How to get to Le Puy from Canada?

[JP]

I walked the Camino Frances in April/May 2014 and I am thinking of the Le Puy route in May 2015. Problem is I only have two weeks this time around, so I am thinking of walking from Le Puy to Conques, so I do not have much time to loose in traveling! What would be the fastest way to get to Le Puy and than back home from Conques?

 

[oursonpolaire]

Fly to Lyon (there are direct flights from Montreal, or go through Paris), then the train to Le Puy (2h20min). Returning, either: a) bus to Maurs, then train to Lyon via Clermont-Ferrand (7 hours), or b) bus to Cransac, then by train to Bordeaux via Gaillarde & Perigeux (6 hours) then to Paris and Canada.

 

[JP]

Thanks, It only takes me two hours to get to Montreal Airport and I have a Cousin who lives in Lyon! My Ancestor came from a small town about a 100 km North of Le Puy, he left France in the 17th century.

 

[TMcA]

Air Transat will fly you nonstop from Montreal to Lyon. I think your best bet from Conques might be bus to Rodez and then continue by train to Toulouse. Then back to Montreal non-stop on Air Transat. (I don't work for Air Transat, I just fly them because of their low fares.) Once you get to Toulouse, the bus to the Toulouse airport is fast and inexpensive. Bon chemin.

 

[Scott Sweeney]

It is a long swim

 

[whariwharangi]

From Conques to Montreal ...

According to tourist website, the closest airport to Conques is Rodez-Aveyron - 35km . The closest international airport is Toulouse. There is limited bus service (less than once daily) from Conques to Rodez. There are flight connections from Rodez to Paris, London, Lyon, and Brussels. There are train stations at St Christophe Vallon, Viviez-Decazeville, and Rodez. There are shuttles to the St Christophe train station and a pilgrim shuttle to Le Puy requiring advance reservation.

Conques tourist website
http://www.tourisme-conques.fr/en/venir-conques.php

Map of SNCF trains
http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/france-map/sncf-map-large.htm

From Montreal go to Lyon (perhaps via Toulouse) or Paris. Take train from Lyon or Hex Air from Paris Orly to Le Puy as follows:

4000 Lyon

4001 This section discusses transportation in Lyon

Index 4000
4002 Lyon Airport
4003 Lyon Transportation
4004 Train Stations Lyon

4002 Lyon Airport

Lyon Airport (LYS) Saint Exupéry
http://www.lyonaeroports.com/eng

The best way to get from the Airport Saint Exupéry to Lyon Gare Part Dieu Villette is the Rhone Express Tram. Be prepared for the price shock.

Rhone Express - Shuttle from Airport to downtown Lyon
http://www.rhonexpress.fr/

4003 Lyon Transportation

Lyon transit
http://www.tcl.fr/

To go from Gare Part Dieu to Gare Perrache, depending on TCL schedule:

a. Bus #9 from Gare Part Dieu Vivier Merle to Metro station Bellacour. Transfer to Metro line A and go to Metro station Perrache.

b. Tram # 1 from Gare Part Dieu Vivier Merle to Gare Perrache.

c. Metro line B from Gare Part Dieu to Jean Mace. From Jean Mace take Tram #2 to Gare Perrache.

Allow 30 minutes.

4004 Lyon Train Stations

Lyon has seven train stations including the TGV station at the airport. The principal station in Lyon is Gare Part Dieu. The other station of interest is Gare Perrache.

Lyon Gare de Part Dieu
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frlpd/accueil/

Lyon Gare Perrache
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frlpe/accueil/

Lyon Gare Saint Exupéry TGV (airport)
http://www.gares-en-mouvement.com/fr/frjdq/accueil/

4100 Lyon to Le Puy-en-Velay

4101 This section describes transportation from Lyon to Le Puy-en-Velay.

4102 Trains

Le Puy-en-Velay is best reached by SNCF provided trains and autocars (bus). Most of the trains to Le Puy leave from Lyon Gare de Part Dieu, however some schedules have trains leaving from Lyon Gare Perrache.

It is possible to buy SNCF tickets to Le Puy from the TGV station at Lyon's Airport, however, trains travel via Paris, an eight-hour detour.

Trains from Lyon to Saint Etienne Chateaucreux may be via SNCF TGV or SNCF TER services.

Trains from Saint Etienne Chateaucreux will involve SNCF TER services either by train or bus.

The trip from Lyon may involve one or more transfers from one train to another at Saint Etienne Chateaucreux and Firminy.

At time of writing tracks (June 2014) from Firminy to Le Puy are under long-term maintenance. Typically service on the final leg, either from Saint Etienne Chateaucreux or Firminy, is provided however, SNCF operated train currently provides service provided by bus.

See schedule: TER 10 (Lyon - Le Puy)

SNCF
http://www.sncf.com/

SNCF TER Rhone-Alpes
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/rhone_alpes/fr/Default.aspx

4200 Le Puy en Velay

4201 This section provides some information about Le Puy-en-Velay

Le Puy en Velay Tourist Page
http://www.ot-lepuyenvelay.fr/

HexAir (Paris to Le Puy)
http://www.hexair.com/

 

[KiwiNomad06]

From Conques you could get a taxi to St Christophe (can't remember the rest of the name, but not the same place that's near Le Puy) and from there you can take a train to Paris. In 2012 it wasn't all that expensive- maybe 20 Euro- and the Tourist Office told me how to contact the taxis, and it was a cheaper rate if you were connecting with the Paris train from St Christophe. Alternatively, if you are leaving earlyish in the morning on a school day from Conques, you can get to Rodez by bus and get airport connections from there.
Conques is a bit of a tricky place to get out of, and you might need to take a taxi, but it definitely is possible.
Margaret

 

[billmclaughlin]

Or if your 2 weeks is really more like 16 days....maybe you could get as far as Figeac, which has good train service/connections. It's a standard start/stop point for the French hikers who do the route in stages over several years.