Rest days on Le Puy

[auburnfive]

Hello,
We are planning to walk from Le Puy to Conques next fall and will pre- book our accommodation. Our plan is to take our time, with daily distances between 15 and 20 km. We were hoping to take 2 rest days, can anyone suggest the best spots for those days. Another option is for one rest day in the middle with 2 days in Le Puy and Conques. Ideas welcomed. Thanks!

 

[Chrisp]

Hello,
We are planning to walk from Le Puy to Conques next fall and will pre- book our accommodation. Our plan is to take our time, with daily distances between 15 and 20 km. We were hoping to take 2 rest days, can anyone suggest the best spots for those days. Another option is for one rest day in the middle with 2 days in Le Puy and Conques. Ideas welcomed. Thanks!

I know you will receive a lot of different opinions, but personally I don’t think I would have a rest day in Conques. I know it is beautiful but it is very small and you can experience it all in one day. It is also very touristy! I particularly liked Figeac, Lectoure and Condom. However, wait until you get other feedback and then make up your mind. Buen Camino

 

[Dave]

My suggestion in this section is always to do two short days--Saint-Côme-d’Olt to Espalion (8km) and then Espalion to Estaing (12km)--instead of a zero day. Each of those towns is well worth an overnight.

The other thing to consider is whether you can line up a day off with a market day. For example, Espalion's Friday morning market is fantastic. You could reach it walking from Saint-Côme that morning, but a day off would allow you a more leisurely pace of indulgence.

 

[Kitsambler]

Senergue is a half-day before Conques, with a lovely gite. That puts you into Conques before lunch, leaving a quite sufficient half-day to explore. And it has the added benefit of giving you fresh legs for the steep descent into Conques.

 

[naplesdon]

I think Le Puy is worth an extra night, get over your get lag, climb the steps to the chapel, visit the cathedral and partake in some delicious lentil soup.

 

[BlackRocker57]

Hello,
We are planning to walk from Le Puy to Conques next fall and will pre- book our accommodation. Our plan is to take our time, with daily distances between 15 and 20 km. We were hoping to take 2 rest days, can anyone suggest the best spots for those days. Another option is for one rest day in the middle with 2 days in Le Puy and Conques. Ideas welcomed. Thanks!

I like to take several days in Le Puy-en-Velay to recover from jetlag, then a rest day at Aumont-Aubrac; two short days out of Saint-Côme-d’Olt and Espalion are a good idea too per suggestion by @Dave

 

[bks]

I know you will receive a lot of different opinions, but personally I don’t think I would have a rest day in Conques. I know it is beautiful but it is very small and you can experience it all in one day. It is also very touristy! I particularly liked Figeac, Lectoure and Condom. However, wait until you get other feedback and then make up your mind. Buen Camino

Auburn Five is only going to Conques and therefore not passing through Lectoure, Figeac and Condom!

 

[Chrisp]

I like to take several days in Le Puy-en-Velay to recover from jetlag, then a rest day at Aumont-Aubrac; two short days out of Saint-Côme-d’Olt and Espalion are a good idea too per suggestion by @Dave

Oh dear, serves me right for jumping in too soon

 

[Bronte DownUnder]

Greetings from Australians who walked from Le Puy to St Jean Pied de Port in 2015. We spent 2 nights in Le Puy after travelling from Lyon by train. There is plenty to see in Le Puy and I agree with “naplesdon”, definitely try the lentil soup. The 7am pilgrims’ mass was a lovely way to begin day 1 of our walk. Be aware that the descent into Monistrol d’Allier and the subsequent ascent are very steep. Our first REST DAY was actually Conques. It is a very beautiful village and the evening mass was really lovely. Just sit and absorb it all after what will have been about 280km on the road. Though we didn’t have a rest day between those 2 points, we thought Espalion would be a lovely place for a rest day, or even Estaing.
Enjoy your planning.