The Le Puy Route detouring to Lourdes?

[thecowans]

Hoping to pick up from Figeac ( where we got to from Le Puy in May 2013 ) and either walk to St. Jean Pied de Port, then go to Lourdes or detour(?) earlier on route to walk to Lourdes and we hope then on to Irun to walk the Camino del Norte. Trust that makes sense!
Would love to hear from anyone who has done the same or similar.
(This will be to celebrate my 70th year on the planet and deal with the Camino "bug" which took hold when my wife and I first walked 'The Frances" in 2011 and then " The Portugues" in 2013!!) Thanks!

 

[Anniesantiago]

I've walked from Lourdes to Pamplona... beautiful walk but not to Irun.
It will be interesting to hear who responds.

 

[jirit]

My wife and I along with a friend detoured away from the Chenin Le Puy and walked to Lourdes via the Arles route, back in 2012.

Please check our blog on the route we took.

http://littlegreentracs.typepad.com...iensis-le-puy-en-velay-to-lourdes-france.html

 

[thecowans]

Thanks to you both for the replies/ responses to our query. Perhaps yet others may reply/comment as no doubt Lourdes is a 'significant' place of pilgrimage in itself and worthy of walking to 'as we allow the air to knit us together again'! "Jirit", found your 2012 forum entries which will follow up. Thanks!

 

[Jan_D]

From Lourdes you take the 'Voie du Piémont Pyrénéen' (GR-78) to SJPP, and then the 'Voie de la Nive' to get to Irun - here's some info in English with helpful links!

http://www.csj.org.uk/planning-your...he-routes-today/the-pyrenean-foothills-route/

 

[scruffy1]

Lourdes for me was a great disappointment. Far too any poor suffering and ill people surrounded by tour groups, touts, hawkers, and "souvenier" sellers. Not my best morning and I was greatly relieved when i left and yes the chemin helped me to regain my spirits.

 

[thecowans]

From Lourdes you take the 'Voie du Piémont Pyrénéen' (GR-78) to SJPP, and then the 'Voie de la Nive' to get to Irun - here's some info in English with helpful links!

http://www.csj.org.uk/planning-your...he-routes-today/the-pyrenean-foothills-route/

Jan,
Thanks for

From Lourdes you take the 'Voie du Piémont Pyrénéen' (GR-78) to SJPP, and then the 'Voie de la Nive' to get to Irun - here's some info in English with helpful links!

http://www.csj.org.uk/planning-your...he-routes-today/the-pyrenean-foothills-route/

Jan,
I'll try again! Thanks for your very welcome advice and link which looks more than helpful. Have to get back into the way again of researching and thinking about a range of sources as we haven't "Caminoed" in Europe since 2013 ('plantar fasciitis ' having seized hold of the left foot of this writer while last on The Le Puy Route...and it's one of 'the pilgrim's curses! Here's to 2016!

 

[thecowans]

Lourdes for me was a great disappointment. Far too any poor suffering and ill people surrounded by tour groups, touts, hawkers, and "souvenier" sellers. Not my best morning and I was greatly relieved when i left and yes the chemin helped me to regain my spirits.

Scruffy,
You may be right...will have to keep an open mind and heart...perhaps try to see what lies at the heart of those who go in faith and hope. Elements of what you felt about Lourdes we too saw in Fatima in 2013. Then early one morning there was a young South American husband and father of 2 walking on his knees in thanks between the 2 cathedrals for the cure of his youngest son...the couples life savings had gone into the trip. We started our walking soon after with some strength from that simple act of faith!

 

[scruffy1]

Scruffy,
You may be right...will have to keep an open mind and heart...perhaps try to see what lies at the heart of those who go in faith and hope. Elements of what you felt about Lourdes we too saw in Fatima in 2013. Then early one morning there was a young South American husband and father of 2 walking on his knees in thanks between the 2 cathedrals for the cure of his youngest son...the couples life savings had gone into the trip. We started our walking soon after with some strength from that simple act of faith!

Fatima! I was there on a very slow day two weeksafter Easter and was scared to death! I was expecting the hawkers, the touts, and the souvenir stands but there were only about thirty other people in the whole enclave. The unbelievably huge area around the cave and before the church and nobody to be seen! Inside the church and so few people praying, the huge stylistic crosses and figures of Jesus round about, all reminded me of less happier days in Portugal when the dictator was in charge and religion was directed to his drastic policies. I literally ran away! Perhaps I only can connect or benefir from joyous festivals, Easter processions, thanksgiving celebrations, but my experiences at both Fatima and Lourdes was not positive.

 

[Flemming Behrend]

Lourdes for me was a great disappointment. Far too any poor suffering and ill people surrounded by tour groups, touts, hawkers, and "souvenier" sellers. Not my best morning and I was greatly relieved when i left and yes the chemin helped me to regain my spirits.

I was in Lourdes back in the 70ties and I remember being overwhelmed by the thousand of tourist, heavy traffic and commercialism. I wouldn't go there again although I thought about it because I'm doing the LePuy Camino next spring.

 

[frank john]

My wife and I along with a friend detoured away from the Chenin Le Puy and walked to Lourdes via the Arles route, back in 2012.

Please check our blog on the route we took.

http://littlegreentracs.typepad.com...iensis-le-puy-en-velay-to-lourdes-france.html

Are there any books or guides to help me journey from Le Puy to SJJP with a stop in Lourdes? Thanks for any help. Frank