Planning to walk Le Puy - are there any safety concerns for solo females?

[livelife]

Hello! After a few years of contemplating waking the Camino I recently decided I will make it a reality. I have been doing much research to see which route is best suited for my personal pilgrimage and have decided Le Puy is the route for me. I am planning pretty far in advance -targeting June 2015. This forum has been very helpful and incredibly informative and I'm so grateful it exists as a resource. As a female solo walker should I be concerned about personal safety on this route? I'm excited but also don't want to be too naive in my expectations. Any thought or guidance would be appreciated.

 

[colinPeter]

Bonjour Livelife,
Welcome to the forum and enjoy your time of preparation.
Bon Chemin
Colin

 

[Deleted member 3000]

As a female solo walker should I be concerned about personal safety on this route?

It is safe. I met hundreds of solo female walkers who had walked without incident. Some skill in French is useful. You may increase your anxiety level of the "deer in the headlights" variety if you do not know some French. Fellow pilgrims may be excellent translators, but there will be times when you are surrounded by only the French language.

Bon chemin.

 

[livelife]

It is safe. I met hundreds of solo female walkers who had walked without incident. Some skill in French is useful. You may increase your anxiety level of the "deer in the headlights" variety if you do not know some French. Fellow pilgrims may be excellent translators, but there will be times when you are surrounded by only the French language.

Bon chemin.

 

[livelife]

Thank you for your comment - as I read more threads on the forum I'm reassured that while there have been some uncomfortable encounters they are not the norm. I'm looking forward to learning French -at least enough to get me through! Take care

 

[robertt]

Livelife, you are unlikely to remain solo for long, unless you so choose. Friends will abound, a little of the French language will help. The Way of Le Puy is a great choice. (I want to go back to the Auvergne to walk the Stevenson, or maybe connect to the Way of Arles via the Regordane track from Le Puy.)

Excited? You should be!

Bon chemin

Rob

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I walked the Le Puy route as a solo female and never had any moments where I was fearful about personal safety. I did have a phone second time round though, and had some friends - met first time around!- that I knew I could ring if I was lost/injured/ in any kind of trouble. And that eased my mind.
Margaret

 

[dalston999]

I have walked most of it twice solo, and the. Arles route with in problems. It certainly helps to speak some French sine you will have gathered from other related threads on the routes through France that most of the other pilgrims are French and the local people often don't speak much English.

I also decided to take a mobile phone for security, though I'm not sure who I might have rung, but never needed it for that purpose. If you book ahead as is usual in France, your hosts will keep a look out for you if they are worth their salt.

There will be plenty of people walking in June, so you will not be solo for long if you don't want to be, but can enjoy the solitude and contemplative walking when you do. It is a wonderful route, really beautiful in parts and I can't wait to do it again.

Pm me if you have any worries or questions, happy to answer

 

[billmclaughlin]

Saturday late afternoon at the end of September in Montcuq.

My friend Marine and I took seats on a cafe terrace and then she went inside to use the washroom. When she returned, I told her it seemed it was the kind of minimally staffed place where we'd have to go into the bar to order. Her reply: "I'm not going back in there. You'll have to go."

I went inside and while ordering two coffees observed 4 or 5 guys, all loud and beery, one clearly drunk, shouting at a televised soccer game.

When I emerged with our coffees, Marine gave me a brief account of the remarks the fans had directed at her, which were pretty crude.

Not knowing what they were saying might have been an advantage.

Bill

 

[stevenjarvis]

Any Saturday late afternoon, any month, anywhere in the world, 4 or 5 guys, all loud and beery, one clearly drunk, shouting at a televised soccer game.

 

[biloute]

I also decided to take a mobile phone for security, though I'm not sure who I might have rung

I found this on the European Commision's site:

The European emergency number 112 is not the only emergency number in France.

Alongside 112, the following emergency numbers are available:

· 15 - medical emergency,
· 17 - police,
· 18 - fire brigade,
· 115 - social emergency,
· 119 - abused children,
· 116000 - missing children,
· 114 - National centre for emergency calls for deaf and people with hearing problems.
It is not possible to call 112 without a SIM card.

In addition to French, the calls can be answered in 40 languages thanks to the help of interpreters.

What exactly would a "social emergency" be?

As for only hearing French and people not speaking English, may I just say yay! I'm so tired of only being able to speak very low-level French with my students and not being understood some of the time. Plus they don't respond in French! I wish I could take some of them with me just so they'd be inspired. I haven't been on the camino yet, but I'm not really worried, though safety is always something we women have to think about.