starting in April from LePuy

[Kathy Gower]

Greetings, Crystal,

I also walked from LePuy along the Chemin du St. Jacques, but I walked last
September.  I wonder if April is a bit early, given that the LePuy route is
higher in the mountains and most probably covered in snow at that time. It
is a bit more rigorous than the Camino Frances a I've done that one too, in
September.  My son Matthew walked in April, starting on the 12th from St.
Jean and he encountered some snow and lots of cold but good walking days.

I took about two weeks and ended at Conques, which is a wonderful stopping
place. THe town of LePuy warrents a day in itself, to see the cathedral and
the St. Michael's needle, etc. It is a lovely town,  the old part, anyway,
and there's plenty of places to stay from the convent to the hotels.

I walked alone, at age 54, and encountered no trouble whatsoever.  The route
is also one taken by walkers in general and there are many little gites that
have clean rooms and a meal for reasonable.  Nothing is as inexpensive as it
used to be, however. The refugios are well stocked and do also have guests
that aren't necessarily pilgrims on the Camino.  The area is a big nature
sports area.

Conques is also a town to stay for a day as the cathedral there is
magnificant and even still has paint on the front to give an idea of what it
must have looked like when it was a bustling pilgrimage destination in its
own right.

please feel free to contact me off line as I see you're probably in San
Francisco, too.

Kathy