Tentative Itinerary for my Long Camino

It is said that no plan survives contact with the enemy¹. To this I would add that no plan survives contact with the Camino. Nevertheless, and with some sense of trepidation, I offer here my plan for my “long Camino”. This is a total of 65 days walking (plus a scheduled Zero day in Burgos). Some days are short/half days.

A buffer of several days is built in at the end to account for unexpected Zero days due to fatigue or injury or someplace so spectacular I need to spend a day exploring it.

There are few notes for the Spanish section, as we’ve walked that before and have a vague idea of what to expect.

Place names in CAPITALS have a population of more than 2500. An asterisk (*) following indicates a population of more than 10,000. Place names in bold indicate that I’ve already booked a place to sleep there.

To Begin

Date	Start	End	Notes
Tue, Aug 15, 2023	SEATTLE	Fly to LYON*
Wed, Aug 16, 2023	Train	LE PUY-EN-VELAY	Arrive in Lyon. Take train to Le Puy. Arrive in Le Puy and SLEEP.
Thu, Aug 17, 2023	LE PUY-EN-VELAY	LE PUY-EN-VELAY	Zero day: adjusting to time change and exploring Le Puy. Get credencial/stamp in Cathedral.

The Via Podiensis in France

Stage	Date	Start	End	KM	Region	Notes
1	Fri, Aug 18, 2023	LE PUY-EN-VELAY	Saint-Privat-d’Allier	23.5	Velay	Pilgrim Mass begins at 7am, and then it’s out the door and walking! Uphill most of the day, with the descent happening over the last 4km.
2	Sat, Aug 19, 2023	Saint-Privat-d’Allier	Saugues	19.0	Velay / Margeride	One of the most challenging stages of the whole walk. Down into a river valley, and then back up again. Lunch in Monistrol (bottom of valley) is the last café until Saugues, so stock up on snacks and water. Museum of the Beast in Saugues!
3	Sun, Aug 20, 2023	Saugues	Domaine du Sauvage	19.5	Margeride	A whole lotta uphill. Domaine du Sauvage is a farm complex in the middle of nowhere (originally a Templar commandery) and MUST be reserved (demi-pension).
4	Mon, Aug 21, 2023	Domaine du Sauvage	Aumont-Aubrac	28.2	Margeride	Stock up at Saint-Alban-sur-Limagnole (lunch), because the next grocery is in Aumont-Aubrac.
5	Tue, Aug 22, 2023	Aumont-Aubrac	Nasbinals	27.3	Aubrac	No support today. Stock up at Aumont-Aubrac, because the next grocery is in Nasbinals! Nasbinals is the largest town in the Aubrac region, with a population of 525. Long but relatively easy day.
6	Wed, Aug 23, 2023	Nasbinals	Saint-Chély- d’Aubrac	16.5	Aubrac	No support today. Afternoon descent.
7	Thu, Aug 24, 2023	Saint-Chély- d’Aubrac	Saint-Côme-d’Olt	16.0	Aubrac	No support today. Stock up at Saint-Chély-d’Aubrac as there is no food available until end of day. A long downhill trek.
8	Fri, Aug 25, 2023	Saint-Côme-d’Olt	Estaing	21.3	Lot River Valley	Today’s route is a UNESCO World Heritage site. Elevenses in city of ESPALION.
9	Sat, Aug 26, 2023	Estaing	Espeyrac	22.8	Lot River Valley	Stock up on food and full water in Estaing, as there is NOTHING until Golinhac, which is 14 km into the day. Long, steep morning climb. A late lunch in Golinhac, then a descent into Espeyrac.
10	Sun, Aug 27, 2023	Espeyrac	Conques	12.5	Lot River Valley	Use caution on steep descent into Conques. With any luck, a half-day to explore Conques. Stay at the abbey.
11	Mon, Aug 28, 2023	Conques	Livinhac-le-Haut	25.8	Lot River Valley	A strenuous day with a steep morning climb. Late lunch (?) in city of DECAZEVILLE.
12	Tue, Aug 29, 2023	Livinhac-le-Haut	FIGEAC*	24.4	Quercy	Today’s route is a UNESCO World Heritage site. FIGEAC is the largest city so far. Try to get here early, as there is an Egyptian museum and a Templar Commandery as well as two churches worth visiting.
13	Wed, Aug 30, 2023	FIGEAC*	Lacapelle-Marival	22.8	Quercy	Climb up to the Causset de Gramat, a limestone plateau, on the GR6.
14	Thu, Aug 31, 2023	Lacapelle-Marival	GRAMAT	24.0	Quercy	Note that there’s a shortcut along a more traditional route which, if needed, will cut today to 21.6km. In either case, this is an easy walk.
15	Fri, Sep 01, 2023	GRAMAT	Rocamadour	12.4	Quercy	Short walk, with half a day to explore this ancient Marian shrine. Stock up on food, as there’s nothing tomorrow until Mountfacucon, some 20km into tomorrow’s walk.
16	Sat, Sep 02, 2023	Rocamadour	Labastide-Murat	25.5	Quercy	Follow the GR46 towards Vers. A sharp ascent out of Rocamadour. No services for the first 20km. Stock up for tomorrow, as there’s nothing.
17	Sun, Sep 03, 2023	Labastide-Murat	Vers	24.2	Quercy	No services, other than water. Be sure to bring food!
18	Mon, Sep 04, 2023	Vers	CAHORS	16.3	Quercy	An easy walk, with half a day to explore CAHORS is the largest city of the Quercy region. Old city and domed Romanesque cathedral are not to be missed.
19	Tue, Sep 05, 2023	CAHORS	Lascarbanes	23.5	Quercy	Short but wicked steep climb out of CAHORS – stairs! This is the last bit of strenuous terrain until the Pyrenees. Not a lot of support today.
20	Wed, Sep 06, 2023	Lascarbanes	Lauzerte	23.8	Quercy	Montcuq is a good spot for second breakfast / early lunch and has a beautiful Gothic church.
21	Thu, Sep 07, 2023	Lauzerte	MOISSAC	27.1	Quercy	No food or water after Dufort (mid-day), so pack well. Vespers at abbey.
22	Fri, Sep 08, 2023	MOISSAC	Auvillar	21.5	Gascony	Along the Garonne Canal. September 8 is the feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
23	Sat, Sep 09, 2023	Auvillar	LECTOURE	32.8	Gascony	Long, but lots of towns and villages. LECTOURE Cathedral, Roman museum, thermal spa.
24	Sun, Sep 10, 2023	LECTOURE	CONDOM	32.1	Gascony	The “Route D’Artagnan”. La Romieu (afternoon) very much worth exploring. CONDOM Cathedral 6pm Mass and blessing. Recommended gear shop here, if anything is needed. On a clear day, you can see the Pyrenees.
25	Mon, Sep 11, 2023	CONDOM	Éauze	33.8	Gascony	Long but easy. Center of Roman habitation (and ruins). Possible to split stage in two (at Montréal-du-Gers) to take in all of the sites. Not a lot of support today, despite a long string the villages.
26	Tue, Sep 12, 2023	Éauze	Nogaro	21.0	Gascony	Supply at Nogaro – tomorrow is a big, flat empty.
27	Wed, Sep 13, 2023	Nogaro	AIRE-SUR-L’ADOUR	27.6	Gascony	A big, flat empty. AIRE-SUR-L’ADOUR has a cathedral and a UNESCO-listed church, Saint-Quitterie. Stock up.
28	Thu, Sep 14, 2023	AIRE-SUR-L’ADOUR	Arzacq-Arraziguet	33.8	Gascony	First yellow arrows. No food or water before Miramont-Sensacq (mid-day), so pack well.
29	Fri, Sep 15, 2023	Arzacq-Arraziguet	Arthez-de-Béarn	30.2	Gascony	Pyrenees definitely visible now. No cover. Very little support.
30	Sat, Sep 16, 2023	Arthez-de-Béarn	Navarrenx	31.6	Gascony	Long but easy. Some hills near the end.
31	Sun, Sep 17, 2023	Navarrenx	Aroue	19.5	Basque Country	No support – pack food and water.
32	Mon, Sep 18, 2023	Aroue	Ostabat-Asme	24.0	Basque Country	Three different route options today. Zero support – not even water until Larribar. Large climb near the end of the day.
33	Tue, Sep 19, 2023	Ostabat-Asme	Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port	22.2	Basque Country	Lots of road walking.

The Camino Francés in Spain

Stage	Date	Start	End	KM	Region	Notes
34	Wed, Sep 20, 2023	Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port	Roncesvalles	26.0	Basque Country	PYRENEES – stock up as the only support today is in Orisson, about 8km into the day. May need to pre-book Roncesvalles.
35	Thu, Sep 21, 2023	Roncesvalles	Zubiri	21.5	Navarra	Rough descent into Zubiri.
36	Fri, Sep 22, 2023	Zubiri	PAMPLONA*	22.0	Navarra
37	Sat, Sep 23, 2023	PAMPLONA*	PUENTE LA REINA	24.0	Navarra
38	Sun, Sep 24, 2023	PUENTE LA REINA	ESTELLA*	22.0	Navarra
39	Mon, Sep 25, 2023	ESTELLA*	Los Arcos	22.0	Navarra
40	Tue, Sep 26, 2023	Los Arcos	LOGROÑO*	28.0	La Rioja	Long day
41	Wed, Sep 27, 2023	LOGROÑO*	NÁJERA	31.0	La Rioja	Another long day
42	Thu, Sep 28, 2023	NÁJERA	SANTO DOMINGO de la Calzada	21.0	La Rioja
43	Fri, Sep 29, 2023	SANTO DOMINGO de la Calzada	Belorado	23.0	Castilla y León
44	Sat, Sep 30, 2023	Belorado	San Juan de Ortega	24.0	Castilla y León
45	Sun, Oct 01, 2023	San Juan de Ortega	BURGOS*	27.5	Castilla y León / The Meseta
46	Mon, Oct 02, 2023	BURGOS*	BURGOS*	0.0	Castilla y León / The Meseta	Zero Day
47	Tue, Oct 03, 2023	BURGOS*	Hontanas	31.5	Castilla y León / The Meseta	Honestly, all of the stages after Burgos are the vaguest supposition.
48	Wed, Oct 04, 2023	Hontanas	Boadilla del Camino	26.0	Castilla y León / The Meseta
49	Thu, Oct 05, 2023	Boadilla del Camino	Carrión de los Condes	25.0	Castilla y León / The Meseta	Lots of options for stopping places from here to León.
50	Fri, Oct 06, 2023	Carrión de los Condes	Moratinos	31.9	Castilla y León / The Meseta	October 6 is the feast of Sainte-Foy
51	Sat, Oct 07, 2023	Moratinos	El Burgo Ranero	28.4	Castilla y León / The Meseta
52	Sun, Oct 08, 2023	El Burgo Ranero	Mansilla de las Mulas	19.0	Castilla y León / The Meseta
53	Mon, Oct 09, 2023	Mansilla de las Mulas	LEÓN	20.0	Castilla y León / The Meseta
54	Tue, Oct 10, 2023	LEÓN	Villar de Mazarife	22.0	Castilla y León / The Meseta
55	Wed, Oct 11, 2023	Villar de Mazarife	ASTORGA	25.0	Castilla y León / The Meseta
56	Thu, Oct 12, 2023	ASTORGA	Foncebadón	27.0	Castilla y León	October 12 is the Fiesta Nacional de España – Día del Pilar (Feast of Our Lady of the Pillar)
57	Fri, Oct 13, 2023	Foncebadón	PONFERRADA*	29.0	Castilla y León / El Bierzo
58	Sat, Oct 14, 2023	PONFERRADA*	VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO	28.5	Castilla y León / El Bierzo
59	Sun, Oct 15, 2023	VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO	La Faba	23.0	Galicia
60	Mon, Oct 16, 2023	La Faba	Triacastela	25.5	Galicia	If feeling froggy, could make it to Samos for a 35.5km day.
61	Tue, Oct 17, 2023	Triacastela	Samos	10.0	Galicia	A very short day. Potentially skipping Samos would save a day.
62	Wed, Oct 18, 2023	Samos	Morgade	23.5	Galicia
63	Thu, Oct 19, 2023	Morgade	Ligonde	26.0	Galicia
64	Fri, Oct 20, 2023	Ligonde	MELIDE	24.0	Galicia
65	Sat, Oct 21, 2023	MELIDE	Brea	30.0	Galicia
66	Sun, Oct 22, 2023	Brea	SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA*	25.5	Galicia

Home Again

Date	Start	End	Notes
Mon, Oct 23, 2023	SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA*	SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA*	These days are reserved for injury or additional rest days. If I don’t use them up earlier in the trip, I hope to spend at least a couple of days in Santiago, and then perhaps one in Lyon. Alternatively, I could change my flight to leave directly from Santiago.
Tue, Oct 24, 2023
Wed, Oct 25, 2023
Thu, Oct 26, 2023	LYON*	fly home

TOTAL DISTANCE: 1,579 km / 980 miles (give or take)

Originally posted on our Camino blog, Pilgrims on the Way.

1. Attributed to Helmuth von Moltke the Elder.