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Oh yes, something I often forget to say, is to recommend in France both the office de toursime and, especially in small towns, the mairie - the mayor's office. Walking down the VF through France they were exceptionally useful and helpful and friendly. Never overlook them.Hello,
You have been offered some good solutions above. I would add that many towns have tourist information offices, and I found them very helpful when I was unable to find a place on my own.
That is great. Your perseverance will see you through. Delighted to see how many people joined in to help. It is one of the strengths of this forum. And always good to get away from "bedbugs, blisters and snoring" in the discussion.Thank you so much everyone for the additional information and encouragement. I have already got my train tickets, so actually cancelling is really not the option I want to go for (also all the excitement and preparation shouldn't be for nothing). I am using the miam miam dodo guidebook and directly emailing the gîtes.
I saw in the guidebook that a few gîtes wrote they are keeping last minute beds, so I was wondering also if they are really booked out or if they are always keeping a few beds for people who don't book?
Anyway, I've had a little more success today than yesterday and will keep trying to find that free 10% (@timr). I was first going for the small in between villages but it seems slightly bigger ones (main stops) are easier nevertheless (at least in some instances, e.g. all full in Montbonnet, but availability in Saint-Privat-d'A.)
I was having the wrong expectations I guess and was a bit disappointed having to let go of the idea to just walk and not think too much... see how I feel the day before next when deciding how far to go.
Hoping it will be better after Conques. And now I worry I added to the rumours of overcrowding with my post and will make everyone who reads it book months in advance ;-)
That’ll come once the OP actually starts walkingAnd always good to get away from "bedbugs, blisters and snoring" in the discussion.
Be sure you are only asking for "a bed for one person for one night" and not for "a room", as most gites in France do not have private rooms.Thank you so much everyone for the additional information and encouragement. I have already got my train tickets, so actually cancelling is really not the option I want to go for (also all the excitement and preparation shouldn't be for nothing). I am using the miam miam dodo guidebook and directly emailing the gîtes.
I saw in the guidebook that a few gîtes wrote they are keeping last minute beds, so I was wondering also if they are really booked out or if they are always keeping a few beds for people who don't book?
That’s good to hear @veganessa! Usually, July is not a busy month ... but there are a couple of reasons come to mind as to why this year might be different [including that local / french people have postponed their journeys because of the lousy Spring and early Summer weather]; that said, Montbonnet is a tiny village with four accommodations and it does tend to fill up quickly as it is the ideal distance for the first staging point out of Le Puy ...Thank you so much everyone for the additional information and encouragement. I have already got my train tickets, so actually cancelling is really not the option I want to go for (also all the excitement and preparation shouldn't be for nothing). I am using the miam miam dodo guidebook and directly emailing the gîtes.
I saw in the guidebook that a few gîtes wrote they are keeping last minute beds, so I was wondering also if they are really booked out or if they are always keeping a few beds for people who don't book?
Anyway, I've had a little more success today than yesterday and will keep trying to find that free 10% (@timr). I was first going for the small in between villages but it seems slightly bigger ones (main stops) are easier nevertheless (at least in some instances, e.g. all full in Montbonnet, but availability in Saint-Privat-d'A.)
I was having the wrong expectations I guess and was a bit disappointed having to let go of the idea to just walk and not think too much... see how I feel the day before next when deciding how far to go.
Hoping it will be better after Conques. And now I worry I added to the rumours of overcrowding with my post and will make everyone who reads it book months in advance ;-)
In fact, many of the gîtes on the Via Podiensis do offer private rooms [more than 50 per cent by my rekkoning] and more and more gîtes every year are making them available [based on demand and the demographics of their guests] ...Be sure you are only asking for "a bed for one person for one night" and not for "a room", as most gites in France do not have private rooms.
Yes, it is very common (but not universal) to save 1-2 beds for last minute arrivals.
I did the exercise of commencing next Monday, things are tight but there is a lovely one in Bains , the first day instead of Montbonnet.Hello all, I am a newbie here.
Never walked a camino before and planned to go on my first starting on July 6 in Ley Puy. Based on the information I had collected on the lovely internet before I thought it would be fine to book the gîtes on the first couple of stops 1 week or two in advance and then book them along the way every 1 or 2 days before arrival (as we don't need private rooms).
So I sat myself down yesterday and tried to book the first 5 stops or so. Now I am finding myself in a situation where 90% of the gîtes mail back they are already fully booked. How can this happen? I though most people go by booking one or two days in advance?
I am genuinely worried now I won't find accommodation. I am trying to adjust my stages now to whatever gîtes are available, but I am also worried about having to walk longer distances than anticipated and ending up not enjoying the chemin at all.
Does everyone book their Chemin Le Puy month in advance? Do you think it will get better after a certain village as many people only do the first 10 days or so?
I need some support pleaseI am thinking of just cancelling my trip.
Thank you so much everyone for the additional information and encouragement. I have already got my train tickets, so actually cancelling is really not the option I want to go for (also all the excitement and preparation shouldn't be for nothing). I am using the miam miam dodo guidebook and directly emailing the gîtes.
I saw in the guidebook that a few gîtes wrote they are keeping last minute beds, so I was wondering also if they are really booked out or if they are always keeping a few beds for people who don't book?
Anyway, I've had a little more success today than yesterday and will keep trying to find that free 10% (@timr). I was first going for the small in between villages but it seems slightly bigger ones (main stops) are easier nevertheless (at least in some instances, e.g. all full in Montbonnet, but availability in Saint-Privat-d'A.)
I was having the wrong expectations I guess and was a bit disappointed having to let go of the idea to just walk and not think too much... see how I feel the day before next when deciding how far to go.
Hoping it will be better after Conques. And now I worry I added to the rumours of overcrowding with my post and will make everyone who reads it book months in advance ;-)
Write your e-mail in French and increase your possibility of getting a room (I lived in France for 3 years)Be aware that the first day from Le Puy to Saint-Privat is a tough walk. It nearly did me in mostly because I hadn't trained carrying a backpack.
Be sure to prepare your body well by training now, with your backpack. or
Be kind on yourself and have your backpack transported the first day.
Le Puy is a fantastic walk but the first parts to Conques and the climb out of Conques is tough. After that, mostly easy as...
Montbonnet is a great first dayBe aware that the first day from Le Puy to Saint-Privat is a tough walk. It nearly did me in mostly because I hadn't trained carrying a backpack.
Be sure to prepare your body well by training now, with your backpack. or
Be kind on yourself and have your backpack transported the first day.
Le Puy is a fantastic walk but the first parts to Conques and the climb out of Conques is tough. After that, mostly easy as...
Buy an old MMDD or photo the pages from the new one [lol]I know the OP has probably finshed his/her trip, but I'll try to make some generally useful comments...
LePuy to Conques is beautiful and popular. In May 2023, every weekend had a holiday of some kind. I struggled to find lodgings after the first few nights I had booked weeks in advance. I finally gave up and rode the bus between Nasbinals and Espallion where I stayed in an Air B&B for a few days, regrouped, and made reservations. Then bus from Espallion to Conques where I started walking again, and arrived in SJPP about a month later. (I'm going back tomorrow(!) to pick up the Nasbinal to Conques section and then walk from Conques to Rocamadour.)
After conques, and into June, it became much easier to find places, and after Cahors there was no problem at all.
My French is quite poor, but good enough that I can call for reservations and can probably understand the response if they keep it simple. The vocabulary to ask for a bed is pretty basic. I booked a lot of nights with SMS messages (06 and 07 phone numbers) or e-mail where google translate could help out. When I called about half the people would respond in English.
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