- Time of past OR future Camino
- 2024 Le Puy - Cahors + Saint-Jean - León
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I would think that is generally true - and would add that, typically, the gites on the Le Puy Way are of a high standard, with fewer number of beds than you would find in albergues in Spain and bunk beds are less common. So fewer people sharing both the dormitory and the bathroom/s.If you are happy to sleep in dormitories and share bathrooms, finding accommodation will of course be easier.
Hello, I just finished booking our reservations as well and was fining that problem. Then it dawned on me - the allocate a percent of their rooms to each site - Booking.com, hotels.com, etc. I also found if I contacted properties directly I got a reservation where all the booking sites said they had no an availability. Lastly, keep checking back due to cancellations. Buen Camino. Also - some of the pre plan groups block for certain properties and when it’s closer they free up. So we didn’t prepay for any night - and will check back to see if my preferred property becomes available.I have just finished reserving my accommodation for the 19 nights I hope to spend, God being willing, walking from Le Puy to Cahors via the Célé valley.
Leaving Le Puy ten days after Easter and planning to arrive in Cahors before the 1 May holiday, I thought my task would be easy, all the more so since BlackRocker57 kindly shared with me her list of the best CH and GDE on the way. In fact, it turned out to be quite difficult. In part this was because I was looking, when possible, for a private bedroom and bathroom.
But prospective walkers should be aware that in most places along the way accommodation is scarce and that the CH and GDE are generally quite small. I regularly found that the best accommodations were already full, two months in advance. In other cases, accommodations were not open until 1 May or had a weekly rest day.
As other posters on the forum have said, the section between Le Puy and Conques is especially busy. French walkers - the majority - are accustomed to booking in advance. I also got the impression, from looking at photos and readings comments, that they tend to walk in groups. Two groups of four people can easily fill a CH or a GDE.
If you are happy to sleep in dormitories and share bathrooms, finding accommodation will of course be easier.
I’d add to that - many of the gites on the Le Puy and other paths in France are not on the major booking sites. And when contacting them directly you may find they are more responsive closer to the time.Hello, I just finished booking our reservations as well and was fining that problem. Then it dawned on me - the allocate a percent of their rooms to each site - Booking.com, hotels.com, etc. I also found if I contacted properties directly I got a reservation where all the booking sites said they had no an availability. Lastly, keep checking back due to cancellations. Buen Camino. Also - some of the pre plan groups block for certain properties and when it’s closer they free up. So we didn’t prepay for any night - and will check back to see if my preferred property becomes available.
I have just finished reserving my accommodation for the 19 nights I hope to spend, God being willing, walking from Le Puy to Cahors via the Célé valley.
Leaving Le Puy ten days after Easter and planning to arrive in Cahors before the 1 May holiday, I thought my task would be easy, all the more so since BlackRocker57 kindly shared with me her list of the best CH and GDE on the way. In fact, it turned out to be quite difficult. In part this was because I was looking, when possible, for a private bedroom and bathroom.
But prospective walkers should be aware that in most places along the way accommodation is scarce and that the CH and GDE are generally quite small. I regularly found that the best accommodations were already full, two months in advance. In other cases, accommodations were not open until 1 May or had a weekly rest day.
As other posters on the forum have said, the section between Le Puy and Conques is especially busy. French walkers - the majority - are accustomed to booking in advance. I also got the impression, from looking at photos and readings comments, that they tend to walk in groups. Two groups of four people can easily fill a CH or a GDE.
If you are happy to sleep in dormitories and share bathrooms, finding accommodation will of course be easier.
I’ve not seen them used often - but possibly they are from a guidebook. CH would be Chambre d’hote and GDE Gite d’etape.CH?
GDE?
I have guesses, but I have never seen these acronyms before. I doubt that I am alone, given new members to this forum arrive daily.
Those would be my guesses too. It would be nice if people did not post acronyms without explaining them.
In my years of writing technical documentation TLA's (Three Letter Acronyms) were always spelled out completely on first use. Even for well known acronyms!
It would be nice of the Original Poster to reply to confirm our guesses. For one thing I wonder why CDE but not CDH?
Jim
Gîte in French is so short it's not worth abbreviating.Those would be my guesses too. It would be nice if people did not post acronyms without explaining them.
In my years of writing technical documentation TLA's (Three Letter Acronyms) were always spelled out completely on first use. Even for well know acronyms!
Jim, I don’t see that this is a big deal. The forum is not a technical document, more an informal conversation. Many people would be able to guess the meanings of the acronyms, as you did. And, in any case, the meanings were given in post #6 in the thread. I don’t think the OP (Original Poster) needs to reply to confirm.Those would be my guesses too. It would be nice if people did not post acronyms without explaining them.
In my years of writing technical documentation TLA's (Three Letter Acronyms) were always spelled out completely on first use. Even for well know acronyms!
It would be nice of the Original Poster to reply to confirm our guesses.
Jim
I guess brand new members who do not know the terminology are on their own.Jim, I don’t see that this is a big deal. The forum is not a technical document, more an informal conversation. Many people would be able to guess the meanings of the acronyms, as you did. And, in any case, the meanings were given in post #6 in the thread. I don’t think the OP (Original Poster) needs to reply to confirm.
As did I - by writing what the letters stand for. If brand new members find their way to this thread they will see that. New members are rarely if ever ‘on their own’ on this forum. Though I give people researching the Le Puy Way plenty of credit for being able to work out this and more. Either way, no harm done and thanks to @eamann for the original post also aimed at helping others.I guess brand new members who do not know the terminology are on their own.
OK. I tried to help.
There are so many of them in US environmental law that EPA has a search tool devoted to deciphering them: https://sor.epa.gov/sor_internet/registry/termreg/searchandretrieve/termsandacronyms/search.doIn my years of writing technical documentation TLA's (Three Letter Acronyms) were always spelled out completely on first use. Even for well know acronyms!
I assume you plan on staying in allbergues - those of us discussing reservations are not. We are staying in hotels, apartments, etc - places with private bathrooms and other amenities. We have chosen these accommodation options for personal reasons that I am not going to discuss here. So unlike the numerous albergue beds where the tradition is to just show up, it doesn’t work that way for other accommodations. So buen camino!I *really* do not understand any of this booking so far ahead !!
Better IMO to leave things to the last minute (i.e. 1 to 3 days) on the Way, and keep things flexible, except possibly the very first few days.
Nobody can pre-plan a necessary rest day from unexpected fatigue !!
Gîte in French is so short it's not worth abbreviating.
Many private Albergues have private rooms with a good degree of comfort. I have nothing against any pilgrims staying in hotels and whatnot, but booking so far ahead still makes no sense to me with regard to the pilgrimage as a pilgrimage.I assume you plan on staying in allbergues - those of us discussing reservations are not. We are staying in hotels, apartments, etc - places with private bathrooms and other amenities.
Some of the more comfortable private Albergues you may not get into by just turning up, unless you're walking alone.So unlike the numerous albergue beds where the tradition is to just show up, it doesn’t work that way for other accommodations. So buen camino!
Of course, but that doesn't mean I'm being "judgmental" --I'm just suggesting that more flexibility leads to improvement in one's experiences.Good thing my choices are what makes sense to me. So the fact a choice I make doesn’t make sense to YOU is irrelevant to me. You make your choices and I will make mine
My last comment on this - JabbaPapa - it is your judgement that flexibility leads to improvement in one’s experiences. Using “suggesting” in the sentence doesn’t change anything. A suggestion is an opinion - yours. Glad that works for you. Buen Camino.Of course, but that doesn't mean I'm being "judgmental" --I'm just suggesting that more flexibility leads to improvement in one's experiences.
that is very true ... in fact, the vast majority of private accommodation providers on the Via Podiensis who are registered with these behemoth booking sites, don’t like them one little bit ... they are seen as a necessary evil ... so they only release one or two rooms to them and, because the booking sites take a substantial premium [15 to 18%] from each reservation, the price is also higher. For this reason [and others] I prefer to make my reservation requests directly with the accommodation hosts ...Hello, I just finished booking our reservations as well and was fining that problem. Then it dawned on me - the allocate a percent of their rooms to each site - Booking.com, hotels.com, etc. I also found if I contacted properties directly I got a reservation where all the booking sites said they had no an availability. Lastly, keep checking back due to cancellations. Buen Camino. Also - some of the pre plan groups block for certain properties and when it’s closer they free up. So we didn’t prepay for any night - and will check back to see if my preferred property becomes available.
does it really ... how so??Of course, but that doesn't mean I'm being "judgmental" --I'm just suggesting that more flexibility leads to improvement in one's experiences.
More flexibility on where you'll stop and sleep impacts many parts of a Camino, including finding out that some place and/or some people are preferable (to you personally) here rather than there.does it really ... how so??
Part of it is, if you plan every step beforehand, then what can you possibly learn along the Way ?
Loving this thread's replies - takes me back to playground arguments back in the day.. . .I have just finished reserving my accommodation for the 19 nights I hope to spend, God being willing, walking from Le Puy to Cahors via the Célé valley.
Leaving Le Puy ten days after Easter and planning to arrive in Cahors before the 1 May holiday, I thought my task would be easy, all the more so since BlackRocker57 kindly shared with me her list of the best CH and GDE on the way. In fact, it turned out to be quite difficult. In part this was because I was looking, when possible, for a private bedroom and bathroom.
But prospective walkers should be aware that in most places along the way accommodation is scarce and that the CH and GDE are generally quite small. I regularly found that the best accommodations were already full, two months in advance. In other cases, accommodations were not open until 1 May or had a weekly rest day.
As other posters on the forum have said, the section between Le Puy and Conques is especially busy. French walkers - the majority - are accustomed to booking in advance. I also got the impression, from looking at photos and readings comments, that they tend to walk in groups. Two groups of four people can easily fill a CH or a GDE.
If you are happy to sleep in dormitories and share bathrooms, finding accommodation will of course be easier.
Not what I'm saying -- though I certainly agree with your comments about time of year, circumstances, and which Camino route.I'm also one who doesn't like to reserve too far ahead - but that also depends on the path, the time of year and my circumstances at the time. Reading through the comments above - I think the point of contention @JabbaPapa is your insistence that your way = a better Camino experience.
So, I'm being judged then ? This has nothing to do with my personal preferences, but it has to do with frustrations that I have heard pilgrims express on the Camino from having booked very far ahead. Underestimating or overestimating their capabilities, finding themselves unable to continue with new friends met along the way, and many other negatives that others have expressed.Whether intended or not, it comes across that you are making 'judgements' about someone else's choices and the experience they will have - rather than just noting what's important to you.
You're right - I agree, except for the part about loving the thread.Loving this thread's replies - takes me back to playground arguments back in the day.. . .
Play nicely people . . .maybe go for a walk . . .?
Hi @ElCee I hope I can help. To your second question first - you don't HAVE TO book in advance - it's more a question of what your needs are, what you're comfortable with and your ability to adapt to distances etc if no accommodation is found, as highlighted in the above discussion.Are there accommodations on this route that are strictly first come first serve like municipal albergues in Spain? I thought you had to book in advance.
Is it a busy (spring break) time? Then rather than carrying extra weight for “just in case” you could either make a reservation (only during busy times) or call a property further away. They will often pick you up and take you back for free. Just an idea.This tendency towards booking everything in advance is making it more difficult to walk a spontaneous Camino. I suppose the majority of those booking in advance are reserving private rooms, but if the shared dormitory accommodation becomes full, then those not wanting to be stuck to rigid, pre-determined stages are in trouble.
If ever I repeat the Le Puy - Cahors section around busy times, I'll probably carry a tent and mattress in case there's no room - it almost happened to me in St. Côme / Espalion last year.
There are a few, but they are not common in the first half of the route. In general people call and make a reservation the night before. The hosts will usually call for non-French speakers. After Moissac there are larger places that can accommodate spontaneous guests.Are there accommodations on this route that are strictly first come first serve like municipal albergues in Spain? I thought you had to book in advance.
Hi,I have just finished reserving my accommodation for the 19 nights I hope to spend, God being willing, walking from Le Puy to Cahors via the Célé valley.
Leaving Le Puy ten days after Easter and planning to arrive in Cahors before the 1 May holiday, I thought my task would be easy, all the more so since BlackRocker57 kindly shared with me her list of the best CH and GDE on the way. In fact, it turned out to be quite difficult. In part this was because I was looking, when possible, for a private bedroom and bathroom.
But prospective walkers should be aware that in most places along the way accommodation is scarce and that the CH and GDE are generally quite small. I regularly found that the best accommodations were already full, two months in advance. In other cases, accommodations were not open until 1 May or had a weekly rest day.
As other posters on the forum have said, the section between Le Puy and Conques is especially busy. French walkers - the majority - are accustomed to booking in advance. I also got the impression, from looking at photos and readings comments, that they tend to walk in groups. Two groups of four people can easily fill a CH or a GDE.
If you are happy to sleep in dormitories and share bathrooms, finding accommodation will of course be easier.
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