Le Puy Route is not Camino Frances

This topic has arisen on several forum discussion threads lately, so I wanted to describe some specifics here. By my count, there are at least 21 ways the Le Puy Route differs from the Camino Frances. The great pity is that walkers who begin their pilgrimage experiences by walking the Camino Frances — a popular piece of advice — then expect their subsequent experiences to mirror the CF. In fact, the CF is the outlier experience, and expecting the same inevitably leads to disappointment.

1. Fewer Pilgrims. The Le Puy route has about 10% the number of pilgrims as on the Camino Frances (CF).
2. Smaller Towns. This route traverses a very under-populated region of France, so the towns are quite small — and often getting smaller.
3. Fewer Towns. Again, this is a function of the very sparse rural population. The towns are spaced roughly 15-20 km apart, with only woods or farmland between.
4. Smaller Lodgings. With only 40-50 pilgrims a day maximum even during high season, there is not enough traffic to support larger establishments. The lodgings themselves are smaller, with maybe only 6-12 beds, and there are fewer of them. These tend to be seasonal, family-run operations.
5. Demi-pension. The most frequent practice is to take demi-pension. This means you will get a home-cooked French dinner, served family style with the other lodgers. Also, breakfast the next morning. This is popular for two reasons: there are often no other options in the immediate vicinity, and it is a wonderful way to meet your fellow walkers.
6. French Food. French cooking lives up to its reputation. Dinner will almost always be at least three courses, and sometimes four. Regional specialties are frequently offered. Sometimes dessert will be, or will be followed by, a cheese course. Salad often comes after the main course. Wine is included.
7. French Pilgrims. About 85% of the walkers are French, who will often walk in 2-week stages. Groups of friends are frequent.
8. French Language. Since so many walkers are French, French is the language commonly used. Lodging hosts will seat the English speakers together at dinner (this includes the Germans, Swiss, and Dutch, as well). Some guidebooks (Miam Miam Dodo for example) will indicate which lodgings claim English-language capability.
9. Less Pavement. About one-third of the route is forest trails, one-third is graveled farm roads, and one-third is paved, very lightly traveled scenic byways.
10. Closures on Sundays and Mondays. This is France, where the shops will be closed on Sundays, and one other day of the week, usually Mondays. (Although my personal experience is that they seem to close whenever they see me coming!) Also, shops will close for lunch from 12-2.
11. High Season is May and September. Because the winters are cold and wet, and the summers are very hot and dry, the shoulder seasons of spring and fall are the most popular for walking. May, in particular, is popular because there are at least three major holidays that the French like to turn into long weekends (anyone familiar with the American 4-day Thanksgiving weekend will recognize this phenomenon). May Day (May 1) and V-E Day (May 8) are fixed holidays; but Whitsuntide is a movable feast (following Easter). There are also local holidays such as the Transhumance.
12. Daily schedule. France, in general, operates earlier than Spain. Breakfast is served at 7:30. Lunch is served from 12-2 if one happens to be near a restaurant (but best to not present oneself after 1). Check-in at the gites is usually not possible before 3pm except by special arrangement. Dinner is served at 7:30. Lights-out is generally 10pm.
13. Call ahead. Since most lodgings are demi-pension, and Madame needs to know how many mouths to feed, so how many groceries to buy, the standard practice is to call a day or two ahead to make reservations. Stopping in at the last minute, expecting to be fed, is not the done thing. If your French language skill is not up to the task, other walkers, or your lodging host tonight, will help by calling for you. The local accent can make it difficult for even fluent speakers to follow, so having a local make the call for you is a good idea.
14. Closed in Winter. The winters are cold and wet, with snow on the Aubrac plateau, so there are few walkers. Some hotels in the larger towns will have a longer season, but the gites will often be open only from Easter to All Saints. (Easter is a moveable feast, All Saints falls on Nov 1). Additionally, there are school holidays in October, the dates varying by district. The guidebooks will list opening dates for lodgings, but these are not sacrosanct. For early (April) and late (October), as well as the extra-hot July-August, if there are no reservations, the gite owners will often take off to go visit family. These are generally mom-and-pop establishments, so there is no secondary staff.
15. Churches open. Since the towns are so small, and the walkers so few, the churches are generally left unlocked. Often you will encounter a local parishioner bringing fresh flowers. The cemeteries are always open, and almost always have fresh water (for the flowers).
16. Equipment Replacement. Since there are few major towns on the route, equipment replacement is rarely available. Le Puy, Cahors, and Sant Jean Pied de Port all have outdoor recreation stores; Estiang and Aire sur l’Ador may have some items. Guidebooks will list current options, but it might be a week or more between opportunities if you need something.
17. First Aid Supplies. The towns are few, and the pharmacies even fewer. Also, the closure days apply to these as well, unless there is an emergency. So be sure to take supplies for abrasions (“road rash”) as well as blisters, as a minimum.
18. Soap and Towel. This is France, so one does as the French do. Take your own soap and your own towel. This applies to laundry soap as well.
19. Clothespins. You will hang your wash on the communal clothesline or folding rack; there may be clothespins, maybe not.
20. Poles. The route often has steep sections that are quite stony; these can be very slick in the rain. Poles are useful and popular on this route.
21. Costs. A good daily budget would be 50 Euros: 40-45 for demi-pension and 5 to cover groceries for lunch. Any baggage transport would be extra, at 7 Euros per bag per day. Occasional camping-grounds or bed-only might run 15-20 Euros. There is usually not the opportunity to self-cater using Madame’s kitchen: Frenchwomen can be very territorial about their kitchens, and besides she is using it to cook for the other lodgers.

Given all that, there are still ways in which the experiences of the two routes are similar.

1. Euro. Both France and Spain use the Euro. French banks have ATMs. Cash is most common, but a few places take credit cards. Check your guidebook for specifics.
2. Cell/wifi. Cell service is widely available, and almost all lodgings will have wi-fi.
3. Transport. Baggage transport is generally available.
4. Guides. Several guidebooks are available in English, and several forums and websites have current information.
5. Supply. The towns are small and infrequent, so the food supply points are similarly infrequent. The smallest towns have already lost their bakeries, and small food shops adhere to the usual closing days. It is good practice to carry supplies for at least two days of lunch (three or even four if a long weekend is approaching). Occasionally a lodging host will be willing to pack a bag lunch, by prior arrangement.
6. Washing. Everyone washes clothes in the afternoon after arrival. Occasionally a washing machine may be offered. Drying is almost always by the outdoor-solar method.
7. Friendly. The French, both hosts and fellow-walkers, are very friendly and helpful. This helpfulness is improved by some basic phrases and a willingness to follow the French customs.
8. Scenery. This section of France has wonderful scenic vistas, with river gorges, rolling pastures, and forests. The terrain is hillier than the CF, especially the section from Le Puy to Conques.
9. Credentials. Pilgrim credentials are in use and expected. All lodgings, many churches, and some restaurants will have stamps.
10. Transportation. Rail and bus connections are available for the major towns. Le Puy has connections to Lyon. Cahors and Moissac have connections to Paris. Saint Jean Pied de Port has connections to Bayonne.