Our Walk Along the Via Podiensis (GR 65)

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...

“Walking gets the feet moving, the blood moving, the mind moving. And movement is life.”   Carrie Latet   Understanding Pilgrimage across France and Spain   Pilgrims walking across France toward the Pyrenees are often told that the Camino de Santiago begins in Spain. In practical terms, this is true for many modern travellers who start their pilgrimage in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and follow the Camino Francés west across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Yet for those who begin in the medieval town of Le Puy-en-Velay, the pilgrimage begins long before reaching the Pyrenees. The Via Podiensis, known today as the GR65 , forms one of the great historical routes of the Chemins de Saint-Jacques, carrying pilgrims across the varied landscapes of southern France toward the Spanish frontier.   Walking the Via Podiensis and the Camino Francés only months apart reveals how naturally these two routes belong together. The GR65 does not merely lead toward Spain; it pre...

Beyond the Camino  End of Via Podiensis GR65 Pilgrimage This morning, the first alarm went off in the dormitory at 4:30 AM. Its owner couldn't locate it, so it kept going at full volume until everyone was thoroughly awake. Since there was no point pretending anyone was still asleep, everyone basically decided to get up. We were once again reminded that it always takes a while for people to get into a routine of unpacking and re-packing their knapsacks that doesn't involve four to five attempts and utter chaos. We headed down to a somewhat meagre-seeming breakfast in the hotel, and then reluctantly bid our new companions farewell and 'Buen Camino!' We had to be out of the dorms by 8 AM, but our bus back to St Jean Pied de Port didn't arrive until 11, so we sat out front and watched the stream of eager and determined-looking pilgrims heading off down the trail to Zubiri and beyond. As a final gift for us from St James, it began to pour, and it was only a...