Camino - Le Puy en-Velay to Conques

LE PUY EN VELAY TO CONQUES IN 10 DAYS - Short Version

Give yourself 10 days for walking (if it were me this is how I'd do it for the fourth time). Take
some cup-a-soup with you in your packs for those times when you can't find a store at night.
Remember shops close from noon to 2pm or 3pm, and usually all Wednesday afternoon in
smaller places, and all day Sunday. Very few bars along the way that will be open in the day
to get cafe/food, so be prepared. Make sure to use a 32 oz water bottle and fill whenever
you get a chance to fill. Ask in each village the night you get there if there is a market the
next day - they usually start around 8-8:30am and are worth seeing. For peace of mind and
not feeling as though you have to rush to get to a gite, I'd phone 1 to 2 days in advance to
make a reservation. You will probably be able to find a Office du Tourisme that can help you
out each day or the person who runs the gite you're staying at the night before, or fellow
pelerin. There aren't too many places to take short cuts on this trip, but I've mentioned them
where necessary.

The Gite in Le Puy is right next to the Cathedral and has rooms for singles, doubles, triples
or quads. Includes breakfast which you help yourself to in the kitchen (hot chocolate, tea or
coffee, bread and butter with jam) - Showers and toilets are down the hall - this is a very
quiet and clean place and a wonderful location. Cost is about Euros (E) 13 per person for
bed and breakfast. There are many hotels of every quality in Le Puy, the Office du Tourisme
can help out with that or I can give you a list of them if you want to book in advance - Phone
for Gite is: 04 71 05 98 86 Address: Gite d' Etape Maison Saint-Francois, rue Saint-Mayol.
With gites in France you can reserve beds/rooms in advance or arrive the same day and see
if they have space.

You can go to the Pilgrims (in Le Puy) welcome, and get your credentials between 5-7pm
next to the Cathedral - gite will tell you where. Cost E6 - get information here.

Great books to have are ( and can be bought at the book store in Le Puy, ask for directions):
Le Chemin du Puy vers Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle - by Georges Veron, Lousis
Laborde-Balen and Jacqueline Veron. Miam-Miam-dodo Le Chemin de Compostelle by
Jacques Clouteau and Lauraine Clouteau - both in paperback and in French, but you'll be
able to figure out the info that you need with no trouble.

Masse is at 8am and the Pilgrims blessing follows - good time to meet fellow pilgrims and
ask any questions. Take your packs with you and then head off from there. Pick up items
for a picnic lunch to have along the way. Shops open around 7am and quite often there will
be a market being set up between 8-8:30am so that you can get some of the local
specialities.

Day 1 - Le Puy to Saint Privat d' Allier - 24km - about 6 hours walking at a nice easy pace.
Not difficult terrain and very pretty. Gite and hotel/Restaurant (La Vieille Auberge) available -
you can't miss either of them.

Day 2 - Saint Privat to Saugues - 20km - about 5 hours walk - very pretty, steep downhill
from Saint Privat (if you've got bad knees follow the road and not the trail to Monistrol D'
Allier), then steep uphill for about 45 minutes - not that difficult, just take it slowly. In
Saugues (relatively large town) there are many hotels/restaurants/grocery store called
Casino (very popular throughout France) and Gites. Also, a couple of Chambre et table
d'hotes (B & B) - they're a great way to meet the locals and enjoy comfortable lodgings with
great food.

Day 3 - Saugues to St. Alban-sur-Limagnole - 29.5km - 7.5 hrs walk - easy walk, very
scenic - same again: Gites and hotels/restaurants/grocery stores.

Day 4 - St Alban to Aumont Aubrac - 15.3km - 4 hrs - My favorite Gite is here, right above the
Aubrac Hotel (it is not the gite Ferme du Barry, although I've heard from a reliable source that
they do a wonderful 3 course evening meal when you stay with them) - so you have the best
of both worlds - this hotel has a great restaurant, wonderful gite and very nice rooms in the
hotel - it's around the corner from the main street and opposite the post office.

Day 5 - Aumont Aubrac to Nasbinals - 26.4km - 7hrs walk - Love this part of the walk,
through farmers fields right next to the Aubrac Cows. Nasbinals has many
hotels/restaurants, 2 gites. There is also Auberge La Maison de Rosalie at Montgros
(23.9Km) - just before Nasbinals and I've heard this is a wonderful place to stay and eat.

Day 6 - Nasbinals to Saint Chely -d' Aubrac - 16.6km - 4.25 hrs walk - Now this is a
gorgeous walk regardless of the weather, you just have to make sure that you watch the
signs in one part, but look for the path along the fields and where other pelerin are walking -
it's not that difficult to find, just be aware - Stop in Aubrac for coffee - or better still the hot
chocolate at the restaurant next to the church is the best I've had anywhere, so are their
pastries. St. Chely has a couple of nice hotels and a gite - I'd stay at the Hotel - restaurant
de la Vallee.

Day 7 - St. Chely to Espalion (via St. Come d' Olt) - 24km and 6 hrs walk - bit up and down
on this one but still easy terrain. St. Come has a Gite, Hotels, Restaurants, etc. - from St.
Come to Espalion walk along the river on the road, very quiet country road otherwise it takes
you up the trail high into the trees and why make life more difficult - I've done both and will
stick along the road this next time round. There is a new Gite in Espalion that is lovely and
you can have a room for 2 with private bathroom - worst case is a room for 4 with private
bathroom - Lots of hotels/restaurants in Espalion - rather large town/city with big pharmacy
and all of the ammenities. Lots of sights to see here.

Day 8 - Espalion to Estaing - 12.4km - 3.5 hrs - I'd leave Espalion late morning and take my
time this day as the next day is uphill most of the way. Estaing is also quite big but not too
touristy or busy - there is a swimming pool just before entering the city and a nice river runs
along side. Gite/hotels/stores/restaurants.

Day 9 - Estaing to Esperyac - 23.5km - 6hrs - nothing between Estaing and Esperyac so
have food for the day and there is only 1 water fountain about 12km from Estaing at end of
farmers field - Golinhac is at the 15km mark and you can possibly get some food there,
depends on the day and time, but you can find somewhere to get more water. Esperyac has
a couple of hotels - again stay at the Hotel-restaurant de la Vallee.

Day 10 - Esperyac to Conques - 12km - 3 hours - food and water along the way. Nice, easy,
scenic walk - you'll enjoy staying in Conques - there is a Gite at the Abbey - they have private
rooms and bathrooms and great food also lots of hotels and restaurants - mass is at 8pm -
don't miss it!!! Gite to stay at here is: Centre d' accueil de l' abbaye Sainte-Foy, wonderful,
peaceful place to stay right behind the Abbey. Lots of exploring to do in Conques.

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