Our Walk Along the Via Podiensis (GR 65)

  “If facts are the seeds that later produce knowledge and wisdom,  then the emotions and the impressions of the senses are the fertile soil in which the seeds must grow.” Rachel Carson, The Sense of Wonder Learning to Read the Landscapes of France When we left Le Puy-en-Velay in the spring of 2017, the idea of walking across Canada had not yet entered our plans. We had completed the Camino Francés only months earlier and were still discovering what drew us to long-distance walking. Pilgrimage offered movement, routines, simplicity and time away from the pressures of ordinary life. It also gave us the excitement of setting out into somewhere unfamiliar, carrying what we needed and allowing each day to reveal itself as we went. Nature was already part of that pleasure, although we had not yet learned to describe it as the central thread that it would later become. Along the Camino Francés, we had noticed mist over the Pyrenees, lizards warming themselves on stone walls a...

Advice and Thoughts on the Via Podiensis GR65 Camino across France Since finishing our walk along the Via Podiensis and heading home, we have been reflecting on the many different experiences and adventures we had along the way.   One of the most common questions we have been asked upon our return is whether it was 'as good as' the Camino Frances, which we walked last October, and whether we "liked it" as much.   Surprisingly, it is rather difficult to provide a simple and succinct answer to that question.   In short, the Via Podiensis was stunningly beautiful and very different from the Camino Francés, and we enjoyed it enormously.   As to how it compares to the Camino Francés... here are some of our initial thoughts and impressions, largely unorganized and in no particular order... Trail Details and Information The main trail from Le Puy en Velay to Roncesvalles is 774 km, which is similar in length to the Camino Francés. However, we found the terrain to be far ...