A book was decisive in my decision to set off on the Camino de Santiago in 2019. Here's how. At the time, when for the first time I had a month ahead of me, for a long walk that I had always dreamed of, I planned to go on the trails of the Andes Cordillera. A friend then told me about the Camino de Santiago, but I was very skeptical about what this path could bring me. I was full of clichés like it's all flat, "there are a lot of people on the way", "it's a pilgrimage religious", ..... It was then that my brother left for the Camino and came back transformed. I was far from being able to understand why, however he convinced me that these shots were very inaccurate. I then began to re-consider my position.It was then that my wife gave me the book "Immortelle Randonnée", which, among all the books on the subject, was written by someone who was like me very skeptical before leaving . But the author, Jean Christophe Ruffin, left anyway to make up his own mind, and gave us the gift of sharing what he had experienced. In his book that caught my attention, one sentence in particular caught my imagination: "When I left for Santiago, I wasn't looking for anything and I found it". And I left. Despite me!
Today, after 2800 kilometers on the Camino de Santiago, I know, having lived it in my being that I have indeed found infinitely more there than what prompted me to leave. But as JC.Ruffin says, it's very difficult to explain to someone who hasn't experienced it, even for a week! For that I would also have to write a book...! In the meantime, JC.Ruffin's book can enlighten you if you have a deep desire for something else. And if you don't know what..., that's good! Francois Thouret