General Information:
<Link to Detailed Itinerary
- PartA - Days 1 to 6>
<Link to Detailed
Itinerary - Part B - Days 7 to 13 and after
Nature of the
Ride: This beautiful, 420 mile (700 kilometer) bicycle
trip, in central and southwestern France follows the famous pilgrimage route, in use for 1200 years, that leads eventually to the city of Compostela
in western Spain.
You will ride in picturesque rural, very
hilly—even mountainous country, rarely visited by tourists,
through forests and rangelands, and alongside pastures, vineyards,
and farms. Every day you will encounter handsome, unspoiled, often
ancient villages, and meet other travelers who are going the same
way. You will also come upon a number of stunning, wonderous first-class
churches, monuments, and works of art. Your route will be almost traffic-free
roads (except for moderate traffic in eight larger towns)
Difficulty: Make no mistake: Much of the route is extremely hilly,
with long, fairly steep climbs. You will have to pedal not only yourself
up these hills, but, unless you arrange to have your baggage transported,
you will also have to pedal your personal baggage uphill almost
every day. After the long physical effort to climb,
you will be rewarded with some wonderful ridge rides and breathtaking,
long and fast descents.
 Length: You
can comfortably and enjoyably complete the French Way of St.
James, including your transportation to and from the route, in
two weeks. With only one week to ride, you should
start at the beginning in Le Puy-en-Velay, and continue to Figeac
or Rodez, one of the best parts of the route. You can take up in a future year from where you leave off.
The Travelers : Most travelers undertake the Saint James (Saint Jacques in French) pilgrimage on
foot, usually following from Le Puy-en-Velay and proceding into Spain on the French signposted walking route, the Grande Randonnée ( = long trail) 65 (GR-65) . Among the travellers, perhaps almost one-half are true pilgrims (whose pilgrimages normally are memorable and successful). However, you do not need to be a religious pilgrim; most travelers are not: Many travelers make psychological pilgrimages. Others are adventurers or sightseers.
The Experience: This trip is difficult, but marvellous. It is a "trek"or an expedition, or a true pilgrimage, but it is also more: There is the sensation of following
a long-beaten path— moving not only in the company of the many others who you meet or see along the way; but also, somehow, commuting with the literally millions of people who walked or rode the same way 600—800—1000 years ago.
You should absolutely take this bike excursion if you
do take pleasure out of difficult terrain, enjoy a life
close to nature, and, perhaps less important, if you appreciate beautiful religious
medieval art and architecture.
Given the difficulty, the miles to cover,
the relative isolation from luxury and mass-tourism, and the presence
of many others who are going the same way— the non-religious as well as the religious may feel on this
bicycle journey that they are part of something greater than themselves. You learn something on this trip—maybe something about spirituality, maybe about life, or maybe about yourself. And once you have returned home,
you have indelible memories and a great sense of accomplishment.
History:
About a millennium ago, and for four hundred years thereafter,
countless Pilgrims walked across Europe. They went to
Rome and Jerusalem, but also very often to Compostela, Spain, in order to visit there
the tomb of the Apostle Saint James, miraculously discovered in
the year 820. Saint James, known as Saint Jacques in French,
and Santiago in Spanish, inspired Christian warriors—some say appeard in the sky in armor on horseback — and led them—to victory in their battles
with the Islamic Moors. Santiago—St. James— became Spain's patron saint.
From all over Europe, pilgrims uprooted themselves
to walk to Compostella, and home again. Pilgrims without means were lodged for nothing, while the rich made large donations to the churches and hospitals. It is said that during
the 12th to 15th centuries, as many as several thousand persons
per day (one-quarter to one-half million persons per year) undertook
the various Compostela pilgrimages. This astonishing number (given
that approximatley 50 million people lived in Europe in 1300) is
credible to the author, considering the capacities of the cathedrals
and churches built along the various routes to welcome them.
Pilgrims coming from the rest of Europe followed four ancient pilgrims routes across France toward Compostella : the Route of Paris, the Route of Vézolay, the Route of Le Puy, and the Route of Arles. All along the pilgrimge routes, cathedrals, churches, monasteries, hospitals
and chapels—founded by religious orders and backed by rich
patrons— contained exquisite and unusual artistic creations.
Given the basic life of most people in the middle ages, these edifices
were not only for worship and acquiring grace, but were for viewing
the art and the architectural masterpieces of the day. We can analogize,
in part, the religious pilgrimages of a millennium ago to today's
"pilgrimages" of tourists—to see cathedrals, art museums, palaces,
gardens, and modern architecture.
 The
Way of Saint James today: After 600 years of disuse,
a rapidly increasing number of pilgrims (now numbering
in the tens of thousands each year), both religious and laic, travel the St. Jacques pilgrimage routes. Of those who walk in France, the greatest number use the Route of Le Puy-en-Velay, perhaps because the first pilgrim to Compostella was the bishop of Le Puy, in 951, but probably also because the Le Puy route is the wildest and most beautiful. It is the route which best provides the experience and the feeling of a pilgrimage a millenium ago.
Pilgrims and other travellers start
at Le Puy-en-Velay or even farther away in Switzerland or Germany,
and most often walk, but also ride on a horse, on a mule or on a bicycle towards Compostele.On foot, it takes a month or more to cross France from Le Puy,
walking often seven or eight hours per day, and another good month
to cross Spain. Many walkers do only part of the route—typically
a week or ten days worth, planning to return in a subsequent year. Others complete the
entire route in one fell swoop. Catholic Church officials are said to accept as approved
religious pilgrimages walking at least 100 kilometers,
donkey riding and horse riding of more than 200 kilometers, and bicycling of more than 300 kilometers of distance. .
The routes of today's walking pilgrimages, trails, paths, roads, sometimes correspond
to the routes that the ancient pilgrims walked, and sometimes not:
Ancient bridges have crumbled or washed away; ferries no longer
cross broad rivers; roads have dissappeared; paths have become national highways. Nonetheless, in walking, cycling or riding the Way of
Saint James, the modern walker, rider or cyclist can experience much of
what the early pilgrims and other travelers felt, see much of what
they saw, and contemplate as they contemplated. Whether you wish
to or not, there is a good chance you will learn something about
yourself, about life, perhaps about spirituality.
 Attractions: The "wonders" of this trip, as you might expect, consist of cathedrals, churches, and religious art, but also of 25,000 years old cave paintings, Roman mosaic floors, picturesque villages and towns, and military architecture. The historical and religious aspects of the pilgrimage will appeal to many.
The trip also provides exhilarating of riding in hilly country; a variety of terrain and architectural styles is seven different French departments plus four more, if you continue across Spain; enjoyment of natural beauty away from crowds; and very good food and drink, including excellent duck, fresh-cooked foie gras, andin the Gers region, armagnac. If you are looking for an easygoing trip, flat country, bicycle paths, many fine restaurants, luxurious hotels, and constant wonders, this trip is not for you.
 When
to go: The least chance of rain is between May and September, but if this is not possible, then go in April or October. In winter, the passes can
be blocked by snow; it snows frequently in the highlands. Mid-July
and August have the driest weather, but afternoon temperatures can
reach 100° F (37° C) in the middle part of the ride in enclosed
low-altitude river valleys. An ideal time to ride the French Chemin is from June. You will have less chance of hot
or cold weather, and you will rarely have to reserve in advance,
as the main tourist season will not have started. Nor will accommodations
be filled by pilgrims who are planning to do the entire Chemin
- Camino on foot, through both France and Spain, as they will have chosen
to cross France in April and May, or in September and early October,
to avoid the summer in Spain. Thus you can have the luxury of playing
it by ear.
Certain years are designated as Holy Years (or Jubilee Years) for
the St. Jacques pilgrimage, such as 2010 or 2021, when St.
James Day (July 25) falls on a Sunday. True pilgrims completing
the route in a holy year are granted by the Catholic Church a "plenary
indulgence", and many, many more pilgrims (several times more)
follow the St. Jacques Route in these years. Non-Catholic travellers ought to avoid the St. Jacques route during
Holy Years.
Continuing to Spain
and when to cycle there: This site provides detailed information
only on the "Chemin" in France. Many will continue on
into Spain. The additional biking distance will be the equal of whatis ridden in France—about 440 miles (738 kilometers),
measuring from the Pyranées pass near Roncesvalles. Although
this site does not cover the Spanish Camino de Santiago,
you will find references here to books and Internet sites that provide
the necessary information to follow the standard Spanish
biking route (in Spain there is a standard route).
 If
continuing in Spain strongly consider avoiding July and August there,
as it will be quite hot, and the trail and accommodations will be
overcrowded with Spanish tourists. Many, many more persons walk
the Spanish camino than the French chemin, probably
because Santiago is the patron saint of Spain, and also because
you do end up at Compostella.
None the less, the author has talked to several people who did walk through Spain during July, and who had a wonderful experience.If you don't mind hot weather,
and if you are planning to stay in hotels and are willing to reserve
in advance, or to sleep on gymnasium floors, and if it is not a
jubilee year, then crossing Spain in the summer is feasible. Finding
accommodation in Gites or campgrounds is very competitive (i.e.,
said to be almost impossible), but many nice, small hotels have
available space. Avoid the "wave" of walkers that leaves
Roncesvalles towards the beginning of the months of July and August
(vacations usually correspond with months) and arrives at Compostella
towards the end of the same month. As a cyclist, it is probably
best to leave Roncesvalles a few days before the end of June or July.
It is impossible to obtain reservations in Pamplona, even at many
times the normal price, from July 6th to 14th, due to the running
of the bulls, and you must circumnavigate the city.
How to Bike It — Tour Group or Privately? :
Organize the trip yourself. One deluxe bike touring company
provides trips that somewhat overlap with days 3, 4 and 5 of the
itinerary. A Canadian (Montreal) touring company, Quebec Voyages (www.velo.qu.ca) has begun providing a French lanquage Le Puy - St-Jean-Pied-de-Port trip over two weeks, but with some strange variations from the historical route and some other compromises. Several bike touring companies cover part or
most of El Camino de Santiago in Spain. The author recommends agains commercial tours in this instance, because the contemplative and discovery aspects of a pilgrimage by an individual or by a small group of friends will be lost.
Many, many additional photos of the Saint
Jacques route may be seen in the detailed itinerary. Click on the
following URLs:
<Link to Detailed
Itinerary - Part1>
<Link to Detailed
Itinerary - Part 2>
|
Organizing the trip yourself:
Unless otherwise noted, traffic on this tour is expected to
be "light" or "very light". Please follow this
link for an explanation of the author's traffic ratings.
Please refer to the Fundamentals
of Bicycle Touring in Europe for important background on costs,
touring styles, transportation, bike types, rentals, maps, information
sources, traffic ratings, packing, and security and safety tips.
Refer to this page
for information on French pronunciation, French bicycle nomenclature
and French road signs.
 Starting
and Ending Points: Starting point: Le Puy-en-Velay***.
A tiny minority of people do the Chemin in the opposite sense,
the sense of return. These are mainly true pilgrims who, as in ancient
times, are returning from their pilgrimage.
Le Puy is accessible
from Paris on trains carrying assembled bicycles, at this writing
from by an overnight trip through Claremont-Ferrand .(Check for the latest information. You have to allow 12-14 hours.)
TGV train service from Paris to St. Etienne departs three times
a day (at this writing they leave at 07:00, 13:00 and 17:30), connecting
to trains arriving at Le Puy-en-Velay about 4 hours and 20 minutes
after the Paris departure. To use these trains, you will have to
partially disassemble your bicycle, carry it in a bike bag (housse),
and reassemble it in Le Puy. The author highly recommends using a lightweight, portable, self-constructed housse for train travel in Italy or France. See the page Trains and Bikes for more on French train options.
Another alternative may be to rent a car or mini-van, and put your bike inside. Avis and Hertz provide
one day, one-way rates within France of € 100 - € 150 (2008), and each has ageny
in Le Puy (a drive of approximately 6 hours from Paris). Rates would be lower,
and particularly attractive, (for those living outside the European
Union) in conjunction with a French rail or Eurail pass. Other car
companies may have similar or better deals. In comparing alternatives, don't forget the costs of tolls and gas (petrol), which are high in Europe.
Ending point: Roncesvalles, Spain (in the Pyrenees) with a return
by bicycle (27 km - 16 mi), almost all downhill) to St. Jean-Pied-de-Port,
with train service to Bayonne carrying assembled bicycles. From
Bayonne, you can take a TGV to Paris in under 5 hours using a bike bag (housse),
or for € 10 (2002) put your bike in the baggage car on the
overnight train to Paris, leaving Bayonne around 23:30. (This option
was available in 2002, but none the less did not appear on the SNCF internet site.) You
might also rent a one-way car to Paris (an 8 hour drive) or elsewhere,
as discussed in the previous paragraph.
British travelers, for both the outbound and return trips, should
check for possible air and bus alternatives with the Confraternity
of Saint James (see below), either directly or through their Pilgrim
Guidebook.
Possible French biking continuation: the Pays Basque coast of France in a city such as Biarritz***, or the Atlantic coast further north.
Optional Spanish ending points: Pamplona***, Compostella,*** or or other
Spanish cities, with Spanish regional trains eventually connecting
to Bayonne.In Spain, as long as you limit
yourself to regional trains, you can carry a bicycle on
(you may have to insist). From Pamplona there are regional trains
leaving for Alsausa in the morning, afternoon and evening. You can
transfer to another regional train going to Irún, on the
Atlantic at the French border. The total trip on regional trains
takes, as of this writing, 3 to 4 hours. (There is direct train
service twice a day from Pamplona to Saint Sebastian, but bicycles
are not permitted.) From the border TGVs run to Paris.
The address of the Spanish railway is http://www.renfe.es.
Click on "English", "Timetables and Price",
and "Regional". Now you should select "Norte"
or the orange top box on the map. Under Vittoria-Pamplona-Castejón
select Pamplona as your departure city and Alsausa as your arrival
city. Jot down the train times. Now under the line Miranda-Vitoria-Irún,
find trains that make connections from Alsausa to Irún.
Length of the
Ride: About 700 kilometers (420 miles) plus possible side trips. To ride from Le Puy-en-Velay to Roncesvalles
will take you approximately two weeks. This includes one rest
day, but you may wish to allow others.
If you wish to divide up your trip, logical sections are:
From Le Puy to Figeac—5 or 6 days (to Cahors 6 or 7 days).
From Figeac to Moissac—2 or 3 days. From Moissac to Roncesvalles— 5 to 7 days. Each of these logical starting and stopping points
is served by rail and automobile rentals. From the Figeac or Cahors you
can take your assembled bike directly back to Paris in one day (2002 information).
Other points with train service are Aumont-Aubrac, Decazeville,
Lectourne, Eauze, Nogaro, Aire-sur-l'Adour and Orthez.
 Bike
Rentals: It would be impractical
to rent a bicycle for this one-way journey from Le Puy, particularly since a good quality rental is impossible to find in Paris. The best possibility is to buy and resell a bike, or bring your bike
from home. See the general discussion of renting under Bicycle
Touring in Europe - Part 2.
Accommodations:
Lodgings include hotels; gites d'étape (very frequent along
the Saint Jacques Way, often run by municipalities, with Spartan
bunk rooms, sometimes also Spartan double rooms, cooking facilities,
and occasionally, meal service); chambres d'hotes (lodging in or
nearby private homes, sometimes meals—not mentioned in this
site's itinerary but listed in guide books, specifically the Miam-Miam-Dodo book discussed below or the huge general guide published on this type of lodging; or by Internet search);
rental rooms, sometimes in someone's house (chez l'inhabitant);
occasionally religious accommodations provided by the Catholic Church
or lay groups; and campsites for your tent.
The Miam-Miam-Dodo book lists all accommodations that are right
on, or near the Chemin, including the chambres d'hotes, with
prices. It also notes which gites and other accommodations accept
horses and donkeys.
It appeared to the author that most walkers-riders on the Chemin,
regardless of their means, usually chose to stay
in the gites d'étape. The pluses of gites are conviviality
and low price. The minuses are conviviality (if you don't want it),
communal facilities, lack of any luxury, and crowded sleeping.
 Tip: A number of hotels (in Le Puy and elsewhere) have rooms of lower
quality "designated" for pilgrims at slightly lower rates,
and sometimes even at the same rates as their nicer rooms. On this
trip, always ask to see a hotel room before you accept it (assuming
the hotel is not full). You may well get a better room at the same price,
or choose to pay more to upgrade.
Tip: From April to September, pilgrims ( and holiday visitors) can
be numerous. While only 2,000 "pilgrims" a year arrived
in Santiago, Spain in 1986, approximately 60,000 arrived in 2001.
According to the two owners of the baggage transportation companies
(see below) it can be essential to make your sleeping reservations
five or more days ahead. There is, however, a hiatus in June, when
it is not necessary to reserve in advance. The year 2010
will be a "holy year", and the number of pilgrims is expected
to multiply. (See the Confraternity Site described below for more
information.)
Tip: If you are planning to
stay in Gites, which usually provide blankets but not sheets, you
will need to carry with you a sleeping sack, which you can buy for
about $20 to $30 (one Internet source that the author has never
personally tried is: http://shop.store.yahoo.com/arkatents/sjk1.html;
a cheaper sack is available from Eastern
Mountain Sports). These poly-cotton commercial items weigh,
however up to 1.5 pounds. You may prefer to fashion your own "sheet"
out of light weight polyester or nylon. The author, for very little
money and time, once fabricated a double-long "sheet" that folds
into two twin size bed sheets. It takes up very little room, and
weights only 4 ounces; on the downside, it is a bit noisy (crinkly)
and less comfortable than cotton.
Lodging phone numbers and addresses can be
found in the guide books mentioned below, on the Web (by a town
search) or in general accommodation guides, as discussed in Hotels,
Campgrounds, Hostels and Tourist Sight Information Sources.
The author strongly recommends, instead, using either the Confraternity
or the Miam-Miam-Dodo guidebooks, as they greatly simplify the task
of finding accommodations
 Pilgrim Passport (Créanciale): Pilgrim passports can be obtained in the Pilgrim Office behind the Cathedral of Le Puy (in the late afternoon) or from the Confraternity of Saint James (see "Information Sources" below), and can be stamped along the way, bearing witness, to your pilgrimage.
If you are continuing into Spain, you may wish to obtain the specific pilgrim passport (credential) used there, which gives you the right to stay at the Spanish gites (refugios); it is issued in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port or Roncesvalles. It may be that French passports are now accepted in Spain for that purpose. Check with the pilgrim welcome office in Saint-Jean.
The
GR65: The "GR65", or the "Grand
Randonée 65 is the name of the "standard" French
long-distance "Saint Jacques" walking route of
today between Le Puy-en_Velay and the Spanish Frontier. Most all walking
pilgrims choose to follow this route. Signposts marking the GR65
display the typical GR markings—a white rectangle over a red
rectangle, with arrows for turns and Xs to indicate errors. However, signposts on the GR65 also often display a pictogram of a scallop
shell, the symbol of Compostela. (In point of fact, scallops in
France are named coquilles Saint Jacques—Saint James
shells). Warning: On some parts of the route, scallop shells lead off to minor tourist sights or villages, and walkers have lost their way. It is best to rely upon the GR white and red markings.
The GR 65 was originally laid out by a combination of departmental tourist organizations,
non-profit organizations, and local governmets. Where possible, paths or minor lanes close to the original pilgrimage
route. It deliberately avoids highways, even though many highways
of today were once the paths followed by the ancient pilgrims. The GR65 walker,
even if the his routing on the GR65 is different from the ancient
pilgrimage route, presumably has a physical, psychological, and spiritual walking experience like
that of the early pilgrim. (It is interesting to note that many
walkers in ancient times often averaged 60 kilometers (36 miles)
per day, similar to the distance a road biker might choose to cover nowadays.)
Horse and donkey riders, as well as mountain bikers, can utilize
many, but not all, parts of the GR65 walking path. Road bikes can only occasionally use the GR65, when it is
routed on roads, and lanes.
Baggage Transportation: If you are locked into specific reservations, or can definitively plan at least a day ahead, then perhaps you will wish to pay for baggage service and carry much smaller and lighter paniers.
The author spoke with two companies providing baggage transportation along the Le Puy to St. Jean-Pied-de-Port itinerary. Transbagages, tel 04-66-65-27-75, transbagages@wanadoo.fr, operates between Le Puy and Condom, and charges (2002) 7 € for each suitcase per day (call a day ahead between 4:00 PM and 7:30 PM). The author confirmed from several sources along the way that Transbagages is considered very reliable. Factage, tel. 05-63-94-75.60, operates between Conques and St. Jean-Pied-de-Port, and charges (2002) comparable prices (call a day ahead between 6:00 PM and 9:30 PM). The author did not checkup independently on the reliability of Factage.
Exposure to the Sun: In the months when the sun is highest and when the air is dry, and especially if you have fair skin, strongly consider arising and departing early in the morning. Days are very long, and if you are not careful, you will have ample opportunity to overexpose yourself to the sun and to heat. Catch your breakfast at a café along the route, or buy it at a patisserie. Set your itinerary to arrive by early afternoon.
Why an Itinerary?: In France, there has been no "standard" or even semi-official
routing for road bikers. Therefore, it is
necessary for individuals to lay out an itinerary, which is what the author has done. He has utilized these criteria: to be faithful to the the spirit
of this trek, without undue hardship; to use the GR65 and the ancient
pilgrimage routes where conveniently possible; to visitthe
most important religious and tourist sites along the way; and to give a choice of routings if appropriate.. <Link
to Detailed Itinerary - Part 1>
How to use the Itinerary: The descriptions of the principal religious and tourist sites in the itinerary is mainly for the purpose of planning your daily and weekly schedule . To learn more about these and other sites, you will need to also carry a guide book (see below). It is up to you, of course, to decide how far to ride each day — which stops to make. The author's choice of nightly stops is based upon the religious and touristic importance of the stop, but also the difficulty of the route. In any event, the itinerary mentions the most likely intermediate overnight stops.
Do, please, read the itinerary in advance to see how hard each day will be, and so you know which route choice you will take. Do, please, trace your planned routing onto your map(s). This is guaranteed to make your route-finding much easier and less error-prone.
Unless otherwise noted in the itinerary, if the author's experience is representative, automobile traffic everywhere should be light, very light, or nonexistent—except very near and in eight large towns. (Traffic could perhaps be somewhat heavier during the main tourist season of mid-July to August). <Link to author's traffic rating nomenclature>.
Deciding on the
Purpose and Style of Your Trip: Are you a pilgrim?
Are you a tourist? A combination? Are you a rider for the physical
pleasure or for the exercise? Do you want to meet other travelers,
or are you in a self-contained group? How much weight are you going
to put on your bicycle?
If you are planning to traverse the Route of Saint Jacques as a
pilgrim, are you sure you wish to cycle? Obviously, there is a big
difference in speed, total time, observation, contemplation and
feeling between walking, or riding an animal, or mountain biking or road cycling.
How much money are you prepared to spend? Are you going to eat
in restaurants, or cook your own meals. Can you afford hotels? If
you stay in Gite d'Etapes (communal living in bunk rooms) and cook
yourself, you may spend as little as €10 - €15 per day
(double that in Spain). If you camp, you can spend even less. Are
you going to stay only in hotels and eat in restaurants? Your budget
will be many times higher, ranging from € 45 to € 80 per
day (unless you splurge on the rare luxury hotel or restaurant).
You need to think all this through in advance (to be modified, certainly),
so that you can plan your route, visits, stops, type of accommodations,
and clothing, in keeping with your objectives.
Information
sources about the route in France:
It is evident that you will bring the necessary guidebooks
and maps with you, or buy them along the way, and that you will
plot your route onto the maps ahead of time. As a biker, because
of the hilly country and minor roads of this trip, the author strongly
recommends choosing 1:100,000 maps from the IGN: Map nos. 50,
58, 57, 63 and 69, and not using the Michelin or other 1:200,000 maps.
(Note: There will be a few kilometers south of Aire-sur-l'Adour where
these maps will not have coverage. You can rely upon the directions of the itinerary, or for coverage of these few kilometers
you can buy IGN map no. 62.) Also consider carrying one or two maps with a scale of 1:400,000 or more, in order to see how the Chemin fits within France.
(If you are a walker, you
should carry French guide books for their convenient 1:50,000 maps
that you will need, even if you don't speak French, supplemented
by one 1:200,000 or more, large-scale map. Using 1:50,000 maps rather
than the guide books can be more bulky and more expensive, because
of the many maps required.)
Guides in English:
 The
Confraternity of Saint James, a UK charity (http://www.csj.org.uk)
publishes guides to all four of the French Saint James routes, and
provides many other helpful materials. The guide booklets are text
only (no maps or photographs), but do provide basic route and fairly
complete lodging information and sight information in a very compact
format. They are reasonably priced. The booklet on the Le Puy to
the Pyrenees route, by Alison Raju (3.5 ounces), is updated every
year or two. If you carry this book for the lodging information
in it, you will definitely also need maps. Readers of this Site
in the UK should also definitely check out the Confraternity's materials
for helpful hints on preparing and executing a trip. The bookshop
of the Confraternity carries many of the other books you might want,
and the author has had good luck with Internet ordering by credit
card, and their prompt and inexpensive shipping.
The Way of St. James: Le Puy to Santiago - A cyclist's Guide,
by John Higgonson (1997), which covers the entire French and Spanish
route, is not necessary if you use the Itinerary of this site, but
may be of interest for a different perspective. It is available
from Cicerone Press in England (http://www.cicerone.co.uk)
for £8.99 and £3.00 for shipping to the USA (May 2002),
or from the store of the Confraternity. It weighs 4.5 ounces. (A
Cicerone book of similar title, for walkers is also for sale- from
Cicerone, from the bookstore at http://www.gorp.com
[click on books and search] or from http://www.omnimap.com
[search under Cicerone]. The author has never read this book. --
Omnimap also offers a complete set of French and Spanish maps for
the entire French and Spanish route. )
Guides in French: An excellent booklet,
even if you don't read much French, essential for those planning
to stay in hotels, or chambres d'hôtes, or those who have
horses or donkeys (and useful to everyone else) is called "Miam-Miam-Dodo:
Le Chemin de Compostelle". It is available directly form
the author, or more easily from the Confraternity of Saint James
site described above. Do look at the bottom of the booklet's
Internet page to see two sample pages. Miam-Miam-Dodo provides
in French some general information, and also a complete hotel and
accommodation listing within 5 kilometers of the walking route,
with reasonably accurate prices. It weighs 200 grams ( 7
ounces), so if you are worried about carrying too much weight, and
if you know the type of accommodations you will be staying in, then
you might wish to copy information from the Miam-Miam-Dodo book
into the Confraternity Guide before you leave.
Incidentally, the author of the booklet walked the Way of Saint
Jacques leading a mule, which carried all supplies. The root Internet
site is a worldwide compendium of information about mules.
The French organization FFRP publishes three (consecutive) guides
to the GR65—the walkers Route of Saint Jacques (FFRP References
#651,#652 and #653). Altogether they 600 grams, or 1 pound 5 ounces).
They are very useful for walkers, as they give detailed 1:50,000
maps and detailed routings, a fairly complete list of non-hotel
accommodations, color photos, and a discussion of major sites and
regions. However, it is not always very clear on the maps when the
GR 65 is on a road and when it is not. Also, the bike route can
be off of the maps provided. Thus, bikers will be better served
by not using these guides and relying upon the Itinerary given here
plus the guides and maps mentioned above. The FFRN guides are available
from the Confraternity in England, at the Vieux Campeur
in Paris, and at http://www.omnimap.com
(search) in the USA. French guides are also available in Le Puy,
and most other bookstores along the route. See the discussion
of the sources for maps and guides on this Site at Maps
and Tourist Information.
For those who read French extremely well and who want an
intellectual, and literally, somewhat heavy (literally and
figuratively) book, "Le Chemin de St-Jacques, Du Puy-en-Velay
à Roncevaux Par le GR 65", has 1:50:000 maps showing
the modern route (and its variants) as well as the ancient paths.
(16.9 ounces). It contains only a partial list of smaller hotels
and hostels, and lengthy descriptions of sights and history from
the pilgrim's perspective. It is available from Le Vieux Campeur
and other Paris bookstores, or from the Centre d'Informations Sentiers
et Randonées, 64 rue de Gergovie, 75014 Paris, telephone
01 45 45 31 02. This book is currently out of print.
A smaller, lighter updaed version of the above book is called "Le Chemin de Puy vers Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle" by Georges Véron, Louis Laborde-Balen and Jaqueline Véron. It provides less information than the above book, but lots of color photos. The maps are non topographical and strictly limited to the path of the GR. It weighs 266 g (9.6 ounces). If you read French well, this would be a good guide to carry for learning about the monuments and the regions you will be crossing.
 Summary: Therefore,
for bikers, the author strongly recommends carrying (1) the Confraternity
guide, for its detailed lodging and sights; (2) the Miam-Miam-Dodo
book if you are staying in hotels or chambres d'hôte or might
do so (or buy the guide and transpose the information); (3) the 1:100,000 IGN
maps enumerated above;and (4) the
itinerary that follows on this Site (of course!).
The author suggests, as a helpful supplements and would carry himself
the Higgonson booklet, for its detailed routing information.
And, for those reading French well and who don't mind the weight (or
copy selected pages before you go), one of the French books or 3 topo-guides
provides useful background information and photos on the land and
the history of the Pilgrimage, which, unfortunately, none of the
above-named English materials provide.
Information Sources
about the route in Spain: The Confraternity of Saint
James, mentioned above, (http://www.csj.org.uk)
sells a booklet on The Camino francés (Spanish route
from France to Compostella) and another on The Cycling Pilgrim
on the Camino francés. The books from Cicerone press
mentioned above cover the Spanish Camino. The following Internet
reference contains helpful summary information on biking the Camino
de Santiago in Spain: http://dspace.dial.pipex.com/town/square/de95/04000001.htm.The
following two Spanish Internet sites in English (and other languages)
are dedicated to the Santiago route, and have a great amount of
helpful information for both walkers and bikers: http://www.mundicamino.com/mundicaminoUK/indexUK.html,
and http://www.jacobeo.net/eng/index.htm.
Also available are free booklets published by the Gobierno de Navara,
Departamento de Industria, Comercio, Turismo y Trabajo and available
from the tourist offices in Roncesvalles or Pamplona (and probably
elsewhere). It provides detailed information on all the classic
stages of the trip. However, these booklets are duplicative of the
information available on the Internet.
Reader William Anderson writes that his family
spent several nights on the floors of polideportivos (gymnasiums)
. "I make one strong recommendation -- buy or bring a sleeping
pad."They can be purchased in Spain "for about 6 Euros...Fortunately,
most of the albergues provided blankets and we survived some other
nights...by wearing extra clothing inside our sleeping sheets....Maybe
this August was cooler than usual."
There are..."numberous challenging stretches
if one is trying to stick with the 'camino authentico.' I met an
English couple from Kent who were negotiating the up-and-down terrain
somewhere west of Pampolona. They both had road bikes and most of
their baggage was being ferried ahead by a family member. The man
was carrying his and his wife's bikes up the hills...I dont see
how they fared off on some of the rougher downhills. Frankilly,
I doubt that they perserved (ofroad at least) much beyond where
I met them...Some downhills will test even the best of mountin bikes."
"In Gallicia, the camino is coded and
signed for legs that are (i) suitable for bikes of all sorts, (ii)
difficult, or (iii) impossible except by mountain bike (which, even
then, might have to be walked)...An English volunteer named John,
who cruises the camino each summer...authoritatively informed me...that
the only real "camino authentico" was the old Roman road
(the calzada), which in many instances was now the paved highway,
and that I was taking foolish risks cycling [with a mountain bike]
down the steep and rocky sections of the modern camino. Still I
am glad I did it." (Reader Anderson, in his email , mentions
a couple of injuries requiring stitches, one involving his family,
on a steep part of the trail.)
Much of the standard Spanish Santiago
route for road bicycles is on busy national highways, in one-meter-wide
bike lanes.
Many additional photos may be viewed in the detailed
bicycle itinerary.
To List of Best
European Bike Tours
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