When would you go?

[katiawt]

My husband is retiring next month and we always wanted to walk Le Puy route without a date to come back... We walked french camino some times.
If you could choose the best timr to go what would it be? Why?
I have some isues about walking when it's hot but bedides that we can choose
Thanks a lot for your help
Katia

 

[Deleted member 3000]

September is a good time to start. The weather is good, the summer crowds gone, and you miss all the May holidays that bring the French to the GR's.

 

[irishgurrrl]

September would be my preference time wise too but we're going in mid-April for practical reasons.

 

[katiawt]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Anniesantiago]

I haven't walked the entire route, but did walk from Lourdes to Pamplona in mid-April and it was absolutely stunning!
Wildflowers, the greenest GREENS I've ever seen, and wonderful walking weather.
We did hit snow in Canfranc, but otherwise, it was lovely.

 

[katiawt]

But what about lots of frenchs this time of year, Annie??

 

[Kitsambler]

Many lodgings close between All Saints Day (Toussant) (1 Nov) and Easter (Pascal) (late Mar - mid-Apr); which makes the "walking season" from Easter to All Saints.

Late May and early June have good spring weather, moderate temperatures, and fewer walkers (the May holidays tend to fall in the first half of the month). August is very hot, especially past Figeac, due to the lower elevation. The first two weeks of September can be heavily travelled also, and there are "waves" (some days busier than others) into the latter half of the month. This is manageable with reservations ... but it does take managing.

It partly depends on how far you are intending to walk. If you plan to walk Le Puy to Santiago, then you'll need to allow 3 months for planning purposes.

 

[katiawt]

Yrs Kisambler, we intend to walk from Le Puy to Santiago. So September to November seems the best option don't you think?
Katia

 

[Deleted member 3000]

September to November

Albergue closings in Spain begin about October 31, so be aware. Many will be open, but you might want to call ahead each day for a particular accommodation.

Bon chemin and buen camino.

 

[Kialoa3]

I also would have preferred a September start, but couldn't wait so my wife and I will be leaving Le Puy (bound for Santiago via the Norte and Primitivo) on April 25th.

 

[Katia Taam]

It seems a litlle dificult to organize "the best" time to go on Le Puy route and "the best" time to go on french route... Anyway, it will be an amazing experience...

 

[Katia Taam]

John and Robin, I'll be reading your blog anxiouslly

 

[Olivares]

September.

 

[Niko]

Walked part of the route in October and part in April. Both great, might choose mid-September over October. In the autumn all the grapes are ripe, as are figs and apples etc. And you can also find mushrooms. In the spring, oh the sea of flowers

 

[Desota]

This is manageable with reservations ... but it does take managing.

I'm heading to Le Puy the first week of May. My first camino adventure. The need for reservations concerns me. So please if anyone can elaborate. (Waiting for the arrival of the Miam Miam Dodo book anyday now.)

- should i be attempting to plan my stops now and calling for reservations before I get there?
- or can i make reservations a day or two beforehand?
- also, if the hostels are full, are there usually other types of accommodations available?

planning out in advance of my arrival is not a welcome idea. The requirement of having to be somewhere on a particular day seems very much incongruent with notion of a pilgrimage. makes me question my decision to walk the Le Puy route.


Thanks for your comments,
Susan

 

[Joann]

I'm heading to Le Puy the first week of May. My first camino adventure. The need for reservations concerns me. So please if anyone can elaborate. (Waiting for the arrival of the Miam Miam Dodo book anyday now.)

- should i be attempting to plan my stops now and calling for reservations before I get there?
- or can i make reservations a day or two beforehand?
- also, if the hostels are full, are there usually other types of accommodations available?

planning out in advance of my arrival is not a welcome idea. The requirement of having to be somewhere on a particular day seems very much incongruent with notion of a pilgrimage. makes me question my decision to walk the Le Puy route.


Thanks for your comments,
Susan

I am leaving for Madrid to begin my Camino from Leon on May 20...I can barely contain my excitement! But I'm nervous too. Prayers for all on their pilgrimages!

 

[Kitsambler]

I'm heading to Le Puy the first week of May. My first camino adventure. The need for reservations concerns me. So please if anyone can elaborate.

There are three national holidays in France that fall in May: May Day (May 1), V-E Day (May 8), and Ascension (Thursday 40 days after Easter, which is moveable - falls on May 29 in 2014). I seem to recall some regional holiday around May 15 as well. Each of these is taken as an opportunity for a "bridge" four-day weekend. So, with all this time off, the French love to go walking in the month of May. Frequently this is done in groups. So, it would be a fruitful use of time to lay out a schedule and start making reservations by email as soon as your Miam Miam Dodo arrives. That being said, it is generally (not always) possible to find lodgings of some sort, at some price, at some distance off teh GR, and of some quality, even if you wait until the very last minute. Your chances will improve if you can avoid leaving Le Puy on a Sunday or Monday. But still, in May, I'd reserve a week out at minimum.

 

[Desota]

Thank you Kitsambler. The MMDD arrived today.

 

[Kanga]

I'm heading to Le Puy the first week of May. My first camino adventure. The need for reservations concerns me. So please if anyone can elaborate. (Waiting for the arrival of the Miam Miam Dodo book anyday now.)

- should i be attempting to plan my stops now and calling for reservations before I get there?
- or can i make reservations a day or two beforehand?
- also, if the hostels are full, are there usually other types of accommodations available?

planning out in advance of my arrival is not a welcome idea. The requirement of having to be somewhere on a particular day seems very much incongruent with notion of a pilgrimage. makes me question my decision to walk the Le Puy route.


Thanks for your comments,
Susan

Susan, you will see once the MMDD book arrives that there is plenty of accommodation along the Le Puy. Booking a day ahead (i.e. from night to night) should be fine. The only time we booked a few days ahead was when we were travelling in a party of 6, which obviously makes it more difficult. But even then we had no trouble finding good places to stay. The weekends can be a little busier but at worst you might need to walk a few kilometres off the track. We found the owners of establishments that were further away were prepared to collect us and return us the next day.

It is a beautiful route; my favourite.

stay.