Planning my First

[jduthie]

I'm planning my first walk late May, starting from Le Puy, and I'll return the next summer or 2 to finish. I want to start alone this year; friends and daughter can join me next year. I have books for starting from SJPDP, but nothing for Le Puy and starting to worry. Fly to Paris, then Lyon, then trains? Help would be appreciated!

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Yes, you can catch a train from Lyon to get to Le Puy- from memory I think you go via St Etienne. I caught a train from Paris and changed at Clermont-Ferrand: it depends on the time of day you leave where you change for the smaller regional train.

If you want to, you can buy a Miam Miam Dodo guide in the sacristy of the Cathedral at Le Puy that lists accommodation and has maps in it. It's in French but the symbols it uses are easy to understand if you don't speak French.

There are quite a few useful websites around.
You can click on the rectangles here to see maps and distances- the maps are like the ones in the Miam Miam Dodo guide. http://www.chemindecompostelle.com/Selection/CarteFrance.html But note that there is a lot more accommodation than appears here- so don't limit yourself to this website.

This site has diagrams of altitude changes: http://www.xacobeo.fr/ZE1.03.pro.htm
This site lists more accommodation- I am not sure how up to date it is: http://www.xacobeo.fr/ZE1.03.Puy_gites.htm

The Confraternity of St James website has a bookshop http://www.csj.org.uk/acatalog/index.htm that includes a guide in English by Alison Raju (2006) and also a book by her (2010 edition.) They also have the Miam Miam Dodo guide for 2012.

There are quite a few people in the Forum who have walked the Le Puy route, and who will be more than willing to answer your questions. All the best!
Margaret

 

[julie]

To those websites I would add http://www.godesalco.com/plan
You put in your start and finish point and it will show the profile of the route with codes to tell you whether there is a gite, hotel or campsite in the villages along the way. Unfortunately it doesn't give you the address and phone number of the gite but at least you know how far you have to walk until the next one.

Handy tool if you like to know how steep the walking for the day is going to be.

The train goes from Paris Lyon. You will need to change at either Lyon Part Dieu or St Etienne depending on the train you catch. The train via Clermont-Ferrand leaves from Paris Bercy which is close to Paris Lyon.

There is an excellent rail planning tool at http://plannerint.b-rail.be/bin/query.exe/en?L=profi&
It will give you the times, stations, changes necessary and whether you need a reservation.

The planner was mentioned on the forum some years ago and I have been using it ever since. Thank you to whoever first posted it - it's become my favourite travel planning tool.

 

[irishpilgrim]

We walked the Le Puy route over three years. It is a wonderful route and I have no doubt you will enjoy it. I strongly recommend you get the Miam Miam Do Do. It is easy to understand and has a full list of accommodation and shops and restaurants etc. at every location along the way. It is updated every year. It gives phone numbers and prices etc for accommodations.
There is plenty of info on the forum here.
I know when we started we flew to Lyons and took a train directly to Le Puy, I expect it depends on what time you arrive in Lyons. Try the Rail Europe website for SNCF (that's the french railway system) Its easy to use just to see times etc. I don't know how easy it is to actually book.
You would be well advised to book accommodation ahead in Le Puy itself for the first night.
How far are you intending to walk this year? You need to be careful to stop somewhere that has public transport to get you back to wherever you want to go.
Anyway, it's a great route, Enjoy
Anna

 

[jduthie]

Great tips--thanks to all!