Via Podiensis Cicerone Guidebook Routes Confusion

[Florida Bill]

Someone or veteran please help! Once I get to Figeac planning to stay there one night. Next morning I plan to take a bus to Rocamadour and spending one night there and then taking a bus next morning back to Figeac and spending another night there. Back to walking on the Podiensis I plan to take Cele Variant and spend two nights in Cabrerets, thus allowing me time to go explore the Pech Merle cave paintings. Then I plan to spend two nights in Cahors. With the route and itinerary I’ve described, does this mean I will bypass Cajarc?

 

[NorthernLight]

If you take the Cele variant, you do not go through Cajarc.

 

[Florida Bill]

Thank you! That’s what I was assuming but wanted to confirm. I was having trouble finding a map showing the route to compare with other routes and villages. It would be good if Cicerone would provide locations of more villages such as Cajarc on the overview foldout map on the inside of front cover. There’s plenty of space for them.

 

[NorthernLight]

When I walked the Le Puy, I found the Miam Miam Dodo guide more useful than the Cicerone. I bought both in France. My 2012 edition of Miam Miam Dodo has the Cele valley variant in an appendix.

I looked on the gronze.com site and it has decent enough maps for each stage but I didn’t see a Cele valley variant option.

I have the tracks for the Le Puy downloaded from the santiago.nl Dutch website, but they also don’t have the Cele variant.

Good luck!

 

[BlackRocker57]

Someone or veteran please help! Once I get to Figeac planning to stay there one night. Next morning I plan to take a bus to Rocamadour and spending one night there and then taking a bus next morning back to Figeac and spending another night there. Back to walking on the Podiensis I plan to take Cele Variant and spend two nights in Cabrerets, thus allowing me time to go explore the Pech Merle cave paintings. Then I plan to spend two nights in Cahors. With the route and itinerary I’ve described, does this mean I will bypass

Bonjour / Bonsoir Florida Bill, if you go back through recent posts in this section of the forum to 24 January you can find my detailed track notes for the GR651 Route du Célé … you might find some of the information there helpful to you in your planning, esp. what you do / how you go after Cabrerets and les Grottes de Pech Merle … try this link : <https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...tions-and-services-on-the-le-puy-route.72418/>
and here : <https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/attachments/celevalleyvariante2023update-pdf.140207/>

 

[BlackRocker57]

Someone or veteran please help! Once I get to Figeac planning to stay there one night. Next morning I plan to take a bus to Rocamadour and spending one night there and then taking a bus next morning back to Figeac and spending another night there. Back to walking on the Podiensis I plan to take Cele Variant and spend two nights in Cabrerets, thus allowing me time to go explore the Pech Merle cave paintings. Then I plan to spend two nights in Cahors. With the route and itinerary I’ve described, does this mean I will bypass Cajarc?

yes, in a word!

 

[kayagee66]

If you get a morning ticket for Peche Merle (around 10 or 11) you will have plenty of time for a leisurely walk to Bouzies.
Even St. Cirq.
There isn’t much to explore in Cabrerets, but it is a nice spot to chill out.
If you like to swim and your accommodation doesn’t have a pool, there is a nice spot for river swimming. You can’t miss it as others will be on the small beach area.

 

[Anthony Rocco]

Someone or veteran please help! Once I get to Figeac planning to stay there one night. Next morning I plan to take a bus to Rocamadour and spending one night there and then taking a bus next morning back to Figeac and spending another night there. Back to walking on the Podiensis I plan to take Cele Variant and spend two nights in Cabrerets, thus allowing me time to go explore the Pech Merle cave paintings. Then I plan to spend two nights in Cahors. With the route and itinerary I’ve described, does this mean I will bypass Cajarc?

I expect you and others will find this either unreasonable or crazy, but we plan to do something that made perfect sense to us. First, we plan to do what you are doing: Walk from Le Puy to Figeac, bus to Rocamadeur and back, then continue on the main route to Moissac. From Moissac, we plan to bus back to Cahors, spend another night in this wonderful town, then walk from there backwards on the Cele Variant. When we get to Figeac, we will bus or train to Toulouse, then return home. This way we get to see it all. Of course, this will end up taking around 4 weeks, but we only live once and we do not want to deny ourselves the full beauty, history and culture of this truly special camino.

 

[Glenshiro]

If you like a good map (and who doesn't) I recommend the IGN (Institut national de l’information géographique et forestière, French official map supplier) 1:25000 "IGN Top Bleue" series, specifically maps 2238E (Figeac), 22380 (Cajarc - I know you won't be going through Cajarc, but the start of the Cele valley is on that one,) and 2138OT Cahors, St-Cirq-Lapopie, Vallees du Lot et du Cele. You can buy them in Figeac, or online via Dash4it in the UK - sorry, don't know a US supplier. Very detailed - and a great souvenir. You can also use their wonderful online site allowing you to drill down to street level.

 

[Paul-CH]

Hi here is an overview of the different pilgrim routes

http://cdt46.media.tourinsoft.eu/upload/5c644f41-5c3f-46ea-8355-409b2b263cac/Vallee-du-Cele-2021.pdf

I am using the OsmAnd Maps app and Outdooractive. But there be mor apps with good maps.

 

[Anthony Rocco]

Hi here is an overview of the different pilgrim routes

http://cdt46.media.tourinsoft.eu/upload/5c644f41-5c3f-46ea-8355-409b2b263cac/Vallee-du-Cele-2021.pdf

I am using the OsmAnd Maps app and Outdooractive. But there be mor apps with good maps.

WoW! Many thanks. This is so useful.