LePuy help, please!

[Camino Chrissy]

I am hoping to walk the LePuy route with two Camino friends June 2018, taking approximately three weeks to go as far as Mossaic. I have two questions for the moment.
1) In my research, it seems rather difficult to coordinate getting to LePuy from Paris. Other than an expensive flight, it looks like a combination of busing and train(s). Also, heading back to Paris looks like it may be difficult as well. For those of you who have done this, what worked for you logistically?
2) I have read that this route is quite strenuous with difficult walking ups and downs in the earlier stages. I have walked the Norte/Primitivo combination. Is the LePuy similar or more difficult?

Thank you in advance for any help or ideas!

 

[Kitsambler]

1) getting to LePuy from Paris. ...and back ...

There's no need to shy away from trains in Europe. Once you get the hang of them, you'll see why so few Europeans own cars. From CDG in Paris, take the express (even the TGV) to Lyon, change to St-Etienne, and change again. The last leg into Le Puy used to be rail also, but sometimes runs by bus these days. Moissac is on a good rail line, and only one change is necessary to return to Paris.

2) quite strenuous with difficult walking ups and downs in the earlier stages.

Strenuousness is entirely relative; this is a hike, not a backpacking adventure. Nothing at all like the Appalachian Trail, for instance. It's true that on the first section, Le Puy - Conques, there are several memorable descents/ascents where rivers have cut deep valleys into the limestone plateau. But French grandmothers walk them every day! And it is possible to send one's bag on ahead on challenging days, if you like. There are times when the footing is stony, and one must be careful where to put one's feet. But these are quite the exceptions rather than the rule.

 

[JAL]

I am hoping to walk the LePuy route with two Camino friends June 2018, taking approximately three weeks to go as far as Mossaic. I have two questions for the moment.
1) In my research, it seems rather difficult to coordinate getting to LePuy from Paris. Other than an expensive flight, it looks like a combination of busing and train(s). Also, heading back to Paris looks like it may be difficult as well. For those of you who have done this, what worked for you logistically?
2) I have read that this route is quite strenuous with difficult walking ups and downs in the earlier stages. I have walked the Norte/Primitivo combination. Is the LePuy similar or more difficult?

Thank you in advance for any help or ideas!

I went to LePuy via Lyon, which was pretty straightforward (train to St. Etienne, and train to LePuy), so no help there. The stretch you are talking about is indeed strenuous, but nothing worse then the Norte/Primitivo. Time tends to put a rosy glow on things, but I do think they are pretty equal in difficulty. To me, conditions make as much difference as actual climbing; rain and heat can magnify the perceived effort. You are in for a treat, though, the Chemin St. Jacques is wonderful.

 

[petro]

"]2) I have read that this route is quite strenuous with difficult walking ups and downs in the earlier stages. I have walked the Norte/Primitivo combination. Is the LePuy similar or more difficult?[/QUOTE]


Hi Camino Chris,

I have walked the Primitivo last year. This year I walked the Le Puy Route and yes the first 10 days on the Le Puy route is strenuous but for me not more so than the Primitivo.

Buen Camino!

Petro

 

[Arbey48]

2) I have read that this route is quite strenuous with difficult walking ups and downs in the earlier stages. I have walked the Norte/Primitivo combination. Is the LePuy similar or more difficult?

Hi Camino Chris,

There's a good website initiated by a Canadian - Chloe Rose - who walked the Le Puy route last year. Her report on Transportation can be viewed on this link: https://www.solocamino.com/transportation/
I suggest Chloe Rose's website is a very good resource for anyone intending to walk from Le Puy, lots of useful info, including a very touching story of the open heart of a French woman called Edwidge. You can read that here also: https://www.caminoadventures.com/le-puy-santiago-bad-shoes-meeting-good-friends/

Buen Camino

 

[ChloeRose]

1) In my research, it seems rather difficult to coordinate getting to LePuy from Paris. Other than an expensive flight, it looks like a combination of busing and train(s). Also, heading back to Paris looks like it may be difficult as well. For those of you who have done this, what worked for you logistically?

Hey Chris,

You can take the train straight from Paris to Le Puy en Velay, or you can combine your train with a short bus ride to make it cheaper. I took a Ouibus bus from Paris to Lyon for €29 (book in advance for fares down to €15), then a SNCF train to Le Puy for €18.60. A direct train would have cost €100.

Rome2rio is a great resource for figuring out different route options, especially with smaller transportation services!

Hope that helps

 

[ChloeRose]

Hi Camino Chris,

There's a good website initiated by a Canadian - Chloe Rose - who walked the Le Puy route last year. Her report on Transportation can be viewed on this link: https://www.solocamino.com/transportation/
I suggest Chloe Rose's website is a very good resource for anyone intending to walk from Le Puy, lots of useful info, including a very touching story of the open heart of a French woman called Edwidge. You can read that here also: https://www.caminoadventures.com/le-puy-santiago-bad-shoes-meeting-good-friends/

Buen Camino

Wow! Thank you very much Arbey! Very happy to help and share Camino stories

 

[jsalt]

For those of you who have done this, what worked for you logistically?

Hi Chris, I took the overnight Eurolines bus (http://www.eurolines.co.uk/en/destinations/france/lyon) from London to Lyon, changing at Paris. It was so easy:

Departs
Arrives
13:30 LONDON Victoria Coach Station
22:15 Paris (Gallieni), France

23:30 Paris (Gallieni), France
05:45 Lyon, France

The coach station in Paris was pretty deserted, so my sister and I walked outside, found a posh bar on the umpteenth floor at the top of an hotel, and shared a nice bottle of wine for an hour.

In Lyon, early next morning, we walked across to the train station and took a train and a bus to Le Puy.
Jill

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Thank you all so very much for your help with such great advise! You have alleviated most of my concerns regarding the logistics. I so appreciate you taking the time to answer my questions...one of the many wonderful things about this forum!
Chris

 

[karenhypes]

I am hoping to walk the LePuy route with two Camino friends June 2018, taking approximately three weeks to go as far as Mossaic. I have two questions for the moment.
1) In my research, it seems rather difficult to coordinate getting to LePuy from Paris. Other than an expensive flight, it looks like a combination of busing and train(s). Also, heading back to Paris looks like it may be difficult as well. For those of you who have done this, what worked for you logistically?
2) I have read that this route is quite strenuous with difficult walking ups and downs in the earlier stages. I have walked the Norte/Primitivo combination. Is the LePuy similar or more difficult?

Thank you in advance for any help or ideas!

Hi, All great advice you've been getting. Trains are easy. Moissac is a good spot to stop. If you have 3 weeks you'll be fine. My wife and I took 17 days to get to Moissac in 2010. Try Gite Ultreia (www.ultreiamoissac.com) in Moissac. Real close to the train station and the hosts, Rom and Aideen, are a great help. Bon Chemin. Dayton and Karen

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Hi, All great advice you've been getting. Trains are easy. Moissac is a good spot to stop. If you have 3 weeks you'll be fine. My wife and I took 17 days to get to Moissac in 2010. Try Gite Ultreia (www.ultreiamoissac.com) in Moissac. Real close to the train station and the hosts, Rom and Aideen, are a great help. Bon Chemin. Dayton and Karen

Thanks! Sounds like a perfect final night's option and we will try to plan to stay there.

 

[Lynda Millington]

Hi Camino Chris

My sister Jenny and I are planning to walk this route in possibly June 2018. The information in the post will be very useful in our planning. Maybe we will see you out there.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Hi Camino Chris

My sister Jenny and I are planning to walk this route in possibly June 2018. The information in the post will be very useful in our planning. Maybe we will see you out there.

That would be great to meet you. We tentatively plan to leave around June 1st 2018 from the USA and I'd assume start walking on the 3rd.

 

[Lynda Millington]

That would be great to meet you. We tentatively plan to leave around June 1st 2018 from the USA and I'd assume start walking on the 3rd.

Absolutely - we will be coming from NZ. I will post our travel plans once we have confirmed them.

 

[Margaret Butterworth]

There's a good website initiated by a Canadian - Chloe Rose - who walked the Le Puy route last year. Her report on Transportation can be viewed on this link: https://www.solocamino.com/transportation/
I suggest Chloe Rose's website is a very good resource for anyone intending to walk from Le Puy, lots of useful info, including a very touching story of the open heart of a French woman called Edwidge. You can read that here also: https://www.caminoadventures.com/le-puy-santiago-bad-shoes-meeting-good-friends/

Chloe Rose's site is indeed full of useful information. I just wish that the advertisements could be a little less intrusive!

 

[ChloeRose]

Chloe Rose's site is indeed full of useful information. I just wish that the advertisements could be a little less intrusive!

I agree, Margaret! Unfortunately, the website costs a decent bundle to publish every year and I'm not quite a millionaire yet. The ads on my site are small banners and go a long way.

But in the spirit of helping a fellow pilgrim, you can always download the adblocker extension for your browser. This will hide all advertisements no matter the website, but you might be surprised to see how many websites will block your access and heckle you for not helping them pay some of their maintenance costs.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Absolutely - we will be coming from NZ. I will post our travel plans once we have confirmed them.

Hi Linda, We arrive in Le Puy late afternoon on May 31, 2018. Have you secured your travel dates yet?

 

[Davey Boyd]

Hi Linda, We arrive in Le Puy late afternoon on May 31, 2018. Have you secured your travel dates yet?

Bon Chemin Chris! And do indeed stay at Gite Ultreia in Moissac, the Bates family who run it are wonderful and a goldmine of information too!

Davey

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Bon Chemin Chris! And do indeed stay at Gite Ultreia in Moissac, the Bates family who run it are wonderful and a goldmine of information too!

Davey

Hi Davey,
I have booked with Rom at Gite Ultreia via email and confirmed my demi pension after so many recommendations, including yours. And I love that they are from Ireland as they will have no problem conversing with me in English!

 

[Lynda Millington]

Hi Linda, We arrive in Le Puy late afternoon on May 31, 2018. Have you secured your travel dates yet?

Hi Chris

We are a bit later than you - arriving on 7 June and spending 2 nights in Le Puy before walking. It is unlikely we will catch up with you but you never know. Go well.

 

[markmcilroy]

I agree, Margaret! Unfortunately, the website costs a decent bundle to publish every year and I'm not quite a millionaire yet. The ads on my site are small banners and go a long way.

But in the spirit of helping a fellow pilgrim, you can always download the adblocker extension for your browser. This will hide all advertisements no matter the website, but you might be surprised to see how many websites will block your access and heckle you for not helping them pay some of their maintenance costs.

Hi Chloe Rose, I have or we have had your site open as a tab on the laptop for the past 4 months or so...I didn't even notice the ads. We are off to do the Le Puy soon in early May , I did the whole CF last year and the previous year. We are really looking forward to it...not too sure about the weather re your snow photos haha. Mark

 

[rdinap]

In 2014 we began our walk on the Le Puy route. We took a train from Montparnasse Station to Lyon and then another train to St. Etienne and then a bus to Le Puy. It was pretty straight forward with only an hour or so layover in Lyon. I don't know about getting back from Moissac. We also walked the Primitivo in 2017 from Oviedo to Santiago. I found them to be about equal in difficulty with the Primitivo maybe slightly more difficult due to the limited housing options and distances between them. The climb out of Monistrol on the second day will get your heart pumping, but it is not as hard as from Borres to Berducedo or even the shorter route from Palo de Allende to Berducedo if you went that way. I found the part from Espalion to Cahors to be challenging too, particularly getting out of Conques. My opinion is that if you did the Primitivo you will be able to easily get to Moissac in 3 weeks.

 

[caminka]

if you are interested in some recommendations, I loved these:

gite st jacques in le puy. run by superb volunteers and right below the cathedral. lovely separated beds (no bunks) with courtains, a backpack closet and a kitchen.

gite la margueride in saugues. at the start of the old centre, small rooms ( I got an attic double with bathroom attached), wifi and a kitchen in the basement.

a variant via cascade du déroc between pont du marchastel and nasbinals. you can follow my gps:
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/camino2016-014-aumont-aubrac-nasbinals-16766711

gite romiou in st-come-d'olt. smack in the centre, lovely owners, attic dorm with a view of the cathedral, kitchen.

gite hospitalité st jacques in estaing. run by volunteers, big sunny garden, communal dinner.

accueil abbaye ste foy in conques. superb. reserve as soon as you can! they do keep 10 unreservable beds. enjoy an evening tour of the cathedral and an explanation of the portal by one of the monks.

gite relais de la bourrache in seyriac (before figeac). beautiful house with lots of history (a scallop above one doorway!) and very nice owners. has a kitchen. now less off route since gr to figeac has been rerouted.

I really recommend the variante du célé valley. but reserve accommodation in advance as it's less plentiful then on the main rout and st-cirq-lapopie is very popular.
for some off-gr ideas here are my gps:
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/camino2016-023-la-cassagnole-espagnac-ste-eulalie-16779122 (beautiful lanes past dolmens inspired by dave from this forum.)
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/camino2016-025-marcilhac-sur-cele-saint-cirq-lapopie-16790724 (an off-road morning alternative saving climbs till sauliac)
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/camino2016-026-saint-cirq-lapopie-vers-16800778 (an alternative to the main gr with perhaps less elevation gain and no backtracking, also very nice gite in vers)
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/camino2016-027-vers-cahors-16801107 (a short-cut via the former railway line)

gite papillon vert in cahors. an old tower house in the centre near the cathedral, with small rooms and a kitchen. the owner is very cool and you get you own sleepers!

gite ultreia in moissac. very cool owners, a big yard and a kitchen.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

@caminka, I appreciate all the lodging tips and also the Cele Valley as we plan to walk that variant. Thank you! I arrive in Le Puy on May 31st!

 

[caminka]

anytime, @Camino Chris. if you have any specific q's, just ask.

 

[StephenChad]

Yes, the Cele valley provides some stunning walking though the Causses landscapes but it is a bit up and down. 1100m of ascent between Marcihlac and St Circ la Popie. The only sad thing was the devastation wrought by the box caterpillar (April 2018) though I suppose the alternative routes will be the same.

 

[grandson of Alvin]

if you are interested in some recommendations, I loved these:

gite st jacques in le puy. run by superb volunteers and right below the cathedral. lovely separated beds (no bunks) with courtains, a backpack closet and a kitchen.

gite la margueride in saugues. at the start of the old centre, small rooms ( I got an attic double with bathroom attached), wifi and a kitchen in the basement.

a variant via cascade du déroc between pont du marchastel and nasbinals. you can follow my gps:
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/camino2016-014-aumont-aubrac-nasbinals-16766711

gite romiou in st-come-d'olt. smack in the centre, lovely owners, attic dorm with a view of the cathedral, kitchen.

gite hospitalité st jacques in estaing. run by volunteers, big sunny garden, communal dinner.

accueil abbaye ste foy in conques. superb. reserve as soon as you can! they do keep 10 unreservable beds. enjoy an evening tour of the cathedral and an explanation of the portal by one of the monks.

gite relais de la bourrache in seyriac (before figeac). beautiful house with lots of history (a scallop above one doorway!) and very nice owners. has a kitchen. now less off route since gr to figeac has been rerouted.

I really recommend the variante du célé valley. but reserve accommodation in advance as it's less plentiful then on the main rout and st-cirq-lapopie is very popular.
for some off-gr ideas here are my gps:
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/camino2016-023-la-cassagnole-espagnac-ste-eulalie-16779122 (beautiful lanes past dolmens inspired by dave from this forum.)
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/camino2016-025-marcilhac-sur-cele-saint-cirq-lapopie-16790724 (an off-road morning alternative saving climbs till sauliac)
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/camino2016-026-saint-cirq-lapopie-vers-16800778 (an alternative to the main gr with perhaps less elevation gain and no backtracking, also very nice gite in vers)
https://www.wikiloc.com/hiking-trails/camino2016-027-vers-cahors-16801107 (a short-cut via the former railway line)

gite papillon vert in cahors. an old tower house in the centre near the cathedral, with small rooms and a kitchen. the owner is very cool and you get you own sleepers!

gite ultreia in moissac. very cool owners, a big yard and a kitchen.

Hi caminka, I was wondering if you could provide a link or tell how exactly to book a night at Gite St. Jacques in Le Puy from the US? That'll be the first night for our party, and we'd like to get that squared away. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[jsalt]

I was wondering if you could provide a link or tell how exactly to book a night at Gite St. Jacques in Le Puy

Hi, lots of info here (in Spanish, but easy to understand):
https://www.gronze.com/camino-santiago-le-puy
Jill

 

[caminka]

Hi caminka, I was wondering if you could provide a link or tell how exactly to book a night at Gite St. Jacques in Le Puy from the US? That'll be the first night for our party, and we'd like to get that squared away. Any help would be appreciated!

I simply called a day ahead, but I was already on the way by then, coming down from lyon, and I was alone. for calling from the us, I can refer you to this site: https://www.howtocallabroad.com/france/. that would mean for the gite:

011 33 637 086 583 for cellular
011 33 471 094 392 for stationary

this is the link with the info meant for hospitaleros, but very informative: http://pelerinsdecompostelle.com/relais-du-pelerin-saint-jacques-du-puy-en-velay-43/

 

[Kitsambler]

a link or tell how exactly to book a night at Gite St. Jacques in Le Puy from the US?

It appears (http://pelerinsdecompostelle.com/relais-du-pelerin-saint-jacques-du-puy-en-velay-43/) the host, Christiane Coste, can be reached by email at coste.marienoelle@neuf.fr

 

[grandson of Alvin]

It appears (http://pelerinsdecompostelle.com/relais-du-pelerin-saint-jacques-du-puy-en-velay-43/) the host, Christiane Coste, can be reached by email at coste.marienoelle@neuf.fr[/QUOTE

Many thanks for
Your help!

 

[JulieandPeter]

How is your walk going Chris?

 

[Camino Chrissy]

How is your walk going Chris?

I walked from June 1st through the 26th, going from Le Puy to Auvillar, then walked backward one stage back to Moissac to take the train to Paris for flight home. It was a wonderful camino, although lots of ups and downs that were very long. I did a recap of my trip here on the forum titled "I'm back home!" If you would like to take a look for more details. I will also try to answer any specific questions you may have.

 

[JulieandPeter]

I walked from June 1st through the 26th, going from Le Puy to Auvillar, then walked backward one stage back to Moissac to take the train to Paris for flight home. It was a wonderful camino, although lots of ups and downs that were very long. I did a recap of my trip here on the forum titled "I'm back home!" If you would like to take a look for more details. I will also try to answer any specific questions you may have.

Thank you Chris! I will take a look at that thread tomorrow!