Walking from Geneva or Lyon to Le Puy.

[Michael Ylias]

A question on which is the better route to walk to Le Puy to continue onto Saint Jean Pied de Port. My wife and I are planning to walk the Le Puy route in June 2019 and will either fly into Geneva or Lyon. We plan to hit the ground walking, keen to start walking to Le Puy. Which would be the better starting point - Geneva or Lyon?
Apologies for the subjective nature of the question but considerations would include ease of getting to the start of walking, natural beauty, historical interest, number of gites/camping sites and waymarking.
Any assistance would be very much appreciated.
Regards
Michael

 

[Kitsambler]

Which would be the better starting point - Geneva or Lyon?

Partially it depends on your available time: Le Puy to SJPP will take 5-6 weeks; Geneva to Le Puy takes around 4 weeks; Lyon is about half-way. The main route runs from Geneva and passes to the south of Lyon. I have not looked at the routing coming out of Lyon, but I know there is a guidebook available from the Amis so there must be waymarking.

There is a forum section on the Geneva route, and my blog (link in sig block) covers Geneva to the Rhone, which is the extent of my forward progress to date (stopped due to excessive heat in September).

 

[Mournes]

Geneva to Le Puy is around 350 kms .I have walked it twice using the yellow guide available from the Les Amis de St Jacques de Compostelle Rhône/Alpes.The Lyons- Le Puy guide is also available from them.
Both times it took me 15 days .I believe the
average is 18 days.It is a beautiful route and I am sûre Lyons to Le Puy is equally beautiful
although I have never walked it.
The much longer route Le Puy to St Jean Pied de Port which I have walked 3 times takes about 4 weeks.Check out all the available info on the Le Puy section which has already been referenced. Bon chemin.

 

[Davey Boyd]

Geneva to Le Puy is so wonderful! So good I am planning walking Geneva- Le Puy-Finisterre again ASAP!

You can read my day to day experiences with photo's here

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/from-geneva-to-the-end-of-the-world.40650/

It is well marked with good accommodation, but I recommend the 'yellow guide' mentioned by Mournes above for accommodation. There is also The FFRP topoguide ‘GR65 St-Jacques de Compostelle: Geneva - Le Puy-en-Velay’. Has excellent maps and route descriptions. In French but easy to understand.

Bon Chemin!
Davey

 

[AJGuillaume]

Both Geneva and Lyon are minor airports, so it doesn't matter which one you choose.
I had a look at the way from Lyon, and Lyon is much bigger than Geneva. So the exit may involve more walking through the suburbs.
I walked from Geneva, and in 1/2 a day, we were in the countryside.
Get both guides from the Association Rhône Alpes des Amis de St Jacques, the yellow and the red one. They're cheap and they'll be posted to you. http://chemins.amis-st-jacques.org/?page_id=6
I just sent an email to them, and they emailed the guides to me in Australia.
Buen Camino
Andrew

 

[Michael Ylias]

Thankyou all for the prompt replies. Walking from Geneva sounds like the better option as we do have the time.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Davey, I read and enjoyed your posts when I was considering walking the Le Puy route. I just scrolled through your pictures and did not see that you walked the Cele Valley variant. Maybe you have in the past, but if not, you must next time! It is totally amazing and the ancient villages are very unique set against the backdrop of the cliffs along the way!