For those who want to go on a pilgrimage to Santiago
For those who want to go on a pilgrimage to Santiago -About the French road
The Pilgrimage route to Santiago has officially 16 other courses. Departing from Saint-Jean-Feedford, France, this route, known as the French Road, is approximately 780 km to Santiago. There are many reasons for having many people. If you are going on a pilgrimage for the first time, even if there are many Koreans, I recommend the French route.
No mountain is so high, except for the Pyrenees. There is a middle bar between the milestone and Alberge (Pilgrim's quarter), so it is convenient to eat and sleep. The problem is time. Still, if you take this time, at least 35 days is enough for 40 days. If you catch flight time and travel time, it should be at least 35 days.
It is suitable to walk 25-30km a day, but sometimes you need to walk 3~5km more, but do not walk more than 40km. There are differences among people, but the more you walk, the more it will strain your body the next day. Especially the knee is broken. The seasons are all good, but it is better to avoid the winter. Not only does the bag become heavy, there are many places where Alberge closes a lot. There are stories of people dying on the pilgrimage route, but most of them are winter. That's more energy. Of course, it is not impossible. You can go if you have good physical strength and experience. There are pilgrims in winter, but Alberge says there are many places that are not heated, so you need to prepare well. Summer is a polar season. It's a holiday in Europe, so people flock. The weather is pretty hot in the middle of the day, but it's not bad because it's dry. It is okay because the luggage is light and there is not much rain. Spring and autumn are truly great for travel and walking. In spring, you can feel the energy that begins, and in autumn, you can see the grapes ripening, and you can feel the energy of the harvest that you can walk on.
What do I need to prepare?
Bring good bags and shoes. However, each person will have different tastes, but you need time to get close to your feet by preparing only one shoe and taming it in advance.
Other mountaineering suits, two top and bottom, three underwear, three socks, toiletries, laundry soap, towel head head lantern (you can use a mobile phone app), a hat, a stick, slippers, and a sleeping bag will suffice. Pilgrimage routes are also inhabited by people, so if you need them, you can buy them locally. There is also a washing machine, so if you gather about 3 people, you can save money. If you use the washing machine drying function when it rains, do not worry about laundry. Sleeping bags are given blankets, but for bed bugs it is recommended to take them hygienically.
Expense?
Off-season tickets range from approximately 80 to 1 million won. Peak season is expensive, but if you buy it 3 to 6 months ago, you can get a cheap ticket. Because it is a style of leisurely travel, it was used for approximately 2000 euros excluding tickets on a 50-day schedule. Paris and Madrid Toledo are all inclusive. The public Alberge was 6 euros for private 9-12 euros and wanted to be alone, so he stayed in a single room for a few days. Laundry was done by hand, except for 2-3 times. I bought the menu del dia often and drank a glass of beer or wine every day. Instead, I didn't buy carbonated beverages. There is a place where you can get water in the middle and drank water from the Alberge quarter. I ate a lot of fruit and drank a cup of coffee at the bar. You can complete the French road for around 3.5 million won including ticket.
How do I do preliminary data research?
Increase your fitness. I often go hiking and walk a short distance. It is not only a pilgrimage. I have seen a lot of people who give up midway due to ankle and knee injuries. This is especially because of the crowds in the early days, heavy bags, etc.
Also see books on Spanish history and pilgrimage. I recommend books that can be called humanities, not travel guides. There are many pilgrim books, including Kim Nam-hee's “Tourist, Fearless, and Tricky Woman's Travel 2, Santiago, Spain” and Jean Christophe Lupin's “Immortal Walk” by Paulo Coelho's “Alchemist” and “Pilgrim”. Travel is also a humanities. It's good for observing people's lives and to explore other cultures. You need to know the basic information yourself. It's better to read one more book than to spend looking for information. In addition, it would be better to study and study Spanish history and culture.
Why do Koreans come a lot on pilgrimage? This is what I think. 'Koreans work too much and have a lot of stress. So I walk slowly and yearn for thoughts and relaxing life. So the pilgrimage to Spain brings healing to busy Koreans.' This is the answer. Perhaps there are few Koreans who come here, such as young people, those who quit or end their jobs, or middle-aged aunts. You can't beat your job, and even take more than a month. There are many reasons why you can't. But there is no reason what is possible. Just do it.
