le puy route

[BarbaraB]

Hi,

I'm planning to do the camino in september 2007 (I already walked it in 2003) starting from St Jean, but I've also been planning to yearly walk a stretch of the road from Le Puy to St Jean.
I will start the first 90km from Le Puy this may and I was wondering what everyone's experience is for that stretch to Aumont-Aubrac. I know it's a lot of climbing but would you consider it worse that the pyrrenees?
How are the gites along the way? Do you advice reserving in advance or is there usually room? I understand there are few or no refuges in france, is that correct?

Anyway, any info you could give me would be very welcome.

Thanks!

 

[escambron]

Le Puy to Aumont-Aubrac

Hi, Barbara,

The 'dénivellés' (ups and downs) between Le Puy & Conques are both beautiful & impressive. If you have the opportunity of looking at the 'Topo Guide GR 65, Ref 651, Le Puy-Figeac), this will give you an idea of the steepness and length of some of the hikes.

As we started from Le Puy, when we got to the Pyrenees, we found them surprisingly easy to walk up. A similar descent from Aubrac to St Chely d'Aubrac, for instance, would be the way down from la Cruz de Hiero.

As to the 'gites' (refuges), I would recommend you visit the site
http://www.chemindecompostelle.com/Serv ... rance.html
as well as
http://www.chemindecompostelle.com/Serv ... rance.html
for "Les Haltes de Compostelle", which to me and many other pilgrims, were a delight.

You can get the book "Miam-miam-dodo" at the CSJ. It will give you all the 'gites' on the Via Podensis. I would recommend you reserve and then confirm the day before. Many pilgrims somehow reserve in two or three places and then forget to cancel if they don't show up. This approach was recommended to us by a hotel manager early on, we found it useful.

Re hotels, you will find that some hotels on the way from Le Puy have special arrangements for pilgrims, ie bunkbeds, hence it's cheaper.

I can't recommend strongly enough for you to stop at Le Sauvage, between Chanaleilles & and St Alban-sur-Limagnole (carte # 3 on 1st website). It's an ancient Templar hospital, now a farm, with one of the hugest fireplaces I have ever seen. You buy the products of the farm to cook your dinner, big dormitory with about 20 beds (France 'gites' are never as huge as some of their Spanish counterparts).

At Aumont-Aubrac, we stopped at la Ferme du Barry, which we really liked. You will notice that many gites make it a point of serving you for dinner the famous dishes from the area.

Hoping you find this of help.

 

[Barbara]

It is the most beautiful part of the route, and with the least road. There are plenty of places to stay in summer, fewer in September, and it can be quite cold especially at night (average height about 900 metres) I second the advice about Le Sauvage......La Cassagnole is lovely, too.Don't miss spending a night at Conques, for pilgrim luxury at the Abbaye. Enjoy!

 

[barbaraj45]

I have only cycled the route but am very doubtful about the recommendation for La Ferme du Barry as when I stayed there in 2003, the dorm was full of flies, the toilet was filthy and there was no paper, the light bulb "went" in the kitchen. but the worst thing was that my bed COLLAPSED as I lay down (I'm less than 9 stone), i was the last one in, it was dark and all the other beds were taken. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS GITE.
I'd certainly recommend the Christian gite in Estaing - but where I got told off for booking ahead! (This was july).
we stayed in the Miason Famille in Congues, as it was the first building we came to and they made us very welcome. The dorm seemed to be an old cookery classroom but we had meals with French familes and felt we were part of the whole French scene - and it was very cheap.
In Livenhac-le-Haut we stayed in a caravan that's reserved for pilgrims, It was a bit grubby so don't recommend it unless you're desperate.
In cabrerets we slept on the floor of the gite kitchen on a mattress. Some pilgrims were on the floor in the garage! No one was turned away.
In Cahors we stayed in a wonderful place - Communite Religieuse Foyers des Jeunes en Quercy. I can't recommend it highly enough. The same goes for Moissac - in the former Carmenlite monastery (nunnery?)
In Lectoure the gite was disgusingly dirty. In Condom the gite was full and we ended in up in a shed for farm workers!
The next night was a superb gite in an amazingly attractive house in Monneton near Nogaro. Welcome, everything, was superb. Sauvelade gite OK but own cooking required.
The monastery at Saint Palais was another VERY welcoming place.
Sorry this is so long but it's brought back so many memories. Buen Camino!
Barbara J