Reset search
Walking France and Spain, 2024Walking France and Spain, 2024
SatelliteEdit route
A new walk in the south of France, another pilgrim route from Arles to Lodeve, then 10 days walking the Camino in Spain that we missed last year, on the meseta from Burgos to Leon. Looking forward to another spring walk with the green crops! Read more
Currently traveling
  • 21footprints
  • 3countries
  • 21days
  • 162photos
  • 1videos
  • 19.2kkilometers
  • 17.6kkilometers
Follow Calendar Share Bucket list
Date ascending
  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024

    Setting up and ready to go!

    April 9 in Australia ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    I think we are all ready - sorted, packed, clean apartment (reasonably) - and will set off tomorrow morning, first to Melbourne where we pick up the Qatar airlines flights to Paris. This is just a setting up entry, so that all will be ready for more exciting posts, and to remember how this works! Excited, well and happy!!Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    11
    Day 2

    Ah Paris, but not so gay…

    April 11 in France ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    We are in Paris…a smooth uneventful trip, and even had priority boarding and check in being Velocity gold, even though travelling economy! So we landed at CDG at 7.30, almost exactly 24 hours after taking off from Melbourne, all good so far, but the not gay Paris is because in the metro on the way to the hotel my passport and phone were stolen…and I was, unlike in Madrid last year, totally on my guard…it was crowded, but they were in my shoulder bag, zipped up, velcro flap over, and it was hanging in front and was very aware of it…just can’t imagine how it was possible, but when I went to take out my passport at the hotel found the bag empty…just a sickening feeling.

    Anyway, better than a hospital visit, and we went to the Oz embassy quickly as shuts between 12 and 2, and they were amazingly helpful and kind. I filled in forms and they understood I didn’t have license etc…on my phone, or know my passport number…they have all that anyway, and I can pick up an emergency passport tomorrow after 2pm!! Only lasts 7 months, and doesn’t have a chip, but fantastic - so that is the main problem sorted - we leave Paris on Monday, and I wouldn’t be able to fly back from Madrid without it…and will just have to live without a phone for 6 weeks…bummer - photos etc. we are both a bit paranoid now and I look on everyone as a possible suspect. A group of probably Gypsy girls tried it on on another metro ( they didn’t know everything was gone by then!) no success for them there, but it feels just horrible and can’t wait to be out of the big city. Can imagine these pickpockets will be out in force over the Olympics.

    After the passport operation we did walk and try to forget the problems and enjoy being here, but it has cast rather a blight on the day. It’s nice and coolish, my perfect temperature, and the spring leaves are looking lovely and the blossoms and tulips, so not all bad. We managed quite a lot of walking - by the end of the day about 15 kms. Stopped and had a drink at our favourite cafe near the opera, wine for Amr and Campari for me, and we shared a baguette with ham, cheese and salad, and had planned to go to a nearby bistro for an early dinner but have decided to call it a day and give in to being horizontal…Amr is already passed out I think and I will very soon be following.

    We have good plans, and more cheerful news tomorrow!    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    12
    Day 3

    Paris, and a much better day

    April 12 in France ⋅ ⛅ 23 °C

    Having crashed at 6pm (Amr) and about 7pm (me) last night, we both woke about 3am and didn’t get back to sleep, but had had good long sleeps. So eventually we gave in and were officially awake - looked at emails, did wordle, planned the day, and by the time it was getting light we went for a walk to find the police station as we had been advised by the embassy to file a police report for the theft. So that was a fun brisk walk round the neighbourhood where we hadn’t been before, quite cold to start, about 10°, and we found the police station but were told to come back at 9. So we wandered on, bought a pain aux raisins and a baguette, stopped for a coffee and returned to the room. Relaxed and set off again at 9 and a very nice policeman heard our story and recorded it all - his English was about equivalent to our French but we managed fine - he was really lovely. So we have an official report, and I think he sends some notification to the embassy.

    With that done, and the passport to be picked up today, we decided to calm down and begin to enjoy Paris. And we did! It was a beautiful day…a while ago I checked the long term predictions for Paris weather and it showed raindrops for the entire time we are here…well so far it was totally wrong…not surprisingly! So our plan was to go to the Musée des arts décoratifs which Amr had booked on line a while ago…entry was for 11am, so we turned up at about 20 to and joined a queue and found it only opens at 11, so we had to wait standing in the sun for quite a while…and not good for us as Amr hadn’t been feeling 100%, thought it was jet lag and stress from dramas, but standing there he felt dizzy and shaky…not good he bent down to help but wouldn’t go and sit on the grass…finally the queue moved and he felt much better, but once in we would have headed straight for the cafe but we found there wasn’t one inside the museum…so he said he was now ok enough to continue and see the exhibits which we did…interesting new exhibit of the history of the big Paris shops, and another of Iris van Herpen, a Dutch outlandish fashion designer…anyway we had fun and Amr survived so all good.

    After the museum we headed straight to a cafe where we both (even Amr! as a sugar boost) had hot chocolates and then over to a boulangerie where we bought yum baguette filled with chicken, avocado, salad and ate it sitting on chairs in the Tuileries. Just divine…trees with their new greenery, blossoms out, tulips colourful, children pushing boats on the round pond….

    After a lovely relax there, and Amr declaring he was restored, we got the metro to the embassy to get my passport….success! …I now have a valid emergency passport, which I will not be carrying with me again in a visible bag until I board a plane! After that excitement we returned to the hotel to have some R and R and unwind before we have dinner. We have a booking at a little place from last time, in the Marais, for 7pm, looking forward to that, and afterwards I think it will be straight home to bed!

    Now the report from dinner…Amr had a little nap during our downtime and we set off walking to the restaurant a bit after 6. It is light till quite late now, broad daylight when we walked back around 8.30 ish…anyway, had a delightful wander through the Marais where there are so many little eateries, and being Friday night they were all buzzing. Ended up at our place, Le Progrès, and had great meal till Amr started to run out of steam…poor thing, he has done such a stirling job holding up during our passport panics and sorting out solutions, but he is fighting a bug and for the first time ever couldn’t finish his beef tartare! A true sign he wasn’t feeling well. At first it was good. We shared a salad of barrata with tomato, rocket, peppers, pesto, just perfect, then he had the tartare and I had some skirt steak with salad and fries, really good. And a half litre of house red. Ambience great, but when Amr started to fade it was time to go back and he is now tucked up asleep, and very soon I will be too! Only just after 9.30 but we’ve lasted well, and it was a great day!    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    1
    Day 4

    Perfect weather - day of culture

    April 13 in France ⋅ ⛅ 25 °C

    A wonderful sleep last night - we both woke about 6.30…I can’t remember when I have had 8 and half hours without waking!! And Amr 9 and half hours, and he thanks all for messages and says he is now 105%!!

    Today we had bookings at the Musée d’Orsay and Pompidou which was sort of by accident on the same day, but worked well anyway. It is quite cold in the mornings, lovely, but warms up quickly and gets hot by afternoon, today and yesterday, so you spend the day peeling off layers. A perfect Paris Saturday, lots of people out and about, but not unbearably crowded. And surprisingly it was so easy to get into the museums…not mile long queues, just comfortable and civilised.

    So first we went to d’Orsay, amazingly uncrowded and pleasant, but when we went in to the special exhibit on the history of the beginning of Impressionism it was busier. Very interesting, and paintings of many original impressionists who are no longer well known or even heard of. Emerged from there, bought a Vietnamese baguette, yum, and sat in our favourite Place Dauphine to eat. It was also many other people’s favourite place, and more crowded than we’ve seen, being a beautiful Saturday afternoon.

    Now restored, we walked to Pompidou centre, and before starting on the art we sat in the cafe and had coffee/chocolate. The special exhibit there was works of Brancusi, a sculptor. Beautiful, simple…then we went into the modern art section. One special thing for us was the Christian Dior famous outfit from his first showing that we had seen on the Netflix series about him, The New Look! It was all good, but we felt done and wandered back for some downtime before dinner.

    After an hour or so, totally restored, we walked to Le Petit Celestin, a perfect bistrot where we went a year ago…our booking was for 7.45 and it was light and sunny and my memory of it a year ago was in the dark, cosy and wonderful…this time, still wonderful but everyone outside on the pavement as the sun set..(maybe last year it was before daylight saving??) great meal..we shared an entree of asparagus, feta, rocket, and for mains Amr had fish and I had kidneys, and we shared an ile flottante for dessert!! All perfect…now back and ready for another big sleep! My Apple Watch says I have walked 16 kms today, so we are in training for our walks!    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    Day 5

    Sunday in Paris

    April 14 in France ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    This is our last day here, with no commitments and no time deadlines…very relaxed. We set off a bit after 9, and found that the Bastille markets were on (they are on Thursdays too, but that was the disaster day and we didn’t enjoy it!) so that was a fun start, then we got the metro to Place Clichy to have a wander round Montmartre and Sacré Coeur. Another beautiful day, cloudy at first, then the cloud burnt off and it was sunny and warm.

    First we wandered through the Montmartre cemetery where quite a lot of famous people are buried…rather like finding needles in haystacks though, and the only notable one we saw was Hector Berlioz. Zola, Offenbach, Dumas…and others we didn’t find, but it was a very pleasant place to walk! Then we walked past the Moulin Rouge, many tourists and lines of sex shops and general sleaze! But when we ventured further, and up the hill it was much more pleasant, millions of cafes and being Sunday, lots of people out and about.

    We were high, but still Sacré Coeur was higher still, and we climbed many, many stairs to finally get to its heights. Again many cafes etc, but now just too many people to be fun. The was an enormously long non-moving line of people to enter the basilica and we weren’t going to join it…we have been inside before when all normal, so we cut our losses and made our way down, another way but many many steps (next to a funicular we now discovered!)….

    So we had a crepe sitting on a park bench, lovely, and then had a coffee and chocolate and felt restored. There was a metro entrance right there (Abbesses) so we headed in there, and had to descend a LONG spiral staircase down to the actual train line! Good walking practice today.

    Next we left the metro at Assemblie Nationale and walked up Blvd St Germain into the Latin quarter, and had a short respite in the little park next to hotel Esmeralda and St Julien Le Pauvre. Very pretty and soothing, and we checked the progress on Notre Dame…the spire is now back, but the roof all scaffolded. The front and towers look so clean, they look almost too new! It won’t be ready by the Olympics, but there is progress.

    Then home for downtime before dinner at Bofinger - fabulous Alsace restaurant we’ve been to before. It never disappoints, and Amr had their specialty of sauerkraut but with seafood (rather than the typical sausage accompaniment), and I had a wonderful dish of trout (from the Pyrenees) with fab veges - peas, potatoes, artichoke, asparagus and also clams, with a delicious sauce…yum…I resisted the calves liver as I’d had kidneys last night. So now about to crash, and tomorrow brings new adventures to unknown places…catching the TGV to Arles at 12.13 from Gare de Lyon.    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    1
    111
    Day 6

    Travel day, now in Arles

    April 15 in France ⋅ 🌙 18 °C

    This won’t be long, as it’s already 10.15 and am ready to sleep, but will record a great day! We walked from our hotel to the Gare de Lyon which was part of our walk for the morning, plus our venture out for coffee, but got our train which did leave at exactly 12.13! A very comfortable 4 hour ride through the countryside, stopping at unknown towns occasionally, except Avignon which was about 20 mins before Arles.

    Knew the hotel was not too far from the station, but the map did not show that the streets were medieval cobblestone narrow ways, and we have found ourselves in such an old historic place, just lovely…there must be a modern part somewhere, and we are right beside the Rhone which is big here, getting near the mouth, but we haven’t yet walked beside it. We have 2 full days here to explore and relax, and it is a relief really to be out of the big city, and look on everyone as a potential pickpocket….

    This town is also full of Roman ruins, but not just rubble. We knew there was an amphitheatre (we are staying at the hotel de l’amphitheatre) but it is huge! Looks like Verona, or even the coliseum, but we will explore all that tomorrow. Many historic sights, and the river..

    Just back from a beautiful light dinner, Amr already asleep, and soon I will be.    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    Day 7

    Beautiful day in Arles

    April 16 in France ⋅ 🌬 19 °C

    We are having such a busy but relaxed day. It is cool surprisingly, as it was hot when we arrived yesterday, and we bundled up jackets and thought we wouldn’t be using them till we returned! But today is cool and windy and temperature staying below 20°, so I love it. Occasionally the wind blows a cloud and 2 drops of water fall (you couldn’t call it rain) and then it blows away…mostly clear blue sky and sunny…a wonderful light!

    We set off leisurely after breakfast at a little cafe, and went to the tourist office to get a ticket to see the sights…good value - one voucher for 4 monuments and one museum! Anyway, we started with the cloisters of the enormous St Trophime church…cloisters always lovely and these were good ones. Next we went on to the Roman Theatre. This is actually an amphitheatre and very impressive, with lots of columns and fallen rubble as well…but it is not to be confused with l’Amphitheatre (les arènes) which is the enormous coliseum-like structure! We have yet to have an official visit to this one.

    After the Theatre, Amr thought we should work out the walking route and find where we walk out on Thursday…always a good idea, especially at the beginning of a walk. The map showed some camino signs along a route, and GR signs, so we started looking and did work out the route, but there is never great signage in towns, we did see a few, and we were happy to work out the start. It begins with crossing the Rhône, which at this stage is huge.

    Then, walking back and along the river a bit, we came across another site we wanted to visit, the baths of Constantin…more Roman building…this city is like walking back in time, the slightly crumbling buildings, narrow streets - the only vehicles that venture in this part seem to be delivery vans, and they take up the whole width. The nice thing is that while it obviously attracts many tourists, it is a working town with real people, not just geared for tourism.

    We also popped into the Musée Réattu which was interesting… Réattu did neoclassical paintings and it has other varied more modern works…just a quiet interlude. Then we had lunch…saw a Spanish place that had tapas and was just what we felt like, small plates so we can be hungry for dinner (where we have already decided on!)…that was great..chick peas, octopus, chiperones, until Amr had to fight paying the bill…luckily Amr is on the ball, and when he said a large amount Amr queried and asked for itemised bill and he then said he thought we were a different table…a bit sus…and then had to have cash as the machine wasn’t working!!! Reminded us of Sicily! In the end, I think he charged too little in the confusion…serves him right!

    …Well, now back from dinner. After the last write up we met and went into the Amphitheatre …it is big and has metal work that at first we thought was scaffolding, but realised now it is seating, as the arena is used for bull fighting, and also concerts in the summer. Walking around in it is rather similar to the Coliseum, and there are fabulous views from the towers (that were added in the Middle Ages).

    Then Amr decided it would be good to visit Avignon tomorrow seeing we have conquered Arles, and it is a 17 minute train ride. So with that in mind he made a pilgrimage to the laundromat he had already sussed out and we are clean! (It had been planned for tomorrow, the last day). Now we are back from a really nice dinner. We had chosen 2 places for these 2 nights, and the first one was full so we booked for tomorrow, and went to the other - lovely food - Amr had the daily plat which was a chicken sausage thing with delicious sauce, and I had a cod risotto with amazing sauce and lots of vegetables through it, and a great local wine. They have wine in 500 ml bottles which is so perfect for us!

    There is another tragedy that I must report, and Peter and Simon if you read this will sympathise…Amr can’t find his hat…it is a beautiful Borsalino and we know it was in the train, so not left in Paris, but since then a blank…maybe he took it off in the church we visited yesterday, or maybe on the train….so upsetting, and he needs it for walking too..he says he’ll just use sunscreen, but I know he is mourning… Good night.    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    11
    Day 8

    Now a day in Avignon

    April 17 in France ⋅ 🌬 17 °C

    Another cold and beautiful day and we spent it in Avignon. The weather forecast said rain in the morning in Avignon (even though cloudless here) so we put our little umbrellas in Amr’s bag, but of course it never rained! Got the train and arrived a little after 10. I had feared the station was a bit away from the hub of the town, but was right beside it, and all was easy. Headed straight to tourist information and got a map and advice, and tickets to the 2 main things we wanted to see…the Pope’s Palace and the Bridge - the famous pont d’Avignon from the song!

    Avignon is a lovely city, like a larger version of Arles, and busier and with more sightseers and buses coming to the enormous Pope’s Palace. They had moved there from Rome between the 1200s and 1500s I think (I must now read up the finer details that I missed in translation).

    Anyway, after a wander through the streets following a walk recommended on the map we went to the Palace, set high and is SO tall it is hard to photograph. Inside we went through enormous rooms, but all bare now, just impressive size, though some still had painting on the walls (but not allowed to photograph those). You get given a tablet to dangle, rather awkwardly, round your neck to scan in the rooms and it comes up with a description…much less simple than reading a sign, but being up to date I guess…so that was fun, and these buildings - there, and the Roman ruins - are giving us very good practice in climbing many stairs, and even our hotel is up 2 floors with steep stone steps, so hopefully we’ll be in good form for walking tomorrow.

    We then sat in the main square and had coffee/chocolate, and walked on to the famous bridge which was nearby. I hadn’t realised it was not a functioning bridge, but a relic to visit, but the part still standing is very handsome and restored. Building it was an ongoing process over the centuries and there were many conflicts, even wars, about who owned it and who should collect the taxes for crossing it! Quite a history. We have a photo of us both on the bridge looking towards the Pope’s palace taken by a nice Swiss woman (we have become very wary of anyone touching our phones - actually just Amr’s now, the only one)…

    After the bridge we really needed to eat so we then looked for a boulangerie, as we had already, before the palace, been to the wonderful market and bought cheese - for today, and for walking lunches. So we got a crunchy fresh baguette and ate it with some Conte in the park in the sun. Can’t believe I actually want to find a seat in the sun!! And we had fleece and jacket on all day. Quite windy as you can see from my hair standing on end in photos. We stayed there, reading kindles and content, till time for the train back.

    ….Just back from a superb dinner at a restaurant recommended by the hotel, that we booked as couldn’t get in yesterday…and tonight was also totally full by the time we left. But first on arrival back from Avignon we sorted out a bit, then had a drink at a nearby bar where the lady there remembered I wanted Campari with orange…nice to be remembered!

    Then we went to the restaurant and had such a delicious dinner…shared a salad to start, we both had a fish main - mine was salmon with soy, piquillos, cannelloni type beans, cashews..amazing combination and so good, Amr’s was another fish with equally delicious sauce - with tapenade…and we shared an apple dessert, baked, caramel, ice cream…a half litre of local red wine…all perfect.

    And another piece of good news - already the travel insurance has accepted our claim for stolen passport and phone and is paying cost…wow..excellent efficiency, and credit to Amr for getting all the required documents!    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    Day 9

    Now in St Gilles - first day completed!

    April 18 in France ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    We are here, we made it, we walked 21 kms, and all is well! We are so happy, it was a great day, feet a little tired, but after a beer and check into hotel we feel really good. And it is one of the chain of hotels in France where we have experienced lovely dinners, so we are hopeful!

    We set off some time before 9 am I think, and followed the route that we had worked out from Arles, but happily we found that the red and white GR signs continued well, and it was easy to follow the correct path..phew…once we were clear of Arles, it was a flat walk through pleasant countryside, partly a parc naturel, and as we approached St Gilles many vineyards, nothing spectacular…but is was perfect to be a flat walk for the first day, and we managed the 21 kms no problems.

    It was still cold, and I can’t believe it but we both wore all our layers the whole walk! There was quite a strong wind that kept us cool, which was good, and it was mostly sunny except once a cloud gathered over us and a few drops of rain came down, just for a few minutes, then back to sun. And I realised I had forgotten to unearth my hat from my bag…and I felt the sun burning my scalp!! My hair isn’t as thick as it once was…have pulled it out ready for tomorrow.

    Stopped for a lunch break about 12 - had our usual baguette, cheese, apple and chocolate…and just as well we had supplies, as the settlements we saw on the map were not villages, just farms! St Gilles is the first town we have come to…and it seems very pleasant…on a canal from the Rhone, and we crossed the Petit Rhône at one point, one of the two branches of the Rhône delta, and looked as wide as the main river we saw in Arles.

    Arrived here before 2.30 so lots of time to unwind…our room was ready and all is good.

    We have now had a reconnoiter around the town, and worked out our exit route tomorrow - avoiding a tricky GR sign, that was for the GR700 which could have set us off course! The town is just full of camino signs and markers…unlike Arles where this route officially starts, all along the pavement there are Compostelle tiles that led us to a huge church, which had an exhibit of all the French pilgrim routes (which we have taken most of them). But it is not a hugely used path…Along the route today we only saw one other couple of walkers, and quite a few cyclists. And I have decided that this constant wind is the mistral…have looked it up and this is when it blows, especially between winter and spring, and in the Rhône valley and exactly here. At least it is stopping us get hot and sweaty!

    After exploring we stopped for a coffee/chocolate at a bar, then went to a wonderful shop we’d seen with cheeses, charcuterie, wines etc all tantalisingly displayed, and had a glass of local wine. Now downtime till dinner.

    Dinner great…melty brie with salad, guinea fowl with amazing sauce, île flottante…and local red…    Read more

  • TravelerWalking France and Spain, 2024
    111
    Day 10

    Now in Montpellier

    April 19 in France ⋅ 🌙 14 °C

    It’s already 9.30 and I haven’t started to write up the day…I usually like to start when we arrive after walking…but today was different, as we walked the 17+ kms to Vauvert, then were taken by taxi on to Montpellier. This was planned by Chemins de France, not just for us because we are old and decrepit! ..but to eliminate the boring part of walking into a biggish city…and it suits us fine! And the almost 20 kms we walked were quite enough.

    So we set off as usual a bit before 9, and had a just beautiful day of walking…much more picturesque and interesting than yesterday…lots of agricultural interest…we passed almond orchards, peach and apricot orchards, pig farms, sheep with spring lambs, and of course many many vineyards. At first it was flat, and we had a lovely walk along a canal, and after lunch we started to undulate, and even had quite a few ups and downs, and by the time we arrived at Vauvert we were happy to stop.

    We had found out what the orchards were by using an app, which I had put on my phone for that very purpose so that I would not have to annoy Amr by making him do it…but with no phone he is very patiently doing it, and I love to find out…at this stage the fruit a are tiny and hard, and not coloured…we also found peas…such fun! It was cool at the start, but not as cold as yesterday, so I started without a fleece, just jacket and t-shirt, and it was good, and got quite hot by the end, but enough breeze to maintain comfort. And not a cloud in the sky! But Tallie, the lovely Vaseline rosy lips lip balm I love does not have sunscreen I have realised, and my bottom lip is quite burnt!! It is made for English lips! I realised it intensely while eating a peppery pasta at dinner!

    Anyway, we were to meet Cyril, the taxi man, at 4pm in front of the church. We arrived about 2.30 or so and Amr rang Cyril and he came as soon as he could, before 4…and he drove a big black Mercedes, almost a limo, which could take at least 6 people in comfort, and were offered chilled mineral water…! Very comfortable journey along to Montpellier, which was about 40 kms.

    We were delivered to our Hotel du Parc, a sweet little hotel, but not in the centre, so after briefly unwinding we set off to find what happens here. Not very far to walk to where it is all happening, and thank goodness Amr is good at keeping directions in his head! We first passed the enormous cathedral where we lit a candle for Ira, and hope that will help her walk after her knee operation. Then round a bit, had a drink in a sunny popular square (by this time it was getting cool, and I WANTED to sit in the sun!! )…then quite early, about 7.15 we went to an Italian place we’d spotted and had comfort food…I had gnocchi Gorgonzola with walnuts, Amr had spaghetti aioli pepperoncini and a big rocket salad and a glass of red.

    Now clean and about to crash (I have to keep stopping Amr from crashing, so he can edit this )…tomorrow, we are advised to get the tram line 1 to the Euromedicine Parc stop, to get out of the city to walk to Montarnaud, about 20 kms…but there was a problem with the hotel there, and we are again being picked up by Cyril and brought back here (so we can leave stuff unpacked here…2 nights, then on Sunday morning he drives us back to Montarnaud where we continue as normal!!    Read more

  • 2024© FindPenguins
  • Home
  • About us
  • Blog
  • Group Tracking
  • Press
  • Terms
  • Privacy Policy & Cookies
  • Support
  • Legal notice
  • English