Two weeks

[scubajunky]

HI All,
I have two weeks over the Easter holidays and am considering walking a section of the Le Puy route. I have a few questions if anyone can help that would be great.
Which would be the nicest two week section to walk ?
Where should I fly into and out of ?
Another option for me is a section of the norte, has anyone done both?

 

[Davey Boyd]

My advice would be to start from Le Puy. Two reasons, first if you had 14 days walking you could get as far as Figeac. (or 10/11 days to Conques if you need travel days too). This section is stunning, Le Puy is magnificent, and you will begin with a lot of others starting too. Then you will walk the Aubrac Plateau, which even the French say is one of the most beautiful areas of France. then Conques!! Also, this will leave you in a position to come back one day and finish the Le Puy route (in order of walking if you know what I mean), as I am convinced you will want to! Both Figeac, Conques (and in between Decazeville) have good transport options.

Not done the Norte (yet) so cannot compare, sorry. But you will not be disappointed about walking the Le Puy route, though watch out for the long french holidays over Easter, as the French love hiking on their holidays! But then, you will have the tourists on the Norte too.

As for transport, I will leave that for people more knowledgeable than I.

Hope this helps

Davey

 

[scubajunky]

Thanks Davey lots of good info there then. Are there lots of French style Alberges in this section then? what kind of Weather could I expect in Easter?

 

[Davey Boyd]

Thanks Davey lots of good info there then. Are there lots of French style Alberges in this section then? what kind of Weather could I expect in Easter?

In France you have gites, which are like posh albergues and more expensive. Yes there are lots. Most are private, though the accommodation and food are much superior to what we have in Spain. There are some gite communals (communal means run by the local authority, as in commune, a lot of them are connected to or part of the local school), and they are much cheaper. I suggest you buy the latest Miam Miam Do Do guide, it is in French only, but uses symbols so is really easy to understand (I don't speak French and I found it easy to understand), but it is THE guide for accommodation and totally up to date. I used this with the Michelin guide which i like for schematic and normal maps but the accommodation is really out of date in it. Plus, there are many variants to choose from on this route and the Miam Miam Do Do covers them all.

A lot of pilgrims on the French routes use a tent to cut down costs (France being much more expensive) and the fact that there are a lot of campsites on route. French campsites are very well equipped, and are cheap. Sometimes they offer you a chalet for the same price you can pitch your tent for. Always an option.

Weather at Easter???? Ha! How long is a piece of string? The Aubrac (especially) is a high moorland with some forest. You can have all four seasons in one day. Boiling hot followed by snow. Best to just be prepared and take the advice from your previous nights accommodation. They will let you know if you need to take a different safer route if the weather is so bad. But you will never be alone (unless you want to be). Check out the weather on the internet for the village of Aubrac over Easter for the last five years for an idea.

Don't worry too much, book ahead your next days accommodation, and enjoy!

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/from-geneva-to-the-end-of-the-world.40650/

This is my blog from my journey Geneva to SJPdP with photos on this forum. Skip to Le Puy for a day to day account. I left Le Puy April 24th so not so different time as you. But I had a heatwave!

Anything else just ask. I, or another person will help.

Bon Chemin
Davey

 

[Thornley]

HI All,
I have two weeks over the Easter holidays and am considering walking a section of the Le Puy route. I have a few questions if anyone can help that would be great.
Which would be the nicest two week section to walk ?
Where should I fly into and out of ?
Another option for me is a section of the norte, has anyone done both?

The first section of either .
We have done both Scuba and have loved the first two weeks.
Le Puy to Conques or
Norte to Bilbao.
Hard sections compared with later on [ except Primitivo] with the scenery magnificent.

 

[Kitsambler]

Absolutely the best two week section of the Le Puy route is from Le Puy to Figeac. There are good train connections at both towns.

That being said, there are likely to be a fair number of other walkers leaving Le Puy with you. Get your Miam Miam Dodo in advance and email for reservations.

 

[Thornley]

Where should I fly into and out of ?

If Le Puy
Fly into Lyon and home from Lyon or Toulouse.
If Norte ,
Fly into Biarritz
Home from Madrid

 

[JAL]

HI All,
I have two weeks over the Easter holidays and am considering walking a section of the Le Puy route. I have a few questions if anyone can help that would be great.
Which would be the nicest two week section to walk ?
Where should I fly into and out of ?
Another option for me is a section of the norte, has anyone done both?

I have walked the LePuy route and the Norte and if I was to choose between the two for a two-week walk I would also recommend starting in LePuy. It is a fabulous walk and you will be getting the best half of LePuy to SJPDP, in my opinion.

 

[scubajunky]

If Le Puy
Fly into Lyon and home from Lyon or Toulouse.
If Norte ,
Fly into Biarritz
Home from Madrid

Thanks for that good info !

 

[scubajunky]

Thanks guys, loving the tips, so what are the costs of these gites private and communal on average then ?
My other option was the Camino Sanbres

 

[Kitsambler]

...costs of these gites private and communal on average ....

Staying in gites along the Le Puy and taking demi-pension will run around EUR 40 a day, not including picnic supplies for lunch.

There is quite a range of lodging along the Le Puy, from the less expensive municipal gites (usually no meals but possibly a kitchen), through the private gites (smaller, with demi-pension), to chambres' d'hotes (pricey, comfy, oriented to tourists) and small hotels or country inns. MMD can give you specifics.