Itinerary leaving le Puy

[Lisa Michaux]

Hi all,

I'm planning on leaving Le Puy on September 30 and only have four days to walk. I'm going with my dad (age 75) and daughter (age 18) and we want to give my daughter a taste of a pilgrimage. My dad has done the Camino Frances and the Porto with my son, so it is her turn.

That said, I am panicking a little reading other posts on itineraries from Le Puy. Because I have made it this far in life not staying in a hostel, I am working around hotels and small inns for our little group.

I am planning this:
Day 1: Start at Cathedral in Le Puy and walk to Saint-Privat d'Allier (23.5 km)
Day 2: Saint-Privat to Sauges (20 km)
Day 3: Sauges to Les Faux (28 km)
Day 4: Les Faus to Aumont-Aubrec (22km)

I am most worried about day 3, but also consider that we don't have a 30 day walk in front of us. We have all day to wander because we will have reservations (hopefully!!) and can relax on that aspect.

On day 4, I need to find someone to drive us back to Le Puy and am hoping this is available to book once I get to France on the trail. We are also hoping to find a service to move the bags since that would be too much for my dad and the distances we hope to cover.

What do you experienced pilgrims think? Are there any "hotels" you can recommend that might shorten the walk and still give us a great experience.

Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions!

Lisa

 

[Deleted member 3000]

I think you will find the day to Saugues the most challenging! You can do what you have planned. It is the itinerary of my first walk on this route, created more out of ignorance than good planning. Aumont-Aubrac is one of the places with "train" service, though it is actually bus service. Check SNCF for schedules.

All the gites and hotels are good, so take your pick. Hotel Aubrac is nice in Aumont-Aubrac.

Bon chemin.

 

[sunsurf]

Hi Lisa, I agree with Falcon about day 2. For accommodation I used the Miam Miam Dodo (you can buy it in Le Puy) and all the private gites I stayed in were very good. I took the demi-pension option (dinner, bed and breakfast) and always had hearty, wholesome meals. The following is just my opinion and different people may have different experiences...
In Saugues I stayed in a private 2 bed room with an en suite bathroom at Gite a la ferme of Mmes Itier & Martins (no 4 in the 2013 Miam Miam Dodo) - lovely home-cooked meal and you dine with Mr & Mrs Martins.
In Aumont-Aubrac I stayed in a private 4 bed room also with an en suite bathroom at La Ferme du Barry of Vincent Boussuge (no 1 in the 2013 Miam Miam Dodo). He makes a big deal of serving the famous l'alligot. Some people do not like the whole drama, but I loved it!
I cannot comment on Saint-Privat d'Allier, as I stayed in a 15 bed room with one shared bathroom (Hospitalite chretienne Pelerins d'Emmaus of Jean-Marc and Marie Lucien -donative- no 12 in Miam Miam Dodo) and it seems that is not what you are looking for. But it was lovely! Also dining with the hosts.
I stayed in Le Rouget which is on the GR65 and not in Les Faux which is about 1 km from the route. Le Rouget is very rustic and had a hot coal stove that was a real blessing. Great dinner.
Bon chemin. Dolfina

 

[giorgio]

For luggage transfer check with Transbagages (site is down) or
http://www.lamallepostale.com/
Giorgio

 

[ranthr]

Hi all,

I'm planning on leaving Le Puy on September 30 and only have four days to walk. I'm going with my dad (age 75) and daughter (age 18) and we want to give my daughter a taste of a pilgrimage. My dad has done the Camino Frances and the Porto with my son, so it is her turn.

That said, I am panicking a little reading other posts on itineraries from Le Puy. Because I have made it this far in life not staying in a hostel, I am working around hotels and small inns for our little group.

I am planning this:
Day 1: Start at Cathedral in Le Puy and walk to Saint-Privat d'Allier (23.5 km)
Day 2: Saint-Privat to Sauges (20 km)
Day 3: Sauges to Les Faux (28 km)
Day 4: Les Faus to Aumont-Aubrec (22km)

I am most worried about day 3, but also consider that we don't have a 30 day walk in front of us. We have all day to wander because we will have reservations (hopefully!!) and can relax on that aspect.

On day 4, I need to find someone to drive us back to Le Puy and am hoping this is available to book once I get to France on the trail. We are also hoping to find a service to move the bags since that would be too much for my dad and the distances we hope to cover.

What do you experienced pilgrims think? Are there any "hotels" you can recommend that might shorten the walk and still give us a great experience.

Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions!

Lisa

Out of Saint Privat on day 2 it is possible to take a quiet walk along the road D 589 to Monistrol instead of the path to the chapel de Rochegude and the very hard climb down from there. I tried this road this spring because the paths were muddy and I knew it was a hard bit down to Monistrol. Had a nice walk, met only a few cars and there was a beautiful view down the valley. The climbing up from Monistrol is a bit hard. The route out of the town was changed since i went there in 2009 to a more up and down climb before you really started upwards. You can continue on the road along the old route until you meet up with the path at the climb up to chapelle de la Madeleine. It is shorter and easier. Day 3 to le Faux is a long walk but not so challenging. The hotel/ gite l'Oustal de Parent was a nice place to stay the night. Bonne route!

 

[Lisa Michaux]

thanks all for your great advice! I leave tomorrow for Paris and from there by train to Le Puy (IF all goes well with flights and trains--fingers crossed!)

I am staying at L'oustal de parent and like all my hotels really except not finding much in Le Puy except the Ibis Styles.

I have to admit I am nervous waiting to get to Le Puy to find the Miam Dodo book, but maybe that is part of the faith experience--that and giving someone our bags to move along to the next hotel!

I will check in with our route and our experiences--can't wait!

 

[Lisa Michaux]

Out of Saint Privat on day 2 it is possible to take a quiet walk along the road D 589 to Monistrol instead of the path to the chapel de Rochegude and the very hard climb down from there. I tried this road this spring because the paths were muddy and I knew it was a hard bit down to Monistrol. Had a nice walk, met only a few cars and there was a beautiful view down the valley. The climbing up from Monistrol is a bit hard. The route out of the town was changed since i went there in 2009 to a more up and down climb before you really started upwards. You can continue on the road along the old route until you meet up with the path at the climb up to chapelle de la Madeleine. It is shorter and easier. Day 3 to le Faux is a long walk but not so challenging. The hotel/ gite l'Oustal de Parent was a nice place to stay the night. Bonne route!

Thanks ranthr--this might be a really good option for my dad and his knees! i will check with our hotel and maybe they can direct us to this alternate route. And great to know that day 3 is long rather than too challenging. Now if I can just get packed!

 

[Sraaen]

Hi all,

I'm planning on leaving Le Puy on September 30 and only have four days to walk. I'm going with my dad (age 75) and daughter (age 18) and we want to give my daughter a taste of a pilgrimage. My dad has done the Camino Frances and the Porto with my son, so it is her turn.

That said, I am panicking a little reading other posts on itineraries from Le Puy. Because I have made it this far in life not staying in a hostel, I am working around hotels and small inns for our little group.

I am planning this:
Day 1: Start at Cathedral in Le Puy and walk to Saint-Privat d'Allier (23.5 km)
Day 2: Saint-Privat to Sauges (20 km)
Day 3: Sauges to Les Faux (28 km)
Day 4: Les Faus to Aumont-Aubrec (22km)

I am most worried about day 3, but also consider that we don't have a 30 day walk in front of us. We have all day to wander because we will have reservations (hopefully!!) and can relax on that aspect.

On day 4, I need to find someone to drive us back to Le Puy and am hoping this is available to book once I get to France on the trail. We are also hoping to find a service to move the bags since that would be too much for my dad and the distances we hope to cover.

What do you experienced pilgrims think? Are there any "hotels" you can recommend that might shorten the walk and still give us a great experience.

Thanks in advance for your comments and suggestions!

Lisa

I concur with the others about day 2. It's a huge downhill into Montisol then a huge uphill out of it. Both on rocky trails. Tough on the ankles. Like Dolfina I stayed in La Riuget, just short of Aumont Aubrac. The gite is the upstairs of the barn and since the rooms were full I stayed in the living room next to the wood stove.

 

[Thornley]

What happened to Lisa ????