Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela

[Bridget and Peter]

We will be cycling Reims to perhaps Limoges in September/ October (I've just booked off three weeks from 13th Sept - does that sound ok weather wise? - we plan to do a mixture of camping and gites d'etape/alberges).

What are the respective delights or challenges of the two choices - via Bourges or Nevers?

Any other advice, please?

I thought aiming for Limoges made sense in terms of booking a train journey home at the end, but any thoughts about this welcome too! We didn't book anything ahead for our return from Reims last year, and the only possible journey (because of bicycle spaces) involved 4 different trains to Calais with two very quick changes and a lot of panicked dragging heavy bikes up station steps (with kind french elderly ladies pushing from behind) and wedging a foot in the train door while we sorted ourselves out!!!

And that was EASIER than the Sunday from Dover to Ely via Victoria, with engineering works closing Kings Cross (does no Londoner know where Finsbury Park is until you get to 1/2 a mile away?) and buses from Baldock to Ely!! Also Central London closed being reclaimed for bicycles - so why did the stewards obstruct US?!
We're going to avoid weekends next time!

Bridget

[omar504]

As noone has answered eithre of your questions I will add a comment. I walked from le puy last year and took a tent which never got used as the gites were more comfortable and convenient. I did meet one bloke who used a tent but he ended up giving it away because of the bulk/weight and camping sites tended to be about the same price as a bed in a gite-but far less comfortable (one site was a river bank covered with stones).
The only guide book I know for Vezelay is available from the csj bookshop.