In a few weeks, Steve and I will set off on our second Camino.
In April / May 2014 we walked across northern Spain following The Way of St James to the city of Santiago, a 42 day journey of approximately 800 km. This time we will be walking a French section of The Way of St James from the Town of Le Puy in south central France near the Loire River, to the village of St Jean Pied de Port, again a journey of approximately 800 km.
The are four pilgrim paths across France and the one we have chosen is called Via Podiensis (often referred to as The Way of Le Puy). The pilgrim path across Spain, known as the Camino Frances, begins where the Via Podiensis finishes, at St Jean Pied de Port.
In April / May 2014 we walked across northern Spain following The Way of St James to the city of Santiago, a 42 day journey of approximately 800 km. This time we will be walking a French section of The Way of St James from the Town of Le Puy in south central France near the Loire River, to the village of St Jean Pied de Port, again a journey of approximately 800 km.
The are four pilgrim paths across France and the one we have chosen is called Via Podiensis (often referred to as The Way of Le Puy). The pilgrim path across Spain, known as the Camino Frances, begins where the Via Podiensis finishes, at St Jean Pied de Port.
When Steve and I walked the Camino Frances last year, we started from the Spanish town of Roncesvalles instead of the French town of St Jean Pied de Port, some 25km away in the French Pyrenees. Our reasoning behind this choice was due to the fact that the John Brierley guide book stated: "This first stage is one of the more strenuous and is a veritable baptism of fire into El Camino and Spain" and "This stage represents one of the steepest ascents of the whole pilgrimage!" I thought that I would struggle carrying a pack over the hardest part of the walk at the very beginning, so we opted to catch a taxi from St Jean, over the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles in Spain. I still believe that was the right decision even though I regret not having walked that section.
However, on this Camino, as St Jean is the last town on the Via Podiensis, the plan is to walk over the Pyrenees into Roncesvalles. By that stage we would have walked 800 km and, hopefully, be fit and strong, making the challenge of that stunning section of the Camino a joy to undertake!
From Roncesvalles the plan, if we feel up to it, is to retrace our steps through the first days of the Camino Francis to Pamplona, the lovely Spanish city where the 'Running of the Bulls' is held. From here we will take a bus to Madrid for a few days of R&R before flying home to Australia.
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| The beautiful village of St Jean Pied de Port in the French Pyrenees |
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| Starting out on the Camino Frances from Roncesvalles, Spain, April 2014 |
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| Pamplona, Spain, our planned destination after walking The Way of Le Puy |
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