Le Puy and Frances compared

[JAL]

Hi Everyone!

I just returned from doing the Le Puy route from Le Puy to St. Jean, walking from late September to late October. I am a medium to fast walker and it took me 30 days of walking to make the trip. I did not take a full day off but did take two short (10K) days as rest days.

I walked the Frances last year from St. Jean to Santiago, also in 30 days. I walked alone both times.

Observations and comparisons:

I've been asked "which one is better?" Or which did I "like most"? Wow, difficult to answer. They are different. The Chemin is in many ways prettier and wilder than the Camino. You will walk on more real single track and through gated pastures and generally be alone more than on the Camino. There are a lot less pilgrims, though I did meet many great people. Spain is more open, more pilgrims, more camaraderie, bigger albergue dinners with people from all over the world. France has fewer and smaller towns, as Spain has Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, etc. to walk through. Spain feels sweeping and epic, France feels more intimate and quieter.

The food in France is generally better and the gites are generally a little nicer, though I had some misses in both departments in France. France is 20-30% more expensive than Spain.

I'd say physically France is tougher, especially at the beginning, with days that have multiple steep climbs on loose rocky trail surfaces. Pack as light as you can.

Culturally, the biggest and most obvious difference is simply that France and Spain are different countries. The French "bon jour" to me symbolizes French attitudes toward others. It is initially quite formalized and structured. You say "bon jour". Period. Not "Salut" or "hello". "Bon jour". You say it to everyone, including the lady behind the counter at the patisserie, the guys standing at the bar when you walk in, to people riding by on bikes. Bon jour. Once to each person. You say "auvoir" when you leave, even leaving shops or bars. "Auvoir", or the equivalent "a bientot", etc. To not do so is rude. Spain, at least to me, is more casual and closer to what we are used to in the US. "Ola" or "buenos dias" but more flexible and casual. You can walk out of a bar or shop without saying goodbye. At least that is my observation. In France, if you sort of "follow the rules" and get off on the right foot, people are lovely and helpful, much like Spain.

A little French-speaking capability goes a long way. My French is absolutely terrible, but seemed to be appreciated, at least for being amusing, and once people see you try, it often turns out they speak more English than they initially let on.

The Chemin de St. Jacques is absolutely beautiful, with Disneyland-level quaint towns, especially the celebrated Le Puy to Conques portion. It does have a camino feel but lower-key. I can recommend the Chemin highly but can't say it is better than the Camino Santiago. They are different and I feel so fortunate to have been able to do both.

I welcome any questions.

buen camino,

John

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Well described. I agree, though I have a slight preference for France.

 

[Phillypilgrim]

Great to read, thanks!

 

[LTfit]

Thanks for your observations, walking in France is definitely on my long list. maybe when I have exhausted the Caminos in Spain.

 

[Severinus Ericum]

Thanks for your interesting observations.
Last year I walked from SJPdP to Santiago in May and this year I walked from Le Puy to Moissac in September.
My personal belief is, that unless you are good in French, the Spanish part is best for you first Camino. For a second Camino, and if you know a little French, go for the Le Puy route.
My next Camino will most probably be from Le Puy to Roncevaux.
Severinus

 

[Lord Longpath]

My wife and I walked the Camino Frances in April-May this year, and plan to do the Chemin du Puy in the same timeslot next year, so this is exactly what we need to know. My only criticism of the Spanish part would be the amount of road walking, even if you take all the 'green' routes, and most people don't. Seems like the Chemin du Puy will be more the kind of walking we're used to.

I'm working on my French, as it seems you have to phone ahead more on the Chemin du Puy.

 

[Magnara]

I agree with JAL - they are very different in feel, cost, atmosphere - but would add in addition that one major difference is that the French are great hikers. So everywhere you go there are French people just out for a hike, on a long weekend or on annual holiday, unrelated to pilgrimage or the fact that it is a pilgrim route. So the feel is very different. We loved them both (and we have also done the Via Francigena - we love all of the routes that we have done.)

 

[Canucks]

The saying that we saw so many times here: "on the Camino Frances you walk with pilgrims, on the Le Puy you walk with the French" is absolutely accurate. It was a totally different vibe for us. If we did the Le Puy first, we may not have done the Frances. Maybe.
The Frances had far more camaraderie and we walked with a group.....not literally with, but sort of met up each day or two.....all the way from sjpdp to Santiago. In France, on the Le Puy, we saw groups of retired French folks walking for a week at a time on their holiday.
The quality of the French food was so much higher than the Spanish...in the villages on the Frances, we found the care given to the food was very low whereas the French are incredibly proud of what goes on a plate. Wine was fantastic in both.
The terrain was much tougher in France. There were more "roncesvalles" days in France than in Spain, but our level of research on the Le Puy walk was much less so we were surprised. It was a constant crossing of valleys each day for the beginning part.
For the time spent, we liked Le Puy. For the experience, we liked the Frances.
YMMV.

 

[Kitsambler]

Thank God the French like to hike - because otherwise there would be practically no hospitality infrastructure along the Le Puy route. This route traverses a rather forgotten quarter of France: very thinly populated in the districts where the French have not abandoned it completely. (In a few areas, the British own more real estate than the French.) The Le Puy was my first St James route - and I have walked five years without ever yet setting foot in Spain. There is very little road walking, as the route is laid out by the French hiking society. Even when walking along a road would make more sense and take one-third the time (so you may want to consult a map if you are a through-walker, rather than just blindly following the balises). The Le Puy is slightly less well-marked than the Frances ... it is possible to get misdirected.

 

[nalod]

John a lovely article. Comparing the Frances to any other Camino is fraught with danger but you managed it well. I agree with your comments as I have walked both.

Here is a link if you are interested to some photographs from last year on part of the Le Puy route. http://dermotdolan.blogspot.ie/2014/10/the-le-puy-route-gr65-chemin-st-jacques.html

My advice to anyone walking an other Camino after the Frances is have an Adventure not Expectations.

 

[marbuck]

Yes. We have walked both and enjoyed both. BUT: for a first timer I would recommend the Frances. The Frances gets you hooked on walking Camino's, we are heading to Portugal in 2016 for our third Camino.

 

[gidivet]

I'm planning to join some members of my original "Camino Family" (Frances, April/May 2014) in Le Puy in May 2016. This post has been very helpful. I hope I can cram in a bit of French language before then!

 

[gidivet]

Yes. We have walked both and enjoyed both. BUT: for a first timer I would recommend the Frances. The Frances gets you hooked on walking Camino's, we are heading to Portugal in 2016 for our third Camino.

Agreed. Can't stay away now!

 

[Kanga]

I've walked both and agree with all the comments above. As I've said on another thread, there is a special kind of magic about the Camino Francés, unrelated to its beauty, food or culture. For that reason I would always recommend the Francés first. But I absolutely love the Le Puy too, so much so that I have walked a large part of it twice, and I'd walk it again tomorrow.

 

[gidivet]

I've walked both and agree with all the comments above. As I've said on another thread, there is a special kind of magic about the Camino Francés, unrelated to its beauty, food or culture. For that reason I would always recommend the Francés first. But I absolutely love the Le Puy too, so much so that I have walked a large part of it twice, and I'd walk it again tomorrow.

Thanks, I needed this.

 

[marbuck]

I'm planning to join some members of my original "Camino Family" (Frances, April/May 2014) in Le Puy in May 2016. This post has been very helpful. I hope I can cram in a bit of French language before then!

Just be aware that in May there are an incredible number of public holidays in France, I think they only work for about 17 days in the month so this causes somewhat of a problem for walkers. You can work around it but it is a problem if you are not prepared.

 

[karenfromcali]

Just be aware that in May there are an incredible number of public holidays in France, I think they only work for about 17 days in the month so this causes somewhat of a problem for walkers. You can work around it but it is a problem if you are not prepared.

Thank you for your comment. I plan to walk The Le Puy in May 2016 and had no idea about the French holidays during this time . Very much appreciate the heads up!

 

[NavyBlue]

I plan to walk The Le Puy in May 2016 and had no idea about the French holidays during this time .

Hello,

The public holidays in May 2016 :

Sunday 1st of May (Labor day)
Thursday 5 May (Ascension)
Sunday 8 May (WW2 victory day)
i.e. an opportuny for a long week-end or an off week. But 2016 will have more working days than other years

Sunday 15 and Monday 16 May (Whitsun and Whit monday)

 

[Kitsambler]

I'm working on my French, as it seems you have to phone ahead more on the Chemin du Puy.

It's good to work up a bit of basic French, because it shows you care, and the French appreciate that. However, the accents in this part of France are so non-Parisian as to be often nearly unintelligible. So, it is perfectly fine to rely on others to call ahead for you. Other walkers (especially Quebecois and Normands) as well as your gite hosts and the Tourism Offices can help you out; all these folks will be conversant in English. Use your phone, and have your MMD in hand along with your plan in mind. You will make new friends in the process!

Email also works (generally speaking, as some establishments still lack connectivity). Prepare a standard paragraph in French before you leave home, and just plug in Gite name, town name, and date.

 

[karenfromcali]

Hello,

The public holidays in May 2016 :

Sunday 1st of May (Labor day)
Thursday 5 May (Ascension)
Sunday 8 May (WW2 victory day)
i.e. an opportuny for a long week-end or an off week. But 2016 will have more working days than other years

Sunday 15 and Monday 16 May (Whitsun and Whit monday)

Thanks NavyBlue. Had been planning to arrive in Le Puy April 30th so would hit all of them through my camino. Does this mean gites/restaurants etc will be closed do you know?

 

[NavyBlue]

Thanks NavyBlue. Had been planning to arrive in Le Puy April 30th so would hit all of them through my camino. Does this mean gites/restaurants etc will be closed do you know?

Hello,

In my understanding, holidays mean more tourists, hikers etc. thus more facilities being open.

However the 1st of May is specific : by the law, a mandatory off day for hired/salaried people. With exceptions for businesses requiring contiuous service such as hospitals, transport, hotels... Pop and mom operations without hired people (i.e. most of the gites) may also open. In a nutshell, many facilities, but not all, will be closed. Purchasing your packed lunch on the saturday and booking a gite with demi-pension for the sunday evening would be a good idea.

 

[marbuck]

While walking the Le Puy route, if time permits, take every detour you can. One I do really recommend is the 5 km detour into La Romieu. A really interesting town with a great Cathedral and a fantastic restaurant, the one closest to the Cathedral. Also make sure you take the detour up to Saint Cirq Lapopie. The walk up the tow path is one of the most incredible walks you will ever do.

 

[edandjoan]

Agree with @marbuck
And we did all those detours so we can also say don't miss

 

[SYates]

Another 'detour' I took and can recommend is going from Figeac up to Rocamadour and then down to Cahors to join the main route. Important to know if you do this and suffer from vertigo take for the last stage to Rocamadour the way marked for horses, the hikers way is 'interesting' to say the least. Buen Chemin, SY

 

[Lord Longpath]

A friend of mine tells me he walked with two Spanish hikers on the West Highland Way (in Scotland). They thought it would be like the Camino Frances, with accommodation along the way you could just roll into, and if that didn't work out they thought they could manage enough English to make a few phone calls. My friend had to help them out most days. The on-path accommodation on that route is booked up well in advance when the Spanish hikers tried to phone other places they encountered broad Highland accents that didn't sound like the English they were taught in school.

I take that as a warning for our upcoming Chemin de Puy - don't think it will be the same as the Camino Frances.

 

[Kitsambler]

Does this mean gites/restaurants etc will be closed do you know?

What it means is that you must be forehanded. The French holidays - together with their weekend bridges that make each into a four or five day long weekend (think the Thanksgiving weekend in the US) - are superimposed on the regular closing days (Sundays, sometimes a weekday Monday, Tuesday, whatever day you walk into town). Plus, the French, being very sociable, like to go walking in large groups, which can fill the gites. So book your lodgings for those dates well in advance. Book demi-pension at every opportunity. Inquire of your host about the availability of groceries when you make the reservation. Ask if they will prepare a pique-nique lunch. Carry at least two days - maybe three - worth of supplies.

 

[Davey Boyd]

Hi Everyone!

I just returned from doing the Le Puy route from Le Puy to St. Jean, walking from late September to late October. I am a medium to fast walker and it took me 30 days of walking to make the trip. I did not take a full day off but did take two short (10K) days as rest days.

I walked the Frances last year from St. Jean to Santiago, also in 30 days. I walked alone both times.

Observations and comparisons:

I've been asked "which one is better?" Or which did I "like most"? Wow, difficult to answer. They are different. The Chemin is in many ways prettier and wilder than the Camino. You will walk on more real single track and through gated pastures and generally be alone more than on the Camino. There are a lot less pilgrims, though I did meet many great people. Spain is more open, more pilgrims, more camaraderie, bigger albergue dinners with people from all over the world. France has fewer and smaller towns, as Spain has Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, etc. to walk through. Spain feels sweeping and epic, France feels more intimate and quieter.

The food in France is generally better and the gites are generally a little nicer, though I had some misses in both departments in France. France is 20-30% more expensive than Spain.

I'd say physically France is tougher, especially at the beginning, with days that have multiple steep climbs on loose rocky trail surfaces. Pack as light as you can.

Culturally, the biggest and most obvious difference is simply that France and Spain are different countries. The French "bon jour" to me symbolizes French attitudes toward others. It is initially quite formalized and structured. You say "bon jour". Period. Not "Salut" or "hello". "Bon jour". You say it to everyone, including the lady behind the counter at the patisserie, the guys standing at the bar when you walk in, to people riding by on bikes. Bon jour. Once to each person. You say "auvoir" when you leave, even leaving shops or bars. "Auvoir", or the equivalent "a bientot", etc. To not do so is rude. Spain, at least to me, is more casual and closer to what we are used to in the US. "Ola" or "buenos dias" but more flexible and casual. You can walk out of a bar or shop without saying goodbye. At least that is my observation. In France, if you sort of "follow the rules" and get off on the right foot, people are lovely and helpful, much like Spain.

A little French-speaking capability goes a long way. My French is absolutely terrible, but seemed to be appreciated, at least for being amusing, and once people see you try, it often turns out they speak more English than they initially let on.

The Chemin de St. Jacques is absolutely beautiful, with Disneyland-level quaint towns, especially the celebrated Le Puy to Conques portion. It does have a camino feel but lower-key. I can recommend the Chemin highly but can't say it is better than the Camino Santiago. They are different and I feel so fortunate to have been able to do both.

I welcome any questions.

buen camino,

John

Thanks John, I agree with what you say. Spain was so very different when I got there. Not better or worse just different. And as others say, for a first Camino I recommend the Camino Frances (not that I did)! I will be walking Geneva - Finisterre again this year via Le Puy, I loved it so much. Oh, and the Geneva route is even more different!

Davey

 

[Betseylou]

I walked Le Puy to Muxia (had to take a taxi to Finisterre because I got food poisoning in Muxia) September to late November this past fall. It was my very first camino, and as a first timer on Le Puy I absolutely adored it. I think we have tendencies to be colored by our first experiences. I might have liked the Frances more than I did if I had done it first, but after Le Puy, the Frances was... a bit disappointing (but that's not exactly the right word.)

I know a lot of people recommend the Frances for your first, but it really depends on what type of person you are. The camino is different for everyone, and everyone's experiences will be different. I am a introvert. The kind of introvert where I don't think twice about going somewhere by myself, and I don't get lonely or homesick, or wish I had someone to talk to. But I do enjoy talking when I have the chance, and it's delightful to run into the same people as you go. France seemed much more personal to me.

I took 4 years of French in high school, so while not conversational, I was able to get by and understand quite a lot. I also rarely had to do my own booking. I quickly discovered that while I knew enough French to say what I wanted to say, if they responded in a different manner than I was used to, I had no idea what they were saying. Other people made bookings for me. Usually it was the gite owners themselves. I would ask them that night, or in the morning before I left if they would help me, and they were more than happy and would use their own phones.

Le Puy was an absolutely perfect experience for me, and I liked everything about France more than Spain. When talking to someone they said that there must be something that Spain did better than France, so I had to think really, really hard, but I finally came up with the fresh squeezed orange juice.

So that was my experience.

 

[mspath]

In all my travels both on and off the camino the only drink that compares with fresh squeezed Spanish orange juice is French champagne from our village!
...A chacun son gout!

 

[Ray J]

Very informative post. We did the Frances last year and plan to do the Le Puy to SJPdP in May/June this year. Several questions:

• I read several comments about calling ahead. Does that apply to all accommodations or just the gites?
• Are gites the same as albergues? We tried albergues on the Frances, but found them to be too noisy at night so we primarily stayed where we had our own room - are these difficult to find on the Le Puy route?
• What's the best guide book for the Le Puy route? We used Dintaman & Landis' book on the Frances and really liked it, but We haven't found anything similar for Le Puy.

Thanks for any info you can provide!

 

[SYates]

The best guide when it comes to accommodation choices is hands down the Miam DoDo as it lists pretty much all facilities from simple gîtes/albergues to hotels. Some gîtes offer also private rooms. Bon Chemin, SY

 

[JAL]

Very informative post. We did the Frances last year and plan to do the Le Puy to SJPdP in May/June this year. Several questions:

• I read several comments about calling ahead. Does that apply to all accommodations or just the gites?
• Are gites the same as albergues? We tried albergues on the Frances, but found them to be too noisy at night so we primarily stayed where we had our own room - are these difficult to find on the Le Puy route?
• What's the best guide book for the Le Puy route? We used Dintaman & Landis' book on the Frances and really liked it, but We haven't found anything similar for Le Puy.

Thanks for any info you can provide!

Hi Ray,

I felt most comfortable calling ahead for all lodging. It really calms my mind to know where I am staying and that there will be dinner served. It allows me to slow down and maybe sit on a bridge for a minute longer than I would otherwise. Also saves last minute surprises like a gite being closed that was supposed to be open.

Gites are pretty similar to albergues, but overall smaller with maybe 4-6 beds in a room rather than 12. I preferred private gites on both routes with occasional 'splurge' nights in hotels. Hotels are quiet and comfortable but lonely. I also lean toward private gites over municipal as a rule, but did stay in some nice municipal gites. Estaing for example. The big Seminaire St. Georges is a great first-night choice in Le Puy, as it has cheap (E22) private rooms and a communal dinner. Best of both worlds.

I would say most but not all nights you will be able to find private rooms.

I also took my chances on a double room several times and lucked out on no roommate. Single for the price of a double!

Miam Miam Dodo is a good guide. The maps, while handy, have actual visible errors and there are no route details to speak of in it. It is a great lodging guide and an okay trail guide. The German-language Wanderfuhrer is predictably logical and accurate if you can decipher the Deutsche. MMD made me appreciate Brierly's excellent guide to the Frances. But both books are now tattered, marked-up treasured relics alongside my credencials.

bon chemin,

John

 

[gidivet]

Thank you for your comment. I plan to walk The Le Puy in May 2016 and had no idea about the French holidays during this time . Very much appreciate the heads up!

May see you there!

 

[Katia Taam]

Thank you for your comment. I plan to walk The Le Puy in May 2016 and had no idea about the French holidays during this time . Very much appreciate the heads up!

I´ve discovered that from mai 9 and may 25 they have the "vacances de pâques" so if it´s sunny lots of french will be on the GR65...
I´ll be there too

Katia

 

[karenfromcali]

I´ve discovered that from mai 9 and may 25 they have the "vacances de pâques" so if it´s sunny lots of french will be on the GR65...
I´ll be there too

Katia

Hi Katia. Had hoped to walk the Le Puy with my hubby for our 20th anniversary but didn't work out. Now leaving for either the Frances or the Del Norte next month so wont see you but hope you have a wonderful time!
Buen Camino.

 

[karenfromcali]

May see you there!

Sorry I will miss you as I wont make the Le Puy this year. Only time I can go is Feb/March. Too early for the Le Puy. Maybe next year
Buen Camino!

 

[Kitsambler]

Several questions:

• I read several comments about calling ahead. Does that apply to all accommodations or just the gites

The French invariably call ahead, and they constitute 85% of the walkers on the Le Puy route. During the high months (May and Sept) it is not uncommon for gites to be full. Due to the small size of the towns, and the limited tourism business, gites are the vast majority of rooms available. Only the very large towns will have hotels, and those won't be large. Some areas have B&B (chambre d'hote) which can be more expensive than hotels or gites.

• Are gites the same as albergues? We tried albergues on the Frances, but found them to be too noisy at night so we primarily stayed where we had our own room - are these difficult to find on the Le Puy route?

Spanish albergues are typically large dorms (~40+ beds) with no meals and no private rooms; public operations being larger than private ones (as I understand it). French gites are much smaller (~12 beds) most often offering demi-pension and very frequently with private rooms available. The private rooms share in the demi-pension and can share baths as well. When booking ahead, say,"I want to reserve a room" instead of, "I want to reserve a bed."

• What's the best guide book for the Le Puy route? We used Dintaman & Landis' book on the Frances and really liked it, but We haven't found anything similar for Le Puy.

Miam Miam Dodo is a lodging directory including schematic maps, in French. The Conrad-Stein Wanderfuhrer is a text description of the route in German, with elevation profiles and maps, and a few lodging listings. The Alison Raju guide is a text description of the route in English, no lodging listings in the edition I have (but it's several years old).

 

[Janet S.]

Hi Everyone!

I just returned from doing the Le Puy route from Le Puy to St. Jean, walking from late September to late October. I am a medium to fast walker and it took me 30 days of walking to make the trip. I did not take a full day off but did take two short (10K) days as rest days.

I walked the Frances last year from St. Jean to Santiago, also in 30 days. I walked alone both times.

Observations and comparisons:

I've been asked "which one is better?" Or which did I "like most"? Wow, difficult to answer. They are different. The Chemin is in many ways prettier and wilder than the Camino. You will walk on more real single track and through gated pastures and generally be alone more than on the Camino. There are a lot less pilgrims, though I did meet many great people. Spain is more open, more pilgrims, more camaraderie, bigger albergue dinners with people from all over the world. France has fewer and smaller towns, as Spain has Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, etc. to walk through. Spain feels sweeping and epic, France feels more intimate and quieter.

The food in France is generally better and the gites are generally a little nicer, though I had some misses in both departments in France. France is 20-30% more expensive than Spain.

I'd say physically France is tougher, especially at the beginning, with days that have multiple steep climbs on loose rocky trail surfaces. Pack as light as you can.

Culturally, the biggest and most obvious difference is simply that France and Spain are different countries. The French "bon jour" to me symbolizes French attitudes toward others. It is initially quite formalized and structured. You say "bon jour". Period. Not "Salut" or "hello". "Bon jour". You say it to everyone, including the lady behind the counter at the patisserie, the guys standing at the bar when you walk in, to people riding by on bikes. Bon jour. Once to each person. You say "auvoir" when you leave, even leaving shops or bars. "Auvoir", or the equivalent "a bientot", etc. To not do so is rude. Spain, at least to me, is more casual and closer to what we are used to in the US. "Ola" or "buenos dias" but more flexible and casual. You can walk out of a bar or shop without saying goodbye. At least that is my observation. In France, if you sort of "follow the rules" and get off on the right foot, people are lovely and helpful, much like Spain.

A little French-speaking capability goes a long way. My French is absolutely terrible, but seemed to be appreciated, at least for being amusing, and once people see you try, it often turns out they speak more English than they initially let on.

The Chemin de St. Jacques is absolutely beautiful, with Disneyland-level quaint towns, especially the celebrated Le Puy to Conques portion. It does have a camino feel but lower-key. I can recommend the Chemin highly but can't say it is better than the Camino Santiago. They are different and I feel so fortunate to have been able to do both.

I welcome any questions.

buen camino,

John

 

[Janet S.]

Hi John,
I walked the camino frances in 2013, my first pilgrimage! Now I am considering doing the le Puy with a galfriend of mine. I am considering this because of the new adventure, but at the same time I will very much miss the frances. I wonder about the availability of food on the le puy route. I have issues with low blood sugar and need to eat regularly, so i am concerned about le puy and the availability of food along the way. I am guessing it is not like the Frances with all of its little villages along the way. It makes me a little worried if I can handle it! Thoughts?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I wonder about the availability of food on the le puy route.

There is plenty of food if you buy in the shops and carry it. Many places are closed on Sunday and Monday, so you need to plan ahead. There are fewer restaurants and bars than on the Camino Frances, so you may self-cater a bit more.

 

[NavyBlue]

Hello,

Many places are closed on Sunday and Monday, so you need to plan ahead.

In the "Miam Miam Dodo, you will find information about the shops closing days and times. In case a shop is no longer in operation, your host will probably be aware. Check also the information panels in the gites, even if handwritten in French

Carrying some "emergency" food in the bottom of your backpack for facing unexpected closures is also advisable.

 

[Kitsambler]

I wonder about the availability of food on the le puy route.

...so you need to plan ahead. ...

Planning ahead works like this: When you call ahead for reserving your bed, ask the host whether there is a food store in town, and when it will be open the day you arrive. Also if it is near the gite. You will find that stores close on Sundays, Mondays, and often an additional day each week (most commonly, the day I arrive, I found!). So you will want to carry enough food for a generous lunch for 2-3 days. If walking in May, when there are so many long weekends, carry 4-5 days' worth of lunch.

You may get lucky and find the bakery is open and has a few sandwiches made up. Check with your gite host as to when the bakery is open. (Bakeries are different stores from the food stores.)

I say a generous, protein-rich lunch, because you will not get protein or fiber or complex carbs in the standard French breakfast. You should also carry something for an afternoon snack; shelled nuts work well. There are many threads in the Le Puy section of this forum dealing with favorite comestibles for lunch.

If the store situation is grim, your gite host might be willing to pack you a picnic lunch, if you ask when you make the reservation. (Springing this request on them at the last minute will generally not be met with a successful response.)

 

[Kanga]

Yes, the last point is very valid. If a village does not have a shop in which you can buy provisions, then nor can your host. Which means they have to plan ahead. Sometimes that involves quite a drive to a major centre. So don't expect a meal or food for the next day if you have not given them plenty of notice.

 

[HilaryF]

I walked Le Puy to Muxia (had to take a taxi to Finisterre because I got food poisoning in Muxia) September to late November this past fall. It was my very first camino, and as a first timer on Le Puy I absolutely adored it. I think we have tendencies to be colored by our first experiences. I might have liked the Frances more than I did if I had done it first, but after Le Puy, the Frances was... a bit disappointing (but that's not exactly the right word.)

I know a lot of people recommend the Frances for your first, but it really depends on what type of person you are. The camino is different for everyone, and everyone's experiences will be different. I am a introvert. The kind of introvert where I don't think twice about going somewhere by myself, and I don't get lonely or homesick, or wish I had someone to talk to. But I do enjoy talking when I have the chance, and it's delightful to run into the same people as you go. France seemed much more personal to me.

I took 4 years of French in high school, so while not conversational, I was able to get by and understand quite a lot. I also rarely had to do my own booking. I quickly discovered that while I knew enough French to say what I wanted to say, if they responded in a different manner than I was used to, I had no idea what they were saying. Other people made bookings for me. Usually it was the gite owners themselves. I would ask them that night, or in the morning before I left if they would help me, and they were more than happy and would use their own phones.

Le Puy was an absolutely perfect experience for me, and I liked everything about France more than Spain. When talking to someone they said that there must be something that Spain did better than France, so I had to think really, really hard, but I finally came up with the fresh squeezed orange juice.

So that was my experience.

It is good to hear of your experience Betsylou. I am leaving from LePuy in mid August 2016 and plan to walk to Finisterre. This will be my first Camino and I was a bit concerned I was being a bit ambitious to do this on my own. Feeling a bit more confident after reading your post. I think I am the same brand of introvert as you!

 

[Davey Boyd]

Hi Everyone!

I just returned from doing the Le Puy route from Le Puy to St. Jean, walking from late September to late October. I am a medium to fast walker and it took me 30 days of walking to make the trip. I did not take a full day off but did take two short (10K) days as rest days.

I walked the Frances last year from St. Jean to Santiago, also in 30 days. I walked alone both times.

Observations and comparisons:

I've been asked "which one is better?" Or which did I "like most"? Wow, difficult to answer. They are different. The Chemin is in many ways prettier and wilder than the Camino. You will walk on more real single track and through gated pastures and generally be alone more than on the Camino. There are a lot less pilgrims, though I did meet many great people. Spain is more open, more pilgrims, more camaraderie, bigger albergue dinners with people from all over the world. France has fewer and smaller towns, as Spain has Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, etc. to walk through. Spain feels sweeping and epic, France feels more intimate and quieter.

The food in France is generally better and the gites are generally a little nicer, though I had some misses in both departments in France. France is 20-30% more expensive than Spain.

I'd say physically France is tougher, especially at the beginning, with days that have multiple steep climbs on loose rocky trail surfaces. Pack as light as you can.

Culturally, the biggest and most obvious difference is simply that France and Spain are different countries. The French "bon jour" to me symbolizes French attitudes toward others. It is initially quite formalized and structured. You say "bon jour". Period. Not "Salut" or "hello". "Bon jour". You say it to everyone, including the lady behind the counter at the patisserie, the guys standing at the bar when you walk in, to people riding by on bikes. Bon jour. Once to each person. You say "auvoir" when you leave, even leaving shops or bars. "Auvoir", or the equivalent "a bientot", etc. To not do so is rude. Spain, at least to me, is more casual and closer to what we are used to in the US. "Ola" or "buenos dias" but more flexible and casual. You can walk out of a bar or shop without saying goodbye. At least that is my observation. In France, if you sort of "follow the rules" and get off on the right foot, people are lovely and helpful, much like Spain.

A little French-speaking capability goes a long way. My French is absolutely terrible, but seemed to be appreciated, at least for being amusing, and once people see you try, it often turns out they speak more English than they initially let on.

The Chemin de St. Jacques is absolutely beautiful, with Disneyland-level quaint towns, especially the celebrated Le Puy to Conques portion. It does have a camino feel but lower-key. I can recommend the Chemin highly but can't say it is better than the Camino Santiago. They are different and I feel so fortunate to have been able to do both.

I welcome any questions.

buen camino,

John

Totally agree, well said!

 

[rgutena]

I know a lot of people recommend the Frances for your first, but it really depends on what type of person you are.

I agree, even though I haven't done the Frances myself and don't intend to anytime soon. I did a small part of the Le Puy route last year as my first ever camino and loved it so much that I decided to do another camino this year, the Portugues this time. My only worry is that what I loved about the Le Puy - ie the relative quietness on the trail, the opportunity to mingle with French people (both fellow walkers and chambres d'hôtes hosts) in their language everyday, and my favourite: the communal dinner every evening at the chambre d'hôte - will not be found on the Portugues. What I liked about the Le Puy - at least between Aumont-Aubrac and Conques, which is the part that I did - is that I could stay in chambres d'hôtes where I could have my own room with all the privacy I needed, but could still enjoy the company of fellow pilgrims at dinner every evening. My impression (and I am happy to be corrected) is that on the Portugues and perhaps other caminos, you either stay in albergues with dozens of others in the same room, or stay in a hotel and eat by yourself. I am only hoping that my experience on the Portugues, whilst different, will be enjoyable nonetheless. I am not particularly drawn to the Frances myself, based on all I have heard about it, but may still do it one day just to see what the fuss is about.

 

[Robo]

Just day dreaming a bit instead of working

I love the 'idea' of walking from Le Puy to Santiago. But is that really practical?

Is it so far that injuries are more likely. Or do you actually find it gets easier?
Or perhaps the differences between the two sections make it hard to appreciate both in one go?

 

[Kanga]

The second time I walked the Le Puy I got as far as Burgos. By then I was ready to pull up stumps and go home. It was getting cold and I was missing my family. So no physical reason, I was really very fit by then - from that perspective I could have continued without problems.

 

[BShea]

Both times I walked Le Chemin du Puy, I befriended many people who were walking all the way to Santiago. It was really hard to say goodbye when I ran out of days - like I was leaving the party too early. I just didn't have the luxury of that much time away, but I'd walk the whole way in a minute, if I could. By the time I got to the Pyrenees, the climb was a piece of cake! There is definitely a different feel to the two routes. When I caught up with a woman I had walked on and off with for weeks in Roncesvalles, we both just looked at each other and she commented, "what a difference!" All the shuttles going up and down the mountain, the group barbeques, people with matching shirts, etc. was a shock at first, but then that settled down and I was able to get back into the zone.

 

[SYates]

... I love the 'idea' of walking from Le Puy to Santiago. But is that really practical?
Is it so far that injuries are more likely. Or do you actually find it gets easier?
Or perhaps the differences between the two sections make it hard to appreciate both in one go?

Why shouldn't it be practical? I don't agree with "Is it so far that injuries are more likely." Accidents can happen anytime and if you take the first days slowly and plan in a few rest days the risk of 'walking injuries' like shin splints etc is also diminished. And when you reach the Pyrenees you will be so fit that you just run up those 'hills' (just kidding!).
As for the differences, as you walk they will slowly merge into each other, also the different parts of the Le Puy route also have their differences, if you can appreciate them, you can appreciate the difference with the Spanish Camino.

Buen Camino/Bon Chemin, SY