Le Puy to Conques recommendations

[laraine&bronwyn]

Many thanks to all who responded to our queries before our walk. The trip was fantastic and we are now planning to do the next stage as soon as we can escape. A few recommendations to anyone walking this route . Accommodation at Hotel St Jacques (Le Puy); Le Grange de Bigosse (Bigosse) and the Tour de Anglais (Aubrac) was great. A good meal proved a fast antidote to tiredness and exceptional meals were had at Le Grange (Bigosse); Chez Germaine and Domerie Hotel (Aubrac); Lo d’ici (Nasbinals); and Auberge St Jacques (Conques). The walk provided many memorable experiences but top of the list must be the pilgrims mass at the Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy. The walk is fantastic be prepared for varied and beautiful landscapes, some challenging terrain and most of all at the end of each day a sense of accomplishment. Best regards to all Laraine and Bronwyn

 

[Caminando]

The Le Puy-Conques section is very beautiful. One of the nicest sections............

 

[Anna-Marie]

And it gets you into shape really quickly, if you survive it.

 

[apilgrim]

Hi, can anyone advise me on the walk from Le Puy to Conques. I have three questions (for now).

- can this be walk done in 10 days?
- what level of the French language is required?
- is it easy to leave Conques by train or bus to return to Paris?

With thanks to anyone who can enlighten me.

 

[mspath]

Hello!

If you read French you may find this website useful http://www.ot-espalion.fr/fr/loisirs-actifs/index.php as it discusses the GR65 which goes from Le Puy to Conques. For Conques itself this website is good http://www.tourisme-conques.fr/en/index.php Also this wonderful blog in English will provide you with much informationhttp://chemincamino08.blogspot.fr/. It is written by a fellow member of the Confraterity, KiwiNomad.

Buen Camino!

Margaret

 

[Kitsambler]

- can this be walk done in 10 days?
- what level of the French language is required?
- is it easy to leave Conques by train or bus to return to Paris?

- Yes you can walk from Le Puy to Conques in ten walking days. You can check the stages in the blogs KiwiNomad and I have posted in the blog section here.
- Miam Miam Dodo lists lodgings where English is spoken, and the Tourism Offices will almost always have an English-speaking person on duty (Personally I have never not been able to use English at a Tourism Office.) However, part of the joy of walking the Chemin is the opportunity to interact with others, and 85% of those will be French speakers. So go learn your basic hospitality and pleasentary phrases, and how to read basic signs, and have a pocket phrasebook along.
- Conques does not have train connections, but there are bus, taxi, or transporter services that will get you to a railhead.

Bon Chemin!

 

[apilgrim]

Merci and gracias, for the excellent replies.

Especially about speaking French, which is not a skill I possess, unfortunately. But I really do want to interact with people in meaningful ways and so I will brush up on my high-school French and smile a lot. That should work.

Thanks again.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

- can this be walk done in 10 days?
- what level of the French language is required?
- is it easy to leave Conques by train or bus to return to Paris?

I actually took 13 days, but I imagine it could be done by most in 10 days. My 13 days included a rest day in Estaing to recover from blisters I developed after three days of having saturated feet with heavy rainfall. I also took it slowly distance-wise for the first 5-6 days to let my body ease into the long-distance walking. Most people could easily do longer stages than I did.

The day I left Le Puy, I was the only English speaker amongst about 40 pilgrims who gathered for a blessing from the Bishop after the early morning Mass. (He spoke to each pilgrim individually before the blessing that morning, and switched to English for me!) There are not many English speakers on the route at all, but French walkers were very helpful. The main issue you might have if you don't speak any French is that it could be quite lonely.

There is not much cheap transport out of Conques at all. There was a bus that went I think just once a day for Rodez, from where you could take a train. Other than that, you might have to take a taxi.
Margaret

 

[KiwiNomad06]

There was a previous thread about transport out of Conques but the links seem to have changed. I found this info on the Conques tourist office site http://www.tourisme-conques.fr/fr/venir-conques.phpthat may help:
Autocar (Bus) Line Rodez- Saint-Cyprien- Conques- Grand-Vabre
Departs: Mon 7:15 am (school term) Tues, Wed, Thurs Fri 7.45 am (school term).
Mon to Fri 8.05 school hols.
Length of journey ~1 hour 15mins, Cost 7.40 Euro
There does not appear to be this bus option on weekends.

Transport on demand: This appears to be a minibus that connects with the trains leaving from Saint-Christophe Vallon for Paris. This Saint-Christophe is not on the GR- it is 23km from Conques. This transport runs to connect with trains on the Paris line every day on reservation, 24 hours in advance from 1 April until 4 November 2012, according to the website. The fare is usually 15 Euro, but it is 18 Euro at night, on Sundays and holidays. There appears to be a Tourist Office in Estaing, so maybe they would help you reserve this if you wanted to do it before you reached Conques.
Margaret