Walking a route in France.

frank john said:

Any recommendations...?

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Why yes.
1. Learn some French. Not too much, just the basics. The French will appreciate your effort and will then be willing to use their English. Lots of resources available: Duolingo, Babbel, and my favorite Michael Thomas.
2. The basic lodging guide, Miam Miam Dodo, is 75% graphic and 25% very basic (and repetitive) French vocabulary that you will need to learn anyhow. Fear not.
3. There is a Cicerone guide in English available with route description.
4. The infrastructure situation on the Camino Frances in Spain is unique among the pilgrim routes. Do not expect the rest of Europe to be similarly situated. And do not be disappointed when they are not the same.
5. This forum has extensive information on the routes in France, especially the popular Le Puy route. I invite you to spend time there.

Hi Frank!

The most commonly used guidebook on the routes through France (by everybody including non-French speaking) are the Miam Miam Do Do guides, they are in French, they have maps but mostly they list accomodations and facilities in towns etc. As such they are really easy to understand even if you do not speak French. And they are really up to date with accomodation and prices etc. There are Miam Miam Do Do (roughly meaning 'Yum Yum good night) guides for the routes from Le Puy (recommended), Arles and Vezelay. These guides also cover all variations of these routes. Can't recomend them enough.

Also there are the Michelin Chemins de Compostelle guides (Michelin 161 covers Le Puy to St Jean). They have great maps, but do not cover all variations of the route, and the accommodation is out of date. They are however in various languages including English.

As above there is also a Cicerone guide, but I have never used one (yet)!

Just use the Miam Miam Do Do!

Davey

frank john said:

I am interested in walking one if the French routes to SJJP with a stop in Lourdes. Are there any good guides in English? I have no knowledge of French. I have walked the Camino Frances three times and am familiar with infrastructure. Any recommendations, given my lack of French, and need of some guide in English? Frank

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By the way, I walked across France (Geneva to St. Jean) with very basic French. It is do-able, but the more you know, and the more you try, the more enjoyable walking through France will be. Many nights I spent in Gites unable to communicate with anybody at all. In fact later I teamed up with a Japanese guy who only spoke Japanese, because it really didn't make any difference! The French were all wonderful though!

Davey