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The French Camino: The First 8 Days

Reg Spittle 4 Comments
  • OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
  • Nap time
  • Waiting for a water refill.
  • Trailside break

Greetings from France’s Via Podiensis, a nearly 500-mile pilgrimage from Le Puy to St. Jean Pied de Port in the Pyrenees Mountains.

Eight days out of 42 now behind us, a roundup of happenings:

The stats: Guru Pro says we have come 129 miles (including some sidetrips) and have climbed 13,199 feet.

The place: The High Elevation Massif Central, undulating between 2,500 and 4,500 feet.

The weather: Hot! Highs between 85 and 95.

The land: Dense forests, ranches (cattle and sheep), farms.

The people: Lots! Each morning is a stampede out of villages, reminding me of the crowds on the Camino de Santiago during the final 100 kilometers. The crowds are supposed to thin considerably in a few days. We have met no one planning to walk the entire way. Most are here for five or six days. We hear that this is the most popular section of the French Camino.

Camaraderie: Yes! Pilgrim meals and wayside stops are where it grows. The vast majority of trekkers are French, but we have been surprised at how many people are willing or even want to speak English with us. In addition to many French people, we have gotten to know a couple from New Hampshire, two women from Sweden, a couple from Ottawa, Canada, an Irish woman, among others. A French philosophy student wanted to chat with me over dinner about political philosophy and American politics. (Poor Sue)

More about language: French, French, and more French most of the time. Sue and I do passably with a few basics, like ordering beer and food.

Our backpacks: At the last minute, we canceled our luggage transfer service, opting to carry everything in the same packs we have used for 10 years. I had a tough start, but I jettisoned some stuff, changed my packing strategy, and adjusted my straps differently, leading me to be able to walk more upright 🤓. Carrying all our stuff adds to the simplicity and is empowering!

The food: Tasty, but the dinners at mostly pilgrim meals have been heavy, served around long tables. Lots of meat (huge sausages, veal, shepherd’s pie, meat lasagna) and cheese everywhere. Some salads, but I long for a plate of steamed veggies. Croissants, yogurt, jam and baguettes for breakfast. We have found some yummy ham sandwiches (with veggies) to pack for picnic lunches.

Routine: The rhythm of the trekking life is addicting and such a live-in-the-moment existence. But boring? Just look at the slide show above, which represents just a sliver of what we have experienced.

Now Read This: Reasons to Stay Alive by Matt Haig

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I have joined enthusiastic readers around the globe in applauding Matt Haig’s books. He creates characters and stories with intriguing themes and compelling stories.

Reasons to Stay Alive is Matt Haig’s very personal story. He opens his heart and his mind as he describes his long battle with depression and anxiety. His book presents important realities about mental illness and overflows with strategies he has tried over the years. He writes that other people’s stories of suffering and survival have comforted him.

Here is a taste of the book’s topics:

Depressives don’t seek happiness; they seek to be free of pain. They feel like no one is going through what they face.

Anxiety added to depression can be a deadly cocktail.

Why do so many more men than women commit suicide?

Mental illness is just as much an illness as cancer, so don’t tell someone who is suffering to “cheer up.”

Travel and exercise can be antidotes to some symptoms.

The world is designed to make us feel like we need more, leading some to become depressed and/or anxious. Happy people are not good for the economy. The more we join the race to acquire stuff, the more it makes life speed by, effectively shortening it.

There are ways to slow down the mind and reduce anxiety. The book includes a list.

A thin skin is an enemy of mental wellness.

It is impossible to think just happy thoughts, but it is possible not to become the bad thoughts if you accept all your thoughts.

If you want to explore related books, Anxiety Relief by Russell Kennedy and Toxic Positivity by Whitney Goodman are two I have reviewed that complement Reasons to Stay Alive. Drop me a note or comment on this post if you have other books to recommend.