

VPPYR Itinerary Planner

Xacobeo Piemont Route Resources in French

Tourist Overview

Friends of the Ways - Piemont includes 2021 accom PDF

The Confraternity of St James

Maps

Books
My husband and I are planning on starting from Carcassonne on 2 September, perhaps we'll see you! Actually we will also have two of my sisters and two friends, so we'll be a large group for this chemin, which is apparently pretty quiet. I am very interested in your links, so thank you!!

One of my biggest concerns so far is where we will find areas to take breaks and refresh ourselves (food, water, not to mention toilet facilities) as there are several days on this route that are seemingly devoid of services. I'm not too worried about it, but want to be prepared, and to know what we will need to take with us.
 
My husband and I are planning on starting from Carcassonne on 2 September, perhaps we'll see you! Actually we will also have two of my sisters and two friends, so we'll be a large group for this chemin, which is apparently pretty quiet. I am very interested in your links, so thank you!!

One of my biggest concerns so far is where we will find areas to take breaks and refresh ourselves (food, water, not to mention toilet facilities) as there are several days on this route that are seemingly devoid of services. I'm not too worried about it, but want to be prepared, and to know what we will need to take with us.
As I learn more I’ll post links. The LePere book is en route to me.
 
Technical backpack for day trips with backpack cover and internal compartment for the hydration bladder. Ideal daypack for excursions where we need a medium capacity backpack. The back with Air Flow System creates large air channels that will keep our back as cool as possible.

€83,-
As I learn more I’ll post links. The LePere book is en route to me.
We've also ordered Lepere guidebook. It will be sent to family in Paris and we will pick it up there.

In the past I've written a blog for every camino I've walked - just for family and friends. I expect I'll do the same for the Piemont - and, if so, will send you the link for this thread if it's of interest. I'm unlikely to post separately on the forum.
 
We've also ordered Lepere guidebook. It will be sent to family in Paris and we will pick it up there.

In the past I've written a blog for every camino I've walked - just for family and friends. I expect I'll do the same for the Piemont - and, if so, will send you the link for this thread if it's of interest. I'm unlikely to post separately on the forum.
I would love to have the link to your blog!
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
The link below has appeared before on this site but I thought I’d repost it as it’s a good,recent, English blog on the Piemont. The link takes you to the first page of the blog which covers the whole route. There are other trails on the blog as well. Note when searching for information I sometimes see the trail spelled as Piedmont or Piamonte.

 
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The link below has appeared before on this site but I thought I’d repost it as it’s a good,recent, English blog on the Piemont. The link takes you to the first page of the blog which covers the whole route. There are other trails on the blog as well. Note when searching for information I sometimes see the trail spelled as Piedmont which I believe is wrong.

I assumed that Piedmont is the English spelling (why do we have to change it?) because when I put Piemont into the translator it comes out Piedmont. Thanks for the link!!
 
I assumed that Piedmont is the English spelling (why do we have to change it?) because when I put Piemont into the translator it comes out Piedmont. Thanks for the link!!
Of course you’re right. A little more Googling and I realized I could find information under Piamonte as well. Because there is so little information in English I try the alternative spellings as well. Below is a Wikiloc gps track I found under Piamonte.
 
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€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
An update. We have been on the Piemont since 1 April starting from Carcassonne. We will arrive in SJPP in a few days. I had mentioned on this thread that I would provide a link to my blog. But my blog has been very hit and miss due to wi fi either not available or too weak to manage the photo uploads, so I won’t be posting a link on the forum.
 
An update. We have been on the Piemont since 1 April starting from Carcassonne. We will arrive in SJPP in a few days. I had mentioned on this thread that I would provide a link to my blog. But my blog has been very hit and miss due to wi fi either not available or too weak to manage the photo uploads, so I won’t be posting a link on the forum.
I hope all is going well for you. We are hoping to walk the Piemont next year, starting from Narbonne.
 
An update. We have been on the Piemont since 1 April starting from Carcassonne. We will arrive in SJPP in a few days. I had mentioned on this thread that I would provide a link to my blog. But my blog has been very hit and miss due to wi fi either not available or too weak to manage the photo uploads, so I won’t be posting a link on the forum.
Can you give us a quick trip report re: accommodation and food availability? Overall satisfaction?
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Bonjour @BombayBill

We are happily installed in an inexpensive Airbnb in Mauléon- Licharre with two days more to SJPP.

I’m not ready to give the long answer - need more time to reflect and untangle the subjective from the objective. I’m not sure if or when I will post on that.

But i can offer - from my purely subjective perspective - in the context of your profile - Piemont or Arles or Primitivo in 2022 - if someone were asking my advice (which you’re not) I would choose the Arles or Primitivo hands down before the Piemont. A week into this Chemin we seriously considered changing paths - which has never happened before - but in the end we stuck with it.

I’m still considering the reasons why I did not appreciate this camino as much as I thought I would - but it was not any of these -
Language - my husband is French and mine is passable so language was not a problem for us.
Not many pilgrims - we have seen 4 in 18 days. But we did not expect more and have enjoyed a number of quiet routes. And we started 1 April - there would be more pilgrims from May I’d imagine.
Locals - consistently kind and helpful - as much as they could be. But don’t expect people to be able to speak more than a few words of English. Some can - but not all. They can become just as ‘stuck’ after the basics as anyone trying to speak a language they don’t speak well.

So none of these things were a problem.

Regarding scenery - the physical surroundings of any camino are a big part of my enjoyment - landscape, towns and villages. I think this is one thé disappointments for me on this Chemin though there were some lovely sections and nice views of snow capped Pyrenees. There was also more road walking than I anticipated.
I read on more than one site that the Piemont is regarded as one of the most beautiful camino paths in terms of natural and built environment. That drew me in. But it isn’t, in my view. As an aside both my husband and I have taken far fewer photos on this Way than on any before.

Sorry, it’s just my sense of things after 18 days and with two days to go to SJPP. But starting today we are in the glorious Pays Basque ❤️ so this Chemin will end on a high note for sure.

The other context is that we are not religious pilgrims nor history buffs - but we appreciated our time at the pilgrimage sites in Lourdes.

Sorry not to be of much help. I may be better able to articulate why I didn’t really sync with this Chemin after some time has passed. And in any case I may be in a very small minority. So … go with your gut. Most of the time it works out! 😎

PS. I guess that was a long answer 🤣
 
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Bonjour @BombayBill

We are happily installed in an inexpensive Airbnb in Mauléon- Licharre with two days more to SJPP.

I’m not ready to give the long answer - need more time to reflect and untangle the subjective from the objective. I’m not sure if or when I will post on that.

But i can offer - from my purely subjective perspective - in the context of your profile - Piemont or Arles or Primitivo in 2022 - if someone were asking my advice (which you’re not) I would choose the Arles or Primitivo hands down before the Piemont. A week into this Chemin we seriously considered changing paths - which has never happened before - but in the end we stuck with it.

I’m still considering the reasons why I did not appreciate this camino as much as I thought I would - but it was not any of these -
Language - my husband is French and mine is passable so language was not a problem for us.
Not many pilgrims - we have seen 4 in 18 days. But we did not expect more and have enjoyed a number of quiet routes. And we started 1 April - there would be more pilgrims from May I’d imagine.
Locals - consistently kind and helpful - as much as they could be. But don’t expect them to be able to speak more than a few words of English.

So none of these things were a problem.

Regarding scenery - the physical surroundings of any camino are a big part of my enjoyment. The landscape, towns and villages. I think this is one thé disappointments for me on this Chemin though there were some lovely sections and nice views of snow capped Pyrenees. There was also more road walking than I anticipated.
- I read on more than one site that the Piemont is regarded as one of the most beautiful camino paths in terms of natural and built environment. That drew me in. But it isn’t in my view. As an aside both my husband and I took far fewer photos on this Way than on any before.

Sorry, it’s just my sense so far with two days to go. But starting today we are in the glorious Pays Basque ❤️ so this Chemin will end on a high note for sure.

The other context is that we are not religious pilgrims nor history buffs - but we appreciated our time at the pilgrimage sites in Lourdes.

Sorry not to be of much help. I may be better able to articulate why I didn’t really sync with this Chemin after some time has passed. And in any case I may be in a very small minority. So … go with your gut. Most of the time it works out! 😎
Bonjour @anamcara,
My husband, sisters, and I are preparing to do this chemin in September this year. I am hoping that you can comment on some questions that I'm concerned about.

First, we range in age from 64 to 73, in reasonably good physical condition (the worst is the youngest of the lot, me, with one knee replacement and another knee that's not the best...). We don't speak French, but google translate (and pictures!) of the Piemont guides has assured me that we'll have plenty of ascents and descents to endure. What was your impression of the difficulty level of this chemin?

Second, what guide did you use, and did you find it helpful?

Third, I have read that there will be entire days without any shops or bars or services of any kind on this route. Was that your experience? If so, were you at least able to find a grocery often enough to stock up for a day or so in advance? I am wondering how I can cope without being able to stop for a coffee - but right now, I see it as part of the challenge of this chemin, so I hope that it won't overwhelm me. But I'd love to hear your experience.

Finally, can you tell us something about the places that you were able to find for lodging and the evening meal? I am not averse to making plans in advance (in fact, I prefer it), and would like to make sure that we have a place to stay each night on such an isolated chemin. Our challenge is that none of us speak French, but we are studying it, in order to be able to say some basic things, such as, "can we reserve a room and a meal"? But I'm worried that we won't be able to understand the response!

Thank you so much, and I am eager to hear more about your experiences!!
 
Hi Tarredon.

Yes I can give you a more elaborate response to all those things but forgive me if it takes some time to get back to you we are still in walking mode and busy doing our laundry and the usual chores.

In short
1. Yes there’s quite a lot of climbing and challenging descents. Could be tricky for a dodgy knee. But that goes for most Caminos.
2. We are using Lepere Feb 2022 edition but don’t like the layout. And it’s heavy. We discarded pages after each stage
3. Yes there are days without any shops or bars or services. I think I was able to have a second coffee just 3 times so far but could depend on your stages. We always carried nuts and cereal bars and stocked up on those when we could.
4. I would book a day or two ahead which may sound counter intuitive as there are not many pilgrims on this path - but in some villages there is also not a lot of accom. If you’re happy to stay in gîtes communale in the towns that have them this may be less of an issue but you may have to fend for yourself for meals.

Good idea that you are learning some French. But you’re right that it can get tricky if you can’t understand the response. Same in any foreign country. But the locals will appreciate that you’re trying. Just remember that for many of them - not all - will be similarly stuck after a few words of English.

Gotta go!
 
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The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Bonjour @BombayBill

We are happily installed in an inexpensive Airbnb in Mauléon- Licharre with two days more to SJPP.

I’m not ready to give the long answer - need more time to reflect and untangle the subjective from the objective. I’m not sure if or when I will post on that.

But i can offer - from my purely subjective perspective - in the context of your profile - Piemont or Arles or Primitivo in 2022 - if someone were asking my advice (which you’re not) I would choose the Arles or Primitivo hands down before the Piemont. A week into this Chemin we seriously considered changing paths - which has never happened before - but in the end we stuck with it.

I’m still considering the reasons why I did not appreciate this camino as much as I thought I would - but it was not any of these -
Language - my husband is French and mine is passable so language was not a problem for us.
Not many pilgrims - we have seen 4 in 18 days. But we did not expect more and have enjoyed a number of quiet routes. And we started 1 April - there would be more pilgrims from May I’d imagine.
Locals - consistently kind and helpful - as much as they could be. But don’t expect them to be able to speak more than a few words of English.

So none of these things were a problem.

Regarding scenery - the physical surroundings of any camino are a big part of my enjoyment. The landscape, towns and villages. I think this is one thé disappointments for me on this Chemin though there were some lovely sections and nice views of snow capped Pyrenees. There was also more road walking than I anticipated.
- I read on more than one site that the Piemont is regarded as one of the most beautiful camino paths in terms of natural and built environment. That drew me in. But it isn’t in my view. As an aside both my husband and I took far fewer photos on this Way than on any before.

Sorry, it’s just my sense so far with two days to go. But starting today we are in the glorious Pays Basque ❤️ so this Chemin will end on a high note for sure.

The other context is that we are not religious pilgrims nor history buffs - but we appreciated our time at the pilgrimage sites in Lourdes.

Sorry not to be of much help. I may be better able to articulate why I didn’t really sync with this Chemin after some time has passed. And in any case I may be in a very small minority. So … go with your gut. Most of the time it works out! 😎

PS. I guess that was a long answer 🤣
Terrific summary of your status and views. This has been very helpful. I started my 2022 project focusing on Piemont. But over the last 60 days have now re-focused on Norte -Primitivo. I love the French and was anxious to repeat something similar to the "Le Puy" route. However I realized I should tackle the physically challenging routes while I still can. I'm going to put off Piemont until 2023 when I might appreciate the more gentle foothills of the Pyrenees.
 
Hi Tarredon.

Yes I can give you a more elaborate response to all those things but forgive me if it takes some time to get back to you we are still in walking mode and busy doing our laundry and the usual chores.

In short
1. Yes there’s quite a lot of climbing and challenging descents. Could be tricky for a dodgy knee. But that goes for most Caminos.
2. We are using Lepere Feb 2022 edition but don’t like the layout. And it’s heavy. We discarded pages after each stage
3. Yes there are days without any shops or bars or services. I think I was able to have a second coffee just 3 times so far but could depend on your stages. We always carried nuts and cereal bars and stocked up on those when we could.
4. I would book a day or two ahead which may sound counter intuitive as there are not many pilgrims on this path - but in some villages there is also not a lot of accom. If you’re happy to stay in gîtes communale in the towns that have them this may be less of an issue but you may have to fend for yourself for meals.

Good idea that you are learning some French. But you’re right that it can get tricky if you can’t understand the response. Same in any foreign country. But the locals will appreciate that you’re trying. Just remember that for many of them - not all - they are similarly stuck after a few words of English.

Gotta go!
Thanks so much for taking the time to respond - I look forward to hearing more when you have more time. Particularly interested in lodging recommendations/ experiences you had. Also, it would be great to have any tips on where to refill water bottles, availability/location of rest areas, etc.

We are okay with staying in gites communale when they're available, but only if a meal is also available (I understand that it is difficult to cook in the gites these days due to covid, and also when groceries are not available). We will try to find lodging that also provides meals, so if you have any tips/recommendations about that, I'd really appreciate it!
 
Terrific summary of your status and views. This has been very helpful. I started my 2022 project focusing on Piemont. But over the last 60 days have now re-focused on Norte -Primitivo. I love the French and was anxious to repeat something similar to the "Le Puy" route. However I realized I should tackle the physically challenging routes while I still can. I'm going to put off Piemont until 2023 when I might appreciate the more gentle foothills of the Pyrenees.
Love the Primitivo and also enjoyed the first week or so of the Norte a couple of times.

If you are looking for something later along the lines of the Le Puy I’d recommend the Arles Way. Still a quiet path compared to most and with much to offer, and you can continue on to the Aragones!

PS. Thé Piemont is quite challenging physically. The word ‘foothills’ gives the wrong impression! Yes they’re foothills - but of very big mountains 😀
 
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The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Bonjour @anamcara,
My husband, sisters, and I are preparing to do this chemin in September this year. I am hoping that you can comment on some questions that I'm concerned about.

First, we range in age from 64 to 73, in reasonably good physical condition (the worst is the youngest of the lot, me, with one knee replacement and another knee that's not the best...). We don't speak French, but google translate (and pictures!) of the Piemont guides has assured me that we'll have plenty of ascents and descents to endure. What was your impression of the difficulty level of this chemin?

Second, what guide did you use, and did you find it helpful?

Third, I have read that there will be entire days without any shops or bars or services of any kind on this route. Was that your experience? If so, were you at least able to find a grocery often enough to stock up for a day or so in advance? I am wondering how I can cope without being able to stop for a coffee - but right now, I see it as part of the challenge of this chemin, so I hope that it won't overwhelm me. But I'd love to hear your experience.

Finally, can you tell us something about the places that you were able to find for lodging and the evening meal? I am not averse to making plans in advance (in fact, I prefer it), and would like to make sure that we have a place to stay each night on such an isolated chemin. Our challenge is that none of us speak French, but we are studying it, in order to be able to say some basic things, such as, "can we reserve a room and a meal"? But I'm worried that we won't be able to understand the response!

Thank you so much, and I am eager to hear more about your experiences!!
I found on the Le Puy route that a simple phone call ahead saying - " Bonjour, Hotel Le Paix? Je voudrais 2 lits demi-pension (breakfast and dinner) pour Jeudi le 23 septembre. Je m'appelle Bill Je suis Canadien" was enough. I always followed up by paraphasing and repeating my intentions. "Merci! Alors , Hotel Le Paix, deux lits pour demain avec repas. C'est combien? D'accord Merci, a demain". Never had a problem. The repetition and stating that it was "tomorrow" or the "le lendemain" was helpful to clarify my intentions as I would lose track of what day it was. My room was often booked by my nationality "le Canadien" as my name was often mangled.

I too was nervous at first when phoning ahead but by the third time I had it down pat and never encountered a problem.

PS I also repeated the name of the establishment as after many days on the road I would forget that as well.
 
Thanks so much for taking the time to respond - I look forward to hearing more when you have more time. Particularly interested in lodging recommendations/ experiences you had. Also, it would be great to have any tips on where to refill water bottles, availability/location of rest areas, etc.

We are okay with staying in gites communale when they're available, but only if a meal is also available (I understand that it is difficult to cook in the gites these days due to covid, and also when groceries are not available). We will try to find lodging that also provides meals, so if you have any tips/recommendations about that, I'd really appreciate it!
Ok, I will at some stage.

I have to say - not that it’s any of my business - but the Piemont is an unusual choice for a first camino. There are a lot of aspects of camino that you may miss out on. But no doubt you have reasons for choosing this one.
 
Ok, I will at some stage.

I have to say - not that it’s any of my business - but the Piemont is an unusual choice for a first camino. There are a lot of aspects of camino that you may miss out on. But no doubt you have reasons for choosing this one.
It's not our first camino - we have also done the Camino Portugues from Lisbon, and finishing in Finisterre/Muxia (in 2021). A lot of people say they don't like that camino, especially the stages from Lisbon to Santarem, but my husband and I liked it. Maybe it was because we fell in love with Portugal! We haven't done the Camino Frances (except a short segment from Pamplona to Logrono), but hope to some day - not this year because we expect it to be so crowded.

We will be traveling with two of my sisters, who have each done the Camino Frances twice. They were already planning on doing this chemin - so that's why we chose it. If we were going on our own, I think I would have chosen the Vezelay chemin - just going by what I've read about it.

I'm guessing that it looks like my first camino because I don't have previous caminos written in my profile - I tried to fix that once, but couldn't figure out how. Guess I'll have another go!
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Interesting. Sorry, yes I thought it was your fist camino. As for Caminos in France, I haven’t walked the Vezelay. But I do think the Le Puy (2014) and Arles (2016) are both outstanding. To each his / her own! 😎
 
Interesting. Sorry, yes I thought it was your fist camino. As for Caminos in France, I haven’t walked the Vezelay. But I do think the Le Puy (2014) and Arles (2016) are both outstanding. To each his / her own! 😎
OMG don't mention Arles! I have the mind of a squirrel, now I'm looking at my 2022 Arles book! The Miam Miam Dodo books are so much better the LePere. So many decisions to make.
 
OMG don't mention Arles! I have the mind of a squirrel, now I'm looking at my 2022 Arles book! The Miam Miam Dodo books are so much better the LePere. So many decisions to make.
😂. Agree. We ordered the Lepere because it was the most recent. But thé MMDD and Topo guides are much better. Sorry to mention Arles again!
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Interesting. Sorry, yes I thought it was your fist camino. As for Caminos in France, I haven’t walked the Vezelay. But I do think the Le Puy (2014) and Arles (2016) are both outstanding. To each his / her own! 😎
I see that you have done the Kumano Kodo - I've considered doing a pilgrimage in Japan, it sounds quite interesting! But there are so many to do much closer, I doubt that I will make it. I am also interested in Le Puy, but I haven't read anything about the Arles. Do you have blog posts regarding your previous pilgrimages? I'd love to see them if you do.
 
I hope to do the Piemont in fall 2022. I thought I would a post new thread to bring together 2022 resources and to gather other prospective pilgrims. Please note that LePere is publishing a book for Piemont in Feb 2022. You should also know that much of this trail is also known as the GR78.

If possible I suggest we keep this thread limited to planning and meeting each other and leave Covid / Visas etc. to other threads.

Here are the resources. Most are in French but if you use Chrome with translation enabled you can browse the sites in English.

Guide Des Haltes Voie Piemont 2019
Download on forum

Godesalco Camino Daily Stage Planner

VPPYR Itinerary Planner

Xacobeo Piemont Route Resources in French

Tourist Overview

Friends of the Ways - Piemont includes 2021 accom PDF

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This post is excellent. I am planning on walking this route in September/October of this year and the listed resources are very helpful. Thanks so much.
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Hi Tarredon.

Yes I can give you a more elaborate response to all those things but forgive me if it takes some time to get back to you we are still in walking mode and busy doing our laundry and the usual chores.

In short
1. Yes there’s quite a lot of climbing and challenging descents. Could be tricky for a dodgy knee. But that goes for most Caminos.
2. We are using Lepere Feb 2022 edition but don’t like the layout. And it’s heavy. We discarded pages after each stage
3. Yes there are days without any shops or bars or services. I think I was able to have a second coffee just 3 times so far but could depend on your stages. We always carried nuts and cereal bars and stocked up on those when we could.
4. I would book a day or two ahead which may sound counter intuitive as there are not many pilgrims on this path - but in some villages there is also not a lot of accom. If you’re happy to stay in gîtes communale in the towns that have them this may be less of an issue but you may have to fend for yourself for meals.

Good idea that you are learning some French. But you’re right that it can get tricky if you can’t understand the response. Same in any foreign country. But the locals will appreciate that you’re trying. Just remember that for many of them - not all - will be similarly stuck after a few words of English.

Gotta go!
Hi anamcara,
I am finally getting back to my planning for this year‘s Camino on this chemin du piemont . I was wondering if you had a blog or other information about the places that you stayed and what you encountered along this way?
Thanks!!
 
Hi anamcara,
I am finally getting back to my planning for this year‘s Camino on this chemin du piemont . I was wondering if you had a blog or other information about the places that you stayed and what you encountered along this way?
Thanks!!
Hi there. Yes I can post something. Give a day or two. We have just arrived back in Australia after two months in France. A bit of catching up and laundry to do!
 
Hi @tarredon

Apologies for the delay. Here is a link to my blog. It's an abridged version compared to my other Camino blogs. After the first day or so, this one is mostly just photos with captions - though it does show our daily stages, distance and accommodation.


A couple of notes:
On Day 1 from Carcassonne, we stayed off to the side of the Chemin at Domaine du Gach. At that time, 1 April, the only accommodation available in Montreal was the Gite Municipal. The weather was freezing, so we didn't want to risk being cold overnight. In usual circumstances, I'd recommend continuing on to Montreal.
Bruges - I would recommend cutting the stages differently to avoid an overnight in Bruges if all that is available is the Gite du Commerce. Gronze has different possibilités which in hindsight I wish we’d taken.

My thoughts on the Piemont are pretty much as expressed in post #19 above, which I wrote with two days to go. The last two days, in Basque country, en route to SJPP were among the best, scenery wise, even though it rained the entire time.

Best of luck with your planning.
Bon chemin
 
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The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hi @tarredon

Apologies for the delay. Here is a link to my blog. It's an abridged version compared to my other Camino blogs. After the first day or so, this one is mostly just photos with captions - though it does show our daily stages, distance and accommodation.


A couple of notes:
On Day 1 from Carcassonne, we stayed off to the side of the Chemin at Domaine du Gach. At that time, 1 April, the only accommodation available in Montreal was the Gite Municipal. The weather was freezing, so we didn't want to risk being cold overnight. In usual circumstances, I'd recommend continuing on to Montreal.
Bruges - I would recommend cutting the stages differently to avoid an overnight in Bruges if all that is available is the Gite du Commerce. Bronze has different possibilités which in hindsight I wish we’d taken.

My thoughts on the Piemont are pretty much as expressed in post #19 above, which I wrote with two days to go. The last two days, in Basque country, en route to SJPP were among the best, scenery wise, even though it rained the entire time.

Best of luck with your planning.
Bon chemin
Thank you, Anamcara. I’m reading your blog with interest. I know that in the situation with so many icy winds and cold weather, I would not have appreciated that Camino either! I’m hoping that September for us won’t be either too hot or too cold, but we’ll see!
I was wondering about the gite where you stayed in Mirepoix , run by the English expat named Annie. Do you have contact information for her?
Thanks!
Tina
 
Thank you, Anamcara. I’m reading your blog with interest. I know that in the situation with so many icy winds and cold weather, I would not have appreciated that Camino either! I’m hoping that September for us won’t be either too hot or too cold, but we’ll see!
I was wondering about the gite where you stayed in Mirepoix , run by the English expat named Annie. Do you have contact information for her?
Thanks!
Tina
Hi Tina. The Bed and Breakfast in Mirepoix was called Labyrinthe. It’s listed on booking.com and other sites. You may be able to find direct contact details if you Google.

The icy weather we had was only the first few days, due to that polar vortex that arrived in parts of Southern Europe. And then we had some rain the last few days. The weather was not the reason I I didn’t particularly appreciate this camino. In fact the unusually icy conditions at the start were part of the adventure.

Good luck with your planning. 😎
 
I read on more than one site that the Piemont is regarded as one of the most beautiful camino paths in terms of natural and built environment. That drew me in. But it isn’t, in my view. As an aside both my husband and I have taken far fewer photos on this Way than on any before.

That's super interesting. I had also heard that the Piemont was both one of the more beautiful walks, and one the most challenging.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
That's super interesting. I had also heard that the Piemont was both one of the more beautiful walks, and one the most challenging.
HI Michael - it's not like me to be 'negative' - and certainly not my place to discourage others. Just as I have been honest in my enthusiasm for virtually all of the other paths I've walked - most of which I'd happily walk again - , my thoughts in the posts above regarding the Piemont are just my honest reaction at the time and in hindsight.

It made me wonder whether the description as 'one of the most beautiful paths in terms of natural and built environment' - that I read on the CSJ site and elsewhere - was said / written by 'someone', 'sometime' and then oft repeated. In any case, in that aspect I found it disappointing.

I make no comparison to Spanish or other routes - but in terms of the three French caminos we have walked - Le Puy, Arles and Piemont - the first two, in my view, have much more to offer in terms of both natural and built environment, and in the feeling of a Camino (more difficult to explain). The Le Puy is more popular (it was 2014 when I walked it) and the Arles Way is still relatively quiet. My husband is French - so he has a different perspective to me - but he feels similarly about the Piemont and the comparison with the Le Puy and Arles.

I'm sure there are others who have loved or will love this path and highly recommend it.
 
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HI Michael - it's not like me to be 'negative' - and certainly not my place to discourage others. Just as I have been honest in my enthusiasm for virtually all of the other paths I've walked - most of which I'd happily walk again - , my thoughts in the posts above regarding the Piemont are just my honest reaction at the time and in hindsight.

It made me wonder whether the description as 'one of the most beautiful paths in terms of natural and built environment' - that I read on the CSJ site and elsewhere - was said / written by 'someone', 'sometime' and then oft repeated. In any case, in that aspect I found it disappointing.

I make no comparison to Spanish or other routes - but in terms of the three French caminos we have walked - Le Puy, Arles and Piemont - the first two, in my view, have much more to offer in terms of both natural and built environment, and in the feeling of a Camino (more difficult to explain). The Le Puy is more popular (it was 2014 when I walked it) and the Arles Way is still relatively quiet. My husband is French - so he has a different perspective to me - but he feels similarly about the Piemont and the comparison with the Le Puy and Arles.

I'm sure there are others who have loved or will love this path and highly recommend it.
Thank you for your commentary on this route. I like the fact you include your previous trail experience, your abilities, and reasons for your views. It’s useful in judging what’s relevant to me in my planning. Many times someone will say something like “it’s hard” but without context that kind of judgement is not helpful. I have enjoyed your frank thoughts on this route.
 
I appreciate that you share your honest thoughts! I don’t think I’d like to walk the Piemont route solo, but in the back of my mind I always thought, “but it’s the most beautiful… “ Since there are around half a dozen other routes I’d love to walk, and I can’t walk them all, I like reading the pros and cons of each camino
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
That's super interesting. I had also heard that the Piemont was both one of the more beautiful walks, and one the most challenging.
pS. It is quite a challenging route in parts, with a few ‘Cols’ to climb and descend from. But we quite like that. 😎
 

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