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I have walked this in 2014 and 2018.I will start April 3rd in Arles and go all the way to Puente la Reina. If I can stick to my plan it will take 46 days. I used Miam Miam Dodo and Gronze in order to check for Restaurants and Shops on the way. So on some days it will be lonesome and not much to buy. Any hints about if I should stay in Anoyé, or go the the next possible village?
Thanks for your hints. Paul
Thanks, in MMDD and Gronze I found the "Gîte d'étape communal de Anoye". Where you can cook your own food and wash and dry your clothes. I will plan a few days in advance and see what is available.I have walked this in 2014 and 2018.
There was an excellent private Gite in Anoye but I think it is now closed
The Gite run by volunteers has a small store although we did carry food for the night
Again I’m not sure whether it’s still running
Use MMDD and ring
Thanks for your very good description of the pilgrim way. And the things I should have time to look at it. The up and downs in the mountains will be no problem for me, as I do a lot of trail running in the Swiss alps for training. I am used to go for 30 and more kilometres a day with little food, but I like to eat the missing calories in the evening. Or on the way if there are any opportunities. I will keep in mind to analyse the MMDD for the next one or two following days.My husband and I did this in spring of 2018. The trail from Montpellier to Castres is fairly difficult. Be sure you understand the altitude gain and loss. Some parts are steep and very rocky. It’s a beautiful trail, but quite remote. Some trail finding skills are a plus. The villages between stops will not likely have food, and usually not water. Weekends and holidays will close down everything in the village, so you really need to be prepared with food. We never went hungry, but sometimes were srambling to get day end bakery goods before they closed, or get to a store to buy supplies. I think every village that has accommodation has a restaurant.
Castres makes a great rest stop, and after Castres the trail becomes easier. It’s better on resources, but still thin on the ground. Just before Revel, you come to a beautiful and quaint village called Soreze. It’s well-worth a half-day stop at the monastery to see the Musee Dom Robert. You can look him up. He created absolutely incredible tapestries, based on natural subjects. At least look on line to see if something you’d be interested in viewing. Soreze has stores and restaurants too. We loved the Arles for it’s natural beauty and solitude, but before reaching Somport Pass we saw very few pilgrims. Crossing the Pyrenees (4,000’ climb) was a steady climb and seemed easy after negotiating the ups and downs of the previous trail.
The Spanish side is a completely different environment, in terms of nature. Whereas France is wet and green, Spain is dry and adobe, Some parts reminded me of the badlands. The villages are ancient and picturesque. They will be empty, and not have much food, but there are small albergues and they usually supply meals. Be sure to stop at the haunting ruined monastery at Eunate. We weren’t allowed to stay there, but spent a couple hours just enjoying the peace.
We ended at Puente de la Reina. This camino is one of the most beautiful for it’s ancient, unchanged villages and natural surroundings that I’ve been on.
I know that fact. On my first 3000km camino from KonstanzSounds like you’re well-prepared. It should be no problem for an experienced hiker. As you know, many along the CF are not.
Paul-CH,Thanks for your very good description of the pilgrim way. And the things I should have time to look at it. The up and downs in the mountains will be no problem for me, as I do a lot of trail running in the Swiss alps for training. I am used to go for 30 and more kilometres a day with little food, but I like to eat the missing calories in the evening. Or on the way if there are any opportunities. I will keep in mind to analyse the MMDD for the next one or two following days.
In Spain I plan to visit the Antiguo Monstreio de San Juan de la Peña with an extra millages.
That's mostly until you understand that the GR waymarkers have been designed for hikers, not pilgrims.The trail from Montpellier to Castres is fairly difficult. Be sure you understand the altitude gain and loss. Some parts are steep and very rocky. It’s a beautiful trail, but quite remote.
Thanks, I hope early in the year at May 1st I will find a place. I will make a reservation in advance.We stayed in Anoye in 2018. The small store in the Gite sold food that you can make a decent meal with. The night we stayed there the Gite was just about full.
Thanks. As trail runner I love to be in nature more then on the tarmac. As for my condition I have no doubt.Yes, if you prefer road walking, it will definitely be easier. We favor trails over roads by a wide margin.
Wow. 30-40k daily is much. I prefer to take it more easy with an average of 24k a day. This will give me the time for photo shops and see more things in the villages. So I forced to carry some emergency food, which will put more weight to my 20L backpack.I had not too many problems in this respect, despite being impoverished, on my 2005 -- but some village eateries may have gone bust from covid. You might need to carry some food in your pack -- pain de campagne, charcuteries (pâté, terrine !!), dry sausages, cheeses -- and some fruits, tomatoes, whatnot as may be feasible. Carrots that have never been refrigerated are great for backpacking, but have sadly become rather hard to find.
But then I was still pretty fast in those days -- 30-40K daily -- which made the supply points closer rather than farther.
One important trick -- rather than follow the waymarks absolutely, instead try and walk village to village, and parish to parish. Food is much less of a problem if you do so (sandwiches become more frequent) -- and you would have better experiences with locals that way, and it would be closer to the Arles Pilgrim Way of Saint James as such, rather than the hikers' route that too much of it has been turned into.
As I had to wait two years, I thought it is time now to get prepared and go for my camino in April.Paul-CH,
You must be quite excited as your April departure date is soon. Do post when you can as to what you have seen/found. You certainly will enjoy San Juan de la Peña; it is indeed superb.
Stay safe and Buen camino.
Yep -- though nowadays, it's more like 5 to 20 !!Wow. 30-40k daily is much.
Interesting boot choice. I didn't know Hanwag made boots specifically for people with bunions.Finally I am finished my packing all in a 20L backpack. I added my packing list, so you may see how less someone needs on a pilgrims route. Three years ago I did use a 15L backpack, but had nearly no space for food. Tomorrow I start my long train ride do the south of France. It looks like I am one of the rare starting at Arles in April.
HanWag is a german product from Hans Wagner: Product description:bunions
Lodève is an essential resupply point !!Day eight from Saint-Jean-De-La-Blaquière to Lodève.
Hi JabbaPapa, I can’t complain. I had less than fife hours from Lodève to Lunas on the GR653 28km without other food than chocolate. The only thing I missed was a beerLodève is an essential resupply point !!
FAR too late I know, but a (waymarked) shortcut to Lunas (after "Puech Garde") is better than the exhausting and unnecessary detour via Joncels !!
After Lunas, resupply issues exactly caused me to just DIY Le Bousquet-d'Orb > La Tour-sur-l'Orb > Saint-Étienne-Estrechoux > Saint-Gervais-sur-Mare.
Afterwards IIRC (and if things haven't changed too much), things do get easier. Maybe get some food for carrying in your backpack at Anglès ? From Boissezon onwards especially, you'll be fine !!
Ah !! That is a very unhappy change ...Day 13
don’t be surprised when there are no Bar,Restaurant or anything at Boissezon too.
Thanks, I have enough apps and Apple/Google Maps. But it will not help, as many restaurants didn’t survive COVID-19, long time with no customer.Ah !! That is a very unhappy change ...
Easter Sunday and Monday are likely to be difficult regardless "normal" circumstances ... hope you find some solution or other.
As I am naturally worried about my fellow pilgrim, might I suggest that you download and use the mapy.cz app ?
Its "outdoor" tab/mode shows hiking trails and icons for bars, restaurants, shops, ATMs, and so on.
Yes, that's right. I have actually encountered only very friendly hosts in the gîtes and could not complain about the food offered. But if you find during 20km, except the beautiful nature, nothing to drinkCourage! This must be quite daunting. One of the pleasures of the walk is the prospect of food and drink at a local cafe. Very sad how local towns and villages everywhere have diminished.
They were already sparse on that particular part of that Way even in 2005. These village places in France started vanishing back in the 1980s ...Courage! This must be quite daunting. One of the pleasures of the walk is the prospect of food and drink at a local cafe. Very sad how local towns and villages everywhere have diminished.
Thank you, Paul, for the very helpful information on your progress via Chemin d'Arles. I am leaving Australia in 4 days' time and will start walking from Arles around May 8, solo and first time on this Chemin. I confess to feeling some angst, not about walking solo, but about being older (69th birthday en route) and slow walker. I will be referring to your posts and @anamcara's 2016 blog, as well as MMDD. Merci!Day 15
Boissezon - Castres
supply at Hostellerie d'Oc Noailhac
Waterrefill at the at Saint-Hippolyte
Everything at Castres.🍽
Day 16
Castres - Dourgne
Supply at Viviers-Lès-Montagnes UTIL Supermarket
Waterrefill at the at Viviers-Lès-Montagne and at Église Saint-Jean before Les Moulin de Saint-Jean
Dourgne Restaurants Bakery Meat market
Buon Camino
Hi Anna great to hear someone can use my information. Good luck with the weather like I had and buon caminoThank you, Paul, for the very helpful information on your progress via Chemin d'Arles. I am leaving Australia in 4 days' time and will start walking from Arles around May 8, solo and first time on this Chemin. I confess to feeling some angst, not about walking solo, but about being older (69th birthday en route) and slow walker. I will be referring to your posts and @anamcara's 2016 blog, as well as MMDD. Merci!
Told you it gets easier !!Supply at
- Avignonet-Lauragais
🍽 - Villefranche-de-Lauragais
🍽 - Baziège
🍽 - Montgiscard
🍽
At Gimont - CahuzacI hope for your sake that you can occasionally reportrefill.
Well I walked at the north part of Pau to Lescar. BUT, I had ordered a pair of new shoes at Pau. So I had the opportunity to see a very nice village. Worth to visit.What were your thoughts on Pau as you walked through?
Yes I love it a bit more comfortable. A carry only 6kg including 1L water and only a silk sleeper. Currently the night temperature is around 5°C some places aren’t good with heating.I would stay with the monks at Sarrance, but can definitely understand your current need/desire for more creature comforts after all those more difficult days.
Sadly, the gîte communal at Borce appears to have closed permanently.
Oh, great !!As I find in 2022 MMDD the Git communal Saint Jacques-Hospitalet de Borce is open.
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