wendysuebob

I am thinking about cycling the Camino de Santiago in Sept. or Oct. but I haven't been able to find any information about cycling it. I don't want to be part of a group - I'd like to do it on my own. Is the route cyclable? Is the lodging available for cyclists as well as walkers? There are routes in both Spain and France. Do you have a preference?

Thanks for anything you can tell me. Wendy

flanneruk

There are about half a dozen different pilgrimage routes to Santiago, depending where you start. A slightly complicated map at www.csj.org.uk/map.htm

The idea that for any of them there's one authentic route is silly (medieval pilgrims and merchants walked over whichever fields were thought to be passable, devoid of bandits and free of infectious diseases that week. Which changed daily). But that's not stopped modern fantasists from creating "authentic" routes, usually at European taxpayers' expense (ie: not the French or Spanish, since their job is to scrounge from the hard-working Germans, British and Dutch), complete with pretty scallop-shaped route marks, information packages and all the rest, which roughly approxim

Those modern routes have been designed for walkers. Significant proportions (though often only a mile or two) of them in some countries just aren't accessible by bike, though it's never difficult, with a decent map, just to cycle ordinary roads for those brief links. There's a cycling map for the route across northern Spain at http://www.caminosantiago.com/index....ouring/bicycle.

The route you take by bike is not in any way less "authentic" than the scallop-marked walkers' route you're bypassing - though it might not have existed in medieval times.

Whichever way you travel, you really have to have decent maps for the whole route: these days they caneasily be carried on an electronic device.

The best source of information is te exhaustive lisgt of websites at www.caminodesantiago.me.uk/camino-directory/

Aduchamp1

Flanny

Well there are "authentic" Camino routes.

In order to receive stamps on one's Credencial del Pelegrino, which is also called a Pilgrim's Record, Pilgrim's Passport and eventually secue a Compostela, one must go to places that are approved to give stamps that evidence a Camino taken by walking, horse, or bicyle.

These are usually given at refugios or chuches along the way. Refugios, now being called an alburgues more and more, are places reserved for pilgrim's to sleep along the way. In small towns there are often no other accomodations.

Of course, one need not walk along these recognized routes but then a: it will often be difficult to find places to sleep along the way and b: you might not be able to secure your Compostela without the appropriate stamps on your Credential, which is important to many pilgrims or pelegrinos.

http://www.caminosantiagodecompostel...redential.html

lincasanova

If you bike or ride a horse you have to do more miles of the Camino to get your final certificate.

We saw several bikers along the camino last year, however, I think they do go off route many times as it is gruesome sometimes with a bike and they switch up to a paved road for awhile.

http://www.bicigrino.com/

http://www.revistaiberica.com/Grande...en_bicicle.htm

http://www.esciclismo.com/camino-de-santiago/


lots of info in Spanish but at least you can see their maps and MAYBE translate some of what may interest you.


and here is a self guided tour with info

http://www.hookedoncycling.co.uk/Spa...0santiago.html

ribeirasacra

try here too.
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/board/

kerouac

Here's a website that proposes bicycle trips from France:

http://www.stjacquesdecompostelle.fr...es-a-velo.html

(If you Google other information in France, it is the "chemin de St. Jacques de Compostelle" in French.)

There are tons of web pages about it in French.

bigtyke

check out www.crazyguyonabike.com. I am sure that I have read at least a couple of journals of people riding the route

Viajero2

One of the oldest guidebooks ever written was to mapped out The Way of St. James. This guidebook described the "must" stops to get Pilgrimage "credit". To completely dismiss the idea of a more of less consistent route is clearly having little to no understanding of this pilgrimage concept and history.... The Knights of Templar had posts along the designated route(s) as well to aid pilgrims. There are hundreds of forums in all languages for this pilgrimage. Just take your time and research it.

Mgolden

Here's another website dedicated to pilgrims who want to do the Camino by bike:
http://www.bicigrino.com/
(The website can be toggled into English.)

We live 2 km from a stretch of the "Camino". My husband did the Camino last year from Ponferrada, which was the minimum distance necessary to get the "Compostelana" if you're traveling by bike along the "Camino Francés" ( = "French Way"). I'd say the answer to all your questions is a qualified yes.

Have a great time!