Le Puy itinerary first week

[MichaelC]

Any word on how busy the Le Puy route has been this summer? I've started to make reservations for the first couple days, and am wondering how far out to make them. Given how small some of the towns are, and how few beds there are, and that I want to force myself to keep to a slower pace at the beginning, I'm definitely locking down the first four days.

Here's what I have:

Sun Aug 20: Le Puy en Velay. Gîte d'Etape des Capucins. Confirmed.
Mon: Montbonnet. 17.3 km. Gîte d'étape l'Escole. Confirmed.
Tue: Monistrol-d’Allier. 14.4 km. Gîte La Tsabone. Confirmed.
Wed: Saugues. 12.6 km. Bienvenue à la ferme. I'll call tonight.
Thurs: Le Sauvage. 19.8 km. Le Sauvage en Gévaudan. I'll call tonight.

I'm pretty confident about these. I'm debating going ahead and finalizing things through the weekend:

Fri: Les Estrets. 21.2 km. Le Gévaudan
Sat: Pratviala. 24.5 km. La Borieta del Prat
Sun: Aubrac. 19.2 km. La Tour des Anglais

La Tour looks so cool; it's one of the few specific stops that I really want to aim for - so I know already the rough distances that I'll need to do each day. There also seem to be fewer stops in this region, and I'd like to avoid long days the first week. Is there any good reason to lock these down, or not? (I'll still have 65 days left to be spontaneous - I'm aiming to arrive in Santiago on or before November 1)

 

[Kanga]

Looks good to me. Weekends do get busy during summer so that would be a reason to book the Friday, Saturday and Sunday as well. And finding food can be a real problem - small villages no longer have shops or services and those that do exist are usually closed on Sunday and Monday. So if you have a choice, let your hosts know in advance that you would like demi-pension (i.e. dinner, bed and breakfast). They need to have advance warning so they can get in the provisions themselves.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Your reasonably short starting days should accommodate the fairly exhausting terrain. While you will want to book ahead, I suggest that you not book too far ahead. It is possible that you will "hit the wall" five days to a week into the trek, and will want to adjust to your weakened condition! Bon chemin.

 

[MichaelC]

Looks good to me. Weekends do get busy during summer so that would be a reason to book the Friday, Saturday and Sunday as well. And finding food can be a real problem - small villages no longer have shops or services and those that do exist are usually closed on Sunday and Monday. So if you have a choice, let your hosts know in advance that you would like demi-pension (i.e. dinner, bed and breakfast). They need to have advance warning so they can get in the provisions themselves.

Thanks - I just finished making the last of the reservations! In the end I reserved for eight days, through Saint-Côme-d'Olt. And now I'm too excited to focus on work. Today might be a lost cause at my job. I should just go home, open a bottle of wine, and dream of France. And my current plan is to take demi-pension every chance I get.

Your reasonably short starting days should accommodate the fairly exhausting terrain. While you will want to book ahead, I suggest that you not book too far ahead. It is possible that you will "hit the wall" five days to a week into the trek, and will want to adjust to your weakened condition! Bon chemin.

I love that these are "short" days! I did a 15 km hike a few days ago, with a 500-meter ascent and descent, and my legs are still jelly. I know that eventually I'll need to average 25 km / day if I'm going to make it to Santiago, but it's hard to imagine at this point.

As for the wall - that's the big unknown, yeah? I know that I'll hit it, but I just can't predict when. I also know that there will be false walls that I just need to push through. I figure I'm safe making commitments for a week, and then we'll see. I'm planning on up to four rest days, if needed.

stray observations:

- Some of the places prefer reservations by phone, and some by email. One (Domaine du Sauvage) asks for us to mail a 10-euro down payment. There wasn't one consistent pattern.

- No one seemed surprised that I was making reservations six weeks out.

- Everyone asked for confirmation "quelques jours avant."

- Other Americans love to tell me that "everyone speaks English" in France. Ha! And Double Ha! Of the four phone calls I made, not a single person switched to English. Luckily, everyone was very patient with my French.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I love that these are "short" days! I did a 15 km hike a few days ago, with a 500-meter ascent and descent, and my legs are still jelly.

Our of Le Puy, you will be full of energy, so Monbonnet will be a breeze!

Monistrol ends with downhill, so it is non-aerobic!

Saugues is a lot of uphill, but the distance is not long!

Le Sauvage is rolling up and down, so even with the distance, it is not bad!

My first time, I did Le Puy to Saint Privat, then Saint Privat to Saugues. It was too much (Monbonnet was closed). The second time I did Le Puy to Saint Christophe, then St. Privat, then Monistrol. It was much more pleasant!

 

[Kanga]

I find the scramble down into Monistrol really hard on ze knees.

 

[Kitsambler]

Here's what I have:

Looks like you will be past Conques by Sept 1, when the kids go back to their parents and the grandparents set out walking. September is a very popular walking month among the French. If you consult Miam Miam Dodo, it will indicate which lodgings (where someone, perhaps the resident teen-ager) speak English.

 

[BlackRocker57]

Other Americans love to tell me that "everyone speaks English" in France. Ha! And Double Ha! Of the four phone calls I made, not a single person switched to English. Luckily, everyone was very patient with my French.

imho very few people in France speak English ... and who would blame them? French is their first language ... that said, they might be encouraged/persuaded to do so when you are actually there, staying with them, but otherwise it is more likely that they will stick with what comes naturally That said, I do know a few folk along the path who like to practise their english and others who are very comfortable communicating in English because of their work [as expats in English-speaking countries or in multinational companies], but otherwise it’s slim pickings ... but it is also one of the great joys of walking this path : a near-total french immersion experience ...

congratulations too Miichael on ur itinerary ... it looks eminently do-able and sensible to me ... you will be pacing yourself nicely and no dramas if you strike a heatwave out there ...

 

[lovingkindness]

Hello MichaelC,

I have followed le Voie du Puy in both directions without booking ahead. Each day I walked as far as able then asked about for somewhere to rest.Every night I slept inside, on a couch or in a bed...

Ultreia e suseia!

 

[Thornley]

Any word on how busy the Le Puy route has been this summer? I've started to make reservations for the first couple days, and am wondering how far out to make them. Given how small some of the towns are, and how few beds there are, and that I want to force myself to keep to a slower pace at the beginning, I'm definitely locking down the first four days.

Here's what I have:

Sun Aug 20: Le Puy en Velay. Gîte d'Etape des Capucins. Confirmed.
Mon: Montbonnet. 17.3 km. Gîte d'étape l'Escole. Confirmed.
Tue: Monistrol-d’Allier. 14.4 km. Gîte La Tsabone. Confirmed.
Wed: Saugues. 12.6 km. Bienvenue à la ferme. I'll call tonight.
Thurs: Le Sauvage. 19.8 km. Le Sauvage en Gévaudan. I'll call tonight.

I'm pretty confident about these. I'm debating going ahead and finalizing things through the weekend:

Fri: Les Estrets. 21.2 km. Le Gévaudan
Sat: Pratviala. 24.5 km. La Borieta del Prat
Sun: Aubrac. 19.2 km. La Tour des Anglais

La Tour looks so cool; it's one of the few specific stops that I really want to aim for - so I know already the rough distances that I'll need to do each day. There also seem to be fewer stops in this region, and I'd like to avoid long days the first week. Is there any good reason to lock these down, or not? (I'll still have 65 days left to be spontaneous - I'm aiming to arrive in Santiago on or before November 1)

1 When you arrive in Saugues it will be early Michael so drop your bags off at Martine's behind Gite on right.She will not arrive until 3 pm
Enjoy the food this lady cooks and the side show with the French.
2 Glad you got into La Sauvage , we could not because of groups .
Ended up in Le Villeret (MMDD , page 8 , number 3 )
For future reference , AVOID , 100euros no sheets.
3 Be careful when in Aubrac
You might have to walk into village for dinner , if so take plenty $$
4 Hope you booked into the Azams home in St Chely.
They built the big hotel in town "Voyageurs" then moved to a beautiful home on the river.
However the town is lovely with plenty of good accommodation , especially communal.
5 Once on the path you can em a few days ahead . Tell them where you are staying in the lead up and all will be ok.
Good health , Bon Chemin and take your time .

 

[Thornley]

imho very few people in France speak English ... and who would blame them? French is their first language ... that said, they might be encouraged/persuaded to do so when you are actually there, staying with them, but otherwise it is more likely that they will stick with what comes naturally That said, I do know a few folk along the path who like to practise their english and others who are very comfortable communicating in English because of their work [as expats in English-speaking countries or in multinational companies], but otherwise it’s slim pickings ... but it is also one of the great joys of walking this path : a near-total french immersion experience ...

congratulations too Miichael on ur itinerary ... it looks eminently do-able and sensible to me ... you will be pacing yourself nicely and no dramas if you strike a heatwave out there ...

I reckon you are wrong on "very few" people speak English.
Countryside gites yes but not towns.
In Conques and Figeac nobody spoke French
As you get near the border nobody speaks French only Basque.
Anyway Bron. nobody was speaking as the weather was 35c plus every day for the first two weeks.
Cheers ,
D

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

I met lots of French people who could speak English, but who were very reluctant to do so, especially in a Gite full of other French pilgrims. On occasion, when I got them on their own, they were happy to converse with me in English.

 

[lovingkindness]

... One day along le Voie du Puy I asked at a 4* private gite if I might work in exchange for dinner, bed and breakfast. The manager said, Sure! You can join in with the others….

We dined on duck with wild rice+ mushrooms followed by tart aux poires et beaucoup plus. Later we sang around the table and wove stories. Afterwards, when I was all set to help with dishes and work, she said, 'Surprise, surprise! You don't have to do anything. Go to bed.'

Breakfast was sumptuous…

 

[NavyBlue]

I reckon you are wrong on "very few" people speak English.

Most French people below 50 have learnt English at school. As a rule, they don't use it and forget it, unless they work in an international environment. So they will be reluctant to make the first step. Use your French, how terrible it may be, and they will be prone to help you with what they can gather in English.

As you get near the border nobody speaks French only Basque.

Every french national speaks French (military service, school, employment etc.). He may prefer to use Basque or other regional language with his relatives/friends/cattle... but it's another story.

 

[Thornley]

Most French people below 50 have learnt English at school. As a rule, they don't use it and forget it, unless they work in an international environment. So they will be reluctant to make the first step. Use your French, how terrible it may be, and they will be prone to help you with what they can gather in English.




Every french national speaks French (military service, school, employment etc.). He may prefer to use Basque or other regional language with his relatives/friends/cattle... but it's another story.

You are correct in what you say but I thought the Chemin from Le Puy is very much an International environment .
Saugues was the only place that French was the only language spoken by the host and we have had many Gr65's.
Yet we could have stayed with English speaking people in Saugues if we wished.
I have seen in the 7 years a big increase in new accommodation by young couples with one speaking English.
Many communal gites are now run commercially when leased by the Marie and all the successful ones have a multi language operator.

In relation to The Basque , when we walk we ARE in their homes and in their company with their families and friends . That's what we love about that end of the Chemin.
Unfortunately we have not been included when staying in Ostabat in the cattle feeding roster
Keep well ,
T

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

Yes indeed, the host will speak to you in English as a rule. My problem was that other pilgrims were reluctant to converse in English, over dinner say, and this left me feeling out of it on many occasion. The French Way in May is essentially a French dominated experience! This is just something to think about when comparing the route with the Spanish Caminos.

 

[Thornley]

Yes indeed, the host will speak to you in English as a rule. My problem was that other pilgrims were reluctant to converse in English, over dinner say, and this left me feeling out of it on many occasion. The French Way in May is essentially a French dominated experience! This is just something to think about when comparing the route with the Spanish Caminos.

Completely agree ,
We found that other nationalities like Belgiums and Dutch were deliberately placed next to us so we could communicate.
Then again on occasions Margaret my wife and I were lucky to get a seat side by side or opposite each other, not that we cared.
They are never late for dinner our host nation when in groups.
I think group walking by the French creates this situation, but one or two will always break ranks and have a conversation.

More and more foreigners are walking The Cele valley variant and this helps as English is widely spoken in these very popular and scenic hamlets.