Best Time to Walk in spring

[jane barclay]

I'm sure this question has been asked before but I'm not finding the exact answer. My husband and I are planning to walk the Le Puy route as far as Cahors in the spring of 2025. We plan to book our accommodation in advance (that's just who I am.... I need to know I have a place to stay or I will be stressed about it!), shorter days of ~20km or so. We can't leave until to end of April at the earliest. I understand that the route, especially as far as Conques, gets quite busy in May with French holiday walkers. Would it be better to leave end of April to try and get ahead of the crowd, or wait until later in May when maybe the busyness has subsided? I see that there's a holiday on May 20. Is there a sweet spot? Does it matter at all if we are booking ahead?

 

[John Gilliland]

I'm sure this question has been asked before but I'm not finding the exact answer. My husband and I are planning to walk the Le Puy route as far as Cahors in the spring of 2025. We plan to book our accommodation in advance (that's just who I am.... I need to know I have a place to stay or I will be stressed about it!), shorter days of ~20km or so. We can't leave until to end of April at the earliest. I understand that the route, especially as far as Conques, gets quite busy in May with French holiday walkers. Would it be better to leave end of April to try and get ahead of the crowd, or wait until later in May when maybe the busyness has subsided? I see that there's a holiday on May 20. Is there a sweet spot? Does it matter at all if we are booking ahead?

Booking ahead will help. I would start trying to book now and that way you should be fine even with all the May holidays.

 

[Tincatinker]

I'm sure this question has been asked before but I'm not finding the exact answer

That’s because there isn’t an exact answer. Too many variables; too little precision.

If you can settle your travel dates and pre-book your accommodations you do not have a problem. If you can’t nail down the accommodation string you’ll have to decide whether to wing it or not.

A couple of stressful days on the internet should crack it

 

[CTLawGal]

I am also walking that route in May 2025 - starting in Geneva in mid April, reaching Le Puy May 2, I've booked my route (I'm that kind of person too, even if it means less spontaneity, it also means less anxiety - particularly during May when there are lots of "bridge" holidays (I.e., holidays that are 1-2 days near weekends that cause many French to take advantage of getting a full week (or even 9 days) while only using 2-3 vacation days).

I was thinking that more people might be more interesting on some parts of my 50 day walking plan, especially since I expect the first 3 weeks to be fairly solitary walking from Geneva - a nice mix of solitary at first then meeting more people. My French is good, so I also thought it would be a nice opportunity to use it while walking through a part of France I don't know at all, and also might make evenings more interesting I also prefer walking in colder weather, so that was a motivating factor, to finish before it gets deep into June.

So if you can make your bookings now, I would say do it and hope for glorious spring weather with a blooming countryside (but be prepared for spring rains). That's what I'm hoping for anyway! (I had originally thought to walk this route in fall, but in an earlier post somewhere on this forum, a pilgrim had shared pictures that inspired me to reconsider and pick spring instead.)

 

[jane barclay]

I am also walking that route in May 2025 - starting in Geneva in mid April, reaching Le Puy May 2, I've booked my route (I'm that kind of person too, even if it means less spontaneity, it also means less anxiety - particularly during May when there are lots of "bridge" holidays (I.e., holidays that are 1-2 days near weekends that cause many French to take advantage of getting a full week (or even 9 days) while only using 2-3 vacation days).

I was thinking that more people might be more interesting on some parts of my 50 day walking plan, especially since I expect the first 3 weeks to be fairly solitary walking from Geneva - a nice mix of solitary at first then meeting more people. My French is good, so I also thought it would be a nice opportunity to use it while walking through a part of France I don't know at all, and also might make evenings more interesting I also prefer walking in colder weather, so that was a motivating factor, to finish before it gets deep into June.

So if you can make your bookings now, I would say do it and hope for glorious spring weather with a blooming countryside (but be prepared for spring rains). That's what I'm hoping for anyway! (I had originally thought to walk this route in fall, but in an earlier post somewhere on this forum, a pilgrim had shared pictures that inspired me to reconsider and pick spring instead.)

Were you able to book right through to SJPP? And what did you find was the best way to make reservations? I see that some places do not accept bookings until some time in the new year.

 

[CTLawGal]

I did book, but all hotels, not gites, I think there are a couple where I couldn't book yet, so I've flagged them and will check back as the new year gets closer. I looked at places available, tried to contact them directly where possible, Hotels.com or other service where not... It's a lot for 50 stays...

 

[jane barclay]

I did book, but all hotels, not gites, I think there are a couple where I couldn't book yet, so I've flagged them and will check back as the new year gets closer. I looked at places available, tried to contact them directly where possible, Hotels.com or other service where not... It's a lot for 50 stays...

I agree, it's a lot. But the planning and anticipation is part of the fun!

 

[Lleslie]

We walked mid May thru June 2018 - prebooked the first 10 days to Conques and then 2-3 days ahead after that. Had trouble finding accommodation on the Aubrac for one stage - ending up doing 27k (longer than we wanted) due to the Transhumance (late May) - the cows gathered in Nasbinals in their floral head dresses, tractors decked out in flowers, people in traditional clothing was a real highlight Best to check out the date for next year and book your accommodation early if you are planning to be in the area at that time. Bon Chemin

 

[Rick2203]

Yea, that is the crowded season for that part of the Le Puy route, but it is still far less crowded than most anytime on the Camino Frances.

If you are pre-booked, then you will be fine.

I walked that trail last year at that time without any pre-booking and made it through with only limited fretting and suffering.

 

[CorinneH]

My husband and I walked from Le Puy to Cahors (where covid ended our walk) in 2023 and again from Le Puy to Santiago de Compostella in 2024. We walked from about May 10 in 2023 and encountered quite cool, wet weather. (The Aubrac was downright cold, but we loved it anyway.) We had only booked our accommodation a few days in advance, and that was nowhere near enough. It was a bit of a disaster, really.

In 2024, we started May 27, had better weather, booked all the way to Cahors before we started (and then 3-5 days in advance from there to St Jean PDP), and had a much more enjoyable experience.

You will have a great time, regardless, as the route is spectacular! Bon Chemin!

 

[Leigh Lorayne]

I walked in 2033 starting the end of April through to Saint Jean Pied de Port ending early June. Prebooked all gites. It was a wonderful Camino. Beautiful flowers. Definitely pilgrims but not overcrowded from my perspective. No stress for accommodation while others who hadn’t booked ahead spent some stressful time finding accommodation in some places.
Bon Chemin! You will love it.