CSJ Guides to the Routes through France #1: Paris to the Pyrenees - 2003-8 Updates to the 1998 edition
This page now includes the printed update prepared in 2003 by the Guide's original authors, Maurice and Marigold Fox (and distributed with the Guide itself) as well as material contributed by other pilgrims in 2004 and 2005. All the updates have been merged into a single geographical sequence, following the Guide, but the material is colour-coded by date as follows: |
2003 update prepared by M & M Fox is in black |
2004 additions are in blue |
2005 material is in red |
INTRODUCTION
Although waymarking does appear in places on this route, it is infrequent and sometimes unreliable, or even misleading. Pilgrims used to the Camino Francés are advised to exercise caution when following waymarks on this route. If the yellow waymarks of the Camino score 100% reliability, the balises of the GR 65 from Le Puy would score about 80%, but the existing waymarking on sections of this route would score about 55 – 60%. Rely on your own guides, maps and on the knowledge/advice of local people. In my experience of walking this route in July/August 2004, the waymarks tended to become ambiguous at the worst possible moments. In one case this led directly to mistakenly entering on a path guarded by a pack of aggressive dogs that were at liberty. Common sense would have avoided this. However, from Leren (just after Sorde l’Abbaye), the waymarking does become reliable again, consisting of blue and yellow plastic signs, marked “voie de Tours”, set up by the Amis Saint-Jacques des Pyrénées-Atlantiques.
The route is not as flat as you might think, particularly between Tours and Saintes. However, from Pons until Dax, it is indeed basically flat.
Pilgrims should choose either to carry a mobile phone and use it often to book accommodation in advance, or else carry a tent as I did. I had 3 rules - not using a phone, never reserving accommodation in advance and not using any mode of transport other than my feet. With these restrictions, a tent is essential, allowing the use of cheap campsites. Even if you are prepared to use a mobile phone, you may find popular places booked far in advance.
This is a very tough route, mentally and physically. Especially in the Landes, there are often great distances between villages; sometimes you will arrive in a town to find it closed down to all visitors, with no obvious means of getting any food, drink or accommodation, even where this has been advertised in guidebooks, information sheets etc. This is especially true on weekends. I would advise that pilgrims have a certain degree of experience before using this route.
Nevertheless, this route does have two overwhelming advantages. The first is that it is very infrequently walked (I met only four other walking pilgrims all the way between Paris and Saint-Palais). This means that you will have plenty of peace outside the the more heavily populated towns. You will also have the sort of welcome that pilgrims probably got in Spain thirty years ago, before the rebirth of the Camino. People are actually still surprised to see someone walking the Paris route and respond happily. There may well be cycling pilgrims along the way, but for them this route is a vastly different experience and I didn’t really have the chance to meet them. You will feel like a pioneer, walking this route, especially if you choose to go via Orléans, which is even less well walked than the Chartres branch.
The second great advantage is the wealth of cultural and historical associations to be found along the route; far more than any of the other routes. You will feel you are walking in the company of Aimeric Picaud, who used this route when he wrote his famous twelth-century guide.
Introduction Pages x-xii, Guides:
Add:
Guide Pratique Paris-Roncevaux via 0rléans, Tours, La Réole, Ostabat, Compostelle 2000, 54 rue du Ducouédic 75014 Paris (tel 01 43 20 71 66).
This is probably the most comprehensive guide to the Paris route currently available. The guide describes a route from Paris to Orléans; then a route from Orléans to Tours more or less as the route in the CSJ Guide. From Tours to Poitiers, the route zig-zags across the RN10 in order broadly to follow the "historic route" through Sainte-Catherine de Fierbois and Châtellerault but on minor roads. From Poitiers to Montendre the route is as the CSJ Guide, deviating from the 'historic route' as a 'route tranquille". At Montendre however, the route deserts both the Paris and the CSJ Guide routes for the Vézelay route via Saint-Emilion, La Réole, Bazas, Saint-Sever, Orthez to Ostabat. No reason is given for this deviation but the author of the guide is acutely aware of the difficulties and dangers of following the RN10 "historic route” and of the dangers of walking in the storm ravaged forests after the storms of December 1999. Perhaps the author felt les Landes should be avoided.
The guide gives brief route finding information, schedules of facilities and accommodation with telephone numbers and prices (in FF and €€). There is a splendid wallet of A5 extracts of IGN maps and walking plans out of Paris making the carrying of other maps unnecessary. Very highly recommended.
Please note: In Charente-Maritime the maps in this guide do not necessarily coincide with the way-marked route of the Conseil Général de la Charente-Maritime (see page 9 of this update). Compostelle 2000 also publish guides pratiques 'du Puy-en-Velay à Roncevaux (la Via Podensis)' and 'de Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port à Santiago (le Camino Francés)'.
Walking to Santiago: Diary of a Pilgrimage
Mary E. Wilkie
Cranleigh House PO Box 567
Armidale NSW 2350 Australia
August 2001
ISBN 0 86428 198 6
This is a personal account of a pilgrimage from Paris to Santiago, following much of the route in the CSJ Guide. It is one of the few published accounts of pilgrim experiences along the Paris route (in the CSJ library).
Chemin de Saint-Jacques. Guide à l’usage des pèlerins de Saint Jacques de Chartres à Tours
Association des Amis de Saint-Jacques en Région Centre (Marcel Girault) La Piverdière 37380 Nouzilly.
Loose-leaved sheets giving accommodation, route directions and line sketch maps. The CSJ Guide broadly follows this route with some differences (in the CSJ library and well worth obtaining).
Red Guide: Paris-Chartres-Tours, François Lepère
3 rue Ferdinand 94500 Champigny
François Lepère Editions
17 rue Brézin 75014 Paris www.sud-aventure.com
Practical information - accommodation, facilities (including medical), IGN map numbers, lists of GRs, brief notes about Chartres, Châteaudun, Vendôme, Château-Renault and Tours - and a long, long list of Associations des Amis de Saint-Jacques all over France.
Light and useful - especially for Paris to Chartres (in CSJ library).
Paris-Orleans-Roncevaux Lepere edition (the 2005 edition is now available). This is useful from Paris to Tours, but surpassed by the “Véron” book from then on.
Le chemin de Tours vers Saint Jacques de Compostelle de La Loire aux Pyrenees, by J + G Véron, Rando Editions (2001). This is a bit aged now and some accommodation details are out of date. The maps are simplified and schematic, but this was basically the book that got me along the route after Tours. Excellent pictures and background information.
Les Chemins de Saint-Jacques dans le Vendômois
Jean Bernadac
La Burandière
41800 Saint-Martin-des-Bois
Loir-et-Cher
(tel 02 54 85 05 25)
Sentiers vers Saint Jacques, Tours – Mirambeau, Topoguide FFRP
ref. 6552, 2004 edition with 1:50,000 maps.
Les voies de Tours et de Vézelay, editions Péyroune. Has a small
section on the route between Bordeaux and Saint-Palais.
The pilgrimage to Santiago by Edwin Mullins – the book that inspired my journey. Essential background information.
The following websites have excellent, useful information:
La voie de Tours (or Via Turonensis) – new site with maps, links, overview and guide details. In fact it has enough links to get you almost all the information you need!
Compostelle2000 – an organisation with links and guides.
Association Régionale des Amis de St Jacques de Compostelle en Aquitaine.
Societe Landaise des Amis de Saint Jacques – a superb site, full of details
I also got a copy of accommodation contacts which I was given at the pilgrim refuge in Saintes, which proved useful, perhaps would have been essential, if I had been using a phone.
THE ROUTE AND PLACES OF INTEREST
Paris to Orléans
Routes are given in Compostelle's 2000 Guide Pratique and in Mary Wilkie's Walking to Santiago.
A pilgrim reports another route is which is safe and practical with sufficient accommodation for a normal walker. There are suburban trains and buses as far Malesherbes as a back-up in emergencies. From Malesherbes to Orléans takes about three days.
Leave Paris by Porte d'ltalie. Then Villeneuve Saint-Georges*, Evry*, Mennecy*, Ballancourt-sur-Essone, Boutigny, Maisse*, Boigneville, Malesherbes*, Pithiviers*, Neuville aux Bois*, Orléans.
*places with hotels/accommodation.
It is also possible to take a route through Etampes which lies on the 'historic' route. It is understood it is possible to walk along the Seine through much of the Paris suburbs. After 30k is Juvisy (cafés with rooms). You can then take local footpaths, PR's or GR variants the 30k to Etampes.
Etampes lies on the Roman road from Paris to Orléans and was an important Roman centre. The town has several ancient churches – Saint Martin (with leaning tower); Notre-Dame-du-Fort (Saint-Jacques pèlerin in a painting above the sacristy door and with bourdon and in sculpture above the south portal); Saint-Basile (the pilgrim church); and Saint-Gilles.
Accommodation and facilities
Hotel Europe et l'Escargot, Auberge de France, buses to Orléans and all town facilities.
From Etampes a local footpath GB 111 goes to Méréville (D49), an attractive historic town after 30km. Nearest accommodation - a simple hotel in Pussay, Hotel de la Place de l'Orme (tel 02 64 95 23 28). Parts of GR 111 follow the Roman road. From Méréville, it is 30k to Orléans.
Saint-Jean de Braye
The AEFH, a Mutual Aid Association for the Families of Handicapped People offer pilgrim accommodation, evening meal and spiritual support in the former Benedictine Monastery of Notre-Dame du Calvaire on the banks of the Loire, six km to the east of Orléans on GR 32. Contribution according to means. Address and tel:
Jacky Guillon.
Relais Saint-Jacques AEFH
Ancien Monastère des Bénédictines
65 Avenue de Verdun
45800 Saint-Jean de Braye
(tel 02 38 61 41 93).
From Paris, I began at the Tour St Jacques, which was covered in scaffolding and unapproachable. The café opposite was called the “A Saint Jacques” and did a good breakfast early that morning. From there you can see Notre Dame about 400 metres away, where you should be able to get your first stamp. This point marks the start of the “Lepère” guide, which is reliable up to Orléans. The way out of Paris outlined in this book is both safe and practical; has plenty of accommodation and facilities; it is in fact easy to follow and not at all as ugly as you might think. Indeed after 40km it becomes beautiful wheat fields.
I spent the first night at a Formule Une hotel just near Linas (36km from the Tour St Jacques). I went through St Sulpice de Favieres, Etampes (all facilities including camping), stayed a night at “Camping le Bois de la Justice” (has a website!) 1km outside Monerville, Angerville (shops etc), Toury (shops, restaurant, pizza parlour, small municipal camping), to Orléans.
Anyone departing from Paris, I recommend a stop at the Société Française des Amis de Saint Jacques de Compostelle. They are open limited hours, but I found them to have a wealth of information providing booklets on routes between Paris-Orléans-Tours or Paris-Chartres-Tours (guides are in French, but proved useful in navigating at times).
Société Française des Amis de Saint Jacques de Compostelle
8, rue des Canettes, BP 14
75261 Paris Cedex 06
Tel: 01 43 54 32 90
CHARTRES TO VOUVRAY
Page 1 - Thivars: Accommodation and facilities
Hotel-restaurant du Stade 15 Route Nationale (tel 02 37 26 4005).
Route along RN10:
There is a chemin de terre beside the road. Facilities:
La Bourdinère - Aux Sabots de Bois - refreshments (tel 02 37 26 60 57).
Vitray en Beauce -
Le Cyclone - refreshments (tel 02 37 26 60 89).
Church with box-pews.
Bon de Feugèles - Relais Routier - refreshments (tel 02 37 96 33 01).
Page 2 - Bonneval: Accommodation and facilities
Hotel de France (tel 02 37 47 20 53).
Hotel Le Point du Jour 71 rue de Chartres (tel 02 37 47 21 36).
Gîte in the old College - key from Mairie.
If Bonneval's hotels are full, there is farm accommodation at Trizay-les-
Bonneval, 6km to the north-west on the C5 and somewhat off the path.
Phone ahead to check availability of single night's stay.
Odile et Henri Gautron
'Girault'
28800 Trizay-les-Bonneval
(tel 02 37 47 23 51).
Marboué
About 5kM south-west from Marboué along small tracks/roads is Crépainville where there is a chambres d'hôte:
Mme. Allezy Monique
8 rue de l'Etoile
28200 Crépainville
(tel 02 37 45 37 44).
Page 3 -
Châteaudun: Accommodation and facilities
2 Gites:
les Grands Moulins" on the river at Saint-Médard (tel 02 37 45 40 08). Open Easter to All Saints.
Ferme de Mondoucet (Lycée Agricole de Nermont) (tel 02 37 45 19 65 or 02 37 44 60 60).
Open all year but in a village south of Châteaudun.
New road is now operational and there are no “wrong way" signs but the waymarking is still poor.
Saint-Denis-les-Ponts: Accommodation and facilities
Chambres d'hôte
Mme Michau Yves
Moulin de Vouvray
28200 Saint-Denis-les-Ponts
(tel 02 37 45 22 07).
Page 5 -
Fréteval: Accommodation and facilities
Bar-hotel Galop 1, RN157 near church (tel 02 54 82 61 13).
Page 6 - Meslay: No restaurant.
Page 7 - Vendôme: Accommodation and facilities
Foyer des Jeunes: Gîte d’étape Associatif 12 rue E. Branly
(tel 02 54 73 77 00). Reported not pilgrim-friendly.
Page 8 - Sign ETE has disappeared and this route is poor - HIVER route better to Mareilly church.
Lavardin -
2 restaurants:
Le Relais d'Autan (tel 02 54 86 61 33).
Le Caveau - cave near the castle.
Page 9 - Montoire-sur-le-Loir - Central church is Saint-Laurent. Church of Saint-Quentin lès Trôo is on the road to Trôo. Chapelle Saint-Gilles: Key at Café de la Paix or tourist office.
Page 10 - Church of Saint-Jacques des Guérets: If closed, key at M. Loyau, the Mayor of Saint-Jacques.
Prunay-Cassereau: Accommodation and facilities
Hotel des Voyageurs (tel 02 54 80 32 54).
Page 11 -
Villechauve: Accommodation and facilities
Chambres d'Hôte 'La Lune et les Feux' M. Laballe
(tel 02 54 80 37 80). Reported friendly and artistic. They hold the key to the church.
Page 12 -
Le Hémond: Accommodation and facilities
Gîte. M. Gosseaume (tel 02 47 55 09 36).
Villedomer: Accommodation and facilities
Said to be gîte facilities in the parish house, Maison Saint-Gilles, 11 rue Jean Moulin (tel 02 47 55 00 62).
ORLEANS TO SAINT PALAIS/GIBRALTAR
Page 15 – I recommend “Grand Hotel Orléans” €45, expensive, but close to Place des Martyrs & had a room available when I arrived (un-announced) on 14th July !
Lodging at the Auberge de Jeunesse in Orléans was relatively inexpensive. I recommend purchasing a LFAJ (Ligue Française pour les Auberges de la Jeunesse) card as it saved on lodging in larger cities.
Page 16 -
Beaugency: Accommodation and facilities
Hotel des Vieux-Fosses (tel 02 38 44 51 65) reported homely and reasonably priced.
Beaugency Youth Hostel is a long, hot 2km from riverside. I recommend riverside camping, just across the bridge, with good facilities, including an all day snack bar.
Youth Hostel in Beaugency was definitely out of the way and it is best to camp or stay somewhere in the town.
Page 18 – Blois – Hotel le Pavilion recommended. €30, great view of
river Loire, but a bit run-down.
- GR3 variante route recommended, as described in CSJ guide. A café
near the church of St Saturnin was open just before 6 am (a rare treat).
Page 19 - Chamont-sur-Loire - As you enter town, municipal camping here is right on the banks of the Loire River offering a nice pleasant place to rest (€4,75 with your own tent). The Tourism Office is located on the main road, rue du Passeur. As a habit, I recommend a stop in any tourist office to get the latest information on lodging, maps, food or anything you may need.
For provisions, there is an Intermarché in Onzain about 2 km north of the Loire River.
Page 20-21 - Amboise - Both camping and the Youth Hostel (€9) are located on Île d’Or, just a bridge-walk away from the town centre.
Amboise to Tours - I’m sure there is a safer route, but for those who wind up along the D751, turn right onto a side road before Husseau. Follow rue les Bourneries into Montlouis-sur-Loire into La Ville aux Dames en route to Tours.
Pages 23 to 25 - Tours - A leaflet in the cathedral says the Amis de Saint-Jacques meet on the first Wednesday of each month from 18.00hrs. to 20.00 hrs. in the Café Vieux Mûnier 11 place Plumereau.
Pages 26 to 33 - The CSJ Guide route as far as Poitiers -
The route of GR3 between Tours and La Chapelle Saint-Blaise has changed and now is as follows:
Walk near to the river Cher to Savonniènes. Romanesque/Gothic church, shops, hotels including Le Faisan 2 rue Principale (tel 02 47 50 00 17). Continue to Villandry. Accommodation - Hotels Le Cheval Rouge (tel 02 47 50 02 07), Le Colombien (tel 02 47 50 07 27) and all facilities. Follow the estate wall of the château, continue over the nearly-completed autoroute into Azay-le-Rldeau from the north and to La Chapelle Saint-Blaise.
Page 28 -
La Chapelle Saint-Blaise: Accommodation and facilities
Chambres d'Hôte, Mme Brand, 18 rue du Vieux Chêne ie.GR3 leaving
La Chapelle Saint-Blaise (tel 02 47 45 34 38).
Pages 28/29 - L'Ile Bouchard: Accommodation and facilities
Hotel des Quatres Vents in Saint-Gilles (tel 02 47 58 50 74). Interesting old coaching inn.
Hotel l'Embuscade is the former Hotel Le Pavillion Bleu on the island.
Hotel Beau Rivage is now closed down.
Chambres d'Hôte 'Le Moulin de Saussaye' - slightly north of Quatres
Vents (tel 02 47 58 50 44).
Chambres d'Hôte Mme. Ranger 14 Route de Tavant (tel 02 47 58 68 93).
Gîte d'étape at the camp site on the Saint-Gilles bank. Key at the Mairie (tel 02 47 58 50 15).
Lunch-time bus to Tours.
L'Ile Bouchard is minor place of pilgrimage in its own right. The Virgin Mary, known as Notre-Dame de la Prière, appeared in 1947 to four children in the church of Saint-Gilles. There is a Logis Notre-Dame near the church, which provides information (not accommodation) to pilgrims but is open only on Sundays and Feast Days. On other days, the nearby bookshop sells booklets about the apparition.
Page 30 - Richelieu: Accommodation and facilities
Hotel Les Mousquetaires (tel 02 47 5815 17) reported homely and reasonably priced. It may close for part of the afternoon but will re-open.
Page 32 - Lencloître: Accomodation and facilities
Hotel-bar-restaurant Auberge des Trois Pigeons (tel 05 49 19 44 00) is now 'des Trois Daguets" and very good and welcoming to pilgrims. There appear to be no other hotels in the area (which is very sparsely populated with few and small villages). Two possibilities are:
i Check whether there is a bus service between Richelieu and Poitiers via Lencloitre and Vendreuvre-du-Poitou - you can then stay in Vendreuvre.
ii Walk on from Lencloître to Vendreuve - some 40k from Richelieu.
The "historic route" from Tours to Poitiers along RN10. Any information about a safe and practical route is welcome. – at the exit from Tours, at the southern end of the Pont
de Sanitas, the “Véron” guidebook begins. Its route is reliable and pleasant
as far as Poitiers, where it rejoins the CSJ guide. Le Foyer Youth Hostel (€17) is just north of the Tourism Office and in a relatively centralized location (The Youth Hostel is not part of the LFAJ). Following the Véron route, I passed through Ste Maure de Touraine (hotels, bars, restaurants, camping). Municipal camping in Ste Maure de Touraine is southeast of the town center. On the way to the campsite, there is a Champion supermarket on the left side of the road. The tourism office can provide a town map. Sainte-Maure de Touraine to Ingrandes - If you pass through Maillé, there is a small bar/grocery near the church if you need to pick up provisions. The GR 655 is well-marked after la Celle-St-Avant. Note: Municipal camping no longer exists in Dangé-St-Romain despite what is published in the Véron and 2002 Lepère edition (2005 edition could differ). The tourism office recommended continuing onto Ingrandes for camping. Châtellerault, the most important town on the route is easily reached by train from Tours (or Poitiers - it lies between the two) and worth a visit, for pilgrims with time, for the fine sixteenth-century bridge across the river Vienne and for the church of Saint-Jacques. The former Priory church of Saint-Jacques is a twelfth/thirteenth-century pilgrimage church with, in the north aisle, a map of the pilgrimage routes through France and the Camino Francés (1981), a plaque of the Centre d' Etudes Compostellanes Chemin de Saint-Jacques and in the north transept, a seventeenth-century polychrome statue of Saint-Jacques with scallop shells. There is a matching statue of Saint-Roch in the south transept. Saint-Jacques appears as apostle in the frieze on the west front and in wood as a pilgrim above the trumeau of the main portal. In Chattelhérault I recommend the Formule Une hotel 1.5km before town centre – has supermarket and McDonalds close by. -Chasseneuil-de-Poitou - a refuge has been opened at the Camping Municipal, but it may be open in the summer only. |
Page 35 -
Thouars - Saint-Maixent
If your route takes you through Thouars and Saint-Maixent you may wish to know that:
i At Thouars is the church of Saint-Jacques de Thouars with a statue of Saint-Jacques Pèlerin inside - key from l'Ancienne at No 4 opposite.
ii Saint-Maixent has a good cycle shop - Garage Gilbert Courtois, 87 rue G.Clemenceau, 79400 Saint-Maixent (tel 05 49 76 13 42).
Parthenay-le-Vieux/Parthenay
This paragraph should read:
In Parthenay-le-Vieux 53km west of Poitiers along the RN149 is the church of Saint-Pierre where Aimery Picaud may have been a monk. Nearby is the ancient pilgrimage town of Parthenay where the rue de la Vau Saint-Jacques, entered by the thirteenth-century Porte-Saint Jacques, is as evocative a pilgrim street as any in France.
Museum at 1 rue de la Vau Saint-Jacques has a sixteenth-century statue of Saint-Jacques.
Auberge Jeunesse "La Mara", 16 rue Blaise Pascal. BP44, 79202
Accessible by SNCF bus, 45 minutes.
Page 35 – route from Poitiers to Lusignan no longer along, but now parallel to RN10. Much shorter and safe
Poitiers to Lusignan - Ask for directions in Fontaine-le-Comte outside of Poitiers. Since the publishing of the Véron edition, there are new development of streets and suburban homes. Once you’re out of there, it is fairly easy to navigate onto the GR655 to Lusignan. Be advise and save some energy, the town centre of Lusignan is an uphill walk.
Page 39 – Lusignan accommodation – campsite recommended – bar does snacks and is open all day. Beautiful location on meadow, next to river, with medieval town above.
Page 39 - Chenay - With some help, I was able to stay in the church auditorium. Stop into les Trois Pigeons for a stamp.
Page 40 – Melle – tourist office takes bookings for municipal gite (booked
up far in advance in summer). Office also has a pilgrim stamp, referring
to the three churches in the town.
- Municipal camping run by a nice old gentleman; 1km out of town, very shady,
reasonably clean showers etc.
Page 41 -
Brioux-sur-Boutonne: Accommodation and facilities
Hotels here may be closed. Municipal camping here is close to the town centre.
Page 42 -
Charente-Maritime -
The Conseil Général de la Charente-Maritime publish a free map of Les Chemins de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle en Charente-Maritime. Obtainable from:
Conseil Général de la Charente-Maritime
85 Boulevard de la République
17076 La Rochelle Cedex 9
Tel 05 46 31 70 00 Fax 05 46 31 17 17
www.charente-maritime.org
Obtainable also in tourist offices.
The map, scale 1:30,000 gives a footpath/track route from La Villedieu to Petit Niort just before Mirambeau which largely avoids main roads, especially the notorious RN137. As far as Pons, the route coincides in part with the CSJ Guide where the latter is on GRs or GRPs. From Pons to Mirambeau, the route crosses and re-crosses the RN137 - longer than the direct route along the RN 137 but still only 31 km. The way is well-waymarked with concrete posts bearing a shell logo at each turn-off.
La Villedieu - No restaurant or facilities other than Chambres d'Hôte Mme Bourdet (tel 05 46 33 12 95).
Pages 42/43 -
Aulnay-de-Saintonge: Accommodation and facilities
There is, and has been for some time, a well-hidden hotel here - Hotel-Restaurant de la Relais d'Aulnay both needed and recommended as cheap and friendly. About 350m along the Matha-Cognac road from the central square in Aulnay village (tel 05 46 33 16 77).
A second smarter hotel has opened - Hotel du Donjon (no restaurant) just off the main square.
The Curé, Emmanuel 0ré and his sister welcome pilgrims and keep a pilgrim register. Presbytery at 4, Cour à Madame in the town (tel 05 46 33 10 49).
The two hotels mentioned in the guide were completely full when I was there Friday 23/7/04. The only other option was to “wild camp” in front of the town hall, with absolutely no facilities. Otherwise, it’s on to Saint Jean D’Angely.
I highly recommend a stop in the Tourism Office in Aulnay de Saintogne. They can provide a stamp for your credential and an incredibly helpful map of the route through the Charente-Maritime region. I was also able to book a chambres d’hôtes with the assistance of an employee there.
Pages 43/44 - Saint-Jean-d'Angély: Accommodation and facilities
Centre de Culture Européenne (tel 05 46 32 60 60/70/90). Phoning ahead for the key necessary at weekends. The lady who runs the pilgrim office is Annie Milhaud. Accommodation reported as excellent with breakfast a possibility if there are courses on. Donations welcome. Safe bike storage.
I arrived in St Jean d'Angely on a Friday evening at about 7 pm and the Centre de Culture Européene was firmly closed up. The tourist office gave directions to what they said was alternative pilgrim accommodation, which did not in fact exist. The hotels I tried were full. I ended up (exhausted at 9 pm) where I should have begun, on the ever reliable municipal camping (2km from town centre) on a pleasant site, with good facilities and several bars etc nearby.
Page 45 - Le Douhet - Contrary to the Lepère and Véron book, the gite d’etape of M. et Mme Alliaud was no longer offered when I arrived on Saturday, nor was the mayor’s office opened. A local offered their home for me to stay, but I recommend either arriving on a weekday or continuing another 14km into Saintes.
Page 45 - If your route from Saint-Jean d'Angély to Saintes should take you throuqh Taillebourg you may wish to visit Saint-James, about 2km to the south on the D127 (DR7). The chapel of Saint-James is now used as a garden shed. The west front appears original, with a Maltese cross above the simple Romanesque doorway. The owner claims Saint-Louis was associated with the chapel.
Page 46 – route into Saintes – if following the CSJ guide, “at the end of the grassy bank”, do NOT turn right off the road, even if it seems to be waymarked. This would lead you onto the fringes of a private property, guarded by a pack of aggressive, large, unsupervised dogs on the loose. (I was attacked and bitten and lucky to get away with relatively minor cuts and apparently no rabies). Keep going straight along the main road into Saintes (you will see spires ahead of you); finding the tourist office near the “Arch of Germanicus” is not difficult and close to the bridge to the main town.
Pages 46/47 - Saintes: Accommodation and facilities
Seminaire at 80 Cours Genet (tel 05 46 32 60 60) offers pilgrim accommodation - no English spoken.
Gite d'étape spécial pèlerin, 11 rue Saint-Eutrope (tel 06 73 56 94 04). 6 beds.
There is a Youth Hostel centrally located in the square of l'Abbaye aux Dames (Place de l'Abbaye).
Pilgrim stamp also at Mme Bouresseau, 50 rue Saint-Eutrope. Stained glass window of Saint-Jacques in the church of Saint-Vivien.
In Saintes use the pilgrim refuge. It’s under an arch behind the church of St. Eutrope on the right. Hospitaleros attend between 1600 and 1900 on weekdays. Phone numbers to get in outside those hours were posted on the door. This is a real treat, the first pilgrim refuge on the route, with excellent facilities, clearly set up by people with experience of pilgrimage themselves. All shops and facilities very close (including a cheap, outstanding fast pizza parlour). Cost of refuge normally 6 euros (wounded and exhausted pilgrims accommodated for a second night). The hospitalera also provided a useful list of updated contact details for accommodation from that point on. (You could probably get this in advance from the “Amis Santaise”).
The Pèlerin is a great place to rest and has lots of information on lodging and contacts. There is also a volunteer by the name of Bernard Lomard who speaks English.
Page 48 -
Préguillac: Accommodation and facilities
Chambres d'Hôte 9 rue Sainte-Eulalie.
Butcher's shop is closed.
Berneuil: Accommodation and facilities
Hotel-bar-restaurant 'La Goule Beunaise" * may be Le Sporting under new management.
La Pérouge (Saint-Léger): Accommodation and facilities
Hotel Rustica in Saint-Léger about 5km north of Pons (tel 05 46 96 91 75).
Page 49 -
Pons:
Hospice de Pèlerins: The church is open only on Saturdays 14.00 to 17.00 hrs between 15th May and 5th September. Other hours by appointment.
Contact:
Européene d'Histoire et Archéologie
Eglise de Notre-Dame de l'Hôpital Neuf
B.P. 83
17800 PONS
The Hospice de Pèlerins is under restoration - you can just see the columns inside. Information about its future use please.
Hotel accommodation may be difficult in Pons. A cheap café-type hotel-bar restaurant with secure bike storage exists at Bougneau, 4km to the north-east on the D732.
Bougneau church of Saint-Pierre is twelfth-century with eighth-century Merovingian bases to the internal pilasters.
Page 49/50 – Pons –on the municipal campsite, the town council has set up an army tent with 4 camp beds, free to pilgrims. Uncomfortable, but handy. You could probably camp elsewhere on the site for free. Good site, quite secure. Super market and other shops etc. quite close.
Army tents are set up for pilgrims on the municipal camping site in Pons. However, at this point you should use the contact information provided at the Pèlerin in Saintes. In Pons, M. Richard provides accommodations for pilgrims, but you should call in advance.
Page 49/50 - Pilgrims thinking about walking along the RN137 beyond Mirambeau or at any point are warned that this is a VERY DANGEROUS ROAD with FREQUENT ACCIDENTS. Route from Pons to Mirambeau and Blaye now goes beside the main road and is both safe and direct. Use the “Véron” book.
Pages 49/50 - Pons to Jonzac - For pilgrims following the D142 from Pons to Jonzac rather than the footpath route described in the guide, there is the Hotel-restaurant le Vieux Logis at Clam, about 6km north of Jonzac.
- Mirambeau – bar opposite the church owned and run by an British couple – useful if you’re homesick by now! Hotels had rooms available (27/7/04). Campsite recommended – friendly and well-run, with an all-day snack bar next door. Swimming pool close by; church open most of the day.
At the municipal campsite in Mirambeau, Camping du Carrelet, a caravan is provided for pilgrims to stay (€10,00). The campsite is adjacent the tourist office and across the street from a supermarket.
Saint-Genis-de-Saintogne: Accommodation and facilities
Bar-Hotel-Restaurant du Midi (tel 05 46 49 83 41) has simple rooms and
welcomes pilgrims.
Mazion - Camping Las Tilleuls reported very pleasant, cheap and good value.
- most of the route from Mirambeau to Blaye uses a new cycle path, along a disused local railway. Hotel in Etauliers closed, although the bakery serves excellent bread/cakes/drinks etc.
- St. Martin-Le-Caussade – has a new, purpose built pilgrim refuge. Key
available from the mairie. A hypermarket is just 2 k further on, down the
main road to Blaye, which itself is only 2.5 k further on.
Check in at the mayor’s office to stay at the Pèlerin across the street. Accommodations are quite good, but I ended up in Blaye because the town is worth strolling and staying in, especially with camping in the Citadel. Also, staying in Saint-Martin means you will have to get up early to walk into Blaye to catch the ferry. Stay in Blaye and enjoy an extra 30 minutes to an hour of sleep. Check for departure times.
Pages 51/53 - Route from Jonzac to Montendre - Pilgrims following the D19 direct route rather than the footpath route described in the guide may wish to eat at the 'Au Sarment' restaurant at Tugéras Saint-Maurice (signed off the D19 about 2km to the east) which is the only restaurant in the area before Coux (about 6km further on).
It has been reported that hotels along this route may be closed out of season.
Pages 53/54 -
Saint-Yzan-de-Soudiac: Accommodation and facilities
Pilgrims are advised to check that the Hotel-bar le Central is open if they wish to stay there - there is some doubt that the hotel still exists. If not there are other possibilities:[Dots below represent gaps in the copy from which this transcription was made.]
i. Walk to Saint-Yzan-de-Soudiac and return by train to Montendre for accommodation. Take train back to Saint-Yzan to continue the walk to Blave described in the guide. Recommended only if you prefer a ……er walk as there is no particular reason to take this route.
ii. Follow the D253 south-west directly from Montendre to Etauliers ….. 'historic" route from Pons to Blaye, the N137, where there are at …….. three hotels (guide page 50). There is also a hotel (closed ……. s) at Cartelègue a little further on.
Page 54 - Saint-Martin-Lacaussede has pilgrim graffiti - inverted horseshoes as at Pons, baker and 2 good butchers.
Page 55/56 – Blaye– advertised accueil pèlerin with accommodation at “Couvent des Minimes” inside the citadel is non-existent. (I checked its location, the hotel next door, the tourist office and several locals). This doesn’t matter, since municipal camping is a bit special here. The site has good facilities, right inside the Vauban citadel, overlooking Blaye and with spectacular views of the Gironde estuary. Recommended for this reason, although, like all such campsites it can be crowded and noisy. For a slightly easier life, you should perhaps stop in the new refuge at St Martin Le Caussade. However, I doubt if there’s a more spectacular campsite anywhere than this one in Blaye. English is spoken in the tourist kiosk beside the ferry port.
Page 56 -
The "Historic" route - 5Okm:
Cubzac-les-Ponts -
Remains of Château des Quatres Fils Ayman with 9th century gatehouse.
Sainte-Eulalie - An 11th century church on the site of a Merovingian one.
Bourg - 13th century wash-house and town-gate.
La Bastide and Lormont - Documentary evidence of hospices in both places but no evidence on the ground.
Carbon Blanc - Some more hotels including Hotel la Juliana.
The "Historic route": pleasant cycle ride into Bordeaux:
Follow the right bank of the river Dordogne into Vieux Lormont from which there is a fairly well-marked cycle track beside the river which continues beside the railway and over the Pont Pierre into Bordeaux. There is then a cycle track westwards along the quayside almost to the Bordeaux tourist office.
The route into Bordeaux – here you have a choice. If you don’t mind
using the ferry, use it to cross the Gironde from Blaye and have a spectacular
ride, followed by a much shorter walk into Bordeaux, from the north-east.
- for those like me, who refuse any transport but their own feet, use the
“historic route” via Bourg (16 k from Blaye). The D669 is busy but not dangerous,
with verges and direct through to St. Andre de Cubzac (11 k from Bourg).
Page 57 -
Lamarque -
The ferry at Blaye was still running only 4 crossings a day midweek in
May - 7.30/10.00/16.30/18.30 hours.
Arsac: Accommodation
Auberge Arsac (M. Engrand)
Avenue Jean-Luc Vonderheyden
33460 Arsac.
(tel 05 56 58 82 22).
N.B. The accommodation, 5 apartments, is normally rented by the month.
Clos d’Arsac - small hotel near Arsac
Route de Soulac
33460 Arsac (tel 05 56 58 16 93).
Page 60 -
Bordeaux: Accommodation and facilities
Youth hostel in Cours Barbey (near railway station tel 05 56 33 00 70).
Another youth hostel is at 208 Cours de l'Argonne (tel 05 56 94 51 66).
Plenty of cycle paths in Bordeaux.
The most inexpensive lodging in Bordeaux was at the Auberge de Jeunesse. It is not in the best area, but does provide basic accommodation.
St André de Cubzac – 2 hotels, both with vacancies for good rooms (with T.V.) for 25 euros (29/7/04). supermarket, tourist office, market, shops, bars, pizza parlour and a bootmender (cordonnier) who was both open and helpful (he fixed my bootsoles, which then lasted to Santiago). It seemed to me that even those few pilgrims who walk from Paris take the ferry across the Gironde, avoiding this delightful town. I was recognised as a pilgrim and made welcome everywhere I went in town, a most refreshing ( and quite moving) experience, especially if you are used to the “pilgrim-weariness” you can sometimes encounter in Spain.
- route from St André de Cubzac to Gradignan is long (37km), but easy to follow, with a superb long bridge over the Dordogne at Cubzac-Les-Ponts. Plenty of facilities along the way (including possible hotel stops) and not at all dangerous at any stage, although somewhat dreary in the Bordeaux suburbs (not quite as bad as the approach to Burgos however).
Page 62 -
Prieuré de Cayac:
Gîte d’étape le Prieuré de Cayac
111 Cours du Général de Gaulle (tel 05 56 75 59 26 or 05 56 86 06 19 or M. Roul Jany 05 56 36 76 95).
There is a statue outside the Prieuré of a pilgrim returning from Santiago who has stopped to rest, inscribed to the effect that the Prieuré has since the thirteenth century, been known as a place where returning pilgrims are helped and offered the internal peace where one can reflect on the experiences of the journey.
The Prieure de Cayac was definitely closed (30/7/04), despite signs of restoration and a notice fixed to the door, declaring its reopening to pilgrims in April 2004 (neither fact a surprise by now !). Be sure to stop at the tourist office in Gradignan centre (1 k before the priory, to the right, in Gradignan main square just off Cours General de Gaulle). The tourist office gives a hearty pilgrim welcome and the keycode to the “Salle Gaston Rodrigues” which is the “temporary” stand in for the priory and is spacious, well equipped and much closer to Gradignan centre. Further update, July 2005: the refuge at Cayac seems to have been taken over by the municpality again, so the tourist office in Gradignan should be able to help you use it.
The Prieuré de Cayac was open when I arrived. I couldn’t find too many stores nearby except for restaurants, so I suggest picking up food on the way in.
Page 62 – the “Véron” book uses a 26km route to Le Barp. It is peaceful and avoids the RN10, but is extremely bleak with absolutely no facilities (this confirmed in 2005), almost nowhere to rest, hardly any houses. What houses there are seem to be guarded by large dogs, willing to bark at any pilgrim approaching closer than 500 metres. By the time you reach Le Barp, you will truly have experienced the delights of “Les Landes”. Recommended as the authentic medieval pilgrim experience. Aimeric Picaud was right.
Le Barp: Accommodation and facilities
Hotel Le Résinier may also have the key to the refuge.
(tel 05 56 88 60 07).
Stop into the mayor’s office in le Barp to stay in the gîte municipal. Calling in advance is recommended.
Belin-Beliet: Accommodation and facilities
Accueil Maison des Soeurs de la Sainte-Famille.
Tel Mme Lefitte (tel 05 56 88 00 89) or Mme Turbet-Delot (tel 05 56 88 12 64).
Accueil Maison des Soeurs de la Sainte Famille in Belin-Beliet was impossible to locate (although as I didn’t use a phone, I couldn’t check whether the numbers listed for contact worked). Some locals in a bar had never heard of it, others thought it had shut down (not a surprise by this stage). Municipal camping (1.5 k out of town on the road to Le Muret) is exceptionally dreadful (a damning judgement in France) and must be avoided.
Page 63 – Mons (3k off route from Belin-Beliet) – new gite d’etape, ask/phone for key at tourist office in Belin-Beliet. Take food with you, as Mons has nothing beyond the church and the refuge.
There is a very lovely and new gîte d’étape here. Stop into the mayor or tourist office for the key to the gîte d’étape in Mons. Stamp was provided at the mayor’s office.
- direct route as in CSJ guide is recommended as far as Le Muret (10k from the end of Belin-Beliet). RN10 has very wide verges until the parallel tracks begin.
Page 63 - Le Muret - The key to Chapelle San-Roch is at a white house. Turn opposite La Poste and the house is the second on the left just past the pottery.
Gite d'étape at Saugnac et Muret (tel 05 58 07 73 01), 3km from Muret.
- Le Muret – excellent campsite which has bar/foodshop and a cheap hotel attached, if you can’t face putting up the tent again.
Pilgrims choosing to follow the busy RN 10 are advised that they may be able to use parallel forestry service roads to avoid traffic -- but there are deep ditches and limited facilities along the road. (Hotels at Labouheyre, restaurant at Cap-de-Pin). It is indeed possible to use tracks parallel to the RN10 to get to Labouheyre. I walked parallel to the RN10 to Liposthey, avoiding the recommended route through Pissos and Moustey.
- Liposthey (10k from Le Muret) – has a roadside café (shut Sundays). A local family actually welcomed me into their house and insisted on giving me a hearty breakfast here, before showing me to the road out of town.
- there is a tarmac road (the D10) which goes to the left of the RN10, directly to Labouheyre (17km from Liposthey). It is a bleak, shadeless, featureless purgatory, but used by only 2 cars for the 3.5 hours it took me to walk it.
Page 64 -
Moustey:
Notre-Dame Museum of Popular Culture - open:
April - June and September - November: 14.00 - 18.00 hrs.
July and August: 10.00 - 12.00 hrs. and 14.00 - 19.00 hrs.
Pissos: Accommodation and facilities
Gîte d'étape - tel Mairie (tel 05 58 04 41 40).
From Commensacq you can visit Labouheyre, 8.5km along the D626 to
the west and on the historic route. The church of Saint-Jacques has
scallop shells surrounding the interior Renaissance west portal and a stone head of Saint-Jacques with a scallop on his hat peeping over the
door; and a stained glass Saint-Jacques Pèlerin in the central window
of the apse. Town known as the City of Sands and the City of
Souffeurs (bellows).
Accommodation and facilities
Hotel Le Brémontier, bar-hotel-restaurant l'Aubergade, Hotels Dahut,
l'Unic, shops, bars, banks, cordonnier, post office, SNCF.
In Labouheyre a family apparently now welcomes and accommodates pilgrims (see the website of the Amis Landais). 2 hotels (booked up in summer), restaurants (open on Sundays), bars, etc. If you need money, better get it from a bank here (or before), since there will be nothing but a small post office between here and Dax, or at least nowhere that would accept my visa card. Labouheyre also has a functional municipal campsite, 1.5 km out of town.
Page 65 -
Sabres: Accommodation and facilities
Auberge des Pins now a 3 star hotel (tel 05 58 08 30 00).
Le Relais de Sabres has no accommodation.
If accommodation in Sabres is full, there is the Chambres d'Hôte M.
Congaste at "Le Bois de Bise" at Luglon about 9km south-east on the
D327 though this is a little off the route for walkers.
Morcenx-Bourg.
Bar-restaurant Auberge Morcenais has been gutted by fire.
Rion des Landes.
The Curé Claude Lestage welcomes pilgrims.
Chambres d'Hôte opposite Bar des Sports.
Buglose: Accommodation and facilities
Hotel-bar-restaurant Les Pèlerins has no accommodation.
Nearest accommodation at Pontonx-sur-l'Adour on N124 5km east of
Buglose - 2 small hotels - le Central (no restaurant - tel 05 58 57 21 38)
and des Arènes (with restaurant).
From Labouheyre, I recommend using the “Péyroune” edition, or “Véron” via
- Escource (bar/café/tabac/epicerie).
- Onesse – bars shop, camping (with snack bar, but not welcoming to pilgrims).
- Lesperon – bar, hotel/restaurant (closed mon 2/8/04). I recommend camping
at “Parc de Couchoy” (3k out of town, well signposted). This is run by an
Englishman, who has a bar, can provide some food and cooks chips 3 nights
a week. It was expensive, but nice for a solo camper with a small tent.
There is a website.
From Lesperon to Dax, either the “Véron” or “Péyroune” guides offer a reliable route into Dax. Avoid the D957, which may seem a temptingly simple solution after Taller. This road is dangerous with heavy lorries thundering past the almost non-existent verge, on the way to and from Dax.
- Taller – has a café/bar/tabac (closed Tue 3/8/04 about 9am - by now, you will be used to a longed-for facility being closed at a perfectly reasonable time of day).
Page 66 -
Berceau de Saint-Vincent-de-Paul.
Acceuil des Pèlerins at the Centre Saint-Vincent-de-Paul.
-St-Paul-les-Dax - a refuge was opened here on 3 July 2004.
Page 67 -
Dax:
Cathedral Notre-Darne. The Apostles door -'Le Portail des Apôtres' is
the original fourteenth-century Gothic main west portal resited inside
the cathedral in the north aisle. Beneath the tympanum of the Last Judgment (the figure of Christ is missing) are the figures of the
Apostles. Those to the left include Saint-Pierre and Saint-André. To
the right are Saint-Paul, Saint-Jacques le Majeur (with scallops), Saint Jean, Saint-Jacques le Mineur (holding the baton of his martyrdom)
and Saint-Thomas.
Pilgrim stamp at the tourist office.
Maison d'Acceuil l'Arrayade, 26 bd. Aspremont (tel. 05 58 58 30 30).
Dax accommodation – maison d’accueil L’Arrayade strongly recommended. It is 3km from Dax centre, but still directly on the route out of town towards St. Pandelon. A clean room, shared facilities, coffee machine for €18. Dinner (good) €10 extra, breakfast free the following morning. Also a really friendly and helpful welcome. They even provided me with a map to help me get to Péyrehorade the next day.
Saint Pandelon – very friendly mairie with stamp, offering a welcome coffee to the visiting pilgrim.
Cagnotte: Accommodation and facilities
Gîte (tel 05 58 731 0 00).
Page 68 -
Péyrehorade: Accommodation and facilities
All hotels closed.
1 hotel (on the main square) has reopened.
Passing through Peyrehorade on Sunday, absolutely nothing was open as expected.
Sorde l'Abbaye.
The fine Abbey ruins (worth seeing) are open only to guided visits (in French only) every half hour from 15.00 hours to 18.00 hours.
Gîte du pèlerin
6 beds. 200m before the Abbey on the road from Péyrehorade.
Tel. M.Binquet (05 58 73 61 01) or Mme Fuertes (05 58 73 25 05).
The refuge in Sorde L’Abbaye is run by the outstandingly hospitable Mr. Binquet, whom everyone knows, so is easy to find. Take care not to arrive on a Wednesday afternoon, as I did, because the bar/shop/restaurant in the village is closed then. It’s a long 4.5 k back to Péyrehorade. Mr. Binquet provided me with food from his own house and garden, as I had none. The refuge is equipped in a basic fashion, but was infested by black rats, who were not shy and did not wait for nightfall before coming out to search the floors, tables and my bag for any obvious signs of food. There is coffee making equipment here. The guided tour of the abbey is very highly recommended. It’s given in French, but an English summary is provided. You will get a real sense of the history of the millions who have passed this way.
From Sorde, follow “Véron”, or “Péyroune” to Leren (about 5km). Café here was closed early morning. Here your troubles begin to end, as excellent, very reliable and unambiguous waymarking begins, which goes all the way to Saint – Palais, thanks to the “Amis Pyrenees-Atlantiques”. Go on to Arancou (claimed to have a café, but I couldn’t find it)...
From Sorde L’Abbaye I found no sign of commerce and was fortunate to arrive early enough in Arancou (at 11:00am) at the mayor’s office where I stayed for the night. A bathroom, bed and mattress are provided with your stay (€8,00), but a shower is off-site. If you are passing through, food can be purchased here.
The mayor’s office hours vary, but you may be lucky enough to catch them when they’re open. Otherwise, it’s about another 16km to Saint Palais.
... then Bergouey-Villenave (no facilities I could find), then you pass into the Basque country and on to Garris (3km before St Palais). Take a break here and enjoy it. You are about to enjoy the last 3km of peace and solitude of the “Voie de Tours”. In St Palais you will meet other pilgrims, join with the GR65 shortly afterwards, encounter reliable waymarking and a level of facilities which will make your journey from Paris seem like the purgatory before the paradise. You may well find yourself feeling wistful about the solitude, the closed facilities and the feeling of being helplessly lost……..
Page 71 -
Saint-Palais: Accommodation and facilities
Maison Franciscaine Zabalik, 1 Avenue de Gibraltar (tel 05 59 65 71 37). Double rooms with wash basin with communal showers and toilets and dormitory accommodation. Meals are taken with the Brothers. Safe bike storage in the cloister.
We believe that the Franciscan house in St Palais has now closed.
page 72 - Ostabat-Asme - The gîte d’étape maison Ospitalia was nearly full when I arrived. It wasn’t the most pleasant place to stay, but there are other accommodations as well.
Compliments and “bon chemin” from Chris (Christophe) Lawson, who walked this path from 10/7/04 to 5/8/04 and arrived in Santiago 29/8/04 - and is responsible for all the blue updates above. Thanks too to Olivia Lau (May 2005) and Peter Robins (July 2005) for further updates.
Our colleagues in t he Association Saintaise des Chemins de Saint Jacques have sent us this updated list of pilgrim accomodation between Melle and Roncevaux.
To contact them, e-mail: ultreiasaintes*aol.com [To reduce the risk of spam, we're removing direct e-mail links from this site. To use this address, copy it into your normal e-mail program, but replace the '*' with the conventional '@', before sending your message.]