Recommendations for rest days

[vleadbe]

Hi everyone. I am currently planning a rough itinery for my Le Puy camino. Can anyone recommend the best towns or cities I could stop in for a rest day? Or any towns you wish you had stopped in for longer? Ive looked at old threads but most of them are a few years old so I am hoping for some more recent recommendations. I am starting first week of July. Thank you so much

 

[AJGuillaume]

Having walked in 2018, I would recommend Conques, Figeac, Cahors, Moissac.

Bon chemin !

 

[kayagee66]

Hi, There aren’t really any towns that i think warrant another day spent there.
Although there are lots of lovely towns and villages.
Many can be explored in an afternoon or less.
Cahors possibly as it has secret gardens and is close to halfway.
If you don’t mind a rest day actually resting it might be best to go for good accommodation rather than the town.
Conques for example is undoubtedly a lovely town, but can explored in no time, and in the evening go to the cathedral.
Unless i had relaxing accommodation i wouldn’t need another day there. Same can be said for many of the places.
Not trying to put you off, the whole route is super.

 

[Micha17]

Having walked in 2018, I would recommend Conques, Figeac, Cahors, Moissac.

Bon chemin !

After walking the route in October 2021 I definitely recommend Cahors.

 

[Plato]

Just completed this Camino as far as Moissac and I would highly recommend Figeac (donativo Gite du Carmel), Espalion, Conques, Cajarc and Lauzerte...
Bon chemin

 

[lt56ny]

There are so many lovely little hamlets and nice gites to stay. I always believe you rest when your body tells you to rest and not push yourself. Whenever your body starts talking kick back and relax.

 

[beliperegrina]

If you stay one day in Cahors, you can easily take a bus to Saint Cirque Lapopie , (ca. 40km away on the river Lot), a lovely town but quite touristique. Then go back 5-6km next to the river on the Chemin de Halage, wonderfull way that ist partly carved into the rocks. You can take a bus back from Bouziès to Cahors

 

[gml]

I recommend Figeac, and, if you have time, an overnight trip to the spectacular town of Rocamadour, which is about 45 km away. You can walk the route, as some do, but there is a 35-minute train from Figeac that lets you off 5 km from Rocamadour.

 

[Former member 92300]

Haven't done that route yet - but you may find you don't want/need rest days. I did take them on the Frances last year, but they felt out of place and I was anxious to get walking again. This year I am skipping rest days unless I get injured or something. Instead, I will employ a combination of longer and shorter days as needed. The shorter days will be days when I arrive in a city earlier or leave later - and use the extra time to explore the city.

Anyhow - always good to have time available to use rest days if you need them - but if you find you don't need them then you will just have more time to explore at the end of your Camino. I used the extra time in SdC and Madrid before flying home.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I walked the Le Puy Camino as far as Auvillar in June 2018. I agree with many of the choices listed by others. I spent two nights in Figeac in order to take the train to Rocamadour; a definite highlight, and again spent two nights in Moissac. I also recommend the stunning Cele Valley variant, which includes walking to St. Cirque; touristy yes, but truly delightful!

 

[BlackRocker57]

Hi everyone. I am currently planning a rough itinery for my Le Puy camino. Can anyone recommend the best towns or cities I could stop in for a rest day? Or any towns you wish you had stopped in for longer? Ive looked at old threads but most of them are a few years old so I am hoping for some more recent recommendations. I am starting first week of July. Thank you so much

I concur with M. AJGuillaume : Conques, Figeac, Cahors and Moissac ... in 2019 I took an extended pause at Montcuq a lovely village out of Cahors and had a wonderful time there during a heatwave ... I have also taken a rest day at Rocamadour ...

This year I will take an extra day at Aumont-Aubrac, at Laguiole [off-piste and home of the Laguiole knives], Cahors, Moissac, Montréal-du-Gers and StJPP ...

 

[Antonius Vaessen]

I walked last year. I agree with given advices about cities/villages. For myself it felt best to include short days to be able to explore a city. That way I did not get "out of my rhythm ". I also took the variant through the Celevalley. The highlights on that route were spectacular. ( you might even do a stage canooiing)

 

[Scott Sweeney]

Hi everyone. I am currently planning a rough itinery for my Le Puy camino. Can anyone recommend the best towns or cities I could stop in for a rest day? Or any towns you wish you had stopped in for longer? Ive looked at old threads but most of them are a few years old so I am hoping for some more recent recommendations. I am starting first week of July. Thank you so much

Your body is the best person to ask. When your body said I need a rest take a rest and make the most out of it.

 

[vleadbe]

Thanks for the responses everyone. I have walked the Portuguese route before, so I'm not a complete newbie to the Camino. I definitely understand the people saying just take a break when you want and that's how I would love to do it in an ideal world. This year though I feel the sensible thing to do is book ahead, so I will lose the flexibility I had on the Portuguese camino. The same town names keep popping up and these are going to be very helpful for my planning! Thank you

 

[MichaelC]

I rested in Estaing and Moissac. I agree with kayagee66 that there aren't any towns that need an extra day (unlike Burgos and León on the CF). Plan for a couple, but take them as you need them. Almost every town we walk through is lovely, but there's not always a lot to do. I found that I grew very restless in Estaing, and couldn't wait until the next wave of pilgrims arrived.

 

[Purple Backpack]

Hi everyone. I am currently planning a rough itinery for my Le Puy camino. Can anyone recommend the best towns or cities I could stop in for a rest day? Or any towns you wish you had stopped in for longer? Ive looked at old threads but most of them are a few years old so I am hoping for some more recent recommendations. I am starting first week of July. Thank you so much

We just got back from Le Puy to Rocamadour, can't wait to return for Cele Variant and on from there. LOVED the Rocamadour variant, stopping @ Lacapelle Marival and Gramat, though not much to see in those towns. The highlight was the last bit from Gramat to Rocamadour, it was a wonderful hiking day through forests, old mill ruins (the trail literally runs thru the ruins) and along streams before getting hit with that jaw dropping view of Rocamadour. It was nice to do a short hike from Gramat so you can have a long day in Rocamadour and we really enjoyed the cathedral, vespers and a lovely dinner overlooking the valley. We also enjoyed the many small "prettiest villages in France" towns like St Come Dolt, Estaing, Figeac and market days anywhere. Just a really great route.