Eric, from @eric_pelerin, has been walking along the Camino de Santiago for the past 20 years. He shared his best shots for the photo contest winning 3rd place.  

Below he tells us his story full of emotions and travel.

• Who is Eric and how was his passion for hiking born?

I am French, I am 65 years old and I started hiking on the Camino in 2002. In the mid-90s, my wife was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis: it was a big shock for her and for the whole family. We knew that our life would have to adapt to the disease. I had a depressive episode the following year, and in 2002 I wanted to take some time for myself. Inspired by the book “The Stars of Compostela” by Henri Vincenot, a novel recounting the journey to Santiago of a young companion builder of cathedrals and his spiritual master, in the 12th century, I got the idea of walking the route.  

• Which stages did you take?

I left Puy en Velay in July 2002, for a week of walking. I walked again for a week in the spring of 2004, then a week in the fall of 2008, still on the Puy route. 

In October 2014, I crossed the Gers with my eldest son. 

In 2015, I negotiated a reduction in my working time and can thus devote more time to this pilgrimage. I walked 2 weeks in October that year and arrived in Roncesvalles. 

In 2016, severe cruralgia prevented me from walking, and I resumed 2 weeks in March 2017, to Burgos, in October 2017 to Ponferrada and in March 2018 I finally arrived in Santiago and continued to Finisterre. 

In May 2019, I set off again on the Via Lemovicensis, between Vézelay and Limoges. When I got home, I talked to my wife about my desire to leave to go to Santiago and she said yes with great enthusiasm. So I left on 3 September to arrive in Santiago on October 28 by the Via Lemovicensis which I joined in Limoges, the Camino del Norte and the Camino Primitivo. It is certainly the best gift she has ever given me. Because for her, these 2 months were long: she had indeed been in a wheelchair for almost 10 years at the time. For me, it was an extraordinary experience: leaving without knowing the return date, walking according to my mood, without following steps programmed in advance, taking the time for solitude, but also for meeting people. Discover new horizons, discover yourself. 

Since then, I go back to walking for 2 to 3 weeks every year. 

In October 2020, I took the Via Tolosana, the way to Arles, starting from Montpellier to Toulouse. In September 2021, I finished this path, up to Puente la Reina. And in October 2022, I am unfaithful to Saint Jacques, walking the path of Stevenson. 

For 2023, my project is to walk the via de la Plata. Or, on the Via Francigena, which I discovered thanks to the rurAllure competition. 

• What kind of challenges did you encounter on the road?

The first challenge I experienced was the physical one. I suffered a lot physically during the first years: blisters, tendonitis, contractures… 

Since then, I have invested in good shoes, I take lots of care of my body: with a little preparation before departure, with stretching every evening, the physical difficulty has disappeared. 

The other challenge is bad weather. The heat wave in the summer the first year (that’s why I always walk in the spring, and especially in the fall, the most beautiful of seasons), which leaves you exhausted. And in March 2018, bad weather in Galicia: snowstorm in Cebreiro and 2 days of almost uninterrupted rain afterwards: cold and humidity are not the pilgrim’s friends! 

I have never felt moral suffering, I have always appreciated all the moments spent on the Way, even when I found myself alone every evening for 10 days, from Périgueux to Mont de Marsan, in 2019. I appreciate moments of solitude as much as encounters, and God knows that some are extraordinarily rich. These meetings marked me, and associated with moments of solitary introspection, made me mature (it is never too late…) and brought me a form of wisdom, I believe. 

The encounters on the Way are one of my motivations to return there, as long as I am able, but the most beautiful encounter is with oneself. 

Read the original interview in French