Help me with planning my pilgramage

[mandana]

Hi all, This will be my first pilgramage trip so i need plenty of help in planning it!

I am 51 and will be travelling alone on March 24th; I have about 8 days and am in fairly good shape. I think i can handle 10 miles walk a day. I fly to Paris and need to fly back from Paris.

1- Where is the best place to begin my walk? Is Le Puy a good choice?
2- And, where is a reasnable place to end?
3- Where are the best spots to stop? To spend the night? I am thinking 6 miles walk in the morning, lunch, then another 4 miles and then rest for the night; will that work?

I appreciate all the help i could get here!

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Aumont-Aubrac is the first place with train service after leaving Le Puy en Velay. It is about six days of 15 km each (9 miles). The terrain is challenging, so that may be enough. After that, you will need to arrange a taxi to get to a city with train, bus, or air transportation. Rodez is the largest in the area, but larger cities like Decazeville may have something.

Aubrac a couple of days later has a resort-hotel with many bus tours, so you should be able to arrange a taxi from there.

Bon chemin!

 

[mandana]

Thank you! Would you know if there are trains from there to Lyon?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

if there are trains from there to Lyon?

Several a day with one or two connections. The fare is about 52 Euro.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

The problem with starting from Le Puy that early in the season is that the ground may be covered with snow and may not be easily passable.
Margaret

 

[mandana]

Yes, that was my concern as well! I be checking the weather..hoping for global warming?!

Would you suggest any other route in France that might be more suitable this time of the year?

Thanks,

 

[KiwiNomad06]

You could start a bit further south on the Le Puy route,after the Aubrac Plateau, where the altitude is lower. I am not sure about rail transport connections though: Falcon may have more ideas about this.
It's hard to know about the weather of course, but I do remember someone writing here on the Forum about 2009 that he had been unable to start from Le Puy at the beginning of April because of the snowy conditions. I started mid-April in 2008 and encountered a small amount of snow. Last year in early May it was about 30C when I crossed the Aubrac Plateau, and I was wearing t-shirt and shorts. But I was surprised to be told in St Chely d'Aubrac, the town you reach when you descend from the plateau, that snow had been 60cm deep in that town only two weeks before.

Margaret

 

[mandana]

Where do you suggest i begin my trip? Would Combs be lower in altitude?

 

[robertt]

Mandana, I walked from Le Puy on the 25th of March, 2010. While I loved the experience, the Aubrac is a brutal place when the weather turns - which it usually does at some point.

I was flattered to be declared pilgrim of the week at the big albergue in Le Puy - then they had to tell me I was the only pilgrim. Don't think I would have cracked it for the title in May.

I have to start when it is quiet and cool because I'm deadly slow and would be last in for everything once things get crowded. Also, though I live near the sub-tropical fringe, I can't handle heat. Here's the thing: if you start lower down, you should find accommodation, you'll have cold weather but nothing will be impassable, and you won't be completely alone, as there are always either pilgrims or French GR walkers about. Thanks to the GR walkers, many places are open in the cold months. I spent the night with French hikers in Saugues and Espalion, for example.

Really, any point after the Aubrac plateau will be fine. If you read the kiwinomad's blog you'll see how it's all laid out. If you could get to Conques along your way, that's a high point - to say the least!

Bon chemin

Rob

 

[Kitsambler]

We're getting reports of quite severe winter weather in Europe this week, so I don't imagine an early thaw is in the offing. Finding a start at a lower altitude may be the safer choice.

Figeac has good connections, and so does Cahors. One would take a rail route south from Paris, rather than heading through Lyon.

The blogs of Le Puy walkers (KiwiNomad, Robertt, and myself) are all linked in the Blogs section on the upper part of this page.

 

[scruffy1]

I too will be in Le Puy 24 March, look for this greybeard ,its a real one not just an expression. I too will be anxiously looking at the sky but I am not willing to miss Easter on the Camino. Never walked on snow so we both are praying for global warming and a bit of luck. A nice sunny week is all we need to get through this part.
Scruffy