Which is better, Le Puy route or Arles Route?

[gittiharre]

Has anyone walked both of these routes and if so how do they compare? I love the Le Puy Route, landscapes, villages, small towns, accommodation, it was great. Next year I will be taking my husband who turns 80. We are thinking about walking the Le Puy route, which I already know or possibly the Arles route or the Via de la Plata and are filled with indecision. Is the Arles route really rugged and lacking in infrastructure compared to the Le Puy route? On a german website the star ratings for the stages on the Arles route are poor, 1 or 2 stars, rather than 4 or 5 for the Le Puy route. Is that reliable info I wonder? Would love some comments, thanks a lot, Gitti

 

[robertt]

I've been having the same thoughts as you, Gitti. I want to do another Camino in France, and am trying to decide. A reliable French source tells me the Arles route gets better as you go, though I think he was referring more to the people. One advantage it has is that there is a Miam Miam Dodo guide for the Chemin d'Arles, though it gets fewer updates than others in the series. Still, an MMDD is a big plus!

Truth to tell,the Le Puy route is hard to top, and Vezelay doesn't sound too shabby. To add to my indecision, Anna-Marie's blog of the VDLP opens up more possibilities for me. Maybe I'll just sell up here and do 'em all, including the Stevenson and VF.

Anyway, you've started an interesting thread.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

At least from Toulouse, the Arles route is not difficult until you get to the Pyrenees crossing, which is more gradual than leaving St. Jean Pied de Port. I have not walked Arles to Toulouse.

Accommodations on the Arles route are fewer and smaller. The countryside is quite nice, but with fewer scenic vistas than the Le Puy route.

If I were to walk one of them a second time, it would be Le Puy, but both were very enjoyable. For someone who is 80, the Arles route is easier.

 

[newfydog]

At least from Toulouse, the Arles route is not difficult .....
If I were to walk one of them a second time, it would be Le Puy, but both were very enjoyable. For someone who is 80, the Arles route is easier.

Falcon---Did you walk from Arles to Toulouse? {edit-Duh! I read your post! Sorry} I found that part of the route starts easy, but that the Haute Languedoc was the hardest piece we've done, harder than the Swiss routes.

I think it would be hard to go wrong starting in LePuy, The Arles route is quite nice, but places to stay can be a bit spread out, and it is somewhat inconsistant---sometimes hard, sometimes boring, sometimes wonderful. The LePuy route is pretty much all good.

 

[gittiharre]

Great! You forum mates are the best, what great comments, I think I am now swinging back between the Le Puy route and the Via de la Plata. My husband has been making huge efforts to learn french, so perhaps we should just do the Le Puy route. As I know it I can do a fair bit of planning and eliminate some of the accommodation stresses. John is not into spending time at the end of the day searching for accommodation and places to eat. Thanks, Gitti

 

[Deleted member 3000]

A good place to start the planning, if you don't know about it already:

http://www.godesalco.com/plan/podense