http://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/cycling-various-caminos-good-better-and-best.16273/
Le Puy Route Voie Podensis GR 65
Beginners-- B-
Experienced-- A
Hard core mountain biker-- B
736 KM Took us 14 days
The route from LePuy en Velay to the start of the
Camino Frances in Saint Jean Pied de Port is part of the original route route travelled by Bishop Godescalc in 951. This is a beautiful route, growing in popularity. When we rode it we left the same day as a group of Swiss road cyclists who were riding the paved roads near the trail. It took us three days to get to their first stop, and we simply could not imagine missing that beautiful trail and great farms and hamlets for the busy road they took.
Where many of the ancient towns in Spain are just a few ruins, this route has one perfect fairy-tale town after another.
While the towns have the feel of the ancient pilgrimage stops they were, the trail can be a bit contrived. There was a piece out of Moissac where the main trail leaves a perfectly good river bottom for a hiking trail up to a radio tower. We felt certain no ancient pilgrim followed that path and stayed on the river bottom variante , following the tow path on the river. Other places it wanders excessively, just stringing together anything that could be used. Overall, however, it is a wonderful route, and while it is a bit harder than the Frances, it is very bikable. We took many small detours, but were on the marked trail for more than 90% of it. If you are into mountain biking, you’ll enjoy the route. Someone with a road orientation will probably detour a fair bit.
In September we saw some tracks, but met no other cyclists. We saw hikers daily, but never very many. Lodging was easy to find, but the cheaper places are neither as cheap or plentiful as in Spain.
In all, this route is our favorite.
