Célé valley option

[scruffy1]

I have seen several topics relating to the Célé Valley optional route, there appear to be several differing opinions, negative and positive but no details explaining why. For your own opinion and please be specific, I will impart a bit of information which I have just learned. Along the Célé valley is a town called Sauliac, nothing special at first glance, certainly nothing attractive as say Marcilhac-sur-Célé. However, Sauliac forms part of the Triangle Noir and within the village there is a star observatory in which it is possible to gaze out across this protected territory and to observe the stars with only a few distractions and little glare from so called civilization. I would be happy to receive your impressions to help in my planning. Thanks

S

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, scruffy,

I walked the Cele route at least 8 years ago, and it was just beautiful. I have never heard anything bad about this route from anyone who walked it. It goes through untouristed parts of France, along the Cele River, with a lot of ups and downs from river bank to high paths. I suppose that if you don't like going up and down, you may get frustrated by this route, but I also remember that I was walking with two Dutch pilgrims (Jan and Erna are you reading this?) who found ways to avoid the ups and downs by staying on the road. My feet don't tolerate asphalt well, so I stuck with the ups and downs.

I would have to look at my journal to give you the names of my "favorite" towns and their attractions, but I remember wonderful gites with great home cooked meals, unspoiled old towns, and relaxing afternoons by the river. If I am ever lucky enough to get back to the LePuy route, I would definitely take this variant.

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[lovingkindness]

Hi there, Scruffy, I found the Cele Valley to be quite beautiful. Soaring granite cliffs tinged with apricot, troglodyte dwellings, ancient shepherds paths & huts, castle facades and ramparts from The One-Hundred Year War. I hiked late October, 2004 and had the valley to myself. I remember a few strenuous ascents and descents to & from the cliff tops, all worth the effort and there being something very special about the microclimate, the air was soft. The church bells in Marcilhac-sur-Cele are quite doleful, tuned at aprox a minor 6th I think, rather unusual.

Cheers,
Lovingkindness

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, lk,

Your lyrical prose is so wonderful. I could never have written that, but when I read it, I say -- that's exactly what it was like!

Buen camino, Laurie

 

[Kitsambler]

I heard about the Cele variant both before and after walking the Le Puy route in 2010; and I had the oft-repeated thought that surely it must be more interesting and scenic than the bit I was walking over. The area from Figeac to Cahors is karst country: thin soil with a limestone underpinning. The trees are scrub oak and creosote. The farms are poor, the towns depopulated. If I walk the Le Puy again, I will definitely take the Cele variant!

 

[scruffy1]

Thank you all! On re-reading the posts and blogs most were discouraged due to bad weather, slippery going and difficult climbs and descents in the rain due to the undulating terrain. Can only hope for sun
S

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Yes, scruffy, someone who was writing on the forum before I took the Le Puy route in 2008 told me it was beautiful, but the muddy paths were very difficult when they walked in May the previous year.
Margaret

 

[lovingkindness]

Scruffy, you might also consider detouring from Le Voie de Le Puy via Rocamadour a very historic pilgrimage site as well. I don't remember exactly where the turn off point is but think it was near Figeac. I think the trail was roughly circular looping back and possibly including the Cele Vally???? In 2004 pelerins had left sketch maps and hand written instructions in one or two churches along the way describing how to get there. That was eight years ago, by now I should think there will be a published guide. Rocamadour is extrordinary, apparently. If you find any literature I'd love to know.

Cheers,

ps, thanks Laurie for you nice words.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

The latest Miam Miam Dodo for the Le Puy route has maps and info for the Cele variant, but no longer has maps for the Rocamadour variant. (I think it used to have them in 2008...) But it says the maps for Rocamadour are downloadable as pdfs from http://www.chemindecompostelle.com
Cheers lovingkindness, and yes, I should be in bed already, it is a school night!
Margaret

 

[lovingkindness]

fait de beau reves, KiwiN. Nightie night, amiga.....

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The GR-6 to Rocamadour:

http://pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk/routes ... igroc.html

 

[julie]

Rocamadour is certainly worth a visit. You can walk on the GR6 from Figeac or take the train (Rocamadour station is about 4km from the village) then return to Figeac ready to walk through the beautiful Valley of the Célé.

The Valley has so much variety in its offerings. As well as those already mentioned, there is also the opportunity to visit the Pech Merle caves (Cabrerets) with its prehistoric paintings and Saint-Cirq- Lapopie which has just been voted France's favourite village.

 

[peregrina2000]

Hi, Julile,

Thanks for reminding me of those two parts of my Cele Valley detour. We spent one night in the town right below the caves, had a morning visit to the caves (in French but still quite enjoyable for those of us without French ability), and then continued on to St. Cirque. We stayed in a hotel (our walking companions stayed in the campgrounds down at the riverside), and the town is up up up above the river. It is one of those totally preserved towns in France, with probably no more than 20 residents. All the other buildings are occupied by services for commerce. I don't say that as a criticism, just that that's what happens when lots and lots of tourists want to visit a very small village. There are some good restaurants there as well.

The next day we returned to the turn-off for St. Cirque (in other words you have to back-track), I think it's in a place called Bouzies, and continued on to another wonderful gite along the river. We didn't make it to Rocamadour, but it certainly looks like a place to go time permitting.

 

[scruffy1]

So many options so little time! At this rate I won't even make it until the Spanish border. For those who know, the poem Itacha by Cavafy is still so true.