In France - Back on the Camino - Le Puy

After a very nice visit with Frederic and Stephanie in Lyon I took an early Sunday morning train to Le Puy in Velay to start a 450 mile walk to St Jean Pied Port. Known as via Pondensis, the Chemin de Saint-Jacques de Compostelle, it’s a famous medieval pilgrim route across France that joins the Camino de Santiago near the French and Spanish border. I learned of the route after befriending some Swiss Germans during my walk of the Camino de Santiago in Spain two years ago. They had walked all the way across France from Switzerland.

When I arrived in Le Puy it was an uphill trek from the train station to the Cathedral to register and get a Pilgrims credential. The guidebook said I could get one from the priest and painted a somewhat romantic image of the Priest sending a pilgrim on his way. Instead, I received a not so warm greeting by a nun with a stiff demeanor in the Cathedral gift shop. I asked if she spoke English and she abruptly instructed me in English to fill out a form. After I filled out the form she presented me with a credential and explained where to sign my name and all since it’s completely written in French. All in a business like manner. She then asked for a 5 Euro donation but it was as if I was expected to pay. I handed her 5 Euros and headed out the door. Another day, another Pilgrim. One of many I assume.

The credential is a small multi folded booklet with spaces for rubber stamps. The stamps come in a variety of images and you obtain them along the way to prove and document progress. It makes a great souvenir more than anything. With credential in hand I headed out the Cathedral, picked up a couple of quiches at a boulangerie and was on my way.
I am now 3 days into the walk and am happy to say it’s going well. So far I’ve traveled close to 50 miles from Le Puy to St Privat d’ Allier to La Clauze to St Alban sur Limagnole. The walk is comprised of a mix of trails and very quiet back roads that pass through a varied landscape with plenty of villages along the way.

Walking is a great way to see a country and as an American I’m somewhat of a novelty on this trek. Americans commonly travel France by auto and train but few take the time or have any interest in walking the thousands of miles of routes and trails throughout the country. The walk I’m now on is of special interest to me due to my experience of walking the Camino de Santiago two years ago.

So far there are many similarities as far as accommodation goes. It’s a little more expensive but the quality seems to be a bit better than Spain. Around 10 Euros gets a bed in a hostel like accommodation known as a Gite or you can go cheaper by camping. By camping and cooking my own food and living off baguettes I can travel pretty reasonably on 20 to 25 Euros a day as a Pilgrim. I intend to camp every night unless the weather is bad then I’ll head for a Gite.

For now I’m just getting started and am going through the obligatory break in period with a pack that feels to heavy on sore shoulders. However, I feel the old familiarity coming back as I once again adapt to a life on a trail living out of a pack and am quickly reminded how much I like it. I expect this walk with take around 4 weeks.