Help with tentative plan

[Katia Taam]

Hi everyone!

I´ve donne a tentative plan for my camino, begining next april 1. I know it will change as we walk but I usually like to have an initial planning for the reservations, etc... That´s what I do when I walk the french camiño and it is an old friend now, but it will be my first time on the Le Puty route.
Can someone take a look and tell me if it is reasonable or if I must change something? Or everything ??
Also if we did choose the right places to rest one day...
We ar 63 and 64 years old and on Spain we usually are able to walk 22 to 25km per day - we do walk the SJPP to Roncesvalles in one day but we don´t like running.
Thanks a lot for your help
Katia

 

[mla1]

Hello Katia, The only thing I might suggest is to think about taking your rest day in Figeac (lovely small city, lots to do on a day off) rather than Carjac.
Bon chemin,
Mary Louise

 

[marbuck]

Sounds like a good plan to me. We did not have a day off until Conques, a fantastic village. Pleased you are going to La Romieu, it is very much worth the 5km detour, a lot of pilgrims bypass this village. Eat at the middle restaurant, the food is superb.

 

[Kanga]

I second the vote for Le Romieu. A fantastic sight approaching it from across the fields. I was so conscious that it would have looked the same to 14th century pilgrims. Unusual to find such a building with sight lines untouched by modern buildings around it.

 

[Kitsambler]

Remember there are some distinctive differences between the Camino Frances in Spain and the Le Puy route in France, especially the first ten days or so up through Conques. You are up on a significant plateau, at 1000m, and there are deep gorges cut by the rivers that cross this plateau. The walking route goes straight down, and then straight up these. Overall, the country is significantly rougher, and that needs to be factored in to your daily distances. Also you will not get as early a start in the mornings as you did in Spain, mostly due to the demi-pension breakfast and the opening hours of the bakeries.

 

[Katia Taam]

Sounds like a good plan to me. We did not have a day off until Conques, a fantastic village. Pleased you are going to La Romieu, it is very much worth the 5km detour, a lot of pilgrims bypass this village. Eat at the middle restaurant, the food is superb.

Steve
Actually I did not know it was a detour I just chose Le Romieu from the miam miam. Is the detour well marked??
Thanks
Katia

 

[Katia Taam]

Remember there are some distinctive differences between the Camino Frances in Spain and the Le Puy route in France, especially the first ten days or so up through Conques. You are up on a significant plateau, at 1000m, and there are deep gorges cut by the rivers that cross this plateau. The walking route goes straight down, and then straight up these. Overall, the country is significantly rougher, and that needs to be factored in to your daily distances. Also you will not get as early a start in the mornings as you did in Spain, mostly due to the demi-pension breakfast and the opening hours of the bakeries.

Kitsambler, that´s why my days are shorter than in Spain. My doubt is exactly this... are they too short orto long ??
Also I am happy that people star later. I am not an early bird and never begin walking before 8:30
I love your blog, it is really inspiring, thanks!!

Katia

 

[SusanReneGr65]

Hi Katia,
You have set 14 days from Le Puy to Conques which is good because it's very hilly through this stretch. We did it in 9 and it was very tough.
We also took a rest day in Figeac and it was worth it.
Susan and Rene.

 

[marbuck]

Steve
Actually I did not know it was a detour I just chose Le Romieu from the miam miam. Is the detour well marked??
Thanks
Katia

It is reasonably well marked but you do need to keep an eye out for it. It is just before Chapelle d'Abrin. Plan 57 in MMD. It is to your right and goes down a hill. It is about 5 km in. There is lots of cat statues in the town, a local legend.

 

[BlackRocker57]

Bonjour Katia, this looks good, very do-able ... i would like to suggest a couple of rest days [based on what there is to see and do] ... Figeac, Conques and Cahors ... there is an excellent boat trip on the river Lot at Cahors ... a delightful town to spend a day exploring. Also the four days from Cahors through to Moissac ... quite a bit longer than the others ... you might find hard going [Lascabanes to Lauzerte is challenging and the 26+ kms from Lauzerte to Moissac is a hard slog] ... overnight at Durfort-Lacapelette might be worth considering, i.e. an extra day between Cahors and Moissac.
Bon chemin! Bon courage!

 

[Thornley]

Bonjour Katia, this looks good, very do-able ... i would like to suggest a couple of rest days [based on what there is to see and do] ... Figeac, Conques and Cahors ... there is an excellent boat trip on the river Lot at Cahors ... a delightful town to spend a day exploring. Also the four days from Cahors through to Moissac ... quite a bit longer than the others ... you might find hard going [Lascabanes to Lauzerte is challenging and the 26+ kms from Lauzerte to Moissac is a hard slog] ... overnight at Durfort-Lacapelette might be worth considering, i.e. an extra day between Cahors and Moissac.
Bon chemin! Bon courage!

or
Bags with Claudine's , good meal / drink @ Lacapelette [after 10km ] then 3 hours [11 km] later Moissac.
Reckon its only 21-22 km Bron.

 

[billmclaughlin]

Overall you're walking quite slowly. That's fine if you want the down time. But you're allowing yourself 4 full rest days, so 42 days of hiking is generous/relaxed.

I think I did 31 days on the road and two rest days and would describe myself and my standard pace as much like yours.

Yes you'll be slower on the first third. Starting later in the day, I'd say, doesn't change how far you walk. I'm a fan of Cajarc but Figeac is better for a full day off.

But most of all, you've overplanned. Now prepare yourselves to let it go.

 

[Kitsambler]

...you've ... planned. Now prepare yourselves to let it go.

Exactly. No plan ever survives contact with reality. Katia, you will just need to listen to your body and make adjustments accordingly.

 

[Katia Taam]

Overall you're walking quite slowly. That's fine if you want the down time. But you're allowing yourself 4 full rest days, so 42 days of hiking is generous/relaxed.

I think I did 31 days on the road and two rest days and would describe myself and my standard pace as much like yours.

Yes you'll be slower on the first third. Starting later in the day, I'd say, doesn't change how far you walk. I'm a fan of Cajarc but Figeac is better for a full day off.

But most of all, you've overplanned. Now prepare yourselves to let it go.

Exactly. No plan ever survives contact with reality. Katia, you will just need to listen to your body and make adjustments accordingly.

Yes I know I´m overplaning... but it is sooo fun to do and re-do the planning

Bill, I´ve changed the par betwin auvilla and Air sur Ládour. You are right, it was tooo slow. 2 days shorter now.

I must confess I am very excited with all this
Thaks
Katia

 

[Thornley]

Yes I know I´m overplaning... but it is sooo fun to do and re-do the planning

Bill, I´ve changed the par betwin auvilla and Air sur Ládour. You are right, it was tooo slow. 2 days shorter now.

I must confess I am very excited with all this
Thaks
Katia

We stayed @ L' Arbladoise [MMDD page 66 ]instead of Nagoro , beautiful setting and great very very very big room
You can then turn off before Dubarry to Belardine [MMDD page 67] which is very good but its also a short cut to AsL'Adour .Arrive there on market day , great .

 

[ranthr]

Instead of having a restday in Nasbinal, why not take two short days and stopp at Les Gentianes on the camino near Finieyrois. A gite that also has private rooms and a good meal in the evening. Two short days instead of one long day and Nasbinal is not so very interesting after all.

 

[Katia Taam]

Bonjour Katia, this looks good, very do-able ... i would like to suggest a couple of rest days [based on what there is to see and do] ... Figeac, Conques and Cahors ... there is an excellent boat trip on the river Lot at Cahors ... a delightful town to spend a day exploring. Also the four days from Cahors through to Moissac ... quite a bit longer than the others ... you might find hard going [Lascabanes to Lauzerte is challenging and the 26+ kms from Lauzerte to Moissac is a hard slog] ... overnight at Durfort-Lacapelette might be worth considering, i.e. an extra day between Cahors and Moissac.
Bon chemin! Bon courage!

I´ve been lookng at the Michelin guide and the it shows thw strech from Lascabanes to Moissac essencially plane. Am I wrong??
Tht´s why I thought it is possible tle longer days...
Katia

 

[Katia Taam]

Instead of having a restday in Nasbinal, why not take two short days and stopp at Les Gentianes on the camino near Finieyrois. A gite that also has private rooms and a good meal in the evening. Two short days instead of one long day and Nasbinal is not so very interesting after all.

Wold you sugest other city to stop insted of Nasbinals??
Katia

 

[Thornley]

I´ve been lookng at the Michelin guide and the it shows thw strech from Lascabanes to Moissac essencially plane. Am I wrong??
Tht´s why I thought it is possible tle longer days...
Katia

Yes it is flat but it requires a much needed drink in Montcuq on arrival.

 

[ranthr]

Wold you sugest other city to stop insted of Nasbinals??
Katia

I did not have any restday until Burgos. I rather do short days than stop for a day. I do not remember your scedule, but from Le Puy to SJPdP may be Conques or Figeac and Moissac are places for restdays.

 

[Katia Taam]

Yes, we are planning to stop at Figeac, Moissac and Air sur L'Adour. Maybee we change the Nasbinal stop to Conques...

 

[Thornley]

Yes, we are planning to stop at Figeac, Moissac and Air sur L'Adour. Maybee we change the Nasbinal stop to Conques...

Don't Katia,
If staying in Espeyrac or even Senergues* then you will be in Conques before 11am.
More than enough and do me a favour ""dine out"" for the evening meal.
The puritans will now reply to this slander of the food @ Abbaye ........lol

And if raining be careful on water track into and out of Conques .

 

[NavyBlue]

Hello,

In addition to Figeac and Moissac, Navarrenx could be a nice place for a rest day : picturesque walled city, nice gites (e.g. Le Relais du Jacquet), several restaurants, museum...

 

[Thornley]

We are planning to stop

On the first Gr we found the towns of Estaing and Espalion wonderful.
Stayed in both as they are a lousy 3 hour walk apart.
Markets going , people everywhere and music.
Estaing we wanted to stay at because of a certain restaurant and it was a great few days...headaches included.

We stopped @ Navarrenx the first time, internet access [don't laugh i'm old it was 6 years ago ] and this stop followed a beautiful , quiet, secluded, private , entertaining day staying @ Bingnan [ MMDD page 80] . Henry and Patricia set up a table on the river running through their property and all pilgrims stopped for a snack/drink.
Second time around we stayed @ Maslacq [ it was hot and there was a pool] and on reaching Navarrenx found the magic could not be repeated , there was "no dinner" @ The Relais.........just a one off ......... plus it did not seem right , the restaurants were for tourists and that is what we avoid like the plague.


Katie, please don't plan" toooo" far head as the best parties are never planned.
You will have a great time and it is 1,000% different than the Frances and 10,000% than the Portuguese.
Please don't walk past a village that is firing just because you booked ahead.
You have done your Camino , now enjoy the walk.

 

[Katia Taam]

On the first Gr we found the towns of Estaing and Espalion wonderful.
Stayed in both as they are a lousy 3 hour walk apart.
Markets going , people everywhere and music.
Estaing we wanted to stay at because of a certain restaurant and it was a great few days...headaches included.

We stopped @ Navarrenx the first time, internet access [don't laugh i'm old it was 6 years ago ] and this stop followed a beautiful , quiet, secluded, private , entertaining day staying @ Bingnan [ MMDD page 80] . Henry and Patricia set up a table on the river running through their property and all pilgrims stopped for a snack/drink.
Second time around we stayed @ Maslacq [ it was hot and there was a pool] and on reaching Navarrenx found the magic could not be repeated , there was "no dinner" @ The Relais.........just a one off ......... plus it did not seem right , the restaurants were for tourists and that is what we avoid like the plague.


Katie, please don't plan" toooo" far head as the best parties are never planned.
You will have a great time and it is 1,000% different than the Frances and 10,000% than the Portuguese.
Please don't walk past a village that is firing just because you booked ahead.
You have done your Camino , now enjoy the walk.

Thanks so much for your wise words...
I´m alredy enjoying it
Katia

 

[Katia Taam]

Thanks everyone for taking time to help me!!
Katia