Preparation/Training: Overall, we thought that this route was more challenging than the Camino Frances. We had done some hill training, and I think it really helped us in the first two weeks. Because of the amount of climbing in the first few days, we chose to do shorter stages (15 km) and it worked out well. We opted to take the Cele Valley variant (GR 651), and were surprised at how challenging it was physically. We had been walking for two weeks by then, so had no problem with the hills, but it came as a surprise to us as we had somehow expected to walk along the river. Instead you are high up on top of rock bluffs, looking down at the valley, and sometimes make multiple ascents (and descents) in one day. The scenery is dramatic and well worth the effort! We did meet someone who opted to walk on the road to avoid the hills on one day, but she was disappointed that the road did not always follow the river either! Regarding equipment, our boots were mid height lightweight goretex, and we were thankful to have the ankle support, as there were many sections of the trail with loose rocks. We also recommend walking sticks, to help out your knees on the steep descents, and just make even the walking on flat terrain easier. Our backpacks were Osprey 36L and 38L, weighing about 7-8 kg not including water and food. We had ponchos for rain, but luckily only had two days where we really needed them. We did not take sleeping bags, but had our silk liners to use in gites. One thing that I would recommend looking into is lightweight gaiters, as we found we had to stop to remove debris that was kicked up and worked its way into our boots and socks. They would also help if you were walking in mud, but luckily we didn't encounter too much of that!
Accommodation: Before leaving home, we reserved our accommodation for the first week, and we recommend that since there are quite a few people on the trail. Some of the places required confirming one or two days before arrival, so we did that by email once we were in France. We used the Miam Miam Dodo guidebook, and it was essential for the lists of accommodations, and contact phone numbers. As our iPhone is unlocked, we purchased a SIM card from Orange once we were in France. Once we were walking we soon discovered that emailing for reservations was not feasible, as it was impossible to get an immediate reply, and of course we had no wifi or cell service on the trail. We used the iPhone to call one or two days ahead of time. Even with our limited high school French, we were able to make ourselves understood. Sometimes it was difficult to understand the reply on the other end, but we became better at that the longer we were in France! The main thing was knowing we had a place to stay, so as long as we heard "oui" and gave our name to hold the reservation, we were happy! One warning about the MMDD guide- be aware of the numbering of the accommodations, as in many cases the first listing is not in the main town, but can be several kilometres away. We missed that twice, and made reservations at the first place listed, only to discover later that it was not in the town! It is easy to be so focused on what facilities they have etc. that you can miss it. I believe the guide should use a different system for numbering, but that's just my opinion. The Tourist Information offices are wonderful at helping people reserve rooms, however their offices are not in the smaller villages. We also had our hosts call ahead for us a few times, and they are very used to doing that. We preferred to do it ourselves though, as the hosts are usually busy. We stayed mostly in Chambre d'hôtes, and less often in gites and hotels. One thing to be aware of is that often the Chambre d'hôtes have check in time later in the afternoon, whereas the hotels frequently can check you in much earlier, assuming the room is ready. That is not a factor if you are walking longer distances, but we were usually finished by 1 or 2 pm, and sometimes found it tiring to have to wait, not to mention the fact that there may not be a restaurant or bar open.
Food: We found that having enough food while walking required some planning, as typically the shops and restaurants are closed on Sunday and Monday, as well as in the afternoons. Usually we could find food in the larger towns, but if we were going to be passing through smaller villages then we made sure we had some lunch items with us. Sometimes your host will sell you supplies, if you are really stuck. Also, we always tried to have emergency rations such as trail mix, nuts and chocolate in our packs. We usually chose DP (demi-pension - includes room, dinner and breakfast) when booking accommodation so that we didn't have to worry about dinner, and some of the meals were wonderful! Checking the guidebook for facilities in the towns is a good idea, as some of the smaller towns have no restaurant at all, so the only option for eating dinner is your Gite, Chambre d'hotes or hotel. Some of the gites have kitchens, so making your own dinner is an option, provided you have somewhere to purchase ingredients! Another thing to be aware of is that many of the bars provide beverages in the afternoon, but not food. This was quite different to our experience in Spain, where you could always get something to eat at the bars.
Transportation: Getting to Le Puy was a bit of an adventure, as we had purchased our train ticket from Paris to Le Puy online from Canada, and it wasn't until we were on the train that we found out from some fellow passengers that the train would not be going all the way to Le Puy, and that we would be taking a bus from St. Etienne. We were not charged extra for the bus, but it was a very cramped and unpleasant ride, and lasted about 1.5 hours. We are not sure if this bus is temporary due to work being done on the rail line.
During the walk we needed transportation a couple of times, and had no problem getting taxis. Usually your host or hotel will call them for you. It is also possible to get a ride with the luggage transport companies, but that has to be pre-arranged, as they have limited space. Many of the French tourists transport their bags, and it seems to work very well.
We highly recommend this walk - the scenery is breathtaking, the food wonderful, and the locals very welcoming and kind. There are enough people on the trail to make it enjoyable, and if you are willing to have fun and try speaking a bit of French, all the better!
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