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Le Puy En Velay

Brian OK White

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
I completed the St-Jean-de-Pied-de-Port to Lograno stretch in 2013 and returned in 2014 to complete Logrono to Leon. Both wonderful experiences. I intend to finish in Santiago in 2015
Hi my name is Brian and I am from Ireland. I will be walking the Camino from Le Puy En Velay to Espalion in late June. If there is anyone who has travelled this route at this time of year I would appreciate your advice on weather, places of interest, places to stay, places to avoid, terrain, route maps with gradient etc. I have completed the Camino from St Jean to Santiago and would now like to walk this route over a number of trips.
 
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Brian, lots of info on this website. I have walked this route (slowly) in June over a number of years.

Weather: generally good, dry and sunny but not hot. Occasional rain. (You start off in the mountains, 740 metres up)

Places of interest: Lots, but St Come d'Olt stands out.

Places to stay: You need Miam Miam Dodo - online here, pick up a paper copy in Le Puy.

Places to avoid; None that I can think of on this stretch. Others may have their own view!

Terrain, route maps: I use Godesalco for calculating length of stages and, together with French IGN maps for route planning. It will also give you an elevation map.

Happy planning! (PS - I recommend Alison Raju'sThe Way of St James - Le Puy to the Pyrenees as an excellent guidebook.)

Bon Chemin et bon courage!
 
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I walked the Le Puy route as far as Auvillar this past June and was very happy with the towns we stopped in each night and where we stayed. I loved this route and I'm sure you will, too!


  1. 1.LePuy-Hotel du Capucin
    1. Montbonnet-Gite Prive l'Escole
    2. Sauges-la Margeride*
    4.Monistrol-La Repos du Pelerin
    5.Chanaleilles-Domaine du Sauvage*
    6.St. Alban sur limagnole-Hotes Chambres Les Genets
    1. Lasbros-Gite Lasbros
    2. Nasbinals-Hotel de France
    3. Saint Cheley d' Aubrac- Gite St. Andre
    10.Espallion- Gite Au Fil de l'Eau*

    All lodgings and food were very nice, however, I did put a star* by a couple of exceptionals I recall.
EDIT...I have no idea why this converted to an outline form! It would not let me correct it. Should be 1 thru 10.
 
Thank you all for your replies which are very helpful. I was planning to travel from Le Puy to Saint-Privat D'alliers the first day which is about 24k. I believe this is mostly uphill. I am wondering how it compares to St. Jean Pied du Port to Roncevalles on the Camino Francais.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
Hi Brian,
I had been advised to take the first 4 days doing less kilometers, so planned the stages that way and glad I did. Being a woman in my 60's it worked well for me...a man of any age could probably fare better than me!
 
Thank you all for your replies which are very helpful. I was planning to travel from Le Puy to Saint-Privat D'alliers the first day which is about 24k. I believe this is mostly uphill. I am wondering how it compares to St. Jean Pied du Port to Roncevalles on the Camino Francais.

I walked to St. Privat d'Allier on my first day on the Le Puy route. It was generally uphill and somewhat tiring, but no where near as steep or challenging as SJPdP to Roncesvalles. I don't know what the relative elevation gains are, but I suspect the walk over the Pyrenees has significantly more.
 
Thank you all for your replies which are very helpful. I was planning to travel from Le Puy to Saint-Privat D'alliers the first day which is about 24k. I believe this is mostly uphill. I am wondering how it compares to St. Jean Pied du Port to Roncevalles on the Camino Francais.

Here is a description I found on the web:

"The route out of Puy is quite steep for 4.6 km (230 m vertical gain) but the rest is very easy. The following 13.8 kms are uphill, but you don’t notice it (270 m vertical gain) as the gradient is so low. Then comes the climb up to Lac de l’Oeuf, the final difficult part of the route, which involves 100 m vertical gain over 1.3 km. The rest of the route is a steep downhill as far as Saint-Privat (350 m vertical drop over 4.7 km)."
 
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The killer going into Saint-Privat is the steep downhill boulder-hopping, which is quite slick and treacherous even on a dry day.
 
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I walked the Le Puy route as far as Auvillar this past June and was very happy with the towns we stopped in each night and where we stayed. I loved this route and I'm sure you will, too!


  1. 1.LePuy-Hotel du Capucin
    1. Montbonnet-Gite Prive l'Escole
    2. Sauges-la Margeride*
  2. 4.Monistrol-La Repos du Pelerin
    5.Chanaleilles-Domaine du Sauvage*
    6.St. Alban sur limagnole-Hotes Chambres Les Genets
    1. Lasbros-Gite Lasbros
    2. Nasbinals-Hotel de France
    3. Saint Cheley d' Aubrac- Gite St. Andre
  3. 10.Espallion- Gite Au Fil de l'Eau*

    All lodgings and food were very nice, however, I did put a star* by a couple of exceptionals I recall.
EDIT...I have no idea why this converted to an outline form! It would not let me correct it. Should be 1 thru 10.
Chris,
I am starting from Le Puy on 6 june. I haven't booked anything for the first few days just to be able to test my legs. How do you feel about not booking those days or should I rely on my host in Le Puy to help me find places to stay?
Your 10 days look to have covered about 160km, is that about right?
I have booked places to stay later in the month because I plan to take the Cele variant and I understand it is popular and bookings are required.
PS I only plan to walk as far as Cahors and then I am going to jump forward to Burgos and do a tried and true walk across the Meseta in July. One month on the GR 65/651 will be enough adventure for meo_O;)
 
This is a very helpful blog written by a Kiwi in 2008. It will give you a flavour of the walk from Le Puy, although she started in a very cold April. I have often repeated the French mantra to which she refers - "Il faut aller doucement, doucement, pour aller a St Jacques." - It is necessary to go gently, gently to get to St James.
 
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Chris,
I am starting from Le Puy on 6 june. I haven't booked anything for the first few days just to be able to test my legs. How do you feel about not booking those days or should I rely on my host in Le Puy to help me find places to stay?
Your 10 days look to have covered about 160km, is that about right?
I have booked places to stay later in the month because I plan to take the Cele variant and I understand it is popular and bookings are required.
PS I only plan to walk as far as Cahors and then I am going to jump forward to Burgos and do a tried and true walk across the Meseta in July. One month on the GR 65/651 will be enough adventure for meo_O;)
Hi Don,
I can be a bit of an over planner, but you will probably be fine if you let your host in Le Puy help you get started with a few reservations early on. I walked the Cele Variant, which I loved. We booked every stage a day in advance and always had a bed. As you probably already know, the gite owners need to know ahead of time how many to cook for, so unplanned showing up is not a good idea and often there are no restaurants to rely on as an alternative. The Cele came after Cahors btw. We hardly saw a soul on the Cele so hard to believe you hear it is so busy....loved it all!
 
Join the Camino cleanup. Logroño to Burgos May 2025 & Astorga to OCebreiro in June
This has proved to be a great forum with lots of advice on the Le Puy route. It had been difficult to get information on this route prior to landing here. My appreciation to everyone who contributes. It is a great service to others.
 
You're probably fine, Biarritzdon, because most of the French public holidays are in April and May (the busiest month). The French frequently walk the route in stages, and tend to book ahead, and weekends are usually the most problematic. If you're planning on taking the demi-pension (recommended where there are not restaurants or grocery stores unless you carry your own food) your host/hostess would like to know beforehand, though, so they can prepare. Usually a day or two ahead is adequate. https://publicholidays.fr/2019-dates/
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
I walked my first camino in 2012. I switched routes literally the day before starting, and so started at Le Puy. I had no idea people thought pre-booking was good. I wouldn't have anyway, but ignorance is bliss. I always found accommodation. I didn't always stay at the gîtes d'etape, and perhaps that was a factor. Only once did I have to walk on to the next village. One miserably wet day I turned up at noonish at a gîtes in a tiny village and was the only person there. The hosts fed me the same thing they were having, and I ate with them.

I think the key to the Le Puy is, don't start on the weekend. That's when the majority of the French start, coinciding with their holiday time.
 
Hi Brian, I find this forum very informative in all things camino. This year I have also found the Facebook group, Way of St. James - Via Podienses excellent for research for Le Puy route. Lots of friendly advice and resources, accommodation lists etc. Bon chemain!
 
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Chris,
I am starting from Le Puy on 6 june. I haven't booked anything for the first few days just to be able to test my legs. How do you feel about not booking those days or should I rely on my host in Le Puy to help me find places to stay?
Your 10 days look to have covered about 160km, is that about right?
I have booked places to stay later in the month because I plan to take the Cele variant and I understand it is popular and bookings are required.
PS I only plan to walk as far as Cahors and then I am going to jump forward to Burgos and do a tried and true walk across the Meseta in July. One month on the GR 65/651 will be enough adventure for meo_O;)

Salut
I'm starting at Le Puy on the 6thas well , but will be walking only to Montbonnet that day , and then to Monistrol-d'Allier the next day so taking first few days easy but I will walk to SJDP over 35 days
We started slowly when we set out from SJDP and walked to Santiago four years ago . Similarly when we did the Portugese two years ago We may
I've taken the pre caution of booking most nights as I know when I have to fly home so when I have to be in SJDP . The downside of booking ahead is that you sometimes feel like walking further or meet someone who is stopping at different stops or you find a village which would have been delightful
The upside is that I know where I'm heading and know I wont have to find a bed
I find it easy then to plan my day
I plan on reaching Cahors on the 23rd June
Seems our paths may cross
Ap
 
I will be going a little bit slower than you perhaps, I don't plan to be in Cahors until 30 June. I am staying in Le Puy for a couple of nights and taking the Cele variant after Beduer. I have done some bookings for that part of my walk due to the season. I'll look out for you.
 
I am wondering how it compares to St. Jean Pied du Port to Roncevalles on the Camino Francais

I was worried about the first day also. In the event I found it relatively easy. That may be accounted for by my encountering a youngish Swiss woman about Tallode. We walked together until Saint-Privat, stopping for a shared lunch on the outskirts of the forest looking back towards Montbonnet.

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