Tips for walkers in France and other places

Tips for walkers in France and other places, that you won’t find in the Guidebook Charles Moody www. carolusperegrinator. com

Tip No. 13 • Beware of timed switches! or • Don’t get lost in a loo

Which road to travel? • • Chemin du Puy – most popular Chemin d’Arles – most rugged Chemin de Vezelay – lonely Chemin de Tours - most historic, eight UNESCO sites www. carolusperegrinator. blogspot. com

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in 2011 Arriving at Saint-Jean Number % % French Le Voie du Puy Le Voie de Vezelay La Voie de Tours La Voie d’Arles et du Piemont Total arriving at Saint-Jean 6, 645 832 975 591 73 9 11 7 70 45 45 36 9, 043 Leaving from Saint-Jean 39, 675 Beginning at Saint-Jean 29, 941 Arriving at Santiago 183, 366 http: //www. aucoeurduchemin. org 61 21 8 4

Getting to the starting point You will either get a mainline train direct from the airport, or travel on the RER (Réseau Express Régiona), and then perhaps the Metro, into Paris to one of the mainline stations. Getting to Gare Montparnasse (for Saint-Jean-Piedde-Port) • RER B to Paris Saint-Michel, then Metro 4 (direction Porte d'Orleans) to Gare Montparnasse Getting from the airport to Gare de Lyon (for Le Puy or Arles) • RER B to Chatelets des Halles, then RER A to Gare de Lyon

Tip No. 1 • The flight to Paris from Montreal arrives earlier (8: 30 am) than the flight from Toronto

Tip No. 2 • If you are using a Eurail pass, book your seats well in advance

Tip No. 3 • When validating your Eurail Pass at Gare Aeroport Charles-de-Gaulle, join the queue for RER tickets into Paris), not Grande Ligne tickets

Tip No. 4 • Take some cash in euros with you to use before you get to a banking machine

Accommodation (See the Miam Dodo) • Hotels • Chambres d’hotes (B & Bs) • Religious institutions (abbeys, monasteries, convents, presbyteres) • Gites Ø Prive Ø Chretien Ø Municipal • Auberges de jeunesse • Foyers de jeunes travailleurs • Campsites

Food • Do it yourself • Cafes and restaurants • Demi-pensions (half board)

Tip No. 5 • It is advisable to phone ahead to book (especially if you’re taking the demi-pension), often the night before

Tip No. 6 • Make allowances for weekends, holidays and jours de fermeture when you are planning your accommodation and your provisions. The place where you would normally pick up the key - the mairie or the Office de Tourisme, for example - may be closed when you arrive.

Tip No. 7 • Make sure that there is somewhere to eat or somewhere to buy food at the town where you are staying the night. If there isn't, you will have to buy it in the morning before you leave, or the night before, and take it with you.

Le chemin • Main roads (routes nationales, e. g. , N 16, and departmentales, e. g. , D 12) • Minor roads, (e. g. , C 24) • Farm tracks • Trails

Tip No. 8 • Walk on the left side of the road. It's better to see the cars in front, than not to hear them behind you.

Tip No. 9 • If you are following the signs, and get lost, go back to where you last saw one. This is hard to do, but it's safer and quicker in the long run.

Tip No. 10 • If you are following the GR (Grande Randonnee), remember that there is more than one of them, and that they cross from time to time. So make sure that you are on the right one.

Balises de Grandes Randonees

Balises

Tip No. 11 • Be wary of dogs

Signs on gates • Attention au chien • Chien mechant • Entrez a vos risques et perils

A curious sign • Attention au chien • Defense d'entrer • Bienvenue

Tip No. 12 • Watch out for electric fences

Tip No. 13 • Beware of timed switches! or • Don’t get lost in a loo

In a loo at a feminist gite • In the interest of hygiene and the comfort of all, Gentlemen, please remain seated at all times.

Gadgets • Camera • Phone – get a pay-as-you-go in Europe • Smartphone – only if you must have Internet connection at all times • Ipod Touch or tablet – Wi-fi is fairly common • GPS • Compass

Tip No. 14 If you take a Canadian smartphone, make sure that you sign up for a plan beforehand (e. g. , 50 megabytes for $125) • Set your data usage to zero as soon as you arrive • Make sure the telephone company has opened your phone for overseas reception

Tip no. 15 • When you've finished charging your North American phone or device, make sure that the adapter hasn't stuck in the socket when you've pulled out the charger.

Tip no. 16 • Devise a mnemonic to make sure that you haven’t left something important behind. (e. g. , Please God, where am I? Help a lonely traveller)

Notices in Gites • Please do not throw in the toilet. • Throw in the toilet only what they have to contain. • The house will be closed no later than 22 pm and will released every morning before 9 pm. • If you want to do a laundry, ask the dip pots of washing at the grocery store. • The grocery store of breakdow will be open around 18 h. • By measurement og hygiene it is interdict to empty chamber-pots into the wash-hand basins.

Tips for walkers in France and other places, that you won’t find in the Guidebook Charles Moody www. carolusperegrinator. com