Lyon to Le Puy a little HELP please!

[cecilie@thewolery]

Hello,
I am planning to walk from Le Puy for 6 days to where ever I get, as part of my ongoing pilgrimage. I am doing it stages. Many I hope. I start on The 27th of October....
I will fly in to Lyon.
Is it easy to get to Le Puy from there? Any tips/train advice would be great.
Will I need to get the GR65 map, or is the route easy to follow?
I have only used John Brierley"s books before and found The Way of St.James harder to follow. Is it easy to find cheap accommodation along the way? should I book in advance?
Thank you for any help you are able to offer!!!
Love
Cecilie

 

[Kitsambler]

Bonjour Cecilie!

Is it easy to get to Le Puy from [Lyon]?

Yes. There is a bus from the airport to the downtown train station. Trains to Le Puy run every 2 hours or so. You will change trains at Saint Etienne. You can check schedules and fares at the French rail site, http://www.SNCF.com or http://www.raileurope.com

Will I need to get the GR65 map, or is the route easy to follow?
I have only used John Brierley"s books before and found The Way of St.James harder to follow.

The GR 65 is very well marked, but not as frequently as the CF route in Spain. One must stay alert for the marks. There is a schematic map in Miam Miam Dodo, also in the French language and German language guides, which you should be able to find in the local newsagents or booksellers once you are in Lyon or Le Puy. (Does anyone recall whether these are available at the Le Puy cathedral bookshop?) Raju's book English-language description of the route is useful for those times when you scratch your head and can't sort out the way ahead.

Is it easy to find cheap accommodation along the way? should I book in advance?

Lodgings in France are more expensive than in Spain; you should budget an average of 40 euros/day for demi-pension at private gites. Municipal gites will be less expensive, while chamber d'hotes and hotels will be more. Many lodgings will close for the season on All Saints (Toussant), Nov 1. So the issue will not be competition for beds; rather the issue will be finding lodgings that are still open. I strongly recommend you carry a copy of Miam Miam Dodo, which lists all the accommodations and pilgrim services, their amenities, addresses, and contact information including telephone and email.

From Le Puy in 6 days you should be able to reach Aubrac, which has rail connections out. Remember this stretch is at elevation (4000 ft) and you may encounter winter weather including snow. So your clothing kit should be suitable.

 

[newfydog]

That is my favorite route. I would pick up the FFRP guidebook. It is in French but even if you have difficulty with the language it has very good maps and contact numbers.

It shouldn'tbe too crowded this time of year. We went in September and never booked ahead.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

. (Does anyone recall whether these are available at the Le Puy cathedral bookshop?)

Yes, you can buy the Miam Miam Dodo guide in the sacristy at the Cathedral in Le Puy, but it is quite expensive if only going for 6 days. Maybe you could download some of the relevant map sections from here: http://www.chemindecompostelle.com/Selection/CarteFrance.html. Or use this guide to get the altitude profiles/brief summary of accommodation kinds for where you are headed: http://www.godesalco.com/plan/podense
Margaret

 

[cecilie@thewolery]

Hello,
Thank you for this wonderful help!!
Did you all manage to carry a pack of less than 10kg at this time of year? What was the most important item in your pack? (Clothes wise).
I have ordered some wool/silk long johns which I am looking forward to wearing!
Thank you again for all your great advice!
XX c

 

[Manny D]

Hi Cecilie,

Peace!

From Lyons airport, you might like to take the Rhone Express to the train station Part Dieu, its last stop. At Part Dieu you can get your ticket and train to Le Puy with a train change at St. Etienne/Chateaucreaux (just a small station. It is easy to locate your track for the train change to le Puy.)

There are many accommodations in Le Puy but I suggest that you make reservations at your next stops. In that way, you may take your time walking assured of a place to lay your head at the end of the day.

In Le Puy, at 29 rue Cardinal de Polignac, the Amis du Puy (a group of mostly former pilgrims), hold an information session with verre d'amitie to meet pilgrims starting at Le Puy - at 5 or 6 pm if I remember it right. The people there are very friendly and they have a guide book. The Cathedral Bookstore where you can also get your creancial (credencial or passport) also has a good collection of guidebooks.

Buen Camino,
Manny D.

 

[scruffy1]

Check the timetable before embarking All the trains require a change at SE some trains require right at 2 hours to complete the trip some 3hours and one 4 for the same itinerary!
S