pocket-full-of-seaglass

After 363.6 kilometres and eighteen days, I finished the 350 kilometre journey from Geneva, Switzerland, to Le Puy-en-Velay, France. I crossed the majority of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alps region on foot, tested my physical limits, and learnt how to budget (almost). It was a taster of what was to come, but I wanted to give it the respect it deserves; in the form of a ‘report’.

Before I set off, I read every blog I could find, poured over forums, tried to research. A lot of it I found quite discouraging, or lacking in descriptors. Had it not been for my occasionally stupid stubbornness, I might have given the Via Gebennensis a miss. It was too mountainous, too tricky. I had no practice, and I was out of shape. I needed to train, and it would not be something I would do. But, as it turns out, most of it seems to be bullshit. So, here’s my rough overview instead :]

Terrain :

Broadly speaking, the terrain is hilly. Where hill ends and mountain begins, I don’t entirely know, but it definitely crosses in some points. But, and this is exceedingly important; it isn’t the steep and treacherous climb I had been expecting. There were a few rough days; the stretch before Seyssel, the climb before and after St-Julien-Molin-Molette, and the last few days from Bourg-Argental came to mind. Steeper, rockier paths. But nothing unmanageable.

From Geneva, it almost immediately became hilly, but they were slow slopes. Most of the time, they were draining, but not world-ending. The first few days are definitely also rough, when your legs are still adjusting to the gradual increase, to the sustained effort. You feel awful and unfit, if you push it. Do not be discouraged! Every day, you’ll be experiencing at least one noticeable up, and one noticeable down. The downs are a little more precarious – in the rain, they can become quite slippery.

But besides that, it’s fairly uniform. There is a significant amount of road walking, so be prepared for that – as the Gebennensis is still relatively new (only made in the 1990s), it’s trails are perhaps a little rustic (although I haven’t yet experienced the rest, so maybe I’m just spoilt). If not roadwalking, you’ll find yourself on paths you share with vehicles regardless, from tracks in the grass to gravel paths, asphalt, chunky stone and occasionally, much to your impending delight, mud.

The scenery is stunning throughout, even on days were you follow fields on fields of crops, or when the ups are UPS. Don’t take any of it for granted; it’ll change before you realise it’s gone :]

Speaking of taking things for granted; the trail markings can be a little testy. I get overwhelmed in cities, so that definitely didn’t help, but the first chunk of Geneva through Carouge takes a fucking minute to get used to. Majority of the time, the trail is clear, and the shells are everywhere. When they aren’t, the red/white GR65 stripes are. Follow them, and you should be fine. I got lost a few times, and I would argue all bar one were my fault, not the markings. While I fully think you could walk the Chemin sans guidebook or downloadable map, I understand why. A book was helpful for me, purely to know what the towns would have in the way of food – the navigation I left to the shells.

Resources :

As previously mentioned, the trail is new. It connects older pilgrimage routes with the Le Puy-en-Velay starting point, and as such is mostly a crossover route, or one walked by other Europeans in stages over several years. It’s pilgrim infrastructure leaves a little to be desired, but even so it’s perfectly navigable.

Accomodation is (understandably), most pilgrims first concern – I unfortunately don’t have much first hand experience. I stayed in numerous campsites, almost all of which offered pilgrim rates or perks, and slept outside most other nights. Campsites are, by far, the most economical (and legal) way to sleep, but for those who are perhaps not wanting to add the extra weight of a tent, gîtes work just the same.

Usually, I noticed a minimum of one gîte per town, or at the very least a Chambre d’Hôtes, La Ferme de pelérins or acquiel pelérins – all perfectly useable forms of pilgrim accomodation. From what I could see or experience, most nights (without food), averaged out somewhere between €20 and €30; with half-pension (dinner and breakfast), around €30 to €50. France is significantly more up itself than Spain seems to be, and therefore (unfortunately) far more expensive.

Although August/September seems to be ‘high season’ here for tourism, the two gîtes I stayed at had one other person each, who both seemed as surprised as I was to see someone. It was unclear to me if it was just the timing, or if I was just staying ‘off-stage’, or if it really was just such a quiet trail (I averaged seeing 1.4 pilgrims per day). I wouldn’t stress about booking ahead – unless you want to stay somewhere that specifically requires it – usually a phone call in the afternoon to check they have spare beds is enough. If you’re hoping for demi-pension, a ring in the morning is best, so they can buy ingredients accordingly.

Speaking of food; food. A lot of villages have a bar, which usually serve some classic pub food, and the slightly larger ones tend to have at least one auberge (restaurant) or cafe. Again, a topic I can’t speak much on, given that I bought and carried most of my own food in the form of sandwiches. But, I can confirm that if you manage to trick the French into being alive and about at the same time you are, local boulangeries and épiceries tend to be stocked full of bread and baked goods, as well as fresh fruit and usually some pantry staples – more than enough to cobble a meal together with. Just pay attention to your guidebook; you don’t want to be caught without food for kilometres. Walking hungry does not feel great.

Neither does walking thirsty, arguably even more so. My advice is; if you see the water, take it. If it’s potable, brilliant. Fill up every time you see one – they have a cheeky habit of vanishing for the better part of a day every time you ignore one. Or look harder than I did, which is also entirely likely to help. But even if it’s non-potable – if you have nothing, take it. Non-contrôlé has proven, in my case at least, to be fine. Unless it looks visibly undrinkable, something is better than nothing. Obviously, try to stick to potable water, but don’t risk being caught out with nothing. I improperly assumed that, like I’d heard of the Frances, the Gebennensis would have water fountains in every town. It did not.

The last few infrastructure bits and bobs; toilets. Most bigger towns (shops, main street, etc.) will have public toilets, but don’t count on it. If they’re anywhere, they’ll be near the church or the Marie (the town hall). Very rarely will you encounter a western toilet – most are squat toilets. Most also don’t have toilet paper; prepare accordingly. Public wifi is also not even close to as common as it has been in other places I’ve visited, which probably won’t be a shock to you if you consider 20,000 people a small population. But, if you consider that massive ; there’s your reminder. If you ever need help navigating or are really lost in bigger towns, tourist offices (Office de Tourisme) can help. Allegedly, they can also help you book accomodation, but I had no experience with that.

Difficulty :

I’m not going to say it’s easy, because I know I’m fully jaded by retrospect and the proof is in the pudding (I still have the Camino wobble and wince everytime I straighten my legs). But I’m also not going to say it’s that hard. I’m overweight, and have been for the better part of the last five years. Before setting out, I did close to zero daily exercise, generally ate like shit, and did zero training walks or preperation whatsoever. I was fine.

Some days felt neverending, and I’m pleased to say more muscles have cramped than I was aware I even had, and I’ve popped a disgusting amount of blisters – but I was okay. After a sleep or a sit down in the shade to air my feet, I was always able to keep going. I’m a stubborn arsehole, so I made myself get to Le Puy in eighteen days. You don’t have to! It was a stupid, self imposed rule that realistically makes no sense. Take rest days, take twenty days to finish, take thirty. Doesn’t matter, at all.

Again, the difficulty is,, sort of what you make it? If you’re also really unfit, that doesn’t mean you automatically can’t do something, and I find it so fucking patronising when people espouse shit like that. If you don’t want the hassle of getting to Geneva for something you might not be able to do, fair play! If you want to practice, fair play! But if you just take it slowly, and rest frequently, I think anyone could do it.

Unless you’ve got an actual mobility impairment – the Via Gebennensis definitely has eons to go in terms of equal access, and a very rough search hasn’t yielded much in terms of history with any wheelchair users; sadly, you’ll probably have more luck on the more travelled Caminos with better infrastructure.

Gear :

I brought a Lot of shit with me. To be clear, I use everything – but it’s still a lot of shit. I’m not 100% on the weight of some things, but it’s enough that it sucks. So, to avoid other people repeating my mistakes (or inspiring them to), here is my gear list, in full, and my thoughts/changes. This will probably be incredibly long and boring for anyone not really planning on the walk, so feel very free to skip to the funny numbers <33

> Clothing

5 pairs Carrefour ‘sport’ socks – 4/10. They are socks! So they get four automatically, but they’re thin and cheap (shocker), and don’t protect well against blisters. Will replace.

1 pair merino socks – 8/10. Still a tad thin, but that’s more on me than them. Comfortable, stops blisters, love them. Need to get more (after the other two fell out of my pack!).

1 pair THICK merino socks – 10/10. Warm, cosy, brilliant for the cold. Also do well for hiking, in a pinch, though not preferred.

3 pairs bamboo undies – 9/10. Holds up in heat, don’t get gross, comfortable, really light, cheers to Tradie for that one. Loses a point for fraying.

1 pair cotton undies – 5/10. Basic – work but not great for hiking, used mainly just when washing the others. Will ditch.

1 set of Bonds thermals – 10/10. I fucking love thermals. My god. Soft, warm, comfortable, t i n y, great for layering in the cold (and I imagine for hiking in winter).

1 pair Mountain Designs convertible hiking pants – 8/10. Generally work great, roll up into shorts so you don’t have the annoying zip, protective, big fan. Loses points for,, balling? Not fraying but collecting little buds of fabric everywhere, and for not quite fitting right anymore (which I guess is a positive so!).

1 pair anko boardies – 7/10. Loose, don’t fit great, can’t hike in them. But good for warmer nights, wearing while washing the other pants, swimming, lounging, just generally everything. And they’re lightweight!

1 rashie – 10/10. Got it in Target like five years ago and has never let me down. Comfortable, lightweight, lovely.

1 cotton t-shirt – 3/10. Cotton takes eons to dry, and most mornings it was still damp. Also, the only shirt I walked in. Not comfortable, or suited. Will replace.

1 merino wool tshirt – 8/10. Grown on me, but still scratchy (it was cheapie shit, get what you pay for), and too warm to hike in. Perfect for layering in the cold.

1 Cape pack-it rain jacket – 4/10. I think I just don’t like rain jackets. It’s lightweight, rolls up crazy small and is easy to pack/unpack. But I hate rain jackets.

1 Kühl zip-up jacket – ??/10. Haven’t really worn it as a jacket for long enough to judge it yet, considering it is mostly my pillow but it does great at that so!!

1 Mountain Warehouse fleece – 7/10. Solid freece, comfortable and soft, but not quite enough for the cold. Which again, isn’t really its fault but hey.

1 pair Ronhill thermal gloves – 7/10. Keeps my hands,,, less cold, although definitely leave something to be desired. Won’t get rid of them, just also wouldn’t recommend spending $40 on them.

1 Chute beanie – 8/10. Stretched the fuck out of it accidentally but that works because now I pull it over my face when I sleep so I don’t get a cold <33 Warm, little too chunky but I’ll let it slide.

1 nondescript Aussie sunhat – 10/10. Have not to date gotten a sunburn on my face, keeps my hair out of my eyes, doubles excellently as a fan or storage bin within my bag when I have to unpack/repack, huge fan.

1 pair Keens Targhee III Mid WP shoes – ??/10. Confused, don’t really know how to rate shoes, getting blisters and parts of my feet hurt but don’t know if its the shoes’ fault so ??/10 it is.

> Actual Gear Things

1 Osprey Lightspeed Manta 34 50L rucksack – 8/10. Roomy, gives me enough space to strap all my things in/on it. Fit on the shoulders and hips isn’t great for me, but it’s manageable. Comes with a 2.5L water bladder which rules.

1 Mountain Designs Redline 1P 3 Season Hiking Tent – 10/10. I love this fucking thing. Even if it’s 1.5kg, it’s perfect to me. Tiny, but roomy, easy to set up (and quick, can be set up improperly (without stakes) and still work great, rolls up compact, fits in the outside pocket of the bag. Also has a repair kit, which is handy.

1 Weisshorn Outdoor Expert self-inflating mat – 4/10. I was much more enthusiastic about this before I left; unfortunately it just doesn’t seem to do the trick. Also; it’s slippery and everytime I sleep on an incline I get smushed by gravity. Not ideal. Unsure of whether to replace or ditch entirely. We’ll see!

1 Weisshorn Outdoor Expert sleeping bag – 5/10. Wouldn’t have gotten this far without it, will definitely not be going any further with it. Don’t know why I thought this was a good idea it is entirely thin plastic but hey! Will replace.

1 Oasis stainless steel water-bottle – 9/10. Great bottle, keeps things cold (and presumably warm), brilliant, I’ve dropped it so many times and it’s barely dented, but loses a point for being the single loudest bottle in the world. Every time I open it I feel like the squeaking is going to make all the mice scurry to me like the Pied Piper.

1 Mountain Warehouse XL travel towel – 7/10. Can’t complain! Does the job, just has the unfortunate habit of cementing anything it touches into its body forever. Do not ever let this thing touch grass.

1 Swiss Army pocket knife – 13/10. Thankyou so much. I use it all day every day and to date have not managed to mangle my fingers even though I’ve held it wrong and gone to cut something and have it snap closed back against my fingers three individual times <33

1 Sea to Summit washing line – 6/10. Confused. It works,,,, sometimes? Get what it was going for, and works well enough to not have too much to say. Would probably just try to DIY it next time, save some money.

1 set of cookware – ??/10. Includes insulated mug, pot and pan (that fit together), furno stove, microfibre towel (to clean) and a set of bamboo cutlery. Have not used once. Understand the value of having it, especially when it gets closer to winter and I stay outside, but taking up a lot of room. Unsure of whether to send back or keep. Another we’ll see about!

1 broken umbrella I’ve been carrying for a week – 0/10. Very sad I spent €12 on something that broke not three days later. Don’t know why I carried it so long either. Definitely ditch.

1 Mountain Warehouse lightweight hammock – ??/10. Seemed like a great idea, have not used it once, keeping it purely till I get closer to Spain and the nights get warmer again when I’m less high up. If, after a while, I just,,, still don’t use it, I’ll ditch or send it back.

1 First Aid Kit – 7/10. Haven’t needed it for anything serious yet, questioning if I need half the shit, may have over-prepared just slightly, also convinced that by jinx law if I get rid of anything the next day I will be grievously injured and need that specific thing and no longer have it. Will probably try to shave down, but not ditch.

> Extra (minus the thoughts because they aren’t needed)

Wallet (with cash)

Hodak Half-Frame camera w. 3 rolls of film

Phone

Fucking heavy powerbank

Charging cables

Guidebooks (3 -> 2)

1 Notebook (sans cover)

2 Pens

Occasional postcard

SIM Cards

Sleep mask

Headlamp

Passports

Toiletries

Numbers:

> Distance

Total kilometres : 363.7km

Total days : 18

~ 0-15km : 4 (22%)

~ 15-20km : 6 (33%)

~ 20-25km : 5 (27%)

~ 25-30km : 2 (12%)

~ 30-35km : 1 (6%)

Total time : 96hrs 35min

Average km/hr : 3.8

Average hr/day : 5.4

Average km/day : 20.2

> Money

Total spent : €490.25

(Total in Real Money (AUD) : $822.32)

Total days : 18

Average per day : €27.23 ($45.67)

By category :

~ Food : €252.63 ($423.75)

~ Accomodation : €205.12 ($344.06)

~ Laundry : €10.50 ($17.61)

~ Clothing : €10.00 ($16.77)

~ Miscellaneous : €12.00 ($20.13)

> Accomodation

Total nights : 19

~ Gîtes : 2 (11%)

~ Private Accomodation : 2 (11%)

~ Campsites : 4 (21%)

~ Benches : 6 (31%)

~ Cowboy Time : 3 (15%)

~ Camping Minus the Fun : 2 (11%)

Numbers but Silly:

Total Blisters : 12

Total Showers : 7 (Oops)

Hot meals : 2

Meals Constituted of Pesto and Bread and Tomatoes : 52

Am I Sick of Pesto and Bread and Tomatoes : No

Pilgrims seen : 25

~ Germans : 15

~ French : 7

~ ?? : 3

Attempts at ‘Bonjour!’ Gone Unanswered : 31

Glares Received When a ‘Bonjour!’ Was Not Given : 16

New Cheeses Tried : 6

New Cheeses Liked : 2

Nights Spent Next to Forty American Cyclists : 1

Times Cried : 2

Times Almost Cried : 8

Proportion of Those Almost’s Due to a Lack in Baguette Knowledge : 2

Proportion of Those Almost’s Due to a Lidl Cashier : 1

Friends Made : 0

Friends Made (Animals) : 20+

Bars of Kinder Chocolate Bought : Too Many

Wrong Turns : 21

Amount of Times I Got Significantly Lost : 3

Cold Water Spots Swum In : 6

Amount of Times ‘I’m Sure This Is the Last Hill’ Was Said : Immeasurable

Amount of Times I Saw a Water Source and Passed : 14

Amount of Times I Regretted It : 14

Attempts at French That Worked : 25-ish

Attempts at French That Didn’t : 15-ish

Attempts at French That Bombed So Hard the Guy Answered, In English, That He Didn’t Speak English : 1

Number of People I’ve Told Personally About This Blog : 6 (Soon to be 7)

Number of People My Dad Told About This Blog : Everyone Under the Sun, Apparently

Nights Spent Colder Than I’ve Been In the Past Eighteen Years : 9

Hours Spent Daydreaming : Infinite

Number of Dead Animals Found Outside my Tent : 7

Amount of Bears in France : 20