Where would you plan a rest day on the Le Puy route?

[HitherandThither]

Hello everyone--

I'm looking forward to walking my first Camino from Le Puy to SJPP starting in early September. I'm planning very little in advance, but I though I might take one or two rest days to enjoy what the towns have to offer. Are there any stops along the Chemin Le Puy you wished you could have spent more time in?

Theresa

 

[JabbaPapa]

Le Puy itself -- and although I've never walked that route, and maybe never will so caveat emptor, nevertheless I most likely would not plan for any rest days, but just let my body and my tiredness dictate where I needed them wherever that might be.

I can't really see anywhere along that route that I'd wish to tarry in a priori, except possibly Cahors, for the fortification of the food and drink maybe ?

 

[TMcA]

@JabbaPapa has provided good advice.

Conques is attractive because if you arrive late, it is hard to see the museum. We stayed an extra few hours the morning after we arrived and took an early afternoon bus shuttle to or just past Decazeville. That way we didn't lose a day.

Cahors is a possibility. There's a nice, easy walking tour of gardens. You can get a map in the tourist office on the main plaza in town and possibly in the small building that welcomes all hikers as they cross the bridge into the city. There is also a small museum dedicated to the resistance fighters during WWII. All the signage was in French when we visited a few years ago. Important, in a way, because west of Conques you will pass additional places where either monuments or signage indicates that resistance activities took place.

I love the Le Puy route and I think you will too.

 

[Susan Maria]

I agree. I saw very little of Le Puy, due to arriving late in the evening and leaving as soon as possible after the pilgrim service, and wished I could have spent more time there.
I spent a day in Conques and loved it; saw the relics, and museum. Cahors and Figeac both has great cathedrals and interesting relics. I like relics.

 

[NavyBlue]

Hi Chanina,

Between Espalion and SJPdP, we stopped in the following cities, for a rest day after some 10 days of walking :
- Figeac (nice city, Musée Champollion...)
- Moissac (abbey)
- Navarrenx (nice walled city).

 

[Glenshiro]

Hi Chanina,

Between Espalion and SJPdP, we stopped in the following cities, for a rest day after some 10 days of walking :
- Figeac (nice city, Musée Champollion...)
- Moissac (abbey)
- Navarrenx (nice walled city).

I agree - although these are really just small towns. Figeac is especially charming, Moissac less so, (much of it destroyed in a flood in the 30's and unsympathetically rebuilt) and I would also consider Cahors. I found Conques a bit Disneyfied during the day, but quiet at night, and with an organ recital in the cathedral after one of the monks had explained the significance of the figures in the tympanum (in French.)

 

[Carolethecatlover]

Le Puy is a town of ideal size, and you need to go to the 7am pilgrim mass. Has very interesting markets.
Saugues, museum about the giant wolf, Beast of Gévaudan, big village with friendly locals.
Conques, nice municipal hostel, wonderful light show at the cathedral, interesting shops
Estaing I liked this small town so much I could live here, Castle, Great municipal hostel I arrived on a feast day, and met Valery d'Estaing's son...(they need a doctor, leaflets in many languages, talk to the mayor).
Cahors is very picturesque, the bridge is outstanding in a country full of magnificent bridges. I stayed in a private gite on the far side of the bridge and had views of it all night and with sunrise...worth the price, $30DP alone. This is a true town and you can buy, swop or sell off or denote your equipment at a shop here. All the foot pains and trauma you read about on this site are from not having rest days. HAVE REST DAYS!!!

 

[Felice]

As has already been said, the towns on the Le Puy route are not large.

If you do the Celée Valley detour, make time to go to Peche Merle.

Conques is a really touristy village, but nice to spend the night there. I will never forget my evening there: after the service, I did the tour of the upper cloisters, then the monk started playing the organ. At 10 o'clock the clock started to chime, so he paused his playing until the chimes had ceased. He then did a stunning rendition of 'House of the Rising Sun' by The Animals. Absolutely surreal and brilliant!

I tend not to have full rest days as I get bored by then end. Instead I have short days, when I get somewhere by lunchtime, then spend the afternoon seeing the sights and taking in the atmosphere. Works well for me.

 

[kmrice]

We stayed over in Conques and Figeac; both were great and worth a little exploring.

 

[naplesdon]

Cahors, yes. If you plan a day that is especially long or stressful make that your other rest day the next day. I had one short day and landed in St. Comte d'Olt on a Saturday, there is a village street market and it was very festive.

 

[NorthernLight]

I'm in favour of taking a rest day when you feel in need of a rest or when a place captures your heart & imagination. Rest days are best spent in places where there isn't very much to do. Otherwise, I like half days for adding time to explore towns.

As an aside, Saugues is the town from which one of the eary Jesuit missionaries to Quebec originated. He (sadly I forget his name) and Jean de Brébeuf, author of the Huron Christmas Carol, were martyred in New France in 1649. I learned this at the church here.

 

[Davey Boyd]

I stayed a day in Conques. If you decide to then visit Chapelle St. Roche, it has a cave underneath too.



(not to be confused with the wonderful Chapelle St. Foy, which is on the steep climb out of town).

Davey

 

[HitherandThither]

Thanks for all the responses. I won't make any firm plans on where to stop, but if fatigue or injury don't compel me to choose a location, I will probably stop in one or two of the towns recommended here.

 

[billmclaughlin]

For a rest day, Conques is far too small IMHO.
Definitely consider Figeac. I spent 2 hrs on. sunday morning doing laundry, then caught a train north to Rocamadour for a few hours of superb tourism at a spectacular site. It’s like a vacation from your vacation.

 

[StephenChad]

You can take a nice boat trip in Cahors. There is also a cinema