Timing for Pilgrimage

[Carol Bradley]

        I am sitting here on the northeastern part of North America looking out at
white blizzard conditions and a windchill factor of -38 (where the Celsius
and Farenheit scales converge, I think), and I must say the idea of some
green grass and flowers sure sounds good to me: I'd do my pilgrimage
starting around Easter time if I had a choice.....on our car trip in April
1999, we found almond trees in flower along the route, hedges of calla
lilies in bloom in Galicia, calendulas in bloom (a summer flower) and
lilacs, daffodils (those tiny little wild ones that are just trumpets),
other delights that were two months yet to come here!
        Also Easter is a major holiday and pilgrimage time in Spain, so the
cathedral was full of Spanish people: it was very wonderful to see the
pride taken in their saint. Galicia is green and damp at that time of year,
but I think that would be better than the heat of summer.
        Weighing in on how to return from Santiago: flying in and out of Madrid or
Paris sounds best for North Americans.....
        Has anyone on this list followed the route right through France, from
Vezelay??