Arles - Toulouse - Somport - Camino Aragon ...

[Kaia7]

Hello, I am planning a camino de Santiago from Arles via Somport, beg. in May 2024. Experience anyone? How long did it take you to get to Santiago? What part was the most demanding for u?

 

[Susan Maria]

Hello, I did Arles to Somport May to June 2023. Very rural and remote much of the time. Food had to be planned and gîte location often dictated distance and sometime route! Hardest part was over the Haute Languedoc. Hottest part was around Gimont. A real sense of passing through different landscapes and huge sense of achievement. May is busy as the French have 5 bank holidays.

 

[Bad Pilgrim]

Hello, I did Arles to Somport May to June 2023. Very rural and remote much of the time. Food had to be planned and gîte location often dictated distance and sometime route! Hardest part was over the Haute Languedoc. Hottest part was around Gimont. A real sense of passing through different landscapes and huge sense of achievement. May is busy as the French have 5 bank holidays.

Hi! How many days between Arles and Somport? I have glanced at the Gronze website, so about 30 days..?

Hello, I am planning a camino de Santiago from Arles via Somport, beg. in May 2024. Experience anyone? How long did it take you to get to Santiago? What part was the most demanding for u?

I will start about a month after you, in mid June. Do you plan to write about your journey here?

/BP

 

[dick bird]

The French are kind and generous people but closing times for business are rigidly adhered to. Make sure you always have spare food.

 

[Former member 104756]

Hi! How many days between Arles and Somport? I have glanced at the Gronze website, so about 30 days..?

As you know it depends on your mileage. These days I'd probably walk shorter days. I just checked my diary from 2017. We started from Arles on 1 April. it took us 28 days from Arles to Somport and a further 6 days to Obanos (the Aragones connects with the Frances at Obanos and Puenta la Reina). It was probably an average of around 27 kms per day. We had one extra day in Toulouse to see family. You might allow an extra day to visit the Monasteries de San Juan de la Pena, and the Lumbier Gorge. I've been on the Aragones twice since then. Love the Arles and Aragones Ways. As @dick bird and @Susan Maria suggest, be sure to have some food with you on the Arles.

 

[Susan Maria]

Hi! How many days between Arles and Somport? I have glanced at the Gronze website, so about 30 days..?



I will start about a month after you, in mid June. Do you plan to write about your journey here?

/BP

For me 27 days of actual walking, although I own up to skipping entry into and exit from Montpellier (bus / tram), a few km coming out of Toulouse (train to Brax) and train from Gimont to Auch. In addition, I had a tourist day in Arles, half a day in Montpellier and almost a full day touristing in Toulouse.

 

[Former member 104756]

For me 27 days, although I own up to skipping entry into and exit from Montpellier (bus / tram), a few km coming out of Toulouse (train to Brax) and train from Gimont to Auch.

We took a bus to avoid entry into Montpelier and, from memory, the metro from Toulouse tô Pibrac.

 

[WalkingInGers]

As you know it depends on your mileage. These days I'd probably walk shorter days. I just checked my diary from 2017. We started from Arles on 1 April. it took us 28 days from Arles to Somport and a further 6 days to Obanos (the Aragones connects with the Frances at Obanos and Puenta la Reina). It was probably an average of around 27 kms per day. We had one extra day in Toulouse to see family. You might allow an extra day to visit the Monasteries de San Juan de la Pena, and the Lumbier Gorge. I've been on the Aragones twice since then. Love the Arles and Aragones Ways. As @dick bird and @Susan Maria suggest, be sure to have some food with you on the Arles.

Correct and do watch out for the L’Isle Jourdain to Gimont highway construction that impacts the Chemin de Saint Jacques and may not yet be on the apps.

 

[WalkingInGers]

We took a bus to avoid entry into Montpelier and, from memory, the metro from Toulouse tô Pibrac.

There is no metro from Toulouse to Pibrac, train or bus.

 

[Former member 104756]

There is no metro from Toulouse to Pibrac, train or bus.

Pardon - so it must have been a train

 

[JerryStroebele]

My French son in law Julien and I walked from Pau to Obanos last month. There were mosquitos and gnats in the cool French woods. I was glad to have Gore-tex boots for so much walking through dew-soaked long grass, even late in the afternoon. Some of the trail was a little sketchy -- eroding down into the river. Have good tread on the soles of your footwear. Have a good flashlight or fully charged iPhone for the walk through the tunnel. Be prepared to go off Camino to find open gites. Know a little French. Enjoy the food and the solitude. Stay at the monastery Buen Camino

 

[OZAJ]

I did this in 2012.

Arles to Somport: 26 days

Arles to SdC: 55 days.

 

[Kaia7]

Hello, I did Arles to Somport May to June 2023. Very rural and remote much of the time. Food had to be planned and gîte location often dictated distance and sometime route! Hardest part was over the Haute Languedoc. Hottest part was around Gimont. A real sense of passing through different landscapes and huge sense of achievement. May is busy as the French have 5 bank holidays.

Thank you. Several people have advised me to skip the route from Arles and rather start my camino in Montpellier or better in Toulouse. However, I want to do all the demanding hilly hikes so your words about the Haut Languedoc are my cup of tea Sounds good. If I start the whole camino earlier in April, I am afraid the weather in the mountains (including Somport) can be too bad and cold (rain, cold??). And summer will be too hot for me. That is why I am considering to start in May. Did you feel safe?

 

[Kaia7]

Hi! How many days between Arles and Somport? I have glanced at the Gronze website, so about 30 days..?



I will start about a month after you, in mid June. Do you plan to write about your journey here?

/BP

Yes, I plan to share my experience with folks.

 

[Kaia7]

The French are kind and generous people but closing times for business are rigidly adhered to. Make sure you always have spare food.

Yes, I agree, I think the French are very kind. Didn´t have any bad experience with anyone when visiting the country. Is camping allowed on the camino? Sleeping in a tent...

 

[Susan Maria]

Thank you. Several people have advised me to skip the route from Arles and rather start my camino in Montpellier or better in Toulouse. However, I want to do all the demanding hilly hikes so your words about the Haut Languedoc are my cup of tea Sounds good. If I start the whole camino earlier in April, I am afraid the weather in the mountains (including Somport) can be too bad and cold (rain, cold??). And summer will be too hot for me. That is why I am considering to start in May. Did you feel safe?

You'll be fine in the Haut Languedoc then! It was cold even in May, as it's all quite high. I decided to share a taxi with another pilgrim from La-Salvetat-sur-Agout to Murat-sur Vebre because the forecast was bad, and I thought I would spend all day in wet fog and not be able to see anything, but two other ladies walked and said it was just light rain. I always felt safe. What risks or hazards are you thinking of? Another pilgrim almost got knocked off a hill by a wild boar...

 

[Former member 104756]

Thank you. Several people have advised me to skip the route from Arles and rather start my camino in Montpellier or better in Toulouse. However, I want to do all the demanding hilly hikes so your words about the Haut Languedoc are my cup of tea

Hi Kaia We walked the Arles / Aragones in 2016 starting 1 April. We had two days in Arles before we began - wonderful and interesting town with its Roman, Van Gogh and Camino connections.

We walked from Arles and, while it's true that the first few days to Monteplier are not as picturesque as what is to come, we treated those days as a warm up for the hills. On the third day we walked from Gallargues to Vendargues and then took the bus 12 kms into Montpelier.

From Montpelier to Toulouse was wonderful - I can send you the link to my blog (by private message) if you'd like to see what we saw. But doesn't sound like you need convincing.

Bon chemin!

 

[WalkingInGers]

Yes, I agree, I think the French are very kind. Didn´t have any bad experience with anyone when visiting the country. Is camping allowed on the camino? Sleeping in a tent...

Camping is allowed. I would suggest that given the political and social climate, you use camping sites rather than camping in the wild. Seriously. As for the weather, you are walking in southern France where it often is warmer than where you live, hotter than in Paris. Do remember to have some food with you starting in Auch.

 

[Kaia7]

My French son in law Julien and I walked from Pau to Obanos last month. There were mosquitos and gnats in the cool French woods. I was glad to have Gore-tex boots for so much walking through dew-soaked long grass, even late in the afternoon. Some of the trail was a little sketchy -- eroding down into the river. Have good tread on the soles of your footwear. Have a good flashlight or fully charged iPhone for the walk through the tunnel. Be prepared to go off Camino to find open gites. Know a little French. Enjoy the food and the solitude. Stay at the monastery Buen Camino

Thank you. I wonder if it is allowed to sleep in a tent on the route.

 

[Kaia7]

Camping is allowed. I would suggest that given the political and social climate, you use camping sites rather than camping in the wild. Seriously. As for the weather, you are walking in southern France where it often is warmer than where you live, hotter than in Paris. Do remember to have some food with you starting in Auch.

Thank you, good to know the camping things. Yes, I expect the warm days but I was just wondering about the weather at night there in May if I decide to sleep in the mountains (as we do on hiking trips sometimes). Never went camping in France so just wondered.

 

[Kaia7]

Hi Kaia We walked the Arles / Aragones in 2016 starting 1 April. We had two days in Arles before we began - wonderful and interesting town with its Roman, Van Gogh and Camino connections.

We walked from Arles and, while it's true that the first few days to Monteplier are not as picturesque as what is to come, we treated those days as a warm up for the hills. On the third day we walked from Gallargues to Vendargues and then took the bus 12 kms into Montpelier.

From Montpelier to Toulouse was wonderful - I can send you the link to my blog (by private message) if you'd like to see what we saw. But doesn't sound like you need convincing.

Bon chemin!

Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Yes, I would also like to go sightseeing in Arles, Monpellier and Toulouse (two days in each of the places). Will probably fly to Marseille and will take the train to Arles. Will definitely spend two days in Arles as I can enjoy the town, then do the route to Monpellier partly on foot and by bus as you did, I was thinking about doing something like that so thank you for your words. Sounds like a good idea
Yes, please, do send me the link to your blog (PM). The more info I have from someone you actually did the same way, the better for my planning. Thank you so much. Can´t wait for next May

 

[Anthony Rocco]

Hello, I am planning a camino de Santiago from Arles via Somport, beg. in May 2024. Experience anyone? How long did it take you to get to Santiago? What part was the most demanding for u?

I hope you will walk it, but please put on your "intrepid" cap. We found it a gorgeous walk in forests and fields with the backdrop of mountains to the south. But we were alone till Oleron Ste Marie, and it was a challenge to get accommodations and meals. From Oleron to Somport and Jaca is breathtakingly beautiful with no concerns about anything. The pass at Somport is so very different than from SJPdP. The peaks of the Pyrenees tower over you. Jaca surprisingly was one of our favorite stops on what proved to be a long camino. We continued to Puente La Reina and then to Logrono, but since we had walked the Frances before, we decided to head southeast, walking the Camino del Ebro to Montserrat. Like the Arles, we walked alone, although we often had other pilgrims staying with us in the evening since they were walking the other direction to Logrono and Santiago.

This was our first "camino combo." Since then, we continue to combine camino walks, which has proven to be unforgettable. Let's hear it for camino combos!

 

[jouffroy47]

Thank you. Several people have advised me to skip the route from Arles and rather start my camino in Montpellier or better in Toulouse. However, I want to do all the demanding hilly hikes so your words about the Haut Languedoc are my cup of tea Sounds good. If I start the whole camino earlier in April, I am afraid the weather in the mountains (including Somport) can be too bad and cold (rain, cold??). And summer will be too hot for me. That is why I am considering to start in May. Did you feel safe?

I would definitely walk from Arles. I took the variant from there along Le Petit Rhône, which I recommend. I also took a bus/metro into and out of Montpellier to skip some suburban asphalt-walking and a train to Pibrac from Toulouse for the same reason. The Haut Languedoc is wonderful, so don't miss that. And St Gilles and St Guilhem were worth visiting for me. I walked in September.

 

[Fred Gaudet]

Download GR653 which is the route from Arles to Somport. When you expand it you will be able to see a lot, such as hotels, museums, etc. I used it for planning and had on my phone for verifying places,etc. Also get the latest edition of Miam-Miami dodo that shows places to eat, sleep, as well as camping sites. Another useful booklet is from the Confraternity of St. James: Pilgrim Guide-Arles to Puenta la Reina, Parts I and 2. (These are a little dated but provide background for different towns/cities.). Once in Spain use Gronze’s Camino Aragón, which you can also backtrack onto the Via Tolosana which he calls Camino de Arles. He also provides a list of potential places to stay.

I walked the route this year starting in late August ending in early October. I spent some time in Arles, Toulouse, Auch, and Pau. I was 39 days on the Via Tolosana walking about 20 to 25 kms per day.

 

[BrianLCrabtree]

Download GR653 which is the route from Arles to Somport. When you expand it you will be able to see a lot, such as hotels, museums, etc. I used it for planning and had on my phone for verifying places,etc. Also get the latest edition of Miam-Miami dodo that shows places to eat, sleep, as well as camping sites. Another useful booklet is from the Confraternity of St. James: Pilgrim Guide-Arles to Puenta la Reina, Parts I and 2. (These are a little dated but provide background for different towns/cities.). Once in Spain use Gronze’s Camino Aragón, which you can also backtrack onto the Via Tolosana which he calls Camino de Arles. He also provides a list of potential places to stay.

I walked the route this year starting in late August ending in early October. I spent some time in Arles, Toulouse, Auch, and Pau. I was 39 days on the Via Tolosana walking about 20 to 25 kms per day.

Fred, how was the weather on the Arles in August? I'm thinking of starting in early August and continuing in Spain unless it is too hot. Also, how many stages did you walk on the Arles to reach Somport Pass?

 

[Fred Gaudet]

In late August the temperature was in the 80s. I carried a light weight umbrella but didn’t need it for some shade. (A few years ago I did use an umbrella for shade when I did the Mozarabe in late Aug.). Used the umbrella a few short times when there was a drizzle of rain.

Check the temperatures in Arles, etc for early August.

Except for train/bus rides into and out of Montpellier and Toulouse and a short stretch just before Spain that was on the side of the highway with construction, I walked all stages. Going the last stage to Somport was a nice, enjoyable walk, not difficult at all.

 

[Kaia7]

Since I will spend a couple of weeks walking on my camino, I am also considering the weight of my backpack. Hope I can make it under 7kg. Well, I do hope. The heaviest thing might be a camel bag in my case I guess. What about water supplies along the camino? Apart of shops...are there water wells or such there?

 

[JerryStroebele]

I carry two small water bottles, one plastic and one aluminum, each about half a liter. I top them up at every opportunity. Tap water in the albergues. Almost every town and village in Spain has a fountain, didn't see many in France. Buen Camino

 

[Vacajoe]

The Aragon after Jaca has minimal water fountains and the ones that are there may not be functional. Definitely carry enough for the day’s walk in the last half of this route. (Even the villages may lack working public fountains, not to mention bars.)

 

[jouffroy47]

Since I will spend a couple of weeks walking on my camino, I am also considering the weight of my backpack. Hope I can make it under 7kg. Well, I do hope. The heaviest thing might be a camel bag in my case I guess. What about water supplies along the camino? Apart of shops...are there water wells or such there?

You will need to bring water [and food], especially through the Parc naturel régional du Haut-Languedoc. There are some stretches with very few options. In addition, I always took the demi-pension when I could just in case there was no restaurant or store available along the way. For example, there was no restaurant open in Salvetat-sur-Agout, the afternoon/evening I was there in September 2019, although it was possible to buy food. The same for Anglès as the town's restaurant was closed the month I was there and the mini-market was only open for a few hours. In Boissezon there was a butcher that came by in a truck a couple of times a week for a few hours and who had a few other things and I was lucky be be there one of those afternoons, etc. Also, I took the Canal du Midi option and it was necessary to leave the canal path and search out food off=trail as no food or water was available along the canal. Your experience may be different, but there are few services along parts of the trail and you need to be prepared just in case. The same goes for the Aragones after, say, Jaca.

 

[Kaia7]

The Aragon after Jaca has minimal water fountains and the ones that are there may not be functional. Definitely carry enough for the day’s walk in the last half of this route. (Even the villages may lack working public fountains, not to mention bars.)

Thank you. Yes, I have a 2litre camel bag for water and I will carry an extra bottle with a water filter which I found handy on my hikes. I still count on generousity of village people and hope they will help in case I need water...though I have never encountered a situation having not enough water in my bottles on my hikes. Sometimes I manage to walk upto 50km per day so finding a water fountain on my camino here and there would be nice.

 

[Kaia7]

You will need to bring water [and food], especially through the Parc naturel régional du Haut-Languedoc. There are some stretches with very few options. In addition, I always took the demi-pension when I could just in case there was no restaurant or store available along the way. For example, there was no restaurant open in Salvetat-sur-Agout, the afternoon/evening I was there in September 2019, although it was possible to buy food. The same for Anglès as the town's restaurant was closed the month I was there and the mini-market was only open for a few hours. In Boissezon there was a butcher that came by in a truck a couple of times a week for a few hours and who had a few other things and I was lucky be be there one of those afternoons, etc. Also, I took the Canal du Midi option and it was necessary to leave the canal path and search out food off=trail as no food or water was available along the canal. Your experience may be different, but there are few services along parts of the trail and you need to be prepared just in case. The same goes for the Aragones after, say, Jaca.

Thank you! Yes, I always make sure I have enough water. Food is ok, if I don´t have food, I just skip eating and get some food the next day or two days later...I fast several days every month. But water is crutial for me. I plan to walk longer distances here and there, sometimes upto 50km a day so in these cases I always manage to survive with 3l of water a day. Did you experience some parts of Arles-Santiago camino where you didn´t feel very safe?

 

[jouffroy47]

Thank you! Yes, I always make sure I have enough water. Food is ok, if I don´t have food, I just skip eating and get some food the next day or two days later...I fast several days every month. But water is crutial for me. I plan to walk longer distances here and there, sometimes upto 50km a day so in these cases I always manage to survive with 3l of water a day. Did you experience some parts of Arles-Santiago camino where you didn´t feel very safe?

No, I always felt safe, although there were parts of the trail--especially in the Haut-Languedoc that were quite lonely and I felt that if I fell and couldn't walk it might be hours before anyone found me--and this was in the busy month of September. Then again, you will likely be walking twice the distances that I normally walk.