How do you get from Le Puy to Arles??

[traveltheresa]

Hey

I am a young pilgrim from germany and I will continue walking from le puy in march and I am trying to plan a liiiittle bit now..
I Want to go vers Lourdes so I am thinking to go to Arles and then continue on the Piemont Route somehow.
How do I get to Arles from Le Puy? Is there a guide I can check? On some maps there is a way marked but I cant find a name or any information!
Thankyou so much in advance for your help

Theresa

 

[Deleted member 3000]

How do I get to Arles from Le Puy?

By NOT going to Le Puy (unless you are looking for a walking route)!! Head for Toulouse, then to Arles, or go directly to Arles. You can start the Via Tolosana from Toulouse; it is the last half of the Arles route. You can branch from the Via Tolosana to Lourdes, then head for SJPdP or the Camino Aragones to Puente La Reina..

 

[lovingkindness]

Hello @traveltheresa

Here's a suggestion:

Le Puy-en-Velay - Conques - Toulouse - Lourdes

Follow Le Voie de Puy as far as Conques then switch to the Grand Randonnée trail which goes from Conques to Toulouse. Here is a link:
http://www.randonnees-midi-pyrenees...hemin-de-conques-a-toulouse.aspx#.XDDn8WlCeAo

From Toulouse to Lourdes there are various possibilities. Here's a link to the ACIR and a map:
http://www.chemins-compostelle.com/sites/all/modules/itineraire/carte.php?id=8
http://www.chemins-compostelle.com/

...and a link to all the Grand Randonnées in France:
https://www.gr-infos.com/gr-fr.htm

Happy planning!

-Lovingkindness

ps I've walked from Le Puy to Conques but have'nt hiked the GR from Conques to Toulouse.

 

[lovingkindness]

Hello again,

Le Puy-en-Velay - Saint-Gilles-du-Gard - Arles

The GR 700 is another possibility. It runs from Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Gilles-du-Gard which is not too far from Arles. Saint-Gilles is on the GR653/ le Voie d'Arles:

http://www.rando-hauteloire.fr/randos-itinerantes/chemin-de-regordane-gr-700/

Cheers
LK

 

[Doogman]

I have not done this myself, so I am just looking at a map of the GR routes, but it looks like you could take the Robert Louis Stevenson Trail (GR70) south from Le Puy until it connects with the GR7 (which is also the E4). It seems like these connect near the town of Villefort. You could follow that trail right down to Carcassonne, which is on the Piemont Route.

Sorry that this does not answer your question about how to get to Arles, but it gets you headed in the right direction. My map is somewhat old, but it is IGN 903, which shows all of the GR routes in France.

Let us know what you decide, and good luck!

 

[lovingkindness]

ps...Bonne Année ! @falcon269, @traveltheresa + @Doogman

 

[lovingkindness]

Toulouse - Maubourget - Lourdes

Following le Voie d'Arles, there are seven stages between Toulouse and Moubourget. Then, following the GR 101, there are two stages from Maubourget to Lourdes. The tourist office in Maubourget has created a pdf with maps and accommodation suggestions. Here is a link to the pdf:

http://verscompostelle.be/guides gratuits/maubourguet-lourdes-FR-2016.pdf

Cheers
Lovingkindness

 

[sharon w]

Last year we walked from Le Puy to St Jean du Gard on the Robert Louis Stevenson route, then caught the bus to Nimes and the train to Arles. From there we walked on Chemin d’Arles. The alternative route is the St Gilles or Regordane from Le Puy to St Gilles(1st stop on the Arles route).

 

[lovingkindness]

..and yet another possibility:

Arles - St Gervais-sur-Mare - Capestang - Carcassonne - Lourdes

Arles - St Gervais-sur-Mare : follow le Voie d'Arles

St Gervais-sur-Mare - Capestang : follow the GR 787.
https://boutique.ffrandonnee.fr/topoguide-tours-dans-le-pays-haut-languedoc-et-vignobles

Capestang - Carcassonne :
a) follow Le canal du Midi (there are no pilgrims gites)
http://www.plan-canal-du-midi.com/balade-a-pied-randonnee/

or

b) follow a signed local trail: Capestang - Pouzols-Minervois (25.7 km); Rieux-Minervois (24.2 km); Malves-en-Minervois (17,7 km); Carcossonne (14 km) . Here's a link to the Lepere guide book describing this path:

www.chemin-compostelle.fr
title: Lepere, François and Terrien, Yvette. Sur le chemin de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle: La voie des Piémont. Lepere editions. 2016.

Carcassonne - Lourdes :
a) follow le Voie de Piemont
http://www.chemins-compostelle.com/itineraires/8/la-voie-des-piemonts

Lepere guide book : https://www.chemin-compostelle.fr/boutique/france/voie-du-piemont-pyreneen/

or

b) follow the GR 78
https://boutique.ffrandonnee.fr/topoguide-le-chemin-du-piemont-pyreneen

Bon chemin!
_Lovingkindness

 

[lovingkindness]

Le Puy-en-Velay : Average weather in March

https://weatherspark.com/m/49239/3/Average-Weather-in-March-in-Le-Puy-en-Velay-France

 

[AlwynWellington]

@traveltheresa , welcome

For a first pilgrimage I suggest you consider the well trod path as far as possible. For me this means taking a way that has an infrastructure of pilgrim friendly accomodation and well marked paths.

(Having walked the way seldom travelled the first 600 km of the Via Francigena (Canterbury to Reims and beyond) I can assert this way is seldom marked. This might be the case with the options mentioned by others above.)

The way from Le Puy to Saint-Jean via Conques, Moissac etc has a good pilgrim accomodation and is well marked, as well as other pilgrims of many nationalities to chat with, and take encouragement from, at stops.

The variation I suggest is about three days before Saint-Jean.

Having stayed at Athez-de-Bearn I suggest dropping down to Argananon, thn turn right towards Orthez (less than 20 km in total). From Orthez (shock, horror) take a train to Lourdes.

When ready, return by train to Orthez.

Orthez is on the Vezelay Way (starting near Paris) and meets up with the Le Puy Way after about two days, leaving a day or so into Saint Jean.

I suggest taking a train on what is a walking pilgrimage as a parcticality. With many, many years expereince tramping locally and now three years (and about 3,000 km) walking in Europe, and having a tent in my pack, I might now be inclined to walk from Arthez-de-Bearn to Lourdes and then find my way to Sain-Jean. And expect to add the best part of a week to my journey. But I would not have done so on my first major walk away from home. I would see it as the modern day equivalent of having a ride on a farmers cart in the early centuries of pilgrimages.

PS: For the way from Le Puy a guide I suggest is Michelin Guide 161 Chemin de Compostelle. This is relatively compact with for each suggested stage, on facing pages, an elevation profile, a selection of accomodation, a Michelin map and a thumbnail showing where this stage fits into the overall route.

Kia kaha (take care, be strong, get going)

 

[JabbaPapa]

Hey

I am a young pilgrim from germany and I will continue walking from le puy in march and I am trying to plan a liiiittle bit now..
I Want to go vers Lourdes so I am thinking to go to Arles and then continue on the Piemont Route somehow.
How do I get to Arles from Le Puy? Is there a guide I can check? On some maps there is a way marked but I cant find a name or any information!
Thankyou so much in advance for your help

Theresa

ewwww, now THIS is an interesting question ...

But I can start by telling you that the Way to Lourdes from Le Puy is not via Arles.

Relatively speaking, Lourdes is far closer to where the Le Puy route joins the Vézelay than elsewhere, and most possibilities southwards from the Le Puy route near Le Puy involve mountains but no hiking trails.

So, even without consulting my maps, I'd say follow the Le Puy route, then strike southwards somewhere towards the "end" -- from somewhere westwards anyway.

My old IGN map shows a traditional secondary route down from Rocamadour to Toulouse (technically a variant of the Vézelay), which crosses the Le Puy route at a point not too far after Conques. Based on this map, I'd then suggest following the Arles route from there to Auch (provisionally ; will probably revise that), then strike South hors piste towards Tarbes, thence Lourdes.

---

Now, technically.

I find from mapy.cz (go to that site ; get the app) that the crossroads at that point is basically Cahors, so follow the Le Puy route to Cahors. (make that a rest day, Cahors is lovely, though it's been decades since my one quick visit there)

There's where you'd have to start your hors-piste.

Make your way from Cahors along the smallest most local roads through villages you can find (go prepared, there might not be too many food shops along the way) basically South towards Montauban ; but from Montauban you can follow the hiking trail along the Canal to Toulouse.

Then, it seems, follow the Voie d'Arles to Maubourget. (so not Auch)

A couple K past Maubourget, leave the Arles for the southwards waymarked route, through Saint-Lézer etc (GR 101), and THAT will take you to Lourdes.

 

[JabbaPapa]

For a first pilgrimage I suggest you consider the well trod path as far as possible.

...

From Orthez (shock, horror) take a train to Lourdes.

eh, sorry I suggest ignoring both of these.

A first pilgrimage is always best when it has a bit of "into the unknown".

As for public transport, well, that's just antithetical to a proper first experience of the Way of Saint James (and IMO 2nd experience too, and 3rd, 4th, 9th, umpteenth).

To each their own of course, but apart from how to hike from Cahors to Montauban (and it seems that some others have some solutions for that), there's really no need for strange train solutions.

 

[Felice]

This is the thread you need:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...uy-to-st-jean-roncesvalles-via-lourdes.57158/

 

[lovingkindness]

Bonjour @traveltheresa

For preparation at home, here is a link to Carte-Géoportail, a french governmental site which provides geographic information for all of France and map making facilities. ie, One can make hiking maps and print them off free of charge.

https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/

For example: Arles - St Gilles

*type Arles in 'Chercher un lieu,'. Click, 13200 Arles. Then click 'ok'.
*When the map appears zoom in to 'echelle 1 17055' (indicated bottom left hand corner of screen).

All the GR trails leading from Arles will appear in flurescent pink. In addition, les chemins de Saint Jacques will be identified by the yellow-on-blue camino logo.

Between Arles and St Gilles-sur-Gard one can see two GR routes, the GR 42 which follows the river, Le Petit Rhône and the GR653 Chemin d'Arles. The two GRs connect before the bridge at the entrance to St Gilles. (Zoom out to ''Echelle 1 34110).

*in the top right of the screen there is a spanner tool symbol. Using this, one can annotate the map and make measurements etc before printing.

Have fun exploring!

Cheers
Lovingkindness

ps...a friend who has worked and walked in the area between St Gilles, Saliers and Arles says that the GR653 has a dangerous spot of road walking for 1 km between Saliers and the crossroads at Crin Blanc . He suggests that the GR 42 river trail which follows the digue would be more pleasant.

 

[traveltheresa]

Wow! Thankyou all for your suggestions. I am amazed how may people answered so.fast! My first time writing in a forum, really cool!
I will have to take some time to view all of the answers and then decide!

..aaaand it's not my first pilgrimage, I've walked from cologne to le puy which is already quite far but I do want to do something that is not too complicated and hard since I'll be having exams the next month's and won't have much time to organise.

The weather will be quite cold but I hope I will be okay! In German we have a saying" I'm not out of sugar"

I'll let you know again if I have more questions but for now thanks to you all,
Theresa

 

[sharon w]

When we walked the Chemin d’Arles last year there was signage pointing out the route to Lourdes. Bon Chemin.

 

[lovingkindness]

Le Puy - St Gilles

Guide book for the GR70 + GR700
Le chemin de RL Stevenson + le chemin de Saint-Gilles: La Regordane

https://www.amazon.fr/dp/2916446702/

Cheers!

 

[AlwynWellington]

A first pilgrimage is always best when it has a bit of "into the unknown"

To each their own. Your meat ...

And a first pilgrimage, by its very nature, is into the unknown.

However, @traveltheresa tells us she has walked Cologne to Le Puy. So the rest is not a first for her.

 

[traveltheresa]

Bonjour @traveltheresa

For preparation at home, here is a link to Carte-Géoportail, a french governmental site which provides geographic information for all of France and map making facilities. ie, One can make hiking maps and print them off free of charge.

https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/

For example: Arles - St Gilles

*type Arles in 'Chercher un lieu,'. Click, 13200 Arles. Then click 'ok'.
*When the map appears zoom in to 'echelle 1 17055' (indicated bottom left hand corner of screen).

All the GR trails leading from Arles will appear in flurescent pink. In addition, les chemins de Saint Jacques will be identified by the yellow-on-blue camino logo.

Between Arles and St Gilles-sur-Gard one can see two GR routes, the GR 42 which follows the river, Le Petit Rhône and the GR653 Chemin d'Arles. The two GRs connect before the bridge at the entrance to St Gilles. (Zoom out to ''Echelle 1 34110).

*in the top right of the screen there is a spanner tool symbol. Using this, one can annotate the map and make measurements etc before printing.

Have fun exploring!

Cheers
Lovingkindness

ps...a friend who has worked and walked in the area between St Gilles, Saliers and Arles says that the GR653 has a dangerous spot of road walking for 1 km between Saliers and the crossroads at Crin Blanc . He suggests that the GR 42 river trail which follows the digue would be more pleasant.[/QU


For me there is no GR trails appearing, I dont think its working? Or do I have to change something?

Thaaaankyou!

 

[traveltheresa]

Now I finally have enough time to view the different options and I reckon the regordane is a biiiig detour, right?
It seems smart to go go first to Cahors, but maybe a bit tricky from there? And which route would be smart to follow after lourdes?

Merci to all of you

ewwww, now THIS is an interesting question ...

But I can start by telling you that the Way to Lourdes from Le Puy is not via Arles.

Relatively speaking, Lourdes is far closer to where the Le Puy route joins the Vézelay than elsewhere, and most possibilities southwards from the Le Puy route near Le Puy involve mountains but no hiking trails.

So, even without consulting my maps, I'd say follow the Le Puy route, then strike southwards somewhere towards the "end" -- from somewhere westwards anyway.

My old IGN map shows a traditional secondary route down from Rocamadour to Toulouse (technically a variant of the Vézelay), which crosses the Le Puy route at a point not too far after Conques. Based on this map, I'd then suggest following the Arles route from there to Auch (provisionally ; will probably revise that), then strike South hors piste towards Tarbes, thence Lourdes.

---

Now, technically.

I find from mapy.cz (go to that site ; get the app) that the crossroads at that point is basically Cahors, so follow the Le Puy route to Cahors. (make that a rest day, Cahors is lovely, though it's been decades since my one quick visit there)

There's where you'd have to start your hors-piste.

Make your way from Cahors along the smallest most local roads through villages you can find (go prepared, there might not be too many food shops along the way) basically South towards Montauban ; but from Montauban you can follow the hiking trail along the Canal to Toulouse.

Then, it seems, follow the Voie d'Arles to Maubourget. (so not Auch)

A couple K past Maubourget, leave the Arles for the southwards waymarked route, through Saint-Lézer etc (GR 101), and THAT will take you to Lourdes.

 

[traveltheresa]

http://www.randonnees-midi-pyrenees.com/Portals/130/Media/2014/carte-st-jacques-3500.jpg

This makes more sense with the map. So I first go on the via podiensis and then I cross over to the chemin de arles and then just follow this one?

 

[lovingkindness]

Bonsoir @traveltheresa

Here are a couple of possibilities which involve following le Voie du Puy to Eauze or further to a village near Nogaro then on to Maubourget:

1 Le Puy en Velay - Le Haget - Plaisance - Maubourget - Lourdes

Le Haget is just after Eauze on le Voie du Puy. It is 2 days walk from Le Haget to Maubourget.

accommodation in Le Haget: http://www.relaishaget.com/

*Le Haget - Plaisance (road walking): return to the D153 and follow the road to Aignan; D131 to Lasserade; D138 then D37 to Plaisance.

Accommodation in Plaisance : Camping de l'Arros https://www.campingdelarros.com/

*Plaisance - Maubourget : follow le Sentier de l'Adour
http://adouretaffluents.fr/le-sentier-de-ladour/

or
road walk for 4 hours to Maubourget.

2 Le Puy en Velay - Lanne Soubirant -Riscle - Moubourget - Lourdes

Lanne Soubirant is just after Nogaro on le Voie du Puy. It is 3 or more days walking from Lanne Soubirant to Moubourget.

*Lanne Soubirant - Riscle : follow the D152 to St Griede; turn right to Maulichères continuing to Riscle.

*Riscle - Plaisance - Maubourget : follow le Sentier de l'Adour :
http://adouretaffluents.fr/le-sentier-de-ladour/

accommodation in Riscle : Office de tourisme
https://www.france-voyage.com/villes-villages/riscle-11041/office-tourisme-riscle-8052.htm

accommodation in Plaisance :
Camping de l'Arros https://www.campingdelarros.com/

Hope this helps.

Cheers
Lovingkindness

 

[lovingkindness]

http://www.randonnees-midi-pyrenees.com/Portals/130/Media/2014/carte-st-jacques-3500.jpg

This makes more sense with the map. So I first go on the via podiensis and then I cross over to the chemin de arles and then just follow this one?

Hi again @traveltheresa
...Just a question. I think I may have misunderstood your reply above . Do you still wish to walk from Le Puy via Arles to Lourdes?

 

[traveltheresa]

Haha, yes, but doesnt matter!
I was thinking to do it like @JabbaPapa suggested I think it will be much easier, right?
Walk to walk to cahors on the via podiensis and then cross down to the chemin d'arles!

 

[lovingkindness]

how about this :

Le Puy en Velay - Varaire - Toulouse

Varaire is just before Cahors on le Voie du Puy, about one day's walk.

Both the GR 46 which goes to Toulouse and le Voie du Puy pass through Varaire...

Guide book GR 46 :http://www.randonnees-midi-pyrenees.com/les-gr/grandes-randonnees-(gr)/gr-46.aspx#.XETeKWlCeAo

cheers

 

[traveltheresa]

Merci!