Travel tips: What is the best time of year to walk the Camino de Santiago?

My wife and I are in our mid 50s and we would like to plan a trip that includes walking about a hundred kilometre section of the Camino de Santiago and a small group tour that includes Monet's Garden. What's the best time of year for reasonable weather and less crowds? Can you recommend tour operators for both? Our preference on the walk would be small B&Bs and carrying a day pack with gear transfer.

S. WOOD, WAGGA WAGGA

World Expeditions, worldexpeditions.com, has a 13-day Best of the Camino guided tour from Roncesvalles in Spain, high in the Pyrenees and close to the French border, to Santiago de Compostella that might be just what you're looking for.

Breakfast and dinner are included and accommodation is in four-star hotels on seven nights, the rest in two and three-star hotels.

Gear transfers are provided.

The tour involves walks of about three to five hours each day with transfers on some days to skip some of the bits where the route follows busier roads.

There's plenty of time for leisurely exploration of monasteries, churches and villages, and long walks through glorious countryside.

My choice of the dates on offer would be the trip beginning September 11, 2016, since the weather should be benign and not too cool in the mountain sections, and the crowds mostly gone although the Camino is a very popular route.

Second choice would be the trip starting on October 2.

There are many different day tours form Paris that take in Monet's garden at Giverny.

If you search for "Giverny" on the Viator website viator.com, you'll find plenty of choices, depending on how much you want to spend.

On the same site you'll also find reviews from other travellers which should help steer you in the right direction.

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