mamadoodle
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Frances May/June 2014
Del Norte/Primitivo (Sept/Oct 2016)
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Thank you. That is encouraging.If you've time on your hands, the route from Mont Saint Michel is interesting-- there's several threads on this site and the most recent is https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...lan-from-mont-saint-michel.43610/#post-967833.
I've also walked the Tolosana (from Toulouse) to Auch and Paul then south over the Pyrenees at Somport and on to the Camino Aragonese at Jaca.
Try to learn and use all the French you can as many people in rural areas have none at all. Many younger people do and you will also find that tourismes (always) and mairies (frequently) have English-speaking staff, who will be very anxious to help. The French love US pilgrims (as much as they do us Canadians) and you will be well-received-- the west and south of France was liberated by US troops in WWII and they have not forgotten.
The food is excellent and the wine is exquisite-- you'll have a great time.
Just like medieval pilgrims did.As a "purist", I might say : Start walking from where your plane touches down ; and yes, from the airport.
The maps are Very helpful. Thanks so much. I had no idea there were so many routes in France!I like this one :
The Camino Le Puy is fantastic. I walked it from mid September to mid October. It was incredibleMy husband and I have walked the Frances, del Norte, Primitivo and Portuguese Caminos. We now want to experience a Camino in France but don’t know where to begin. He is currently studying French so we can communicate a bit. I understand and speak some Spanish but no French. How do we begin to gather info on possible routes and do you have any recommendations for a potential route for us.
I would definitely study some French. There is very little if any English spoken on the Le Puy route at least. Emailing or phoning ahead for a place to stay so you can plan your route is good. I went in mid September to mid October and until October 3 or so I needed to reserve a week ahead in order to be able to keep to my route. I think if you learned someMy husband and I have walked the Frances, del Norte, Primitivo and Portuguese Caminos. We now want to experience a Camino in France but don’t know where to begin. He is currently studying French so we can communicate a bit. I understand and speak some Spanish but no French. How do we begin to gather info on possible routes and do you have any recommendations for a potential route for us.
I have walked parts of Camino Tour which starts in Paris. Started in Cherbourg as part of a Camino from Ireland. This one involved walking through the Bay at low tide to Mont St. Michel which was spectacular. After Mt. St. Michel it gets flat and you are going through lots of crop fields. I also started one in Lourdes and walked a few days on Arles before veering onto Camino Aragones to Somport. That said, I haven’t done Vezelay but most people and me included would recommend the Chemin duPuy (Via Piodensis) starting in Le Puy en Velay. Mountains, beautiful scenery, more Camino infrastructure and not a whole lot of pilgrims. I have a resource on this site comparing it to Camino De Santiago:My husband and I have walked the Frances, del Norte, Primitivo and Portuguese Caminos. We now want to experience a Camino in France but don’t know where to begin. He is currently studying French so we can communicate a bit. I understand and speak some Spanish but no French. How do we begin to gather info on possible routes and do you have any recommendations for a potential route for us.
This forum is extremely helpful. Thanks so much.I have walked parts of Camino Tour which starts in Paris. Started in Cherbourg as part of a Camino from Ireland. This one involved walking through the Bay at low tide to Mont St. Michel which was spectacular. After Mt. St. Michel it gets flat and you are going through lots of crop fields. I also started one in Lourdes and walked a few days on Arles before veering onto Camino Aragones to Somport. That said, I haven’t done Vezelay but most people and me included would recommend the Chemin duPuy (Via Piodensis) starting in Le Puy en Velay. Mountains, beautiful scenery, more Camino infrastructure and not a whole lot of pilgrims. I have a resource on this site compring it to Camino De Santiago:
You can also see photos on my blog at:
HOW THE CHEMIN DuPUY (VIA PODIENSIS) IS DIFFERENT FROM CAMINO FRANCES
Via Podiensis is one of the four main pilgrimage routes through France and considered the most beautiful. Le Puy to St. Jean-Pied-de-Port is in France while Camino Frances is in Spain all but one dayglobalpilgrim.net
The walk from Geneva to LePuy (and then onward) is wonderful. There were very few people on the route. And few accommodations in which to stay along that first part, so generally we stayed with hosts who had opened their homes to pilgrims. The hosts are enrolled with a program called Accueil Pelerin and we paid by donativo. Our French is pretty terrible, though we try. So generally we look at Miam Miam Dodo and try to select places where it is indicated the hosts speak (some) English. I absolutely love staying with families and sharing a meal with them when that opportunity arises. The French are wonderful hosts. And LePuy onward is gorgeous, too, especially the early stages through the market town.I have walked LePuy twice. Toulouse and Vezelay, and RL Stevenson once each. I speak poor French from high school over 60 years ago. There must be 50,000 km of GR and PR in France--a walkers paradise. And the French are wonderful!! The food is wonderful!! the scenery is wonderful!! The infrastructure is good!! Lots of stairmaster days early! There are just enough walkers to practice French at dinner and walk alone during the day!! Did I mention the wine and cheese!! or the gesier salad, or the aligot, or the Armagnac>
It is totally different from the FrenchWay!!. It is a French host experience first and a fellow pilgrim experience second.
My favorite is LePuy--on to Santiago for the whole 70 day meal deal. If I had life to do over again I would consider starting in Geneva or Cluny/Taize.
Gronze a a good planning aid.
Godelsalco is a better detailed planner. https://godesalco.com/plan/podense
MiamMiamDoDo book and reservations ahead are necessary. It is mostly demipension so they need to know how many guests to plan for.
Do it--and as much as you can.
That was my experience too! I absolutely loved it all!I loved my Le-Puy Camino, I was a solo walker and managed with virtually no French. The people I met & all the hosts were helpful, the food was amazing and it worked well for me generally staying where dinner & wine would be served.
That is very encouraging. What guidebook did you use or could you recommend one for us?That was my experience too! I absolutely loved it all!
Ah @mspath I think you may know that is my favourite Camino film. I haven’t read the book - I’ve only seen the movie - a few timesTo read and see more about the Le Puy route you might enjoy the novel Saint-Jacques ...La Mecque by Coline Serreau published 2005 by Flammarion. You can buy the book and the later movie version on Amazon.
I was pretty much in the same boat. But I suspect the language 'barrier' is not so great these days. @alhartman walked Le Puy in 2013 and I in 2014. Some years later we lived in the Gers region (on the Le Puy way) including time spent looking after a friend's gite du pelerins which gave us a close up look at the mix of pilgrims - at least during that time.Only downside was having such rudimentary French from highschool; I would have loved a better visit with both French Hosts and pelerin.
Thank you for this response. LePuy is beginning to look like our starting point and it’s good to know you did that trip when you were 70. I celebrated my 70th on the Norte and wanted to walk another Camino before turning 75. I’ve missed that milestone but hope to walk in France next year. Thanks again.Having a similar experience as Jenny (Vezelay, 2x LePuy, Toulousana, RLS) I would ratify her recommendations!! If I get an unlikely future walk, I would start in Taize/Cluny for a new experience and to lengthen the journey and for a bit of 'spiritual'. My 'top' camino was LePuy to Santiago in 2013 for my 70th birthday. For me, the journey of a lifetime.
Only downside was having such rudimentary French from highschool; I would have loved a better visit with both French Hosts and pelerin.
And it is not even remotely like the CF!! but lots here in form on the differences............al
Even more of a purist might say start walking from the point you end your swim. ;-)As a "purist", I might say : Start walking from where your plane touches down ; and yes, from the airport.
You probably already know this, but I'll point out that for forum threads, you can go to this Forums listing, and scroll down to "Routes in France."The maps are Very helpful. Thanks so much. I had no idea there were so many routes in France!
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