Portugues vs Frances for the anxious

[Easily_confused]

Hola! everyone (first post)

I had been pretty set on doing the Portugues, either late this year (October/November) or early next (March/April), largely as I saw it as avoiding possible accommodation problems by taking a quieter route. Having read on this forum about the fewer number of Albergues on the Portugues coupled with a growing number of people with the same idea as myself, I'm wondering if I'd be better off taking the Frances route instead?

I'm not worried about being a lone female traveler. I'll cope with any language problems. I'll even eat octopus if there's no other option. But the prospect of not having a space to sleep at night gives me the jitters. What's my best option?

Thanks

 

[peregrino_tom]

Hi EC
You've picked quieter months when finding accommodation shouldn't be difficult except perhaps during the holy week before Easter which next year (2018) falls in the last week of March. Generally the camino is flexible to cope with blips in demand and the quieter times you've picked should give you some headroom.
I think your plan is fine and you should stick to it, especially the Oct/Nov option and either route will work. The forum is prone to trending concerns about accommodation - what's reported here a few times doesn't necessarily reflect day-to-day life on the camino and can't really be taken as an accurate predictor of what the situation will be in 6 or 12 months' time.
As someone who has walked in high season a few times, when demand on accommodation is high, I'd still say, don't worry - in 99.9% of cases it all works out. And if for some reason (which you couldn't possibly anticipate now, 6-12 months before you leave), you arrive somewhere and there's nowhere to stay, the hospitalera/os will help you sort something out. And if that turns out to be a negative experience (actually quite often it can be a positive adventure) from there on in you can always start booking the places ahead of you.
I remember in late October on the first day out of Porto coming across a group of about 60 Portuguese pilgrims spread out along the path ahead of me and thinking gloomily that I wasn't going to find anywhere to stay that night or any night for the rest of the way to Santiago. But by the evening they'd all disappeared somewhere and I never saw them again.
Cheers, tom

 

[Easily_confused]

Thank you, Tom. That's put my mind to rest. Now to try and decide 100% on which route since I can now discount the accommodation factor...decisions, decisions...

 

[Oppis]

No difficulties at all so far in Portuguese route with accommondations. Even it's easterweek. At the moment in albergue at Mealhada we are 11 pilgrims of 18 beds.

 

[frida1]

I walked this from Santarem last Sept/Oct with no problems finding accommodations. Yes, sometimes some places were full, but it was never difficult to find an alternative.

I loved both the Frances and the Portugues, but must say I think the Frances is the most beautiful. When I walked it in April 2014 there were plenty of pilgrims, but no difficulties at all with accommodations, even in Easter week. I happened to be walking the Meseta at Easter week, and at that time it seemed the Meseta was not really too populated with pilgrims. I had to book a hotel in Burgos for Easter Saturday night, but it was easy to find one.

 

[jefferyonthecamino]

Hola! everyone (first post)

I had been pretty set on doing the Portugues, either late this year (October/November) or early next (March/April), largely as I saw it as avoiding possible accommodation

Thanks

Double check some of the places if November, October you'll be fine. In any case, more than enough beds on the CP as well as more towns with other sleeping options (than the CF).

Good luck and Bom Caminho