Stages between Vic and Manresa

[eze]

Hello,

I have a question :

After having read Sulu's report about her pilgrimage, i am still puzzled as far as lodging is concerned. I do understand, now, after hours spent looking for a lodging, why she "cheated" when taking the bus.

How is it possible that between those two cities, at the stage named L'Estany, we only can found a casa rural to be rented for euros 300 ? How is it possible that, at the following stage, there is only an hostal from which there are no news available, a fortiori no comments available, since 2009. Closed ? How is it possible that the following day, arriving in Artes, supposed to be the end of the stage for that day, there is no lodging at all available ?

These questions are directed to Junta de Cataluna experts who have published an useful guide on the net, but probably have not walked the first mile of the Camino from La Junquera.

Un saludo a todos anyway !

 

[sulu]

Hello,

I have a question :

After having read Sulu's report about her pilgrimage, i am still puzzled as far as lodging is concerned. I do understand, now, after hours spent looking for a lodging, why she "cheated" when taking the bus.

How is it possible that between those two cities, at the stage named L'Estany, we only can found a casa rural to be rented for euros 300 ? How is it possible that, at the following stage, there is only an hostal from which there are no news available, a fortiori no comments available, since 2009. Closed ? How is it possible that the following day, arriving in Artes, supposed to be the end of the stage for that day, there is no lodging at all available ?

These questions are directed to Junta de Cataluna experts who have published an useful guide on the net, but probably have not walked the first mile of the Camino from La Junquera.

Un saludo a todos anyway !

Hi Eze
You were braver than me, but you make me very pleased that I decided to take the bus.

 

[eze]

Hi Eze
You were braver than me, but you make me very pleased that I decided to take the bus.

Hi Sulu,

Actually, we are in the preparation phase, planning to start in La Jonquera mid september 2014. That is the reason why we are searching the net for lodging solutions.
The results of the search, if it can help someone, is to walk, from Vic, following the Camino, to Sentfores, then towards Muntanyola, off Camino and spend the night in Collsuspina where i have "discovered" a small motel-restaurante whose name is El Toll asking € 40 for an half board stop over.
After, i dont know. Trying to avoid walking on N141 to Calpers and Manresa. Still studying maps.

Un saludo !

Francis

 

[sulu]

The 2 guys I met later were Guardia Civil and 1 lives near L'estany. He confirmed that there is not much accommodation, not reasonably priced anyway so 'Good Luck'!
It's a shame. Certainly, for me €40 is too much, even half board. Please keep posting on how you work it out because I know others are interested. It is a beautiful Camino and well worth doing. Have you tried asking the Tourist Office in Vic? And don't forget to ask the Tourist Office in Manresa how to get out because I am sure that that guide is out of date.
Buen camino
Sue

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Eze,
Great to see you're doing all my homework for me. I am hoping to start (some year!) in Port de la Selva/St. Pere de Rodas, would that route avoid the Vic to Manresa problem? Laurie

 

[sulu]

Hi, Eze,
Great to see you're doing all my homework for me. I am hoping to start (some year!) in Port de la Selva/St. Pere de Rodas, would that route avoid the Vic to Manresa problem? Laurie

No Laurie, the route from La Jonquera joins up with the Port de la Selva route in Figueres, the second day. You will also have the Vic/Manresa problem. Maybe Eze will manage to crack it. Maybe we should all write to the Catalan Tourist Office!!!! It is silly to have a marked route and no accommodation.
Sue

 

[peregrina2000]

No Laurie, the route from La Jonquera joins up with the Port de la Selva route in Figueres, the second day. You will also have the Vic/Manresa problem. Maybe Eze will manage to crack it. Maybe we should all write to the Catalan Tourist Office!!!! It is silly to have a marked route and no accommodation.
Sue

Hi, Sulu and Eze,

I thought Sulu had a good idea about contacting someone, so I have written to the three or four associations I found with email addresses -- all connected with Cami Catala/St.Jaume. I'll let you know what I hear. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[sulu]

Hi, Sulu and Eze,

I thought Sulu had a good idea about contacting someone, so I have written to the three or four associations I found with email addresses -- all connected with Cami Catala/St.Jaume. I'll let you know what I hear. Buen camino, Laurie

Now that's what I like, someone who puts thoughts into actions, I'm still thinking about it, but I will write as well. If there are lots of letters they may realise that there are pilgrims on this route. It may take me a few days to motivate myself as I'm recovering from 10 days in the Pilgrim's Office.

 

[peregrina2000]

Ok, I have gotten a few replies, and here is what I have learned so far.

L'Estany is in the process of building an albergue, but I haven't yet found out when it will open.

There are several options in Calders, which is 5 km from Artés -- I cannot tell if Calders is actually on the route, but if it´s not, you might be able to get someone to come pick you up. There is Hotel Urbisol, http://www.hotelurbisol.com/ (a 4**** spa, maybe not what you had in mind), a more modest Casa Rural that is rented by rooms, Masia El Xaloc http://www.elxaloc.com/ and Masia Torrecabota , http://www.toprural.com/Casa-rural-alquiler-íntegro/Torrecabota_59538_f.html (not sure if they only rent the whole house).

Another option is that you could stay in Santa Maria d´Oló, which is apparently just a few kms from the Camino, but you would have a steep ascent the next morning to get back to the camino. Or maybe a ride from the hostal. http://www.hostalsantamaria.com/

If you guys can show me a map that makes clear which towns the Camino passes through, I´ll try to d some more searching.

In planning my Camino Olvidado with Susanna for this summer, we have found that places a bit off-Camino are willing to drive to pick you up, sometimes for a price, but sometimes for free. So I would definitely give that a try.

 

[peregrina2000]

A couple more updates from some nice people in the Girona association. The ayuntamiento in L'Estany will put people up till the albergue is finished, but I haven't made direct contact with them yet to get details.

With regard to the second problem, the lack of lodging in Artes, I got a few more suggestions.

The town of Navarcles, 8.5 km from Artes, has two pensiones:

Pesion Muntane, Fortia Sola, 3. Tel. 938 310 440
Pension Nou Baviera, C. Dr. Fleming. Tel. 938-310-340

I am not sure if Navarcles is on the route, however. But again,you might find someone will pick you up and drop you off. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[sulu]

Gosh Laurie that's impressive.
Eze, I was going to suggest maybe making it 2 days not 3. I think Vic to Sta Maria would be about 28km and Sta Maria to Manresa about 31 km. That would make the pension in Sta Maria a good option, even though it is not on the route. Navarcles is on the route but stopping here would make it a 32 or 33 km day and would make the next day very short, though Manresa is well worth a few hours more for a proper visit. I didn't think of doing that, I kind of stuck with the proposed stages and didn't foresee problems as it was March, it was only when I had problems in Peralada that I rethought and I wasn't carrying the entire guide with me.
Laurie I think I have attached a map.
Sue

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Sulu and Eze,
I just spoke with the ayuntamiento in L'Estany, and there are apparently three options.

The first one is actually inside a beautiful monastery>
L’estudi del Prior
Tel: 938 303 040
Passatge Mossèn Aureli, s/n
http://monestirestany.cat/castellano/alojamiento-monestir-santa-maria-estany.htm
This is a link to the description, it's fully equipped, and looks great.
It seems like it might only be available to pilgrims on the camino.


There are also two casas rurales, both of which rent individual rooms

Cal Sabata, Tel. 938 30 31 20
http://www.turismerural.com/casarural/bages/sabata/sabata.htm
http://www.toprural.co.uk/Self-catering/Cal-Sabata_27527_f.html

Cal Guardia, Tel. 626 360362 http://www.calguardia.com/en/

But apparently there are no plans to build an albergue in L´Estany, despite what I heard from others.

So, Eze, let us know how you stage this, I would really like to walk this route in the next year or so. Buen camino, Laurie

p.s. Thanks, Sulu for the map.

 

[eze]

Hi Sulu and Laurie,

I am really impressed by the quantity of information i found in your messages.

I had checked the casas rurales you mention in l'Estany but noticed they only rent the whole house instead of "habitacion only". That is why i booked that motel in Collsuspina. I am really attracted now by the lodging proposed by the monastery in l'Estany. I'll give them a call.
I am also really happy to have found, in your messages, the proper link (and updated) of the hotel in Santa Maria. It looks clean, recent, and attactive but it is too close from l'Estany...
I am not sure that Calders and surroundings offer affordable lodgings. Then one in Urbisol ask something like 140 € per night...and many others only offer the whole renting of the house. I'll keep on trying.

Before reading your messages, i still was of the idea of sleeping in Collsuspina, take a bus, at 10h30, from there to Calders in order to avoid the walk on N141, and, at arrival in Calders carry on walking to Sant Vicenç de Castellet avoiding Manresa and passing through Navarcles. I must say that i have got a very nice and cheap offer from Youth Hostel in Manresa where Sulu stayed.
That way, i ll respect my booking of a room in Montserrat albergue where we should stay two nights for not much money.

Thanks to both of you for the information you provided me and others. Let's hope that, all together, we'll be able to build an unofficial "guide" that will be useful to the majority and, may be, attract more activity on this Camino.

PS : we shall start our walk from La Junquera, french/spanish border not Sant Pere de Rodes.

Thanks again,
Un saludo y buen Camino !

 

[Shawalk]

Hello,
I was planning to walk from France in September, but ended up getting a flight into Barcelona because of availability. I'm now really interested in just walking from Barcelona, or perhaps from El Port de la Selva.

I wanted to chime in with my gratitude for all the effort everyone is putting in, to finding places to stay along the way, and sharing other pertinent information!

I wonder about camping out too... I am an avid backpacker and am planning to bring my light weight camping gear so I won't have to worry so much about lodgings and especially about the cost of lodgings. I understand it might not be legal in Spain, but if I tuck off into a hidden spot, (and always practice leave no trace principles) I wonder if that could work on this trail?

Thanks and buen Camino,
Sharon

 

[sulu]

Hi Sulu and Laurie,
That way, i ll respect my booking of a room in Montserrat albergue where we should stay two nights for not much money.

..............!

Hi Eze
I've just re-read your post and just want to add that, though the albergue in Montserrat is free, the places to eat there are expensive and, for the money you pay, not good. Obviously cost is relative and it does not compare to €140 for a bed. I only went to the café type restaurant, there is also a self-service, which may be better, and a proper 'restaurant' where, I imagine. you get good service.
Try to get there before the 13.30 cut off time for the Pilgrims office as the place is so busy that using the restaurants with a back-pack is quite difficult
Buen camino
Sue

 

[eze]

Hi Eze
I've just re-read your post and just want to add that, though the albergue in Montserrat is free, the places to eat there are expensive and, for the money you pay, not good. Obviously cost is relative and it does not compare to €140 for a bed. I only went to the café type restaurant, there is also a self-service, which may be better, and a proper 'restaurant' where, I imagine. you get good service.
Try to get there before the 13.30 cut off time for the Pilgrims office as the place is so busy that using the restaurants with a back-pack is quite difficult
Buen camino
Sue

Hello Sue,

Thanks vm for your message.
We shall not sleep in pilgrim albergue. We have walked three or four Caminos without sleeping in any albergue.
We are lucky enough as we can afford it, leaving by that way, space to others.
We have booked two nights in Cel-les Abat Marcet and will take our lunches and diners either in the room or in one of the two restaurants, close to our lodging.
All the best and thanks one more time.

Francis

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi Sulu and Laurie,

I am really impressed by the quantity of information i found in your messages.

I had checked the casas rurales you mention in l'Estany but noticed they only rent the whole house instead of "habitacion only". That is why i booked that motel in Collsuspina. I am really attracted now by the lodging proposed by the monastery in l'Estany. I'll give them a call.
I am also really happy to have found, in your messages, the proper link (and updated) of the hotel in Santa Maria. It looks clean, recent, and attactive but it is too close from l'Estany...
I am not sure that Calders and surroundings offer affordable lodgings. Then one in Urbisol ask something like 140 € per night...and many others only offer the whole renting of the house. I'll keep on trying.

Before reading your messages, i still was of the idea of sleeping in Collsuspina, take a bus, at 10h30, from there to Calders in order to avoid the walk on N141, and, at arrival in Calders carry on walking to Sant Vicenç de Castellet avoiding Manresa and passing through Navarcles. I must say that i have got a very nice and cheap offer from Youth Hostel in Manresa where Sulu stayed.
That way, i ll respect my booking of a room in Montserrat albergue where we should stay two nights for not much money.

Thanks to both of you for the information you provided me and others. Let's hope that, all together, we'll be able to build an unofficial "guide" that will be useful to the majority and, may be, attract more activity on this Camino.

PS : we shall start our walk from La Junquera, french/spanish border not Sant Pere de Rodes.

Thanks again,
Un saludo y buen Camino !

Hi Eze,
As I start to dream about Camino 2015, this one comes to the top of my list. Do you have your stages and accommodations planned for the route from Jonquera? I would really like to start in Port de la Selva, because St. Pere de Rodas is one of my favorite monasteries anywhere, but I'd be really interested in seeing your stages, especially since the two alternatives join up on day two anyway.

Sulu, I will also make great use of your blog, I'm sure. Thanks guys, Laurie

 

[eze]

No Laurie, the route from La Jonquera joins up with the Port de la Selva route in Figueres, the second day. You will also have the Vic/Manresa problem. Maybe Eze will manage to crack it. Maybe we should all write to the Catalan Tourist Office!!!! It is silly to have a marked route and no accommodation.
Sue

Hello Sue,

Actually, i didn't crack anything... as i was obliged to quit Camino in Vic. For the first time ever, i had a heavy blister problem that turned into a tendonitis due to a wrong corrective position of the left foot. Last stage was Esquirol (Santa Maria de Corco) - Vic. I had this kind of problem of tendonitis during our first walk to Santiago from home (+/- 1800kms) a few years ago. This time, i think it was due to the fact that i failed to check inner soles in the (news) shoes i used when walking, last april, from Granada to Cordoba. I put the wrong onesInstead of joining Montserrat and Cervera as already planned, we took a train to Barcelona and from Sants station to Zaragoza and Huesca, first to visit the cities and also, have a look to Camino Catalan in that area (from a car window...).

Writing this message, i intend to mention that, unlike your own experience that is not so recent, we had no problem with walking directions. Contrary to other Caminos, we noticed a lack of yellow arrows. Most of the time, they are replaced by signposts put in place by the autonomous Community of Catalonia.
When i'll update our own site, you will see a lot of their signposts photographies but very few arrows, from time to time a modest yellow track of paint.
We didn't lose our way except once when getting out of Esquirol (Santa Maria de Corco), due to the fact that marking, as a washed out yellow paint cross (wrong way) was not noticed, neither opposite faded yellow arrow. So we went in a sort of "barranco" where we also found yellow tracks having nothing to do with Camino. We walked in this area for three hours (!), trying to find out where was the Camino, before meeting a mushroom picker who sent us back to the point where we left the Camino...
We really enjoyed the "Vias verdes" part of this Camino. We didn't like the portion between Esquirol and Vic, may be because of what is writen above...and also due to the fact that we walked on rolling stones that do not fit with blisters pains...
No pilgrim at all, fro La Junquera, until to Esquirol, where we said " Buen Camino" to a couple of persons, obviously pilgrims, entering the church for morning mass. No time to chat, obviously.
I'll do my best to, rapidly, update our site where if your french had improved, you'll read our walk in detail.

Un saludo !

Francis

La Junquera - Figueres stage is splendid.

 

[sulu]

Hello Sue,

Actually, i didn't crack anything... as i was obliged to quit Camino in Vic. For the first time ever, i had a heavy blister problem that turned into a tendonitis due to a wrong corrective position of the left foot. Last stage was Esquirol (Santa Maria de Corco) - Vic. I had this kind of problem of tendonitis during our first walk to Santiago from home (+/- 1800kms) a few years ago. This time, i think it was due to the fact that i failed to check inner soles in the (news) shoes i used when walking, last april, from Granada to Cordoba. I put the wrong onesInstead of joining Montserrat and Cervera as already planned, we took a train to Barcelona and from Sants station to Zaragoza and Huesca, first to visit the cities and also, have a look to Camino Catalan in that area (from a car window...).
Writing this message, i intend to mention that, unlike your own experience that is not so recent, we had no problem with walking directions. Contrary to other Caminos, we noticed a lack of yellow arrows. Most of the time, they are replaced by signposts put in place by the autonomous Community of Catalonia.
When i'll update our own site, you will see a lot of their signposts photographies but very few arrows, from time to time a modest yellow track of paint.
We didn't lose our way except once when getting out of Esquirol (Santa Maria de Corco), due to the fact that marking, as a washed out yellow paint cross (wrong way) was not noticed, neither opposite faded yellow arrow. So we went in a sort of "barranco" where we also found yellow tracks having nothing to do with Camino. We walked in this area for three hours (!), trying to find out where was the Camino, before meeting a mushroom picker who sent us back to the point where we left the Camino...
We really enjoyed the "Vias verdes" part of this Camino. We didn't like the portion between Esquirol and Vic, may be because of what is writen above...and also due to the fact that we walked on rolling stones that do not fit with blisters pains...
No pilgrim at all, fro La Junquera, until to Esquirol, where we said " Buen Camino" to a couple of persons, obviously pilgrims, entering the church for morning mass. No time to chat, obviously.
I'll do my best to, rapidly, update our site where if your french had improved, you'll read our walk in detail.

Un saludo !

Francis

La Junquera - Figueres stage is splendid.

I'm so sorry that you have had to stop. I was wondering how you were getting on as I think there has been a lot of rain in Catalunya recently. I look forward to reading your account.
All the best, Sue

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Eze,
So sorry to hear of your blister problem. But I'll bet you're already planning your return! I will look forward to your blog, though my French is pretty pathetic. Thanks much for your help, I am definitely going to be on this route someday, just not sure when. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[eze]

Hi, Eze,
So sorry to hear of your blister problem. But I'll bet you're already planning your return! I will look forward to your blog, though my French is pretty pathetic. Thanks much for your help, I am definitely going to be on this route someday, just not sure when. Buen camino, Laurie

Hi Laurie,

Thanks for your kind message. No doubt that we are already planning our return. I do think that the return will be on Mozarabe first as we have to finish our walk from Granada to Merida. We walked last march from Granada to Cordoba, we still have to walk the second part. We stopped for a foot pain with those shoes bought in Granada... that i used (with wrong soles) on Gironès-Catalan. After that, we shall return to Gironès-Catalan.
I'll wait a while and will buy an other pair of shoes i have been walking with from the very beginning. (Three pair of shoes already used)...They fit perfectly my foot. (Tecnica)

I have already updated our blog, at least for the three first stages. Check "stjacques.fr", Camino Gironès tab (bottom left). Don't forget your french dictionary if necessary...

I wish you all the best

Francis

 

[mary_mh]

Hello,
I was planning to walk from France in September, but ended up getting a flight into Barcelona because of availability. I'm now really interested in just walking from Barcelona, or perhaps from El Port de la Selva.

I wanted to chime in with my gratitude for all the effort everyone is putting in, to finding places to stay along the way, and sharing other pertinent information!

I wonder about camping out too... I am an avid backpacker and am planning to bring my light weight camping gear so I won't have to worry so much about lodgings and especially about the cost of lodgings. I understand it might not be legal in Spain, but if I tuck off into a hidden spot, (and always practice leave no trace principles) I wonder if that could work on this trail?

Thanks and buen Camino,
Sharon

Hi Sharon,

I'll join my thanks with yours! What great information from such generous contributors. I am just starting to plan my Camino. I hope to start at Montserrat commencing early September 2015 and walk the Camino Catalan, joining up with the Camino Frances. I will be travelling alone and will have to trust that my walk will be safe. Like you Sharon, I don't actually mind sleeping out under the stars and will take lightweight gear, but have to think more about this. I will be watching the relevant topics with great interest and will share any information I come across.
Thanks again and buen Camino,
Mary

 

[sulu]

To Sharon and Mary
Accommodation isn't a problem after Montserrat and it isn't very expensive, though eating out can be, but from Montserrat it isn't far into Aragon, where prices are more within the norm for Spain and albergues are designed more for pilgrims. On much of the Catalan route the land around the camino is farmed, therefore not available for camping on. But Catalanya is certainly more expensive than elsewhere in Spain. I don't think either of you have said if you are planning to join the Aragones in Jaca or go for the Ebro route, this choice will probably make a big difference to your plans/costs.
Enjoy your planning,
Sue

 

[peregrina2000]

Hello Sue,

Actually, i didn't crack anything... as i was obliged to quit Camino in Vic. For the first time ever, i had a heavy blister problem that turned into a tendonitis due to a wrong corrective position of the left foot. Last stage was Esquirol (Santa Maria de Corco) - Vic. I had this kind of problem of tendonitis during our first walk to Santiago from home (+/- 1800kms) a few years ago. This time, i think it was due to the fact that i failed to check inner soles in the (news) shoes i used when walking, last april, from Granada to Cordoba. I put the wrong onesInstead of joining Montserrat and Cervera as already planned, we took a train to Barcelona and from Sants station to Zaragoza and Huesca, first to visit the cities and also, have a look to Camino Catalan in that area (from a car window...).

Writing this message, i intend to mention that, unlike your own experience that is not so recent, we had no problem with walking directions. Contrary to other Caminos, we noticed a lack of yellow arrows. Most of the time, they are replaced by signposts put in place by the autonomous Community of Catalonia.
When i'll update our own site, you will see a lot of their signposts photographies but very few arrows, from time to time a modest yellow track of paint.
We didn't lose our way except once when getting out of Esquirol (Santa Maria de Corco), due to the fact that marking, as a washed out yellow paint cross (wrong way) was not noticed, neither opposite faded yellow arrow. So we went in a sort of "barranco" where we also found yellow tracks having nothing to do with Camino. We walked in this area for three hours (!), trying to find out where was the Camino, before meeting a mushroom picker who sent us back to the point where we left the Camino...
We really enjoyed the "Vias verdes" part of this Camino. We didn't like the portion between Esquirol and Vic, may be because of what is writen above...and also due to the fact that we walked on rolling stones that do not fit with blisters pains...
No pilgrim at all, fro La Junquera, until to Esquirol, where we said " Buen Camino" to a couple of persons, obviously pilgrims, entering the church for morning mass. No time to chat, obviously.
I'll do my best to, rapidly, update our site where if your french had improved, you'll read our walk in detail.

Un saludo !

Francis

La Junquera - Figueres stage is splendid.

Hi, Eze,
I've looked at your blog and don't see anything on this Camino there. If I'm missing something, could you give me the link? Hope your foot is completely healed and that you are planning your next walk. I have tentatively decided that I'll walk the Cami Girones from Port de la Selva to Montserrat, then get on one of the Cami Catalans and walk to Zaragoza. That should be about 20 days, which is just what I have for this part of my camino 2015. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[eze]

Hi Laurie,

Thanks for your message as i had not noticed that Catalan walk did'nt appear on the blog. Actually, there is something wrong that i'll try to solve as soon as possible, hopefully today.
No immediate project regarding the Camino but decision was made to walk the second "leg" of Mozarabe to Merida and leave Catalan "open". That walk towards Merida would take place in october next year.
Before, we'll fly to Sydney (family visit) and NZ north island where we cannot wait walking Tongariro Crossing.
All the best
Francis

 

[eze]

Laurie,

It should be ok now.

 

[peregrina2000]

Eze, I am not having any luck. For one thing, if I click on the link where your signature is, I can't pull anything up. It says "This page can't be displayed." But if I type in www.stjacques.fr I can see a home page, but there's nothing on the Catalan route on it, at least not that I can see. I've tried to take screen shots of the home page and add them in here for you to see. Thanks, Laurie

 

[eze]

Laurie, Thanks for your message.
I have checked from my side and corrected one point. I don't understand, for now, where the problem is but will try to fix it. It seems that it could be linked to the recent modification entered into by the persons in charge of caminodesantiago.me forum, i don't know but it seems that those problems arose very recently.
Nevertheless, you might access to the Camino Catalan tag when clicking on the "Accueil" tag situated in the upper part of the first page of the blog, just below the photos, beside three other tags named "Forum", "Connection", FTP.
Hope it will work. May be a moderator will notice this discussion and someone will check the technicals on their side.

Sorry for all this trouble.

Francis

 

[eze]

I just clicked on the adress "stjacques" you mentioned in your message and it worked properly showing Catalan...
I have withdrawn the blog adress that was appearing in my "signature".

 

[peregrina2000]

Laurie, Thanks for your message.
I have checked from my side and corrected one point. I don't understand, for now, where the problem is but will try to fix it. It seems that it could be linked to the recent modification entered into by the persons in charge of caminodesantiago.me forum, i don't know but it seems that those problems arose very recently.
Nevertheless, you might access to the Camino Catalan tag when clicking on the "Accueil" tag situated in the upper part of the first page of the blog, just below the photos, beside three other tags named "Forum", "Connection", FTP.
Hope it will work. May be a moderator will notice this discussion and someone will check the technicals on their side.

Sorry for all this trouble.

Francis

Still no luck, but I really appreciate your trying. Is there an easy way to copy the pages that deal with the Camino Catalan and then post them as an attachment to this thread? I'll email a moderator and see if there is anything they can figure out. They are far more tech savvy than I! Laurie

 

[eze]

Very puzzled as when i double click on the stjacques blog adress showed on your message nbr 27, it works properly.
Same when i google the blog adress.

 

[ivar]

Still no luck, but I really appreciate your trying. Is there an easy way to copy the pages that deal with the Camino Catalan and then post them as an attachment to this thread? I'll email a moderator and see if there is anything they can figure out. They are far more tech savvy than I! Laurie

Hi there,

I had a look and I can not see any reference to the Camino Catalan on http://www.stjacques.fr/ either. The only thing I can think of is that maybe you need to be logged in on the http://www.stjacques.fr/ site to see it? Sometimes there are different permissions set up for different users (logged in vs. not logged in). The link from the forum to the http://www.stjacques.fr/ seems to work fine.

Let me know if I can help with anything else..
Ivar

 

[eze]

Hi Ivar,

You are right. The link works fine.
I realize that Camino Catalan is shown as Camino Gironès (Catalan). The related tab is situated on the left hand site of the blog (site) as the last one of the Caminos we walked.
Thanks for having looked at that matter.

Francis

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Francis,
I think I should stop harassing you. I just got back on to your blog (the link now works fine), but am so sorry to report that I do not see Camino Girones anywhere on the blog. Here is a screen shot from just a minute ago. I'm assuming that I should see a box for the Girones similar to the other ones I see there. The mysteries of technology are far greater for me than for most people, so I'm sorry if I am just an idiot. But anyway, thanks for trying! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[eze]

Hello Laurie,

Not to worry about the mysteries of technology, you are not the only one and i am not far before you...
On my side, everything seems to be all right so i would recomend you to google (out of this forum) http://www.stjacques.fr.
Then you might see the Camino Gironès tab.

Or may be other participants could check it from the link on the blog and say whether they had access to it ?

Sorry about all the trouble.

Francis

 

[sulu]

Hello Laurie,

Not to worry about the mysteries of technology, you are not the only one and i am not far before you...
On my side, everything seems to be all right so i would recomend you to google (out of this forum) http://www.stjacques.fr.
Then you might see the Camino Gironès tab.

Or may be other participants could check it from the link on the blog and say whether they had access to it ?

Sorry about all the trouble.
Hi eze
I've tried a couple of times as well. I've done it both ways, and, like Laurie, I can't find the Camino Girones.
Sue

Francis

 

[eze]

Hello Sue,

Thanks for your kind message. I have modified one criteria regarding the site "engine". Please, will you check whether you are able to consult Camino Girones tag, now ?

Thanks for your assistance in this matter.

Francis

 

[peregrina2000]

Hello Sue,

Thanks for your kind message. I have modified one criteria regarding the site "engine". Please, will you check whether you are able to consult Camino Girones tag, now ?

Thanks for your assistance in this matter.

Francis

SUCCESS!!!!! I am so happy, thank you Francis! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[eze]

Ouf ! i had the "revelation" as i walked after lunch. I said to myself "how is it possible that i can read the link on my own site and that Laurie and Sue (and others) cannot". When back home, i checked again and found that I had not clicked on the appropriate "button". Hopefully, it is fixed.
Thanks for your assistance and patience.
Have a nice day and "bonne lecture" !

Francis

 

[peregrina2000]

Just a short update on the lodging situation between Vic and Manresa. I'm starting to make calls and contacts to find out about places between Port de la Selva and Montserrat, where there are a few potential problem spots. Turns out that in L'Estany, the Casa Rural Cal Guardia rents individual rooms to pilgrims, so long as the house isn't rented out. That means it's a good idea to shoot for a mid-week arrival. The owner said that in June, a mid=week stay will be easy to arrange, but that in high summer, mainly August, the house gets rented for the entire week, but it's always worth a call.

 

[eze]

Happy new year to you and Sue.

 

[peregrina2000]

Well, Francis, It looks like I'm going to go from Port de la Selva to Montserrat to San Juan de la Pena to Puente la Reina! I will be getting lists of accommodation and the like and will post it here -- I don't need to have a day by day plan but I do really like to know what my lodging options are each day, especially when it's a lot of casas rurales and infrequent optioins. So, your blog will come in quite handy for those days yous did, thanks much. Happy New Year to you as well. Laurie

 

[peregrina2000]

Just to say that I have confirmed that there is lodging in L'Estany. The Casa Rural Cal Guardia, 626-360-362, will rent individual rooms to pilgrims if the house isn't rented out. Also, the Monastery has a "turismo rural" apartment that they rent. 40€ a day for up to four pilgrims without sheets. 70€ with sheets. The apartment looks nice, fully equipped kitchen, etc.

My map of accomodations is showing fewer gaps! Buen camino, Laurie

 

[peregrina2000]

Well, I thought I'd just add to this post in the hopes that someone else is thinking of the Cami St. Jaume! I have spoken with the woman who is in charge of the Sta. Maria de l'Estany monastery, which has a pretty stunning Romanesque cloister. The visiting hours, though, are only 10-2. She did tell me that if I stay in the apt. owned by the monastery, she will come open the cloister up for me in the afternoon. So, I'm thinking I will hoof it from L'Esquirol and not stop in Vic, it's 39 to L'Estany. Anyone else out there thinking of this Camino? The apartment is 40 euros, whether it's occupied by me or me and three other pilgrims. I've walked a lot of caminos alone, but I always love company. Buen camino, Laurie

 

[eze]

Hello Laurie,

I have read on the forum that you walked Catalan with an other pilgrim who joined you in Montserrat. Is there a possibility that you give us information about the lodging you used
between Vic and Montserrat as we discussed it many times together without finding a suitable solution ?

Thanks vm.

Francis

 

[eze]

I am still investigating for lodging solutions between Vic and Manresa.
As it seems that a solution is on process (?, i'd like to share it with you.

I have exchanged mails with an hostal in Santa Maria de Oló whose name is "Hostal Santa Maria".
They answered, yesterday, that their hostal is opened in September too and that prices are the following :

one night : euros 25 pp
one night + diner : euros 36,50 pp
one night + diner + breakfast : euros 40 pp
No more need to try a casa rural or expensive Monastery lodging in L'Estany.
This is the solution i found and will articulate the two stages between Vic and Manresa as such :

Vic - Santa Maria de Oló (sleep in Santa Maria Hostal). If sounds too long, take a bus from Vic to Santa Eulalia de Riuprimer (+/- 9kms shorter).
Sta Maria de Oló - Navarclès the following day. If no shelter in Navarclès, i'll take bus to Manresa (+/- 9kms).

Hope it will work. Now, i'll check other stages on the Catalan as i plan to walk around the turn of september/october towards Santa Cilia de Jaca.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi zee, sorry I haven't responded but I'm still on the camino. This option is what I did and it was great. There is te possibility of staying in the monastery in L'Estany but it was too early when I got there so I kept going. The people on santa Maria are very nice. They said they would drive me back up to the camino (it's two km straight down from camino to Santa Maria) but I wanted to get going early so I just wKked.

Santa Maria to Manresa is a very long stage-- by the time I got to the albergue I think it was 42 km.

There are places in Navarcles and the monastery there is well worth a visit.

I'll be home on Friday and will give you more info then.

 

[eze]

Thanks for the information, Laurie. I hope to get the same welcome at Santa Maria de Oló you apparently received.
I look forward reading the details of your various lodgings.
I wish you a "Buen Camino" for the rest of the stages you still have to walk.

francis