Walking conditions from Geneva and from Le-Puy (snow?)

[Walter1407]

In 2016 I want to walk from Zurich to Santiago and back again. As this is a pretty long way I want to start as early as possible but also avoid snow on the footpaths if possible, both in Haute-Savoie (after Geneva) and in the Massif Central (after Le-Puy).
I am seeking information from people who walked from either Geneva or Le-Puy early in the year, about the conditions of the footpaths. Please add the dates and the year when you walked, so I can countercheck with weather statistics.
Thank you!

 

[smj6]

Check out a friend's blog (http://www.pxangleys.com/camino2005/camino2005-en.html). Pierre walked from our village in the Haute Savoie to Santiago ten years ago, starting in April.
However, weather conditions can be so changeable (at the moment Europe, like North America, is once again hit by major snow conditions), so it is very difficult to judge what it'll be like in the year you wish to travel.
Buen Camino, Suzanne

 

[Davey Boyd]

I'm leaving from Geneva early April, so am watching the weather there closely. I think it is so changeable that I decided to book and go for it. Some snow means I go slow, if its impassable I may have to change my plans once there!

Bon Chemin and Beun Camino Walter

 

[pitztop]

In 2016 I want to walk from Zurich to Santiago and back again. As this is a pretty long way I want to start as early as possible but also avoid snow on the footpaths if possible, both in Haute-Savoie (after Geneva) and in the Massif Central (after Le-Puy).
I am seeking information from people who walked from either Geneva or Le-Puy early in the year, about the conditions of the footpaths. Please add the dates and the year when you walked, so I can countercheck with weather statistics.
Thank you!

Hi Walter, I'm walking out of my front door in Zurich on the 31st of March this year and will be walking to Santiago. I plan to be walking the Geneva - Le Puy route during the second half of April. Like Davey, I'll take it one day at a time. The highest elevation along this route is 1276 m at Raffy just before descending into Le Puy. Most of the route is well under 1000 m elevation, so unless there is some freaky weather I'm sure it will be passable during my walk in April. Unlike you, I'll be flying back to Zurich at the end. Ping me before you go next year and I'll let you know the weather conditions I encountered this year. Buen camino!

 

[Davey Boyd]

Hi Pitztop, I will be walking out of Geneva April 6th, so I will probably be just ahead of you. Say hi as you overtake me as I'm a bit of a dawdler!

Buen Camino!

 

[pitztop]

Hi Pitztop, I will be walking out of Geneva April 6th, so I will probably be just ahead of you. Say hi as you overtake me as I'm a bit of a dawdler!

Buen Camino!

Wow! I'll bet we bump into each other sometime before Santiago

 

[Davey Boyd]

I'm sure we will Pitztop! See you somewhere on the Way!

 

[backpack45scb]

We started from Le Puy April 30, 2004 and had light snow at the start, and about six inches of fresh snow all the way across the Aubrac - about five days. A wonderful trip - daffodils poking up through the snow.

We started from Geneva May 30, 2012 and the weather varied from perfect to very hot.

 

[CaminoRookie]

Hi there,

So I'm currently Caminoing, thought I'd check in on the forums as I have wifi and a comfy evening when this thread caught my eye. I'm currently in Monistrol d'Allier, first day out of Le Puy. I left Geneva on the 24th of February. I don't know quite how early you're going, but if you're doing the St. Jakobsweg in the Alps there's really no way you're going before April unless you're bringing snowshoes. Around Geneva there was quite a bit of snow above 700 meters. In Haute-Savoie, Savoie and now on the Massif the snow line has been around 900m. Above those heights it's been knee deep most of the time.

At Raffy, since you mentioned it, the path is the road, which isn't snowy really (the roads haven't been, but the paths...) and the hill up there starts with a path which can be avoided by following the road straight and taking a right after the last two houses in the hamlet. Kids were building snow forts by the road. By the way, do not even think about pausing before you get past the sign indicating you're in Raffy. The view blew me away. You'll see what I mean.

If you're going to be heading out of Geneva around my time I can give you more exact snow specifications regarding certain places.

Bien Chemin!

 

[KiwiNomad06]

I left Le Puy mid-April in 2008, and struck a small amount of snow twice- once at Montbonnet, and the second time at Les Faux (before you get to Saint-Alban-sur-Ligmanole.) Both these places are up around the 1200-1300m mark I think- as are several points on the early part of the Le Puy route.) It was bitterly cold and foggy the second day of my Aubrac crossing- and the day after people encountered thick snow and could barely see in front of their faces.
Margaret

 

[Davey Boyd]

CaminoRookie thank you for checking in with the weather report. Its 3 weeks until I leave Geneva, so hopefully it is a bit better then. 'Some' snow I can handle, but 'knee deep'..... Oh well it will give me something to smile about while crossing the Meseta late June early July!

Enjoy your comfy evening
Bon Chemin!

 

[Walter1407]

Thanks a lot for all the information. I think I'll stick with my original plan of leaving early in March which will take me to Geneva by the end of March (I will take a lowland route in Switzerland). If there is too much snow in the hills / on the footpaths after Geneva, I'll just sit and drink and eat it out until conditions improve. If there is no hold-up I should get to Le-Puy by about the 10th of April where I will be happy stay for a few days if conditions ahead are difficult. I have walked to Santiago via Geneva before.
I wish all you early walkers a very Bon Chemin!

 

[Davey Boyd]

Good plan Walter!

 

[Walter1407]

Good plan Walter!

Thanks. Which part? The eating and drinking?

 

[SYates]

Buen Camino and if you need any tip regarding the route, you know where to find me! SY

 

[Davey Boyd]

Yeah! No, I also plan to lay up and wait until conditions improve if needed. The eating and drinking is a bonus! I also quite like the fact that we may have to wait for Mother Nature, hence have no clear idea how long it will take to get from A to B.

 

[irishgurrrl]

In 2016 I want to walk from Zurich to Santiago and back again. As this is a pretty long way I want to start as early as possible but also avoid snow on the footpaths if possible, both in Haute-Savoie (after Geneva) and in the Massif Central (after Le-Puy).
I am seeking information from people who walked from either Geneva or Le-Puy early in the year, about the conditions of the footpaths. Please add the dates and the year when you walked, so I can countercheck with weather statistics.
Thank you!

I started my walk from Le Puy en Velay in mid April last year. We were very lucky and the weather was sunny and mild and although a stormy winter it wasn't a particularly cold long one. Once we got to higher and more exposed elevations we did however find it a little chilly with one half day of heavy showers and a chilly wind (only for the one day on the Aubrac if memory serves me correctly). We were told we had missed some snowfall by only two days apparently. Realistically you really won't be able to gauge it til the year itself. A long winter will not be your friend, a mild one will be... We did meet some lovely pilgrims (Dutch and Swiss) who had walked from Geneve. They loved it.

 

[irishgurrrl]

Yeah! No, I also plan to lay up and wait until conditions improve if needed. The eating and drinking is a bonus! I also quite like the fact that we may have to wait for Mother Nature, hence have no clear idea how long it will take to get from A to B.

By the way I met and became good friends with a lovely Japanese girl and she had attempted the Le Puy route in February that year but had to abandon it until April due to terrible conditions. Timing will be important especially in the areas of higher elevation.