On the roads to Compostela
For a number of years, there had been a lot of talk about the pilgrimage of Saint Jacques de Compostela. But what does that involve and why do it?
Marcel, one of our friends, tried the experience and went to Santiago de Compostela by the Vézelay road in 2008. He gives you his testimony.
Go on pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela
It isn’t something you just decide to do just like that, on a whim. You decide either to take part through pure conviction, through the urge to take on a challenge or just to discover and enjoy nature on the hike. If I was to go, it would be for the physical experience, along with having a course of action: respecting the rules of the pilgrimage and its route. I had wanted to do it for several years.
A good preparation...
A good hiker should not have any difficulty physically on the route, but on some days you are faced with very uneven terrain, uneventful landscapes, and tedium, especially in the not always clement weather conditions! On our pilgrimage (there were three of us), out of the 8 weeks of walking, 5 were in rain or downpours, sometimes in very chilly temperatures. The condition of the paths, and injuries (blisters and tendonitis) can easily discourage more than one pilgrim who is not psychologically prepared.
It’s a good thing to prepare physically, but psychological preparation is the most important. You need to instill in yourself a “pilgrim mindset” and remind yourself that this is not just a Sunday outing, and not everything is cast in stone or predictable!!
Day by day
It’s a good idea to prepare your route every day, with a good topo-guide, and to figure out in advance where you can find food, drink (and yes, in France, it is not always easy to find grocers or bars open and even more so to find drinking fountains. You can find water in taps in the cemeteries!!!). On the other hand, in Spain, the topo-guide is not as practically essential, as the route is clearly marked.
In both France and Spain, it is easy to find a place to stay for the night.
Every day brings its fresh bundle of discovery and surprise. The meetings with people are exceptional, both along the way and in the lodgings. Everyone is very open and the quality of exchange is superb. In France, lodging in a private home is fascinating, because you get to share the evening with your hosts. By contrast, in Spain lodgings tend to be large gatherings of between 10 and 80 pilgrims. Even with the language barriers, the dialogues are so enriching you wish they would never come to an end.
Unexpected encounters
Every day there were tales to tell, so many it is impossible to describe them all. They are tucked away, engraved in our memories, forever unforgettable!
Like the surprise meeting at Saint Jean Pied de Port with Didier and Veronique, customers and long-standing friends from La Grande Veyière – such an exceptional moment!
Brilliant too, was our meeting with two young Italians who had spent eight days on the pilgrimage, travelling without rucksacks. After a Franco-Italian conversation, they pointed out our considerable bags (13 kg), and asked us insistently if they could take our bags so that they could directly experience the effort involved. Shocked by the weight, they still stuck to carrying our bags at all costs till the end of that day’s stage.
Living your dream
One does not return “the same” from a journey such as this. It is such a huge experience that change is inevitable. In 60 days of walking, one has so much time to reflect, to contemplate emptiness, to meet others.
If you have a desire to set out on these paths, infuse yourself well with the spirit of a pilgrim, even if you are not a believer. Do a few practice runs of several kilometres, set a starting date, even if distant (essential if you want to be sure to carry out this dream), and then just go !!!
One particular saying helped me to set off: “Don’t dream your life, but live your dream”.
ULTREIA !!!
Marcel
