A short jaunt on the Le Puy route, or, can I out slow-walk Rob?

All are good! I think that most service to Aumont-Aubrac is now by a bus substituted for the train.

I did my first Camino from Moissac - has good rail links and is a lovely town. Then there was time and distance to get fit before St Jean.

p.s. you get to go through Condom, which is the perfect town to send postcards from

Tough decision, but I would suggest your second option: Aumont Aubrac to Decazeville or Figeac. Very scenic countryside coupled with a number of beautiful towns: tiny Aubrac, Saint- Chély-d'Aubrac, Saint-Côme d'Olt, Espalion, Estaing, and, certainly, fabulous Conques. Then a decision, because the higher route to Decazeville (the one that is more scenic, according to the suggestions of the personnel in the abbey at Conques) brings with it a lot of road walking. I've done this route twice, and the second time I took the Malle Postale van to Decazeville and walked from there a bit further. After an overnight stay on to Figeac (with its rail connection). The advantage of taking the van was that my wife and I left Conques in the afternoon and had plenty of time to go through the town and its museum.

The third option might have less hikers. That was my experience last May when I hiked part of that route.

Falcon is correct about the bus serving Aumont Aubrac, but it is easy to make the bus transfer from the last stop on your train travel. It will drop you at the Aumont Aubrac train station and from there a couple of hotels are a 5-7 minute walk away.

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Bon chemin!

Tom