The most beautiful start to the Camino de Santiago: 753 kilometers from Le Puy-en-Velay through the secluded Aubrac highlands and the medieval town of Conques to the foot of the Pyrenees.
The Via Podiensis is the best known of the four great Ways of St. James through France – and for many the most beautiful route of all on which to approach Santiago. It begins in Le Puy-en-Velay, a town of volcanic rock whose cathedral was a gathering point for pilgrims back in the Middle Ages. From there the route crosses the Massif Central: over the bare Aubrac plateau, down into deep river valleys and through the warm Quercy to the foothills of the Pyrenees.
Unlike the Spanish caminos, you won't be part of a constant stream of pilgrims here. You walk through a living, rural France, past farms, village bakeries and small Romanesque churches. Most nights are spent in gîtes d'étape, often with a shared dinner around a big table. The route ends in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port at the foot of the Pyrenees – where the Camino Francés into Spain begins.
Depending on language and tradition, the route goes by several names:
The label “GR 65” refers to the French long-distance path (Grande Randonnée) that the Camino follows almost the whole way.
The Via Podiensis is ideal if you're looking for calm, nature and good food and don't mind quieter stages. Anyone who loves France, its cuisine and its villages will love this path. Even experienced pilgrims who already know the bustle of the Camino Francés find here the stillness they sometimes miss.
It's less suitable if you're short on time – the full route takes about a month. If you speak no French at all, you'll need a little courage, as English is by no means spoken everywhere. And if you're after the feeling of a large, international stream of pilgrims, you're better off on the Camino Francés.
Roughly, the route divides into three parts. First the highlands: from Le Puy the path climbs onto the Margeride and the Aubrac plateau, a treeless, open upland with cows, stone crosses and lonely shepherds' huts. It's rugged here, often windy and still cool in spring.
Then the valleys and Causses: the descent to Conques and the path along the Lot and the Célé lead through warm gorges and medieval towns. The Quercy follows, with its limestone plateaus, holm oaks and the city of Cahors.
Finally the foothills of the Pyrenees: the gentler, green hills of Gascony and Béarn, through which the path leads to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. With each day the mountains draw closer.
With over 12,000 meters of ascent and descent, the Via Podiensis is no flat stroll, but no high mountains either. The climbs are spread over many smaller ascents; the truly demanding parts are the opening into the Aubrac and some climbs and descents in the river valleys.
Most pilgrims need about 27 to 34 days for the whole route. Many also walk it in sections over several years – a popular first stretch is Le Puy to Conques (about a week). The GR 65 is waymarked throughout with the red-and-white markings of the Grande Randonnée and is hard to miss.
If the Via Podiensis has a heart, it lies between the Aubrac plateau and the village of Conques. You cross the Aubrac at around 1,300 meters – a wide, almost Scandinavian-feeling upland. Many pilgrims set out early from the old Domerie d'Aubrac to experience the plateau in the morning light; supplies here are only occasional.
The long descent leads to Conques, one of the most beautiful villages in France. Its centerpiece is the abbey church of Sainte-Foy, a masterpiece of Romanesque architecture whose tympanum depicts the Last Judgment. Those who stay the night can attend the evening organ recital and pilgrim blessing – for many the most moving moment of the whole route.
The Via Podiensis is a complete journey in itself – many pilgrims walk exactly this route from Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and end their journey there. But you can also see it as the first part of a longer pilgrimage: in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port the Camino Francés begins seamlessly, carrying you over the Pyrenees and across northern Spain for about 800 kilometers all the way to Santiago de Compostela. Whether you finish in Saint-Jean or walk straight on is entirely up to you.
The best time is May to October; in high summer the Quercy can get hot, while the Aubrac stays cool into spring. Most nights are spent in gîtes d'étape, often with half board (demi-pension) and a shared dinner – booking the day before is customary and wise in summer.
A little French helps enormously, especially in the villages. Bring some cash, as small gîtes don't always take cards. As on all the Ways of St. James, you'll need a pilgrim's credential (créanciale), which you can get in Le Puy or along the way and which is needed to stay in many hostels.
France is more expensive than Spain. Budget roughly €40–60 per day if you stay in gîtes with half board. A bed usually costs €15–25, dinner often another €15–20. If you self-cater or use municipal accommodation, you'll get by for less; in hotels and chambres d'hôtes it gets considerably more expensive.
The starting point is Le Puy-en-Velay. From there you set off; you'll reach the destination, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, after about a month. If you only walk a section, you can start at a well-connected intermediate town such as Conques, Figeac or Cahors.
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