Walking trail for 11 days in April

[katrien]

Hi!
I am a woman of 47 and for the first time I want to walk a part of a camino for 11 days between 15 and 30th of April. It can be a French, Spanish, Portuguese part or even Italian part. It would be lovely if you can give me a suggestion. I do not need to end in Santiago but I would love to feel the real camino ambiance. I am from Belgium and I have some days to get there by train (I limit my flightmiles)
I feel lost in to many travel guides from the library.

I love mountains, or small mountains, but also cultural heritage. And I don’t like if it is overcrowded, although I also love to meet people. I’m used to run 5 km every week, and went hiking in the mountains last summer, trails from about 15 km....
Thank you so much for your advice!! Katrien

 

[jpflavin1]

Hi!
I am a woman of 47 and for the first time I want to walk a part of a camino for 11 days between 15 and 30th of April. It can be a French, Spanish, Portuguese part or even Italian part. It would be lovely if you can give me a suggestion. I do not need to end in Santiago but I would love to feel the real camino ambiance. I am from Belgium and I have some days to get there by train (I limit my flightmiles)
I feel lost in to many travel guides from the library.

I love mountains, or small mountains, but also cultural heritage. And I don’t like if it is overcrowded, although I also love to meet people. I’m used to run 5 km every week, and went hiking in the mountains last summer, trails from about 15 km....
Thank you so much for your advice!! Katrien

Kartrien:

You could walk the Primitivo. The Camino Frances from Leon or Astorga. The Norte if you like Seascape's from Irun or San Sebastian to Santandar.

There are lots of options. You will meet people on all of these
routes. The CF will be the most crowded the closer you get to Santiago.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Doogman]

I would suggest the Le Puy route, starting in Le Puy. You can make it to Conques fairly comfortably in ten days, or go further if you like to walk longer stages. There is wonderful scenery, good infrastructure, and although it has been a while since so did it, I imagine there will be many others in the route, but not the crowds you might find on the Camino Francés. Best of luck whatever you decide.

 

[TMcA]

I would also recommend the Le Puy to Conques segment of the Via Podiensis (I believe that's the official name). Variety of landscapes, charming and historic villages voted as among "The 100 Most Beautiful Villages in France", good infrastructure, better food than Spain, and closer to Belgium. You don't need a sleeping bag, so you save a kg of pack weight.

Start with the pilgrim mass in Le Puy. Finish by continuing to Decazeville or Figeac to return to Belgium by train.

Only drawback of this choice is that it is not as "international" as the Camino Francés; most of the hikers are French speakers.

Bon chemin.

Tom

 

[kelleymac]

I recommend Le Puy to Conques as well- especially if you like hills. Le Chemin is definitely more French than the Camino is Spanish. I also found it easier there to shift out of pilgrim mode into walking vacation mode. -- If you want to be in Spain, Leon to Santiago, or St. Jean Pied de Port to Burgos. Walking from SJPP you will be walking down into the Spring of Navarre and La Rioja. Beautiful. Bon Chemin! Buen Camino.

PS Take a look at the Via Podiensis forum-- So go to the page that lists the forums and then scroll way way down to the Route in France section.

 

[David Tallan]

I haven't walked the Via Podiensis, so take this with that in mind. But I've heard that it is less of a community of pilgrims and more a community of French vacationing hikers. It is telling that kelleymac says "I also found it easier there to shift out of pilgrim mode into walking vacation mode." Please correct me if I am wrong. If that is the case, I am not sure it is the perfect place to feel "the real Camino ambiance", beautiful as it no doubt is.

To me, that is found in some little village in Spain that wouldn't exist if it weren't for the Camino.

 

[Robo]

I recommend Le Puy to Conques as well- especially if you like hills. Le Chemin is definitely more French than the Camino is Spanish. I also found it easier there to shift out of pilgrim mode into walking vacation mode. -- If you want to be in Spain, Leon to Santiago, or St. Jean Pied de Port to Burgos. Walking from SJPP you will be walking down into the Spring of Navarre and La Rioja. Beautiful. Bon Chemin! Buen Camino.

PS Take a look at the Via Podiensis forum-- So go to the page that lists the forums and then scroll way way down to the Route in France section.

An interesting comment @kelleymac .
I have the Le Puy route on my bucket list.
But are you saying it doesn't really feel like a Camino/Pilgrimage route?
I'm not really into walking 'vacations'

 

[naplesdon]

Robo, I plan to find out next June and July. I am starting from Le Puy on 5 June and planning on walking as far as I can in 50 days. It has been on my bucket list for too long. A friend who I have walked parts of the Camino with twice did it last year for 20 days and said it was wonderful. She is going back next year to finish from
Cahors.
It is less crowded, so you don't share the pilgrim camaraderie of the Camino at night, I am hoping it is more of a trekking adventure with smaller places to stay and share your evening with a small group of like mined people discussing the day over a communal meal.

 

[katrien]

Thanks to all of you! You are so kind. I love the idea of starting from Le Puy. As long as I can meet people once and a while, it is fine for me. And my French is much better! And I have to say, at this moment, I see it as a vacation, maybe to feel a real pelgrim, I have to be able to find a period in my life where I can take some extra weeks of.... At this moment, I just want to find some space in my head , and also sleep well at night. I am only afraid of the cold second part of april, I’ve been Reading some comments on the forum. Maybe the end of june is a better period...? Thanks!

 

[t2andreo]

The end of April will be colder, wetter, and it has shorter days. The second half of June is warmer, a little drier, and has the longest days. The springtime flowers and scenery are at their peak in June.

However, the number of pilgrims increases after about mid-June on most routes. If you are walking the route from Le Puy this is only a relative thing, as this route does not see many pilgrims.

I second the notion of walking the Camino Primitivo from Oviedo. You should be able to do it in 10 - 11 days, the scenery is considered among the best, and you finish in Santiago at the end. This is important if you wanted to receive the Latin Compostela.

Whichever route you decide to follow, there is a lot of information here in the Forum. We are all here to answer your questions and to help in any way we can.

Hope this helps.

 

[jpflavin1]

Thanks to all of you! You are so kind. I love the idea of starting from Le Puy. As long as I can meet people once and a while, it is fine for me. And my French is much better! And I have to say, at this moment, I see it as a vacation, maybe to feel a real pelgrim, I have to be able to find a period in my life where I can take some extra weeks of.... At this moment, I just want to find some space in my head , and also sleep well at night. I am only afraid of the cold second part of april, I’ve been Reading some comments on the forum. Maybe the end of june is a better period...? Thanks!

Karien:

I have started all my walks between March 23rd and April 11th.
The only cold weather I have encountered is in the mountains. That said, cold is another relative term and is different for everyone. The range in temperature for me has been -5C in the mornings (mountains) to 33C on the Meseta.

The Camino is a perfect place to find some space in your head and a long days walk helps with sleep, unless you end up with a snorer.

I am not sure if cost is a consideration but the French side is a little more expensive than the Spanish side.

There is also more diversity on the Spanish side. I remember one night in Granon where I spent the night with 44 Pilgrims from 15 different countries. A special place.

Whichever route you choose, I am sure it will be the right choice for you.

Ultreya,
Joe

 

[Terry Callery]

Having done the French route and the Portuguese route (from Lisbon) I have just planned a 3rd Camino.
I will start in February and do the Primitavo starting in Oviedo. I try to do legs of just 20 k (I'm 66).
It turns out that my plans from Oviedo to Lugo take exactly 11 days. Since I have done the French Route already I will not join it after Lugo - rather I will take the train from Lugo to Ferrol and arrive in Santiago via the Ingles Route walking south from the Galician coast which should be less crowded. Both Lugo and Oviedo have much to offer in the way of museums and attractions, so I plan an extra day at each city. Generally speaking (based on the statistics from the Pilgrim Office in Santiago tracking pilgrims who get a compostela there are a tenth the number of pilgrims arriving in March/April than in the Summer months. I stay mostly at Pensions, Casa Rurals and decent hotels so I do not encounter as many other pilgrims as I would staying at Albergues.
From Oviedo to Grado 26k
Salas 22k
Tineo 20k
Campiello 13k
Pola de Allende 14k
Berducedo 18k
Grandas de Salime 20k
A Fonsagrada 25k
O Cadavo 24k
Castroverde 8k
Lugo 21k
Good luck Terence Callery

 

[Kitsambler]

I haven't walked the Via Podiensis, so take this with that in mind. But I've heard that it is less of a community of pilgrims and more a community of French vacationing hikers. ... Please correct me if I am wrong. If that is the case, I am not sure it is the perfect place to feel "the real Camino ambiance", beautiful as it no doubt is.

Those of us who have actually walked the Le Puy route have found plenty of community and plenty of pilgrim experience. Where the CF has 1000 pilgrims per day, the Le Puy has 50-100. It is different from the Camino Frances, so it does not have the Camino Frances ambience. In fact, no route is the same as the CF - which really is an anomaly among pilgrim routes.

@katrien The period you have will make a lovely walk from Le Puy to Conques or Figeac.

 

[JR9162]

VdlP is a less traveled route as well. Any Camino will become somewhat crowded during Easter. Many Europeans go to SdC in stages. As long as your final destination is stated, walk your 10-11 days in 2019, then return to where you stopped in 2020 and do another 10-11 days. Use the same credential to show you moved from A to B in 2019, B to C in 2020, and so forth until you arrive in SdC. As long as you complete the last official 100 km in a single year, you are eligible for the Compostela (certificate).

 

[MethaV]

Hi!
I am a woman of 47 and for the first time I want to walk a part of a camino for 11 days between 15 and 30th of April. It can be a French, Spanish, Portuguese part or even Italian part. It would be lovely if you can give me a suggestion. I do not need to end in Santiago but I would love to feel the real camino ambiance. I am from Belgium and I have some days to get there by train (I limit my flightmiles)
I feel lost in to many travel guides from the library.

I love mountains, or small mountains, but also cultural heritage. And I don’t like if it is overcrowded, although I also love to meet people. I’m used to run 5 km every week, and went hiking in the mountains last summer, trails from about 15 km....
Thank you so much for your advice!! Katrien

I have walked all Camino Frances from SJPP to Santiago and it's lovely and maybe not so crowded in April. I also walked Le Puy to Cahors last year and I loved it. That's too far for 11 days, but as others already suggested, start in Le Puy en Velay (lovely town with lots of history and culture!) and finish in Conques (even more beautiful little town where you should stay in the monastery!)
This part of the trail is mountainous, there are the most lovely gites (pilgrims hostels) where you can have a bed, nice dinner with wine and breakfast, local products, all for 32 to 36 euros. You will pass through lovely villages and over small mountains with beautiful views.
The pictures attached are all from this part of the Caminol.
This is the most beautiful part of the camino that I have walked.

 

[Bala]

I have walked all Camino Frances from SJPP to Santiago and it's lovely and maybe not so crowded in April. I also walked Le Puy to Cahors last year and I loved it. That's too far for 11 days, but as others already suggested, start in Le Puy en Velay (lovely town with lots of history and culture!) and finish in Conques (even more beautiful little town where you should stay in the monastery!)
This part of the trail is mountainous, there are the most lovely gites (pilgrims hostels) where you can have a bed, nice dinner with wine and breakfast, local products, all for 32 to 36 euros. You will pass through lovely villages and over small mountains with beautiful views.
The pictures attached are all from this part of the Caminol.
This is the most beautiful part of the camino that I have walked.

Spectacular photos.

 

[Bala]

I have walked all Camino Frances from SJPP to Santiago and it's lovely and maybe not so crowded in April. I also walked Le Puy to Cahors last year and I loved it. That's too far for 11 days, but as others already suggested, start in Le Puy en Velay (lovely town with lots of history and culture!) and finish in Conques (even more beautiful little town where you should stay in the monastery!)
This part of the trail is mountainous, there are the most lovely gites (pilgrims hostels) where you can have a bed, nice dinner with wine and breakfast, local products, all for 32 to 36 euros. You will pass through lovely villages and over small mountains with beautiful views.
The pictures attached are all from this part of the Caminol.
This is the most beautiful part of the camino that I have walked.

How many days did you take to walk La Puy to Cahors? And how many kms per day? I could conceivably convince my husband to do this... as long as he didn't have to carry a backpack. French cuisine could help, too.

I would so love to do this.

 

[Doogman]

If I remember correctly, I took 10 days to go from Le Puy to Conques, and another 6 days to go from Conques to Cahors. There may have been a couple of 30km days in there, but for the most part the days were well less than that. I usually try to avoid days over 25kms. There are some good ups and downs, and a stiff climb coming out of Conques, but if you take your time, it is nothing too bad. It is well worth the effort

 

[Yctoo]

I suggest 7 days to walk from Ferrol to Santiago, ( Camino Ingles). a day in the city and three days to Muxia or Finisterre. Very reasonably priced, lovely coastal and inland walks and wonderful people. Locals and pilgrims

 

[kelleymac]

An interesting comment @kelleymac .
I have the Le Puy route on my bucket list.
But are you saying it doesn't really feel like a Camino/Pilgrimage route?
I'm not really into walking 'vacations'

I walked in the Autumn of 2017, from late September to early October. There were not that many pilgrims walking, but there were still enough that I was rarely alone. I joined up with a group from Quebec and Burgundy on and off throughout he 11 days I walked. -- Most of the gîtes are private and usually come with dinner and breakfast. Some of them cater more towards the walking vacation feel-- bags carried, complaints about towels not being soft enough listened to, offers of driving to the next stop, and I think-- a feeling of placing the person's social status is stronger. --Some stops were simpler, others were more of a vacation feel. I think the guide book I relied on recommended guest houses more. Again, it was not all the time. But the pilgrim path ran parallel to the walking vacation path. -- Pilgrim route: I took the alternate route to Bonneval Abbey. I walked for a day and half by myself. I called ahead to one village (Condom d'Aubrac), and the woman in the village office waited for me and gave me a key to the community center where there was a kitchen, a gym mat to sleep on, and hot water. No shower. But a safe and warm place to sleep and eat. I had no food, and there was no shop, so the woman went and got the cafe owner to open the cafe for both supper and breakfast the next morning. They packed a lunch for me too. Walking Vacation Route: I stopped at a place that the guide recommended-- There was a communal meal, but because of the rain, most of the people there had taken the bus that morning from the stop the day before. Two women were complaining about the hard towels.-- I found out later that there was a municipal gîte further into the village-- I just needed to walk a bit further. Next time!

 

[Robo]

I walked in the Autumn of 2017, from late September to early October. There were not that many pilgrims walking, but there were still enough that I was rarely alone. I joined up with a group from Quebec and Burgundy on and off throughout he 11 days I walked. -- Most of the gîtes are private and usually come with dinner and breakfast. Some of them cater more towards the walking vacation feel-- bags carried, complaints about towels not being soft enough listened to, offers of driving to the next stop, and I think-- a feeling of placing the person's social status is stronger. --Some stops were simpler, others were more of a vacation feel. I think the guide book I relied on recommended guest houses more. Again, it was not all the time. But the pilgrim path ran parallel to the walking vacation path. -- Pilgrim route: I took the alternate route to Bonneval Abbey. I walked for a day and half by myself. I called ahead to one village (Condom d'Aubrac), and the woman in the village office waited for me and gave me a key to the community center where there was a kitchen, a gym mat to sleep on, and hot water. No shower. But a safe and warm place to sleep and eat. I had no food, and there was no shop, so the woman went and got the cafe owner to open the cafe for both supper and breakfast the next morning. They packed a lunch for me too. Walking Vacation Route: I stopped at a place that the guide recommended-- There was a communal meal, but because of the rain, most of the people there had taken the bus that morning from the stop the day before. Two women were complaining about the hard towels.-- I found out later that there was a municipal gîte further into the village-- I just needed to walk a bit further. Next time!

Doesn't sound like much fun

Is the Pilgrim route clearly marked from the Vacation route?
Not sure I want to walk surrounded by vacationers complaining about the towels

 

[kelleymac]

Doesn't sound like much fun

Is the Pilgrim route clearly marked from the Vacation route?
Not sure I want to walk surrounded by vacationers complaining about the towels

The parallel routes are the same path, but different outlook and intent, and places to stay. There are buses running twice daily from stop to stop. I am thinking of walking it again, but will look to stay on the "pilgrimage" route by staying in municipal gîtes when possible, and also taking a tent. (There are places to camp along the way, unlike the CF). -- I'm also not going in August. Those hills were hard enough in cool weather.

 

[AlwynWellington]

I want to walk a part of a camino for 11 days between 15 and 30th of April

@katrien, I also propose starting at Le Puy and walking for 9 days to Figeac. I have chosen that end point as it a major town on the way. It has a train station and, no doubt, a bus station also.

The stages I propose vary between 22 km and 29 km for a total of almost 230 km. The stages are:
** km
1) 27 - Le Puy to Monistrol 'Allier
2) 26 - Monistrol to Chanaliellies / Chazeau
3) 28 - Chana.. to Aumont-Aubrac
4) 22 - Aumont to Nasbinals
5) 29 - Nasbinals to Saint-Come d'Olt
6) 27 - Saint-Come to Golinhac
7) 22 - Golinhac to Conques
8) 22 - Conques to Livinhac
9) 21 - Livinhac to Figeac

If you feel those stages are pushing how you feel about your capablities then shorten the stages - there are quite a few options. But you may need to take a day to get to a raill or bus station!
And you may care to consider having a rest day at Conques to look around this compact medieval village and or experience its culture.

I wish you well in whatever you decide.

Kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going)

 

[katrien]

Thanks all for your advice! So great of having you guys here to guide us!

 

[kelleymac]

Hi again-- It looks like I'll have about ten days of walking between 4/11 and 4/25. I'm trying to decide where to be too. My son, now 18, wants to walk with me, and wants to spend Easter in Santiago. (We first walked together when he was 13.)

 

[Felice]

@katrien, I also propose starting at Le Puy and walking for 9 days to Figeac. I have chosen that end point as it a major town on the way. It has a train station and, no doubt, a bus station also.

The stages I propose vary between 22 km and 29 km for a total of almost 230 km. The stages are:
** km
1) 27 - Le Puy to Monistrol 'Allier
2) 26 - Monistrol to Chanaliellies / Chazeau
3) 28 - Chana.. to Aumont-Aubrac
4) 22 - Aumont to Nasbinals
5) 29 - Nasbinals to Saint-Come d'Olt
6) 27 - Saint-Come to Golinhac
7) 22 - Golinhac to Conques
8) 22 - Conques to Livinhac
9) 21 - Livinhac to Figeac

If you feel those stages are pushing how you feel about your capablities then shorten the stages - there are quite a few options. But you may need to take a day to get to a raill or bus station!
And you may care to consider having a rest day at Conques to look around this compact medieval village and or experience its culture.

I wish you well in whatever you decide.

Kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going)

I hope you are good at hills, Alwyn.

Btw, Figeac has a train station, but the station building burnt down on 22 Dec 2018. As a result, trains are stopping before there and I think there is a bus replacement. Just so you know if you try to plan coordinating your return transport with a flight, as I was trying to do earlier in the week. I just could not understand why the SNCF website said there were no trains from Toulouse to Figeac.

 

[jpflavin1]

Hi again-- It looks like I'll have about ten days of walking between 4/11 and 4/25. I'm trying to decide where to be too. My son, now 18, wants to walk with me, and wants to spend Easter in Santiago. (We first walked together when he was 13.)

Kellymac

Hi again-- It looks like I'll have about ten days of walking between 4/11 and 4/25. I'm trying to decide where to be too. My son, now 18, wants to walk with me, and wants to spend Easter in Santiago. (We first walked together when he was 13.)

Kelleymac:

Ten days to walk, I would recommend starting in Astorga. I would also be making my reservations for Santiago now as I am sure it will be crowded Santa Semana.

Ultreya,
Joe