Le Puy Route – An insider’s guide to the popular Camino trail

Le Puy Camino route runs from the heart of France into the popular French Way. It begins in Le Puy En Velay, an extremely beautiful city with a volcanic mountain at the centre. Atop that is a church, Saint Michel d’Aiguilhe, which is dedicated to Saint James’ return to the town.

Another one of the town’s popular attractions is the Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy. Pilgrims visit to see the ebony statue of the Virgin Mary that was brought to the town in the middle ages. The town lies 130 kilometres south-west of Lyon, so it is easily accessible by plane or train.

The route was first taken in 950AD when the archbishop of the town walked to Santiago. Nowadays, it is very popular with French and German pilgrims.

Highlights of Le Puy Camino

The beauty of the Le Puy Route is that you’re crossing France, not only from north to south but from east to west. You’re passing through several regions with different people and many different features.

On this walking route, you will meet a wide range of people. The people who live in the Pyrenees, and the people that live in the small villages along the route. You will explore the beautiful region of Auvergne which is the centre of France. Exploring the Midi Pyrénnées and the Aquitaine regions is a treat for all your senses.

Every 12 to 20 kilometres, there is a beautiful village. Villages are small castle towns, often with rivers and surrounded by beautiful countryside. The towns on the walk are filled with character and often contain old historical monuments and shrines

One of the towns on the Puy route is Conques, a conclave town, where cardinals once convened to choose popes. In the section between Lectoure and Aire-sur-L’Adour (on the fifth stage of the walk), the farms are famous for their wines and brandy. Sample the spectacular Armagnac and foie gras. On the last leg of the journey, Aire-sur-l’Adour is a beautiful, rustic, medieval market town, centred around a 12th-century cathedral.

Accommodation and Food

It’s worth noting that the accommodations on this route are generally smaller than on the other routes. There are a lot of guesthouses, usually with just two rooms for people to stay in. The owners are very friendly and courteous to pilgrims and will sometimes even offer their own beds to guests.

When you begin on the French Way, there are more hotels and larger accommodations. Generally, the type of accommodation you will be staying in depends on the size of the city or town.

If you’re looking for food, then plan an extra day in Caroux, which is found a bit north of Toulouse. Try the confit duck: it’s a slow-cooked meal, generally served with sauteéd potatoes and salad.

Travelling Le Puy Camino

If people want to drive to Le Puy En Velay, we can help. We offer a service where we collect the person’s car and bring it to them when they’re finished their walk. Often, French and German people want to drive to their starting point.

The route can be hard on the legs because you have to go up and down quite a bit. You won’t regret it though, the spectacular scenery is worth it!

In all, the journey takes about 33 days, covering about 750 kilometres. If you want to do it more quickly, cycling along a slightly modified route can cut the journey time in half.

Once you’ve finished walking Le Puy route, the trail joins up with the French Way in Saint Jean Pied de Port. From there, in the Basque country of Spain, you can continue on to Santiago.

Read more about Le Puy Camino and walking holidays in France by reading our article about The Most Beautiful Villages of France.

If you have any questions on walking the Camino de Santiago, then please contact us at info@followthecamino.com!

Buen Camino!