Well I learn new things every day! I'm now considering a completely different way of getting to Le Puy-en-Velay. My original plan was to take the train, but twice recently I've heard of a ride-sharing option--BlaBlaCar. According to one of my sources, BlaBlaCar is even proposed automatically in some cases by the SNCF (France's national railroad company), who recently purchased the BlaBlaCar app from its tech savvy developer. Apparently this Paris-based service helps match up drivers and passengers for long trips across Europe. I checked the website today, and there is a car going from Paris as far as Tence, which is fairly close to Le Puy, so I might just wait and see what's available when I get to Paris.
And I also just read a frantic posting on the Facebook page of the American Pilgrims on the Camino [APOC], that non-profit organization whose objective is to "foster the enduring tradition of the Camino" by promoting communication within the community of North American [i.e. U.S.] pilgrims, written by someone leaving for Spain to walk the Camino Frances in a week, who had been procrastinating, and wanted advice on what to pack. Most people seem to do considerable planning, some YEARS in advance, so this surprised me. On the other hand, you can practically go with the clothes on your back, provided you have comfortable walking shoes, as most of the "stuff" can easily be bought in Spain. I suppose the same can be said of France, so I shouldn't be worrying. [I've been concerned about the variations in temperature]. I do remember that many, many years ago, when I did a 3-week language program at the University of Caen, the temperature dropped in mid-September, and I had to buy a sweater--no big deal.
View from Sugarloaf Mountain
And in looking at a French pilgrimage site, RadioCamino, I read a discussion about taking an alternate route at the beginning of the Via Podiensis from Le Puy-en-Velay, going through the small but interesting hamlets of Bains and Fay, with their own pilgrimage history. Apparently there is frequently a volunteer that hangs out at the junction of this route, trying to entice pilgrims to travel via Bains, but the negative is that it is an alternate route and not as well traveled or as clearly marked at the more popular route. It is tempting from the site, but I’ll probably stick to the GR65 for these reasons alone.
Le Puy – Monistrol par le chemin historique
The church in Bains
Apparently this church, dedicated to Sainte Foy, was built by architects from Conques at the same time as two well-know churches in Spain along the Pilgrimage Route, the Church of Saint Mary of Eunate, and the Church of San Miguel in the village of Olcoz, according to an article I read in the French pilgrim website
Compostella.
If I understand the article correctly, the same 12th century master did the portals of the three churches and there is a motif of a pilgrim in all three portals with the pilgrim in different stages of his journey in each one—the pilgrim starting his journey in Bains, continuing on in Eunate and ending his journey in Olcoz.
In the meantime, much has been going on chez moi. I have had my basement tiled, the staircase leading down to the basement re-carpeted twice (since Lowes ordered the wrong carpet and it had to be re-done), and now my watch-GPS is missing. It's probably under a pile of papers somewhere but I can't put my hands on it right now. Too bad--it would have been nice to have but unless it manages to show up before I leave on September 24th, it looks like I will have to do without it.
The missing GPS watch
And in addition to the hikes, I've been doing dog walks with several small dog walking groups from time to time. The idea is socialization, which mine desperately need. Today we did Black Hills Regional Park, in Boyds, MD, which has the added attraction of a 1/2 acre dog park. I'm not sure what "the facility also includes a bluestone dust surface" [in reference to the dog park] means--all I know is that I looked like the Peanut's character, Pig-Pen, when I left, as I was so covered with dust. . .
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| Jacques and Zoe at play |
