Caroux en Liberté
France, Massif Central
Chemins de Compostelle : Le Puy - Conques
France, Massif Central
Rando walk
Linear Trek
Price
(from) :
1150
Duration :
12 days
Mode :
Liberté
Next departure :
Freedom
Comfort
Hike feasible in :
janv
fev
mar
avr
mai
juin
juil
aout
sept
oct
nov
dec
For hundreds of years, these tracks have been used by pilgrims and walkers. Following these footpaths which are steeped in history and visit so many different places, you will be captivated by both the variety and interest of the countryside you pass through. This long-distance walk may be the world’s oldest, following as it does the Roman road known as the “Via Agrippa” which linked Lyon and Toulouse.
Travel diary
Jour 01 : LE PUY (625 m)
Arrive at the accomodation at the end of the
afternoon, dinner and overnight stay.
Jour 02 : LE PUY EN VELAY - ST PRIVAT D'ALLIER
As you leave the hotel, on the way out of Le Puy, you will
have time to explore some of the old town. For example you will be
able to climb the huge stairways that lead up to the cathedral
(which dates from the 11th and 12th centuries). Leaving Le Puy, you
will see wonderful views over the whole area. After this you will
cross the Velay (a land famous for its lentils and black sheep),
passing through La Roche, St Christophe sur Dolaizon, Montbonnet
and then St Privat d’Allier.
23.5 km - 5-6 hours
Jour 03 : ST PRIVAT D'ALLIER - SAUGUES
Between these two places you will pass through widely
differing types of countryside, going from the narrow stony path
through Rochegude (an interesting viewpoint overlooking the depths
of the Allier gorges), crossing these gorges at Monistrol (followed
by an impressive climb from the Allier past the Madeleine chapel,
carved out of the rock in the 17th century) and arriving on to the
plateau of the Margeride before you get to Saugues.
18 km - 4-5 hours
Jour 04 : SAUGUES - LAJO (1113 m)
In this section you discover the Margeride plateau with its
characteristic villages, its secluded hamlets, its crosses and its
pastures hemmed in by stone walls. Each village has charming
features (for example granite houses with carved doorways, cottage
gardens …). Among these are: : Le Pinet , La Clauze (with its
strange perched tower!) , Le Falzet, Contaldès farm, the country
estate of Le Sauvage, the St Roch chapel, and then, 1km off the
main track, you will come to the village of Les Faux.
If the "Aux Faux" Hôtel is full, you will stay at Lajo or
Chassefeyre.
29 km - 7-8 hours
Jour 05 : LAJO - AUMONT AUBRAC (1050 m)
This section continues across the plateau of the Margeride as
far as Aumont: the gateway to Aubrac. Between Le Rouget, St Alban
and Les Estrets you will find pretty hamlets, and churches with
‘comb-style’ belfries (with a wall of belfries supporting another
smaller belfry).
21 km - 5-6 hours
Jour 06 : AUMONT AUBRAC - NASBINALS (1180 m)
This is a long section, but not difficult. Here we leave the
Margeride to cross the plateau of the Aubrac (a wide plateau full
of pastures, old barns, drystone walls, and swathes of flowers -
depending on the season!!). We pass through La Chaze de Peyre,
Lasbros, Rieutort d’Aubrac and Montgros before arriving at
NASBINALS.
Here there is a superb 14th century Romanesque church built of
brown basalt.
26 km - 7-8 hours
Jour 07 : NASBINALS (1180 m) - ST CHELY (808 m)
This is a magnificent traverse of the Aubrac all the way to
Aubrac village (a little village where you will find a picturesque
bar!!). It is in this village that Adalard, a Compostela pilgrim,
founded the Hospice of Aubrac to shelter and care for pilgrims:
this happened between 1120 and 1122.
Next you will begin your descent towards Belvezet (remains of
chateaux and the Boraldes valley) and then St Chely d’Aubrac where
there is a 16th century wayside cross.
17 km - 4-5 hours
Jour 08 : ST CHELY - ST COME (385 m)
16 km - 5-6 hours
We have now got down into the valley of the Lot. Having
crossed part of the Rouergue, we go through the small town of St
Côme d’Olt (“one of the most beautiful villages in France”). You
will stay in an incredible renovated covent. Peace and calm will
make your night unique in serenity and next to the Saint James
Spirit.
If the accomodation is full you will stayin Espalion
St Chely d'Aubrac - Espalion : 25.5 km 5-6 hours
Jour 09 : ST COME - ESTAING (320 m)
ST COME - ESTAING : 20.5 km 4-5
hours
This section leads us to Espalion, then Saint Pierre de
Bessuéjol before arriving in Estaing.
From Espalion to Estaing : 11 km 3-4 hours
Jour 10 : ESTAING - GOLINHAC (280 m)
ESTAING - GOLINHAC : 16 km About 4-5
hours
Stage where there is a difference in altitude : the climb to
Golinhac as a little trying because it's carried out on tar.The
village is home to a lot of heritage on St Jacques : church, carved
stone cross of a small pilgrim holding a bumblebee : this village
was on a passageway from the 11th century.
Jour 11 : GOLINHAC - CONQUES (280 m)
GOLINHAC- CONQUES : 21 km About 7 hours
You will find also find there after he start a fairly steep
climb (drop 220 m), before descending to Conques, classified among
the most beautiful villages in France. You will have the leisure to
discover this medieval town and its many treasures : the abbey and
its Romanesque sculptures.
Jour 12 : CONQUES
The walking holiday ends in Conques after
breakfast.
- Le Puy en Velay: all types of food obtainable
- St Christophe sur Dolaison: grocery, bakery, café and restaurant
- Montbonnet: Bar, snacks
- St Privat d’Allier: all services
* open every day in July and August except for Sunday afternoon. Out of season, shops etc close on Sunday afternoons and all day Mondays.
* there is a post-box at the hotel and a drinking fountain at the centre of the village.
- Monistrol d’Allier: all services. NB: This is the last place you can buy food before Saugues.
- Saugues: all services + tea shop « Couleurs Café » in the Rue Louis Armagier ….
- Chanaleilles: (at 800m, off the main footpath or GR) : café-restaurant
- St Alban sur Limagnole: all services
*open from Monday to Saturday from 9am to 12.30 and from 3pm to 7pm.
- Aumont-Aubrac: all services (including a washeteria)
Certains shops are closed on Mondays and Wednesdays except in July and August.
- La Chaze de Peyre: café-restaurant Chez Régine. NB: This is the last place for food before Malbouzon
- Prinsuéjols (3km off the GR): café, restaurant
- Malbouzon (2km off the GR) : café, restaurant, ravitaillement
- Montgros: café, restaurant
- Nasbinals: all services
Shops etc are usually closed on Mondays.
* There are several drinking fountains in the village; cash machine by the Mairie (town hall).
-Aubrac: cafés, restaurants
-St Chély d’Aubrac: all services open every day of the week from May to September. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 7.30am to 12.30pm and from 5pm to 7pm. Mondays they are open from 9am to 12 noon and from 5pm to 6.30pm.
-St Come d’Olt: all services, restaurant Verdier (tel: 05 65 48 01 10)
-Espalion: all services
La Halt Pèlerin: 22 place du marché (tel: 05 65 48 08 08). Articles of all kinds for walkers
-Estaing: all services open every day except the bakery which is closed on Mondays; drinking fountain near the public toilets.
-Golinhac: all services
-Espeyrac: restaurant, food supplies
-Sénergues: restaurant, food supplies
-Conques: bakery open every day in the tourist season; otherwise closed on Mondays. At Conques campsite there are a grocery, snack bar, restaurant and some necessary items available from the beginning of April until the end of September. There is a drinking fountain near the church.
HISTORY, TRAVEL, PHOTOGRAPHY ETC
The books below appear to be all in French. Some may have been translated into English, or there may be equivalents written in English. Prior searching on the internet or elsewhere may unearth English books about the Pilgrims’ Way.
*Les chemins de Saint Jacques de Yves Bottineau. Arthaud. Histoire, Voyage.
*Sur les chemins de Saint Jacques de René de la Coste-Messeliére. Perrin - Histoire et Photos
*Les chemins de Compostelle en terre de France de Patrick HUCHET - Éditions Ouest France - Histoire , voyage, photos .
*Chemins de Compostelle en terre d'Espagne de Patrick HUCHET, Éditeur : Ouest France - Collection : Itinéraires de découvertes ISBN : 2737324718
*Le chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostelle de Lobato et Xurxo. Éditions LUNWERG - Histoire, voyage, photos.
*Compostelle. Le grand Chemin de Xavier Barral I Altet chez Gallimard - Histoire.
*Les pèlerins du moyen age de Raymond Oursel - Éditions Fayard
*Vers l'étoile de Compostelle - Hors Série de Pèlerin Magazine - Consacré aux routes de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle en France et en Espagne. 67 pages
*Les chemins de Compostelle - Éditeur MSM
The books below appear to be all in French. Some may have been translated into English, or there may be equivalents written in English. Prior searching on the internet or elsewhere may unearth English books about the Pilgrims’ Way.
*Les chemins de Saint Jacques de Yves Bottineau. Arthaud. Histoire, Voyage.
*Sur les chemins de Saint Jacques de René de la Coste-Messeliére. Perrin - Histoire et Photos
*Les chemins de Compostelle en terre de France de Patrick HUCHET - Éditions Ouest France - Histoire , voyage, photos .
*Chemins de Compostelle en terre d'Espagne de Patrick HUCHET, Éditeur : Ouest France - Collection : Itinéraires de découvertes ISBN : 2737324718
*Le chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostelle de Lobato et Xurxo. Éditions LUNWERG - Histoire, voyage, photos.
*Compostelle. Le grand Chemin de Xavier Barral I Altet chez Gallimard - Histoire.
*Les pèlerins du moyen age de Raymond Oursel - Éditions Fayard
*Vers l'étoile de Compostelle - Hors Série de Pèlerin Magazine - Consacré aux routes de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle en France et en Espagne. 67 pages
*Les chemins de Compostelle - Éditeur MSM
MEMOIRS ETC BY PILGRIMS AND OTHERS
*Priez pour nous à Compostelle de Pierre Barret et Jean-Noël Gurgand . Éditeur Hachette Littératures.
Témoignage sur la vie des pèlerins du Moyen Age.
*Retour à Conques, Le grand chemin de Compostelle, Passants de Compostelle de Jean Claude Bourles chez Payot.
*L'Ange de Compostelle de Serge Grandais frère de Saint Vincent de Paul chez Brepols 1997
*Le Par-Chemin de Compostelle de Philippe Emmanuel Rausis moine Dominicain chez Ad Solem 1995.
NOVELS
*Les étoiles de Compostelle de Henry Vincenot . Éditions Denoël - Existe aussi chez Gallimard collection Folio et chez de la Seine
*Le Pèlerin de Compostelle de Paulo Coelho . Éditions Anne Carrière - Existe aussi en collection Le Livre de Poche
(This appears in English as The Pilgrimage, by Paulo Coelho, published by Harper One 1995 in paperback.)
WEATHER
Telephone numbers for weather forecasts (in French):
08 99 71 02 43 for the department of Haute Loire
08 99 71 02 48 for the department of Lozère
08 99 71 02 12 for the department of Aveyron
WHICH TIME OF YEAR IS BEST?
The normal period for doing this walking tour is from May to October. From mid-October to mid-April, weather conditions can be difficult, with fog or snow, especially when crossing the Margeride and the plateau of the Aubrac. The winter season from November to March and the midsummer period of July and August are best avoided. The best times of all are in late spring or early autumn: May-June and September-October.
To see: the old bridge (13th century); the old palace
Fete of St Hilarian: Sunday after 15 June
WHO WAS ST JAMES (St Jacques)?
A bit of history:
The Gospels tell us that St James was one of Christ’s twelve disciples. He was the son of Zebedee and Mary Salome. He was also the brother of Saint John and related to Christ himself through his mother. He was put to the sword – executed - by Herod.
The Church gives this Saint James the name of St James the Greater to distinguish him from another disciple, James the Lesser, who became head of the Jerusalem Church after the death of Christ.
Legend tells us that after Pentecost, Saint James travelled as a missionary to Spain. He disembarked in Andalusia on Spain’s Mediterranean coast and then journeyed to Galicia, in the far north-west corner of the Iberian Peninsula. After several years spreading the Gospel, he returned to Jerusalem where he was beheaded.
Two of his followers, Theodore and Athenasius, laid his body in a boat and took to sea. Propelled by wind and wave, the boat finally made landfall in a Galician estuary. It was here at this estuary that the ancient town of Iria Flavia was built: a town which now bears the name of El Padron.
James’ two followers buried the apostle’s body some way inland at the spot where, later, the town of Santiago de Compostela (Saint Jacques de Compostelle) was built.
For about eight centuries that was the end of the St James story, because it was not until the beginning of the 9th century that a hermit called Pelagius experienced some visions. These prompted him to contact Theodomir, the bishop of Iria Flavia. Then they discovered three tombs which they identified as those of St James and his two followers. On the ground where this discovery was made the kings of Galicia ordered a rustic church to be built.
Later a second and more magnificent church was built – which attracted the first pilgrims.
This second church, which had become raised to the status of a cathedral, was taken and destroyed by Moorish invaders. In its place was built the Romanesque cathedral which we admire to this day, though it is now embedded in the heart of the present-day cathedral which is built in a flamboyant gothic style. Saint James became the patron saint of Spain and the symbol of that country’s triumph over Islam.
In the 18th century, through fear of English invasions, the tombs of Saint James and his two followers were walled up in the cathedral crypt, and for the time being they were lost to view. It was not until the 19th century that the three tombs saw once more the light of day.
The pilgrimage of St James of Compostela is one of the three great Christian pilgrimages, together with those of Rome and Jerusalem. It owes its origin to the resistance against Muslim invaders. After the 9th century, Saint James became the patron saint of Spain and the symbol of that country’s conquest of Islam. The pilgrimage reaches its highest importance in the 12th and 13th centuries. This was also the time of the Romanesque renaissance. With the vigorous support of the Popes and of the Order of Cluny, the Catholic kingdoms of northern Europe and of various chivalric orders, the pilgrimage became a powerful means of communication. In Medieval Europe it acted as a highway for people, ideas, cultures and technological advancement.
Following this high point, factors including the Hundred Years’ War between France and England, Protestantism, the emergence of absolute monarchies and the French Revolution have all progressively reduced the importance of the pilgrimage.
However, just before the end of the second millennium, and since then, there has been a revival of interest in the St James pilgrimage. The Way of Saint James in Spain was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993. In 1998 also gave World Heritage status to 69 monuments marking the St James Way in France, including seven sections of ancient pathway in Le Puy en Velay.
In Spain, the town of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia has itself become a World Heritage Site.
This pilgrimage is one of the most widely followed in western Europe. The scallop shell has become the emblem of those who made the journey: those thousands of people of all conditions who, by road and track, trekked on foot to pay their homage to Saint James of Compostela.
CREDENCIAL etc
Credencial (la Crédentiale)
Following the tradition of pilgrimages to Compostela, this document is made available to those embarking on the journey, to bear witness to their spiritual determination. It acts as a kind of pilgrim’s passport, making it easier for pilgrims to approach other people, show respect to a host, and serves as a recommendation of the pilgrim towards anyone they may meet in the course of their pilgrimage. It doesn’t confer any special rights but it does allow access to Spanish gîtes on the pilgrim route. A stamp is required to show passage through each
section of the pilgrim’s way, put there by a priest, a town hall, the tourist office or someone offering accommodation to the pilgrim.
Customarily, this document has to be ordered from an organisation as close as possible to the pilgrim’s home.
In practice you can obtain the credencial by filling in an order form on the following website: www.cheminscompostelle.
com and including a cheque for 8€ payable to the ACIR. This must be done at least ten days before your departure date.
TO ORDER
The credencial can also be ordered from the address below:
Association de Coopération Inter-Régionale
"Les chemins de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle"
4, rue Clémence Isaure - FR-31000 TOULOUSE (métro Esquirol)
Tél. : +33(0)5 62 27 00 05 - Fax : +33(0)5 62 27 12 40
@mail : chemins.de.compostelle@wanadoo.fr
The Créantiale
This is a similar document, but available without charge. It can be obtained from a church after an interview, taking the form of a ‘fraternal dialogue’. It is a ‘sign of trusting and reciprocal welcome’. It is not necessary to be a Christian to obtain this document.
Approach a priest or contact the bishopric in your diocese. (They vary in their level of interest and information on this subject.)
A Créantiale is a document to confirm that a pilgrim is indeed a pilgrim. It confers an obligation on those who give out the document as well as on those who show it to their hosts along the Pilgrim’s Way. It signifies that the bearer belongs to the class of people who are pilgrims and it also is a sign of a trusting and reciprocal welcome between the pilgrim, Christian or not, and the Church. This is because the Créantiale must be handed
back personally to the bearer, following an interview with a representative of the Catholic Church on the Christian meaning of the pilgrimage.
The associations of the friends of St James (associations des amis de St Jacques) have the right to issue the Créantiale.
The Compostella
The certificate of having completed the pilgrimage (the Compostella) is given out at Compostela itself, on presentation of a Créantiale which has been properly stamped at daily halts for all, or a large part, of St James’Way.
It can be seen as a sort of diploma issued by the cathedral to those who have covered the last 100km of the Way on foot, or the last 200km by bicycle or on horseback.
Jour 01 : LE PUY (625 m)
Jour 11 : GOLINHAC - CONQUES (280 m)
Jour 12 : CONQUES
MEMOIRS ETC BY PILGRIMS AND OTHERS
*Priez pour nous à Compostelle de Pierre Barret et Jean-Noël Gurgand . Éditeur Hachette Littératures.
Témoignage sur la vie des pèlerins du Moyen Age.
*Retour à Conques, Le grand chemin de Compostelle, Passants de Compostelle de Jean Claude Bourles chez Payot.
*L'Ange de Compostelle de Serge Grandais frère de Saint Vincent de Paul chez Brepols 1997
*Le Par-Chemin de Compostelle de Philippe Emmanuel Rausis moine Dominicain chez Ad Solem 1995.
NOVELS
*Les étoiles de Compostelle de Henry Vincenot . Éditions Denoël - Existe aussi chez Gallimard collection Folio et chez de la Seine
*Le Pèlerin de Compostelle de Paulo Coelho . Éditions Anne Carrière - Existe aussi en collection Le Livre de Poche
(This appears in English as The Pilgrimage, by Paulo Coelho, published by Harper One 1995 in paperback.)
WEATHER
Telephone numbers for weather forecasts (in French):
08 99 71 02 43 for the department of Haute Loire
08 99 71 02 48 for the department of Lozère
08 99 71 02 12 for the department of Aveyron
WHICH TIME OF YEAR IS BEST?
The normal period for doing this walking tour is from May to October. From mid-October to mid-April, weather conditions can be difficult, with fog or snow, especially when crossing the Margeride and the plateau of the Aubrac. The winter season from November to March and the midsummer period of July and August are best avoided. The best times of all are in late spring or early autumn: May-June and September-October.
To see: the old bridge (13th century); the old palace
Fete of St Hilarian: Sunday after 15 June
WHO WAS ST JAMES (St Jacques)?
A bit of history:
The Gospels tell us that St James was one of Christ’s twelve disciples. He was the son of Zebedee and Mary Salome. He was also the brother of Saint John and related to Christ himself through his mother. He was put to the sword – executed - by Herod.
The Church gives this Saint James the name of St James the Greater to distinguish him from another disciple, James the Lesser, who became head of the Jerusalem Church after the death of Christ.
Legend tells us that after Pentecost, Saint James travelled as a missionary to Spain. He disembarked in Andalusia on Spain’s Mediterranean coast and then journeyed to Galicia, in the far north-west corner of the Iberian Peninsula. After several years spreading the Gospel, he returned to Jerusalem where he was beheaded.
Two of his followers, Theodore and Athenasius, laid his body in a boat and took to sea. Propelled by wind and wave, the boat finally made landfall in a Galician estuary. It was here at this estuary that the ancient town of Iria Flavia was built: a town which now bears the name of El Padron.
James’ two followers buried the apostle’s body some way inland at the spot where, later, the town of Santiago de Compostela (Saint Jacques de Compostelle) was built.
For about eight centuries that was the end of the St James story, because it was not until the beginning of the 9th century that a hermit called Pelagius experienced some visions. These prompted him to contact Theodomir, the bishop of Iria Flavia. Then they discovered three tombs which they identified as those of St James and his two followers. On the ground where this discovery was made the kings of Galicia ordered a rustic church to be built.
Later a second and more magnificent church was built – which attracted the first pilgrims.
This second church, which had become raised to the status of a cathedral, was taken and destroyed by Moorish invaders. In its place was built the Romanesque cathedral which we admire to this day, though it is now embedded in the heart of the present-day cathedral which is built in a flamboyant gothic style. Saint James became the patron saint of Spain and the symbol of that country’s triumph over Islam.
In the 18th century, through fear of English invasions, the tombs of Saint James and his two followers were walled up in the cathedral crypt, and for the time being they were lost to view. It was not until the 19th century that the three tombs saw once more the light of day.
The pilgrimage of St James of Compostela is one of the three great Christian pilgrimages, together with those of Rome and Jerusalem. It owes its origin to the resistance against Muslim invaders. After the 9th century, Saint James became the patron saint of Spain and the symbol of that country’s conquest of Islam. The pilgrimage reaches its highest importance in the 12th and 13th centuries. This was also the time of the Romanesque renaissance. With the vigorous support of the Popes and of the Order of Cluny, the Catholic kingdoms of northern Europe and of various chivalric orders, the pilgrimage became a powerful means of communication. In Medieval Europe it acted as a highway for people, ideas, cultures and technological advancement.
Following this high point, factors including the Hundred Years’ War between France and England, Protestantism, the emergence of absolute monarchies and the French Revolution have all progressively reduced the importance of the pilgrimage.
However, just before the end of the second millennium, and since then, there has been a revival of interest in the St James pilgrimage. The Way of Saint James in Spain was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993. In 1998 also gave World Heritage status to 69 monuments marking the St James Way in France, including seven sections of ancient pathway in Le Puy en Velay.
In Spain, the town of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia has itself become a World Heritage Site.
This pilgrimage is one of the most widely followed in western Europe. The scallop shell has become the emblem of those who made the journey: those thousands of people of all conditions who, by road and track, trekked on foot to pay their homage to Saint James of Compostela.
CREDENCIAL etc
Credencial (la Crédentiale)
Following the tradition of pilgrimages to Compostela, this document is made available to those embarking on the journey, to bear witness to their spiritual determination. It acts as a kind of pilgrim’s passport, making it easier for pilgrims to approach other people, show respect to a host, and serves as a recommendation of the pilgrim towards anyone they may meet in the course of their pilgrimage. It doesn’t confer any special rights but it does allow access to Spanish gîtes on the pilgrim route. A stamp is required to show passage through each
section of the pilgrim’s way, put there by a priest, a town hall, the tourist office or someone offering accommodation to the pilgrim.
Customarily, this document has to be ordered from an organisation as close as possible to the pilgrim’s home.
In practice you can obtain the credencial by filling in an order form on the following website: www.cheminscompostelle.
com and including a cheque for 8€ payable to the ACIR. This must be done at least ten days before your departure date.
TO ORDER
The credencial can also be ordered from the address below:
Association de Coopération Inter-Régionale
"Les chemins de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle"
4, rue Clémence Isaure - FR-31000 TOULOUSE (métro Esquirol)
Tél. : +33(0)5 62 27 00 05 - Fax : +33(0)5 62 27 12 40
@mail : chemins.de.compostelle@wanadoo.fr
The Créantiale
This is a similar document, but available without charge. It can be obtained from a church after an interview, taking the form of a ‘fraternal dialogue’. It is a ‘sign of trusting and reciprocal welcome’. It is not necessary to be a Christian to obtain this document.
Approach a priest or contact the bishopric in your diocese. (They vary in their level of interest and information on this subject.)
A Créantiale is a document to confirm that a pilgrim is indeed a pilgrim. It confers an obligation on those who give out the document as well as on those who show it to their hosts along the Pilgrim’s Way. It signifies that the bearer belongs to the class of people who are pilgrims and it also is a sign of a trusting and reciprocal welcome between the pilgrim, Christian or not, and the Church. This is because the Créantiale must be handed
back personally to the bearer, following an interview with a representative of the Catholic Church on the Christian meaning of the pilgrimage.
The associations of the friends of St James (associations des amis de St Jacques) have the right to issue the Créantiale.
The Compostella
The certificate of having completed the pilgrimage (the Compostella) is given out at Compostela itself, on presentation of a Créantiale which has been properly stamped at daily halts for all, or a large part, of St James’Way.
It can be seen as a sort of diploma issued by the cathedral to those who have covered the last 100km of the Way on foot, or the last 200km by bicycle or on horseback.
Arrive at the accomodation at the end of the
afternoon, dinner and overnight stay.
Jour 02 : LE PUY EN VELAY - ST PRIVAT D'ALLIER
As you leave the hotel, on the way out of Le Puy, you will
have time to explore some of the old town. For example you will be
able to climb the huge stairways that lead up to the cathedral
(which dates from the 11th and 12th centuries). Leaving Le Puy, you
will see wonderful views over the whole area. After this you will
cross the Velay (a land famous for its lentils and black sheep),
passing through La Roche, St Christophe sur Dolaizon, Montbonnet
and then St Privat d’Allier.
23.5 km - 5-6 hours
Jour 03 : ST PRIVAT D'ALLIER - SAUGUES
Between these two places you will pass through widely
differing types of countryside, going from the narrow stony path
through Rochegude (an interesting viewpoint overlooking the depths
of the Allier gorges), crossing these gorges at Monistrol (followed
by an impressive climb from the Allier past the Madeleine chapel,
carved out of the rock in the 17th century) and arriving on to the
plateau of the Margeride before you get to Saugues.
18 km - 4-5 hours
Jour 04 : SAUGUES - LAJO (1113 m)
In this section you discover the Margeride plateau with its
characteristic villages, its secluded hamlets, its crosses and its
pastures hemmed in by stone walls. Each village has charming
features (for example granite houses with carved doorways, cottage
gardens …). Among these are: : Le Pinet , La Clauze (with its
strange perched tower!) , Le Falzet, Contaldès farm, the country
estate of Le Sauvage, the St Roch chapel, and then, 1km off the
main track, you will come to the village of Les Faux.
If the "Aux Faux" Hôtel is full, you will stay at Lajo or
Chassefeyre.
29 km - 7-8 hours
Jour 05 : LAJO - AUMONT AUBRAC (1050 m)
This section continues across the plateau of the Margeride as
far as Aumont: the gateway to Aubrac. Between Le Rouget, St Alban
and Les Estrets you will find pretty hamlets, and churches with
‘comb-style’ belfries (with a wall of belfries supporting another
smaller belfry).
21 km - 5-6 hours
Jour 06 : AUMONT AUBRAC - NASBINALS (1180 m)
This is a long section, but not difficult. Here we leave the
Margeride to cross the plateau of the Aubrac (a wide plateau full
of pastures, old barns, drystone walls, and swathes of flowers -
depending on the season!!). We pass through La Chaze de Peyre,
Lasbros, Rieutort d’Aubrac and Montgros before arriving at
NASBINALS.
Here there is a superb 14th century Romanesque church built of
brown basalt.
26 km - 7-8 hours
Jour 07 : NASBINALS (1180 m) - ST CHELY (808 m)
This is a magnificent traverse of the Aubrac all the way to
Aubrac village (a little village where you will find a picturesque
bar!!). It is in this village that Adalard, a Compostela pilgrim,
founded the Hospice of Aubrac to shelter and care for pilgrims:
this happened between 1120 and 1122.
Next you will begin your descent towards Belvezet (remains of
chateaux and the Boraldes valley) and then St Chely d’Aubrac where
there is a 16th century wayside cross.
17 km - 4-5 hours
Jour 08 : ST CHELY - ST COME (385 m)
16 km - 5-6 hours
We have now got down into the valley of the Lot. Having
crossed part of the Rouergue, we go through the small town of St
Côme d’Olt (“one of the most beautiful villages in France”). You
will stay in an incredible renovated covent. Peace and calm will
make your night unique in serenity and next to the Saint James
Spirit.
If the accomodation is full you will stayin Espalion
St Chely d'Aubrac - Espalion : 25.5 km 5-6 hours
Jour 09 : ST COME - ESTAING (320 m)
ST COME - ESTAING : 20.5 km 4-5
hours
This section leads us to Espalion, then Saint Pierre de
Bessuéjol before arriving in Estaing.
From Espalion to Estaing : 11 km 3-4 hours
Jour 10 : ESTAING - GOLINHAC (280 m)
ESTAING - GOLINHAC : 16 km About 4-5
hours
Stage where there is a difference in altitude : the climb to
Golinhac as a little trying because it's carried out on tar.The
village is home to a lot of heritage on St Jacques : church, carved
stone cross of a small pilgrim holding a bumblebee : this village
was on a passageway from the 11th century.
GOLINHAC- CONQUES : 21 km About 7 hours
You will find also find there after he start a fairly steep
climb (drop 220 m), before descending to Conques, classified among
the most beautiful villages in France. You will have the leisure to
discover this medieval town and its many treasures : the abbey and
its Romanesque sculptures.
The walking holiday ends in Conques after
breakfast.
- Le Puy en Velay: all types of food obtainable
- St Christophe sur Dolaison: grocery, bakery, café and restaurant
- Montbonnet: Bar, snacks
- St Privat d’Allier: all services
* open every day in July and August except for Sunday afternoon. Out of season, shops etc close on Sunday afternoons and all day Mondays.
* there is a post-box at the hotel and a drinking fountain at the centre of the village.
- Monistrol d’Allier: all services. NB: This is the last place you can buy food before Saugues.
- Saugues: all services + tea shop « Couleurs Café » in the Rue Louis Armagier ….
- Chanaleilles: (at 800m, off the main footpath or GR) : café-restaurant
- St Alban sur Limagnole: all services
*open from Monday to Saturday from 9am to 12.30 and from 3pm to 7pm.
- Aumont-Aubrac: all services (including a washeteria)
Certains shops are closed on Mondays and Wednesdays except in July and August.
- La Chaze de Peyre: café-restaurant Chez Régine. NB: This is the last place for food before Malbouzon
- Prinsuéjols (3km off the GR): café, restaurant
- Malbouzon (2km off the GR) : café, restaurant, ravitaillement
- Montgros: café, restaurant
- Nasbinals: all services
Shops etc are usually closed on Mondays.
* There are several drinking fountains in the village; cash machine by the Mairie (town hall).
-Aubrac: cafés, restaurants
-St Chély d’Aubrac: all services open every day of the week from May to September. Open Tuesday to Saturday from 7.30am to 12.30pm and from 5pm to 7pm. Mondays they are open from 9am to 12 noon and from 5pm to 6.30pm.
-St Come d’Olt: all services, restaurant Verdier (tel: 05 65 48 01 10)
-Espalion: all services
La Halt Pèlerin: 22 place du marché (tel: 05 65 48 08 08). Articles of all kinds for walkers
-Estaing: all services open every day except the bakery which is closed on Mondays; drinking fountain near the public toilets.
-Golinhac: all services
-Espeyrac: restaurant, food supplies
-Sénergues: restaurant, food supplies
-Conques: bakery open every day in the tourist season; otherwise closed on Mondays. At Conques campsite there are a grocery, snack bar, restaurant and some necessary items available from the beginning of April until the end of September. There is a drinking fountain near the church.
HISTORY, TRAVEL, PHOTOGRAPHY ETC
The books below appear to be all in French. Some may have been translated into English, or there may be equivalents written in English. Prior searching on the internet or elsewhere may unearth English books about the Pilgrims’ Way.
*Les chemins de Saint Jacques de Yves Bottineau. Arthaud. Histoire, Voyage.
*Sur les chemins de Saint Jacques de René de la Coste-Messeliére. Perrin - Histoire et Photos
*Les chemins de Compostelle en terre de France de Patrick HUCHET - Éditions Ouest France - Histoire , voyage, photos .
*Chemins de Compostelle en terre d'Espagne de Patrick HUCHET, Éditeur : Ouest France - Collection : Itinéraires de découvertes ISBN : 2737324718
*Le chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostelle de Lobato et Xurxo. Éditions LUNWERG - Histoire, voyage, photos.
*Compostelle. Le grand Chemin de Xavier Barral I Altet chez Gallimard - Histoire.
*Les pèlerins du moyen age de Raymond Oursel - Éditions Fayard
*Vers l'étoile de Compostelle - Hors Série de Pèlerin Magazine - Consacré aux routes de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle en France et en Espagne. 67 pages
*Les chemins de Compostelle - Éditeur MSM
The books below appear to be all in French. Some may have been translated into English, or there may be equivalents written in English. Prior searching on the internet or elsewhere may unearth English books about the Pilgrims’ Way.
*Les chemins de Saint Jacques de Yves Bottineau. Arthaud. Histoire, Voyage.
*Sur les chemins de Saint Jacques de René de la Coste-Messeliére. Perrin - Histoire et Photos
*Les chemins de Compostelle en terre de France de Patrick HUCHET - Éditions Ouest France - Histoire , voyage, photos .
*Chemins de Compostelle en terre d'Espagne de Patrick HUCHET, Éditeur : Ouest France - Collection : Itinéraires de découvertes ISBN : 2737324718
*Le chemin de Saint Jacques de Compostelle de Lobato et Xurxo. Éditions LUNWERG - Histoire, voyage, photos.
*Compostelle. Le grand Chemin de Xavier Barral I Altet chez Gallimard - Histoire.
*Les pèlerins du moyen age de Raymond Oursel - Éditions Fayard
*Vers l'étoile de Compostelle - Hors Série de Pèlerin Magazine - Consacré aux routes de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle en France et en Espagne. 67 pages
*Les chemins de Compostelle - Éditeur MSM
MEMOIRS ETC BY PILGRIMS AND OTHERS
*Priez pour nous à Compostelle de Pierre Barret et Jean-Noël Gurgand . Éditeur Hachette Littératures.
Témoignage sur la vie des pèlerins du Moyen Age.
*Retour à Conques, Le grand chemin de Compostelle, Passants de Compostelle de Jean Claude Bourles chez Payot.
*L'Ange de Compostelle de Serge Grandais frère de Saint Vincent de Paul chez Brepols 1997
*Le Par-Chemin de Compostelle de Philippe Emmanuel Rausis moine Dominicain chez Ad Solem 1995.
NOVELS
*Les étoiles de Compostelle de Henry Vincenot . Éditions Denoël - Existe aussi chez Gallimard collection Folio et chez de la Seine
*Le Pèlerin de Compostelle de Paulo Coelho . Éditions Anne Carrière - Existe aussi en collection Le Livre de Poche
(This appears in English as The Pilgrimage, by Paulo Coelho, published by Harper One 1995 in paperback.)
WEATHER
Telephone numbers for weather forecasts (in French):
08 99 71 02 43 for the department of Haute Loire
08 99 71 02 48 for the department of Lozère
08 99 71 02 12 for the department of Aveyron
WHICH TIME OF YEAR IS BEST?
The normal period for doing this walking tour is from May to October. From mid-October to mid-April, weather conditions can be difficult, with fog or snow, especially when crossing the Margeride and the plateau of the Aubrac. The winter season from November to March and the midsummer period of July and August are best avoided. The best times of all are in late spring or early autumn: May-June and September-October.
To see: the old bridge (13th century); the old palace
Fete of St Hilarian: Sunday after 15 June
WHO WAS ST JAMES (St Jacques)?
A bit of history:
The Gospels tell us that St James was one of Christ’s twelve disciples. He was the son of Zebedee and Mary Salome. He was also the brother of Saint John and related to Christ himself through his mother. He was put to the sword – executed - by Herod.
The Church gives this Saint James the name of St James the Greater to distinguish him from another disciple, James the Lesser, who became head of the Jerusalem Church after the death of Christ.
Legend tells us that after Pentecost, Saint James travelled as a missionary to Spain. He disembarked in Andalusia on Spain’s Mediterranean coast and then journeyed to Galicia, in the far north-west corner of the Iberian Peninsula. After several years spreading the Gospel, he returned to Jerusalem where he was beheaded.
Two of his followers, Theodore and Athenasius, laid his body in a boat and took to sea. Propelled by wind and wave, the boat finally made landfall in a Galician estuary. It was here at this estuary that the ancient town of Iria Flavia was built: a town which now bears the name of El Padron.
James’ two followers buried the apostle’s body some way inland at the spot where, later, the town of Santiago de Compostela (Saint Jacques de Compostelle) was built.
For about eight centuries that was the end of the St James story, because it was not until the beginning of the 9th century that a hermit called Pelagius experienced some visions. These prompted him to contact Theodomir, the bishop of Iria Flavia. Then they discovered three tombs which they identified as those of St James and his two followers. On the ground where this discovery was made the kings of Galicia ordered a rustic church to be built.
Later a second and more magnificent church was built – which attracted the first pilgrims.
This second church, which had become raised to the status of a cathedral, was taken and destroyed by Moorish invaders. In its place was built the Romanesque cathedral which we admire to this day, though it is now embedded in the heart of the present-day cathedral which is built in a flamboyant gothic style. Saint James became the patron saint of Spain and the symbol of that country’s triumph over Islam.
In the 18th century, through fear of English invasions, the tombs of Saint James and his two followers were walled up in the cathedral crypt, and for the time being they were lost to view. It was not until the 19th century that the three tombs saw once more the light of day.
The pilgrimage of St James of Compostela is one of the three great Christian pilgrimages, together with those of Rome and Jerusalem. It owes its origin to the resistance against Muslim invaders. After the 9th century, Saint James became the patron saint of Spain and the symbol of that country’s conquest of Islam. The pilgrimage reaches its highest importance in the 12th and 13th centuries. This was also the time of the Romanesque renaissance. With the vigorous support of the Popes and of the Order of Cluny, the Catholic kingdoms of northern Europe and of various chivalric orders, the pilgrimage became a powerful means of communication. In Medieval Europe it acted as a highway for people, ideas, cultures and technological advancement.
Following this high point, factors including the Hundred Years’ War between France and England, Protestantism, the emergence of absolute monarchies and the French Revolution have all progressively reduced the importance of the pilgrimage.
However, just before the end of the second millennium, and since then, there has been a revival of interest in the St James pilgrimage. The Way of Saint James in Spain was declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1993. In 1998 also gave World Heritage status to 69 monuments marking the St James Way in France, including seven sections of ancient pathway in Le Puy en Velay.
In Spain, the town of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia has itself become a World Heritage Site.
This pilgrimage is one of the most widely followed in western Europe. The scallop shell has become the emblem of those who made the journey: those thousands of people of all conditions who, by road and track, trekked on foot to pay their homage to Saint James of Compostela.
CREDENCIAL etc
Credencial (la Crédentiale)
Following the tradition of pilgrimages to Compostela, this document is made available to those embarking on the journey, to bear witness to their spiritual determination. It acts as a kind of pilgrim’s passport, making it easier for pilgrims to approach other people, show respect to a host, and serves as a recommendation of the pilgrim towards anyone they may meet in the course of their pilgrimage. It doesn’t confer any special rights but it does allow access to Spanish gîtes on the pilgrim route. A stamp is required to show passage through each
section of the pilgrim’s way, put there by a priest, a town hall, the tourist office or someone offering accommodation to the pilgrim.
Customarily, this document has to be ordered from an organisation as close as possible to the pilgrim’s home.
In practice you can obtain the credencial by filling in an order form on the following website: www.cheminscompostelle.
com and including a cheque for 8€ payable to the ACIR. This must be done at least ten days before your departure date.
TO ORDER
The credencial can also be ordered from the address below:
Association de Coopération Inter-Régionale
"Les chemins de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle"
4, rue Clémence Isaure - FR-31000 TOULOUSE (métro Esquirol)
Tél. : +33(0)5 62 27 00 05 - Fax : +33(0)5 62 27 12 40
@mail : chemins.de.compostelle@wanadoo.fr
The Créantiale
This is a similar document, but available without charge. It can be obtained from a church after an interview, taking the form of a ‘fraternal dialogue’. It is a ‘sign of trusting and reciprocal welcome’. It is not necessary to be a Christian to obtain this document.
Approach a priest or contact the bishopric in your diocese. (They vary in their level of interest and information on this subject.)
A Créantiale is a document to confirm that a pilgrim is indeed a pilgrim. It confers an obligation on those who give out the document as well as on those who show it to their hosts along the Pilgrim’s Way. It signifies that the bearer belongs to the class of people who are pilgrims and it also is a sign of a trusting and reciprocal welcome between the pilgrim, Christian or not, and the Church. This is because the Créantiale must be handed
back personally to the bearer, following an interview with a representative of the Catholic Church on the Christian meaning of the pilgrimage.
The associations of the friends of St James (associations des amis de St Jacques) have the right to issue the Créantiale.
The Compostella
The certificate of having completed the pilgrimage (the Compostella) is given out at Compostela itself, on presentation of a Créantiale which has been properly stamped at daily halts for all, or a large part, of St James’Way.
It can be seen as a sort of diploma issued by the cathedral to those who have covered the last 100km of the Way on foot, or the last 200km by bicycle or on horseback.
Reception for the walking tour takes place at the first hotel, the evening before your first day’s walking. For those arriving by car, there is the possibility of leaving your vehicle in the underground car park.
Train : Gare SNCF du Puy en Velay (Le Puy en Velay railway station)
Go to the main station. Do not get off at Lafayette.
Car : Le Puy en Velay is in the department of Haute-Loire, 514km from Paris and 132km from Clermont-Ferrand (using the RN 102 road). Michelin map 76; fold 7.
You can leave your car in Le Puy en Velay in the underground car park in the Place du Breuil. This is open every day except Sundays and public holidays from 7.30 am to 8 pm. It costs about 22€ per week, 44 € from 8 to 14 days, 48€ from 15 to 30 days and the parking is secure.
If you need to get your car out of this underground car park on a Sunday, it is possible to do so by asking in advance for a magnetic card from the staff at the main car park check-out.
It is getting more and more difficult to find free parking near to the hotel. However, if you do manage to find a place, there is almost no risk. Our region is relatively free of problems.
Plane : HEX'AIR Airport Le Puy/Loudes +33 4 71 08 62 28.
Your walking tour ends the morning after your last day’s walking, after breakfast.
Returning home:
1. Gare SNCF de Rodez (Rodez railway station) line between Conques and Rodez ; Shuttle Transport VERBUS +33 5 65 77 10 55 (not everyday)
Or:
2. Gare SNCF at St Christophe Vallon.
You can hire a taxi to get you from Conques to St Christophe Vallon (18km)
- Taxi LAMPLE : +33 6 07 75 93 32 or +33 4 71 49 95 55 ; daily line (04/15 - 09/30) from Conques (10.30 am departure) to Saint Christophe train station to get the 11.18 am train.
- Taxi ALARY +33 5 65 44 53 34 or +33 6 08 26 91 30.
It is important to book as early as possible. NB: we cannot pay for this journey and the cost of it is not included in the price of the walking holiday.
Avoid trying to plan your departure for a weekend or public holiday. Making connections on French railways are much more difficult on these days.
Further information about trains can be obtained by telephoning 36 35 or by looking on the SNCF website : www.sncf.fr
Car :
Transport from Conques to Nasbinal 25€/pers. With our help or directly you can make a reservation.
A booking for this should be made at the earliest possible opportunity. We will carry out the booking for you, but the cost is not included in the overall cost of the walking tour.
Plane: Rodez Airport - Marcillac (free parking lot) +33 5 65 42 20 30 or email aeroport-rodez-marcillac@wanadoo.fr ; direct flights to Paris and Lyon.
Suitable for everyone; 3 to 8 hours’ walking per day.
Gentle slopes.
Accomodation in one and two star hotels. Showers and WCs may be on landings or on the next floor in certain establishments.
NB: Bedrooms will only be available after 4pm.
When two hotels are full, we will have to arrange for you to pass two nights at the same establishment and organise transport for the walk. (This will not change the route of your day’s walk.) Details of this kind will be noted on your booking confirmation, should they be necessary. You may be asked to pay a supplement.
FOOD
Breakfasts will be traditional (often taking the form of buffets) and are served at around 8am.
If you want an earlier breakfast than this, talk about it to the hotel-keeper the evening before to find out if it is possible.
Dinner is usually served from 7.30pm onwards. It usually consists of the meal of the day. Most hotels do not offer a choice of menu unless you pay a supplement.
MIDDAY MEAL
Packed lunches are not included in our prices.
You can order them directly from the hotel the night before (by paying around 7-9€ for each person at the time – depending on the establishment). Alternatively you can buy food in the villages, where there are shops etc.
Your baggage will be transported by TRANSBAGAGES (tel: 04 66 65 27 75) between each of the places where you spend the night, either late in the morning or during the course of the afternoon.
A supplement may be payable for the transportation of baggage after October.
NB: We ask you to put your bags in the lounge/hallway of each hotel every morning at 8am. We also insist that each person has only one bag of belongings for transportation, and that no bag must weigh more than 15 kilos. If you have more than one bag, or if your bag weighs more than 15kg, the transporter can either demand a supplement at the end of the walking tour, or simply refuse altogether to carry your baggage if it is too cumbersome. You are advised not to take ordinary suitcases, but to use a strong, solidly-made travelling bag.
You are advised to take a small day-sack or rucksack to carry your personal belongings during the day’s walk.
If you are part of a group, we require you to show clearly on your luggage labels the name of your group leader (i.e. the person who booked your walking tour).
1 person and more.
To enable you to follow the route successfully we will send you, on receipt of payment for the holiday, the official guidebook: le topo guide Sentiers de St Jacques, GR 65, Réf: 651. (An English translation of the route directions is also available on request.)
a small rucksack for your packed lunch and anything else needed for the day’s walk
- basic first aid – eg plasters, antiseptic fluid, alcohol for feet etc
- a good pair of walking boots or shoes, suitable for hill walking. Beware of new boots – test them or break
them in first.
- sun-glasses, sun-cream and sun-hat
- waterproof garments
- light shoes for the evening
- water bottle; it is important to drink 1.5 to 2 litres per day
- a knife
- torch (optional)
- binoculars (if desired)
- paper handkerchiefs
- needle, thread, safety pins
Mobile phones : Mobile phones do not work everywhere along the route. You may wish to have a phone card with you as well.
Dates and prices
|
Dates |
Price/person WITH bag transfer |
Price/person WITHOUT bag transfer ** |
|
From 1er may to early November |
570 € |
525 € |
Single room additional fee: + 150 €
**you carry your own luggages
shuttles or taxi to come back (to book with the whole booking) : 30 €/personne
These walking holidays can be arranged between the 1st May and the beginning of November, at any time convenient to you and subject to the availability of hotels.
Please indicate on the booking sheet any other dates which would suit you (for example if you were able to change the dates of your walking holiday by one or two days either before or after your preferred date …): this is in case one or several hotels etc are not available on your preferred date.
We would also ask you to make your booking as early as possible. We don’t keep permanent reservations and certain places of accommodation can be filled up several months in advance.
CHANGING BOOKINGS
ATTENTION!
Administration fees of 50€ will be retained for any change in the reservations already made (e.g. type of bedroom, departure date, number of people etc).
Any possible booking of extra nights at the beginning or end of the holiday MUST be done at the time of signing in and be specified on the reservation slip. If all the administration has already been done, such extensions must be organised directly with the hotel or accommodation concerned, and be paid for then and there.
The price includes
The price includes:
- organisation fees
- Half board;
- bag transfer
- guidebook (one guidebook for 1-4 people);
- The tourist tax (‘taxe de séjour’)
The price does not include
The price does not include:
- The midday picnic;
- Insurance
- Drinks;
- Personal spending;
- any additional fees : The cost of getting from your home to the starting point, or getting home again after the holiday; any taxis or shuttles taking you back to your car; transport for shortening sections of the walk; parking fees.
- everything not mentionned in the "the price includes " section
Suggested Trips
Rando à pied
Semi itinérantFrom : 680 €Duration : 7 days
Rando à pied
Itinérant en linéaireFrom : 975 €Duration : 7 days
Rando à pied
Itinérant en linéaireFrom : 670 €Duration : 9 days
Availabilities
From 15/04/2024 to 02/11/2024
1150,00 €
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