Pilgrim's passport in Paris and Route via Chartres

[rglongpre]

Hi all - I finally booked my flight ticket to Paris (arrive August 30th) and I am wondering where do I get my pilgrim passport in Paris as well as determining where the starting point is in Paris (which church). I am hoping to walk through to Santiago de Compostela before November 15th when I fly back to Canada from Paris. Any information will be helpful.

Robert

 

[tyrrek]

Hi Robert.

Your national Confraternity of St James or the 'Free credencial' link at the bottom of this page will supply you with a pilgrim passport before you leave home. That will save time and hassle if you arrive tired in France and just want to sleep! You're doing a long pilgrimage so you may need two pilgrim passports to contain all the stamps, but just explain your plans on the email request. They may prefer just to issue one and ask you to pick up another somewhere along the way. That won't be a problem once in Spain, but I don't know about France - just ask at an albergue when it starts getting too full.

I think the 'free' credencial is more like a 'donativo', so if you're able to offer a donation to cover the costs of postage etc you can donate via the website you are linked to.

Buen Camino!

 

[rglongpre]

Hi Tyrrek,

Thanks for the info. I know that there are a lot of people who do the longer walks from France (Tours, Paris, Chartres, Orleans, Le Puy, etc.) so there must be places that issue the credential in those major centres. I will be staying overnight (arriving in the morning) in Paris before beginning the walk.

That said, I will give the national group a call and see what they say about two passports for all the stamps.

cheers, Robert

 

[mspath]

Robert,

What a wonderful Camino you have planned for this coming autumn!

Be sure to check out the Forum section ‹ Routes in France ‹ The Tours route which covers walking from Paris to SJPdP. Scanning these posts you will find much useful information including a handy list of all Parisian locations relevant to the medieval Camino.

Also posted there is news of the brand new 2012 guide to this French route La Via Turonensis from Paris to Spain - on Kindle. Written by fellow Forum member Sillydoll this is a MUST for anyone seeking an up to date English guide for following this historic route.

I wish you Bon Chemin and Buen Camino,

Margaret

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Robert, not so many people start in Paris so I don't think it is so easy to find a credential there. I was keen to find one in Paris myself earlier this year, as I was starting from Cluny and I suspected it might be a bit tricky finding one there. (There isn't a local association of St James here in New Zealand). A French Camino friend took me along to the office of a Paris pilgrim association, compostelle2000, and she 'negotiated' in French on my behalf. Usually this association only gives its credential to members who live in the local area. However, because of the particular circumstances in my case- no association at home, and I had come from so far away- they made an exception and I was given one for a donation.

As for the 'starting point'- it's probably a matter of choice. A lot of information about the exact routes through Paris has been lost over time. You can, however, see part of the route from Notre Dame quite clearly even on a modern map, where nearby streets have 'St Jacques' in their name, and you climb rue St Jacques that goes past the Sorbonne up to the church of Haut Pas where there is an old statue of St James. Alternatively, it is thought that medieval pilgrims gathered at the Basilique St Denis before walking down streets like rue St Martin, past the Tour St Jacques to Notre Dame.

Margaret (another one!)

 

[Canuck]

Robert,
Why don't you get your credential from the Canadian Association.
You have ample time before your departure.

Here: http://www.santiago.ca/credential.html

Have a good one,
Jean-Marc

 

[rglongpre]

Robert,
Why don't you get your credential from the Canadian Association.
You have ample time before your departure.

Here: http://www.santiago.ca/credential.html

Have a good one,
Jean-Marc

Cheque and form are in the mail this afternoon. Thanks Jean-Marc

Buen Camino

 

[Canuck]

Robert,

Out of curiosity from looking at your handle, are you a Fransaskois by any chance?

Cheers,
Jean-Marc

 

[rglongpre]

Robert,

Out of curiosity from looking at your handle, are you a Fransaskois by any chance?

Cheers,
Jean-Marc

Not Fransaskois by birth but have been adopted by the community. I was born in Ottawa many, many years ago.

à plus tard mon ami,
Robert Longpré

PS The national group is sending me two credentials for the long, long walk.

 

[Canuck]

Robert,
I wish you the best on your long, long walk.

Bon courage et salue les cousins au passage.

I'll be on a camino in Italy for 7 weeks starting at the end of August from Venice.

Ciao!
Jean-Marc

 

[rglongpre]

Robert,
I wish you the best on your long, long walk.

Bon courage et salue les cousins au passage.

I'll be on a camino in Italy for 7 weeks starting at the end of August from Venice.

Ciao!
Jean-Marc

Seven weeks in Italy sounds like quite a hike, almost all hilly and mountainous. Are you taking any technology - cell phone, etc. - along your journey? Do you have a blog site where your journeys are described?

Buono Traccia / bon chemin / Buen Camino
Robert

 

[Travelchick]

Cheque and form are in the mail this afternoon. Thanks Jean-Marc

Buen Camino

I got my passport through this web site so I would have it when I got to Paris. Once in Paris we went to Notre Dame. Go through main entrance and the front desk which is right there. They will stamp it for you. Buen camino