Francés or Portugues for First Timer

[Alvaro D]

Like so many things in life, there is a limit to what you can learn from books; you have to go out there and do it! I've become a paper expert but I am at a point where I value comments from those who have done it.

What are the pros and cons of Francés and Portugués? I understand there's a lot of unavoidable asphalt on Portugués, but that Francés is too "commercial".

I will be walking October 9, onwards.

Thank you, Alvaro

 

[Zoula]

I think if you are starting in October, the Frances will not be so busy, but still busy. I cannot speak for the Portuguese, since I am doing it in September. I had a wonderful experience on the Frances and started in September 2014. The Frances is well marked and lots of accommodations and only a few places where you need to carry food and plan your distances, otherwise, you can pretty well go with the flow, or at your pace... I hope it helps...
Buen Camino!

 

[mspath]

October/November are GREAT months to walk the Camino! The weather is generally fine and it is easy to find a bunk. However, do be aware that mid October many albergues and services start to close for their well earned holiday. Thus every place is not always open.
Be sure to scan this earlier thread by others and I who have walked at this time for some further practical tips.

Happy planning and Buen camino!

 

[Stephen F.]

The Português from Porto doesn't have too much road walking ( discounting little rural lanes). It is very beautiful and mostly quiet.

 

[colinb]

My wife and I have walked both the Camino Frances from SJPdP (2013) and Portuguese from Lisbon (2015) and wrote a daily blog candmcamino.blogspot which might give you a feeling for both. Each one has its own positives. My favourite was the Portuguese from Porto but then again there is something special about finishing the Camino Frances.

The Português from Porto doesn't have too much road walking ( discounting little rural lanes). It is very beautiful and mostly quiet.

 

[SYates]

... What are the pros and cons of Francés and Portugués? I understand there's a lot of unavoidable asphalt on Portugués, but that Francés is too "commercial".

I will be walking October 9, onwards. ...

I can't comment on the Camino Portugues, but October is a great month to walk the Frances. Also, yes, it is commercial, but that has also advantages as in plenty of flexibility where to stay and a lot of places to have a cafe con leche during the day. Whatever you decide - Buen Camino, SY

 

[Terry Callery]

I walked both and I wrote books about both. Only 1 % of all pilgrims getting a compostela start in Lisbon, while 17 % start somewhere on the Portuguese Route. I walked both my Caminos in Feb-March when the Camino has a tenth the pilgrims as in the summer months. For 3 weeks I saw only one French couple pilgrims between Lisbon and Porto. I would say that is "empty".
I stayed at albergues where I was the only person in the entire building for the night. After Porto I met up with a series of other pilgrims who I walked and talked with usually for less than a full day. I missed the camaraderie of the French route on my Portuguese Camino, but it was flatter, the language was more lyrical, the Portuguese people were much warmer and friendlier and the food was exponentially better in Portugal. The seafood there is amazing! The best in the world. I would know since I ran a big aquaculture company here in Maine.
Get the Brierley guide book. Since I am from Maine, every day staring out above freezing and getting up to 50 F was perfect weather in Feb-March. It does rain a fair amount on the Iberian peninsula at that time of year.
I got a frogg-toggs paper thin rain suit that breaths, with a Maine yellow sou'wester fisherman's hat and waterproof Columbia sneakers and a rain cover for my backpack and was good to go in the rain. Also I spoiled myself a bit on accommodations and tried to stay at some very nice Quintas, three and four star hotels and even at the Paradore in Tui. The highlight of my trip was the Templar Castle in Tomar and stopping to spend three days going to museums and Cathedrals in Porto. I took the Central Route from Porto, if if had been summer I might have taken the Coastal route. If you take the Central route you will stay in the incredible lovely towns of Ponte de Lima and Barcelos. Bom Caminho as they say in the Portuguese.
Terence Callery

 

[Mike Savage]

I have walked many caminos in both countries, for me the Francés feels like a pilgrimage and there was a lot of camaraderie. The Portugués feels more like a vacation with fewer churches and many people mostly walking with someone that they came with. On the French route people seemed to be walking with people they met along the way and there seemed to people from dozens of countries where in Portugal they seemed to be from a handful of countries. I love both countries but they offer much different experiences.

 

[David Tallan]

You may want to check out this very recent thread on much the same topic. The answers there might be useful. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/portugues-or-frances.59452/