Via Podiensis Walking Through FranceC H A R L D U R A N D
3Via PodiensisA Pilgrimage Through FranceC H A R L D U R A N D
ColophonTitle: Via PodiensisAuthor and Photography: Charl DurandKleinemonde, Eastern Cape, South AfricaFirst Published: 2024Photographs: iPhone 13 Pro MaxFont families used: Abadi, AtheneDesign and layout: Af�nity Publisher V1.0Computer: Apple Mac Mini 2023Printed by RapidStudio, Johannesburg, South AfricaAll rights reserved. © 2024 Charl [email protected]
For Tjaard and AnnemarieParents, and unwavering supporters
Prologue: What is the ViaPodiensis?Day Zero: Dubai, then LyonDay One: Lyon—Le-Puy-en-VeleyDay Two: Le Puy-en-Velay—SaintPrivat-d’AllierDay Three: Saint Privat-d’Allier—SauguesDay Four: Saugues—Domaine duSauvageDay Five: Domaine du Sauvage—Aumont AubracGite LifeDay Six: Aumont Aubrac—NasbinalsDay Seven: Nasbinals—SaintCome-d’OltDay Eight: Saint Come-d’Olt—EstaingCatsDay Nine: Estaing—MassipDay Ten: Massip—ConquesDay Eleven: Conques—LivinhacDay Twelve: Livinhac—FigeacDay Thirteen: Figeac—EspagnacSainte-EulalieChurchesDay Fourteen: Espagnac-SainteEulalie—Marcilhac-sur-CéléDay Fifteen: Marcilhac-sur-Célé—CarbreretsDay Sixteen: Carbrerets—SaintCirq-LapopieDay Seventeen: Saint-CirqLapopie—Saint-GeryDay Eighteen: Saint-Gery—CahorsDay Nineteen & Twenty:Cahors—ToulouseBeersDay Twenty-One: Toulouse—MoissacDay Twenty-Two: Moissac—CONTENTS
AuvillarDay Twenty-Three: Auvillar—MiradouxDay Twenty-Four: Miradoux—LectoureDay Twenty-Five: Lectoure—LaRomieuDay Twenty-Six: La Romieu—CondomDay Twenty-Seven: Condom—Montreal-du-GersDay Twenty-Eight: Montreal-duGers—EuazeDay Twenty-Nine: Euaze—NogaroDay Thirty: Nogaro—Aire-Surl’AdourDay Thirty-One: Aire-Surl’Adour—Miramont-SensaqDay Thirty-Two: MiramontSensaq—Arzacq-ArraziguetDay Thirty-Three: ArzacqArraziguet—Arthez-de-BéarnFoodDay Thirty-Four: Arthez-deBéarn—SauveladeDay Thirty-Five: Sauvelade—NavarrenxDay Thirty-Six: Navarrenx—AroueDay Thirty-Seven: Aroue—OstabatJean-Pied-de-PortDay Thirty-Nine: Saint-Jean-Piedde-Port—LyonEpilogue
MiradouxMontreal du Gers 17Lectour 15.7Eauze 21Miramont-sensacq 16Arthez-de-Bearn 18Navarrenx 21.1Saint-Jean-Pied-du-PortLauzerte 28.1LascabCondom 13.6 AuvLa Romieu 19.8Arzacq-Arraziguet 18.1Sauvelade 13Aire-Sur-l’Adour 27Ostabat 22.7Nogaro 21Aroue 24.98Since the early Middle Ages,Roman Catholic pilgrims fromnorthern Europe have traveledarduous, often dangerousroads to pray at the Cathedral ofSantiago de Compostela innorthwestern Spain, the legendaryburial site of the apostle St. James. Oneof the routes they followed was calledthe Via Podiensis, which runs from LePuy in the northeast of France to SaintJean-Pied-de-Port, the start of the wellknown Camino de Santiago. Firstrecorded by Godesalc, the Bishop of LePuy-en-Veley, who traveled to Santiagoin the year 950, thousands of pilgrimshave made the journey since, and stilldo to this day. While some stillundertake the lengthy 1500km journeyfrom Le Puy to Santiago, most modernday travellers walk only parts of it forrecreation, since it traverses sceniccountryside landscapes and some ofthe most beautiful villages in France.Why did we walk the ViaPodiensis?After completing the Camino deSantiago in 2015 and the ViaFrancigena in Italy in 2017, the ViaPodiensis offered a new pilgrimage
9What is theVia Podiensis?experience—a different country and aroute with a unique character. Very fewpilgrims stop after completing their firstpilgrimage. The journey never ends.Pilgrimages help walkers reconnectwith their inner selves, be close tonature, and spend time with kindredspirits. Walking in the footsteps ofcountless pilgrims following a routesteeped in religious history is humblingand an unparalleled learningexperience. The Via Podiensis ticked allthose boxes for us and more.As pilgrimages go, one can plan downto the finest detail, but inevitablycurveballs appear en route that test thebody and mind. We could haveprepared better for some challenges,but now we know for next time!We walked for 38 days to reach SaintJean Pied-de-Port. Each footstep was ablessing and a privilege, no matter thechallenges. The 750-kilometer walk toJean-Pied-de-Port was a sensorydelight. We passed through five culturaland natural districts, each withbreathtaking landscapes, culinarytraditions, and cultural histories.We hope this book will inspire you toembark on a pilgrim journey. Enjoyreading about our adventure.
10Zero DayDubai, then LyonIt took a year of route planning, researchingaccommodation, and tough decisions about what goesinto our backpacks, but we’re finally on our way. It’s ourthird time walking a pilgrimage, so we benefit from theexperience, but even so, many unknowns are awaiting.Alexander the Great's immortal words, \"Fortune favours thebrave,\" just about sum it up for us.After a five-year hiatus in international travel—mainly due toCovid—flying long distances was once again a novelty, likewhen we started travelling abroad. Even so, it was still ninelong hours of sitting in tiny seats from Cape Town to Dubai.Fortunately, the food Emirates dishes up has always beenamong the best, and we weren’t disappointed after such along break in travelling overseas.We had a two-hour layover in Dubai—enough to take in thisbustling hive of activity and its global cross-section oftravellers. Observing the scene, I pondered over the numberof different nationalities present. Are there twenty, thirty, oreven a hundred different nationalities present? Airports areat once equalisers of humanity and spaces that bring homethe fact that our own culture is but a fragment of those thatexist on Earth.The second flight, from Dubai to Lyon, was also nine hourslong, but this time the novelty had worn off, and it was merelytiring. Neither of us slept much, so we were bleary-eyed bythe time we reached Lyon. Fortunately, we had a sleepoverhere to help us recover before we leave for Le Puy-en-Velay,the starting point of the Via Podiensis.The cavernous rail station at the Lyon airport is impressive,both in its architecture and efficiency. Purchasing tickets todowntown Lyon took only a minute or two, and locating thecorrect platform was effortless.When staying over in unfamiliar cities, it’s an old habit ofmine to book hotels that are near the train station, at leastfor the first and last nights. I don’t like running late for a train�Ouch! Shame on your, Dubai Airport forhitting two unsuspecting travellers with aR500 bill for two coffees and pastries!
11and having to make a last-minute, lengthy dash before thedoor closes.In this case, our hotel was the fashionable Ibis Styles,conveniently located across the street from the Part Dieurail station. One more night of luxury before the pilgrimagestarts, where accommodation is typically rather minimalistic.After settling into our room at the Ibis, we caught up on lostsleep for an hour. We then embarked on an eveningwalkabout to immerse ourselves in the atmosphere of thesurrounding streets until dinner time.We didn’t make much effort to seek out a special place toeat. Fortunately, Ciao Nonna, an Italian eatery near thestation, proved to be a delightful choice. We were starvingby now and devoured two very tasty plates of porcini pasta,followed by desserts. After practicing our limited French onthe patient waiter, we returned to the hotel to check ourbackpacks one last time. So far, so good. We’ve left nothingof importance behind. We were in bed by nine after a tiringbut satisfying day of travelling.Lyon train station has a piano in its foyerthat passers-by can play if the mood strikesthem. The pianist talent was astounding.Conclusion: Lyon is a city �lled withaccomplished musicians gracious enough toentertain the public on a whim.⊳
12One DayLyon – Le Puy-en-VelayIt’s a comfortable two-hour trainride to the start of the ViaPodiensis in Le Puy-en-Velay, sono rush this morning. After ahearty breakfast, we took a leisurelywalk to Lyon’s busy Gare Part Dieustation, had a quick Starbuckscoffee, and hopped onto the train atPlatform 4.We love trains, so the journey was allpart of the fun. On arrival in Le Puyand exiting the station building, wesaw several other pilgrims millingabout. Like us, they were trying to�nd their bearings. Tomorrow someof them will join us on the roadheading in the direction of St Jean,750 km away. At least we won’t bewalking alone.We followed a group heading in thegeneral direction of the SaintGeorges Seminary, our overnightaccommodation. It’s a steep climb tothe imposing, 100-room seminaryWaiting in line to check in at the St.George Seminary in Le Puy-en-Velay.
13building, but its excellent locationnext to the cathedral made theeffort worthwhile.It was again reassuring to seeseveral other pilgrims alreadyqueuing up at the reception desk tocheck in. Our assigned bedroom wassimple but clean. Once settled in, wewalked up the hill to the imposingand iconic Notre Dame De Franceoverlooking Le Puy. It’s a 22m-high,red iron statue erected in 1860—agift from Napoleon III to the town. Onthe way back spent a few moments inthe peaceful interior of the cathedral,our starting point tomorrow. Then itwas back for supper at the seminary.Dinner in the canteen-like diningroom consisted of an appetisinglentil dish, a specialty of the Le Puyregion we also saw on sale in thetourist shops. However, the red winethat came with it tasted terrible. Wasthis the French wine standard wewould have to adjust to?Most pilgrims at the table wereFrench, none of whom spokeEnglish. But there were three othernationalities present who did speakEnglish—German, Korean, andCanadian—with whom we stroke uplively conversations. Most were moreor less our age group. No doubt ourpaths will cross a few times alongthe way.Our roomNotre Damede France
14TwoDayLe Puy-en-Velay – Saint Privat-d’AllierBreakfast the next morningwas again served in theSaint-Georges Seminarydining room. It was a verybasic affair—bread, jam, and plaincoffee, curiously served in anoversized dessert bowl. It wasn'texactly the fruit, muesli and yoghurtbreakfasts we're accustomed to athome, but this is a pilgrimage, not aculinary tour.At 7 am we walked the shortdistance to the cathedral for whatturned out to be a very movingpilgrim Mass. During the ceremonythe priest asked non-French pilgrimsin the audience to say what countrythey were from. It came as nosurprise that we were the only SouthAfricans, and there were only a smallhandful of other nationalities. It wasa fitting get-to-know-each-othertouch. Now we knew who to expecton the journey.After the final “amen” the steelgrating on the cathedral floorsuddenly began opening slowly,revealing a staircase that descendedSockshung out todryThe wayto St Jean...750km to go!
15to an exit below. This was thesymbolic start of the ViaPodiensis. What a surprise!We joined the stream of pilgrimsheading down the staircase andexiting onto the square in front ofthe cathedral. After posing for aquick selfie on the cathedral steps,we set off on the journey. It wasslightly overcast and cool, whichwas perfect walking weather.For the first few kilometres headingout of Le Puy, there was a constantflow of pilgrims around us, butfortunately it was far from thehordes we experienced on theCamino Frances.We completed the first day's 24 kmwalk from Le Puy to the small townof Saint Privat-d'Allier (population410) in just over five hours. Thiswas quite an impressive pace!I was glad we’d booked aheadbecause every bed at our gite inSaint Privat-d’Allier was taken. It’sbeen a perfect start to the journey.⊳Getting our pilgrim passportsstamped at the Le Puy Cathedral.The stamp is known as a“tampon” in French. We receiveda stamp in each town we passedthrough – they appear on the topof each page in this book. By theend of the pilgrimage we had 41stamps in our passports.It’s almost impossible to get loston the Via Podiensis because itfollows the well-marked GR65, anational hiking route. StChristophe-sur-Dolaizon was our�rst town after leaving Le Puy, amere 7,5k scenic kilometers away.�Highlight of the day: An unexpected pop-up padstal (roadside foodstand) selling coffee, sandwiches and snacks at very reasonable prices.
16Three DaySaint Privat-d’Allier – SauguesThe host at the Gite Saint Privatin Saint Privat-d’Allier, wherewe stayed on our firstpilgrimage night, was of NorthAfrican descent. It showed in thecolourful, ethnic interior of the gite andthe delicious Middle-Eastern cuisine heserved for dinner. I’ve forgotten hisname but not his blue jacket—it had“Crime Investigation Unit” embroideredon the back. Intriguing. He spoke onlythe most basic English, so I neverasked him about that. Was he apoliceman in a previous life?The majority of the day was marked bydrizzling rain. It was uneven terrain butnot particularly difficult to navigate.Along the way, we avoided a steep,slippery hiking path that led further upthe hill, and after consulting our trustyGPS map, we decided to stick to a quietcountry lane running through the forestalong the river. That saved us sometime and was almost certainly mucheasier than the upper path.We walked through several smallhamlets before descending steeply intoSaugues. Our gite was on the edge oftown, overlooking a meadow wherecows grazed peacefully. It was here wefirst realised that most gites open at 2pm, never earlier. It was still an hour orso before the designated opening time.
17Since we were a stiff walk from the towncentre, we could do nothing but hangaround the front door.At exactly 2 pm, Jesus, our gite host,appeared. He’d walked the Caminoafter experiencing a health scare andtherefore had firsthand experience withpilgrimage.We understood when told to leave ourmuddy shoes in a cupboard outside thefront door but were puzzled wheninstructed to put our backpacks inheavy black plastic bags. We assumedthis was a precautionary measure forhygiene. Little did we know it was onlythe first of many, many whimsical andcurious rituals unique to gite life wewould experience in the coming weeks!Jesus was surprised to learn that I wasvegetarian, even though I hadmentioned it in my reservation email.However, just like any other gite hostunprepared for a vegetarian fromSouth Africa, he quickly responded byoffering me two sunny-side-up eggsatop a plate of bare pasta. He lookeddisgusted when I asked for olive oil tospruce it up with, so I just dug in. I wastoo hungry to complain.The town of Saugues lies in a region known for its woodwork. Severalinteresting wooden sculptures like this one greeted us on our way intotown–a nice touch.�If you think this bridge looksvaguely similar to the Eiffel Tower,you’re not mistaken. It wasdesigned by Monsieur Eiffel.�
18Four DaySaugues – Domaine du SauvageWe’d hardly left Jesus’ gite in Saugues and boughttwo pastries at a boulangerie when it began todrizzle. This soon turned to sleet, andtemperatures dropped a few degrees withinminutes. An icy shower kept falling for the first few kilometresof walking, slowly covering the surroundings with a thin, whiteblanket. Thankfully, the downpour slowed down and theclouds lifted after a while, making the surfaces slippery andchallenging to walk on.The rest of the day was a gentle, easy uphill walk throughpastures and pine plantations. This region is one of the mostsparsely populated in France, and we hardly saw anysettlements. Pilgrims turned into hulking hunchbacks as theydonned their ponchos for protection against any suddendownpours. On most of the following walking days, I couldrecognise Adeline only by her red poncho walking ahead ofme.Our bed for the night was a remote set of grey, fortress-likebuildings with no town in sight. The story goes that this was apilgrim hospital set up by the Templars in the Middle Ages.For years monks ran it as a kind of monastery, but itgradually fell into ruin. Recently the local communityrenovated it, and so Domaine du Sauvage regained itsoriginal purpose as pilgrim accommodation.Despite its ominous, grey exterior, the spacious gite insidehad the the cosy atmosphere of a hunting lodge. We passed
19the time sipping coffee in the communal area, anticipatingthe arrival of the magical hour and the process of check-in.The outside of the buildings may resemble a medievalmonastery, but the bedrooms were spacious and modernwith an en-suite bathroom. We shared a room with fourother pilgrims, but it wasn’t a bother.We shared our dinner table that evening with a Frenchnuclear engineer and his pregnant daughter, who werewalking a week-long section of the Via Podiensis. He spokeperfect English, so the conversation flowed easily. Now,where else in life would I meet a clever stranger like thisover dinner?Backpacks“queueing” atthe entrance atDomaine duSauvage, waitingfor the gite toopen.⊳The long road... Thefortress-like Domaine duSauvage has existed as apilgrim hospital since theMiddle Ages, when it wasrun by the KnightsTemplar. It fell into ruin butwas recently renovated,and is now a project of thesurrounding farmers.�
20Five DayDomaine du Sauvage – Aumont AubracOur walk from Domaine duSauvage to Aumon Aubracturned out to be one of thehighlights of the ViaPodiensis.For someone from a largely snowlesscountry like South Africa, waking up toa white, fairytale landscape is a hugetreat. To then walk almost 20 kmthrough silent forests while snowflakesgently drifted down is a pricelessblessing.It snowed for about two hours after weleft the warmth of the gite. Once thesnowfall stopped, the gravel roads andhiking trails became muddy and difficultto walk on. Perusing our trusty GPSmap, we located a tarred country roadthat ran right up to Aumont Aubrac,making the going much easier. It was afairly long day—6 hours and 28 km—but beautiful and special for us. By thetime we reached Aumont, there was nosign of snow at all.
21Roman-erastone bridgeThe Beast ofGévaudanIt’s impossible towalk through theGèvaudan regionwithout readingabout or seeing asculpture or artworkfeaturing the legend ofthe Beast of Gévaudan.It goes something likethis: between 1764 and1767, a large wolfterrorised the region,attacking and killing110 inhabitants andinjuring many more.They supposedly \"killed\"the animal severaltimes before the attacksstopped. Even the Kingof France offered areward for the captureof the wolf and sentsoldiers to the region tohelp get rid of it.�In Aumont Aubrac we slept at the Ferme (farm)du Barry, a gite on the outskirts of the village.The highlight at dinner was the aligot, a stringypotato and cheese dish served with ratatouillefor me, or sausages for the meat-eaters.Roman-erastone bridge
22Gîte Life The rituals ofIf you ask Google Translate what the French word “gîte”is in English, it’ll tell you it means “cottage”. Perhaps,yes. But in my experience on the Via Podiensis, “gite” isa ritual, a lifestyle, and one of the most uniqueaccommodation arrangements I’ve ever experienced.Sure, a gîte is a building, or buildings, with bedrooms thatsleep two to six people in single beds. Occasionally, gites willhave a room with a double bed—those are the ones weasked for when we booked. Because we reservedaccommodation months in advance, we almost always got thedouble bedroom. Twice we slept six to a room, and in short,we’d rather not.If we were lucky, the gite room had an en-suite bathroom, butthat was fairly rare. On most occasions, we shared abathroom with one or more of the other bedrooms. It wasnever a problem. The French are very, very considerate andhygienic.The showers varied in shapeand size, and controlling thewater flow and temperature insome of them took experimentation and a modicum ofluck.We were given a sheet, pillow,and blanket as linen, but atother times we had to use oursleeping bags.Almost without exception, thegite won’t allow you to take yourbackpack to your room. Webelieve that this arrangementstems from the COVID-19pandemic, but it also serves toprevent the spread of bedbugs.The instructions were: “Leaveyour shoes and sticks by thedoor on a shelf, take one ofthose plastic boxes, and putyour belongings in it. Take thebox to your room. Leave yourbackpack on that corner of theroom over there.” Theseinstructions we heard over and over again, almost always inFrench.Most pilgrims booked the gite on what is referred to as ademi-pension basis, known in other parts of the world asDBB—dinner-bed-and-breakfast.The dinners were the highlight of thegite experience. Everyone sat down at along table, waiting for the food toarrive punctually at 7 pm—and not amoment earlier. There’d be chatteraround the table in at least threelanguages. We met most of the pilgrimswe got to know well while chatting atthe dinner table.
23Local production determined the widevariations in food ingredients anddishes. It was always a three-coursemeal that invariably tasted well andsometimes included red wine ofvarying quality. On occasion, the giteowner would join us at the table, whichmade the event even more fun. Afterbreakfast, everyone saddled up andwasted no time starting the day's walk.The daily ritual was done.We could see running a gîte was hard,very hard work. The gite owner andsometimes his partner—we hardlyever saw additional staff—did all thework in the gite, from cleaning roomsto laundry and food preparation, foreight months of the year with little timeoff. The other four out-of-seasonmonths, they shut down and went onvacation. One gite owner talked of howlonely it got during that time and howmuch he looked forward to the returnof the pilgrims.The best gites were the ones that wererun by people who’d walked apilgrimage themselves. They knew thewhims, likes, and dislikes of pilgrimswell. No matter how basic or smart agite was, its success depended on howwell the gite ritual unfolded, from themoment you checked in until you leftthe next morning. We stayed in a fewgites, where the gîte rituals wererather haphazard, and that took awaysome of the pleasure of staying there.Perhaps for them, it’s much more thanhousing and feeding a group ofpeople. They knew their hospitality waspart of the soul of everyone’spilgrimage and how important it was tomake everyone’s walk a specialexperience.The rooming list. We’resecond from the top.�
24Six DayAumont Aubrac – NasbinalsThe early morning air still held aslight chill as we departed fromAumont Aubrac. The landscapehere—known as the Aubrac—is stark and barren and speaks ofharsh weather conditions—icy wintersand boiling summers with gusty winds.There are hardly any trees on theserolling plains, just grassy fieldscarpeted with yellow daffodils. The onlyoccasional features are shallow rivulets,rocky outcrops, and ancient stone wallsthat crisscross the fields. The cattlethat usually graze here have notreturned from their overwinteringshelters, making the pastures seemremote and lonely. No wonder theselandscapes are considered aphotographer’s dream destination—browsing the books at the Nasbinalstourism office later in the day, I noticedposters announcing an annual photofestival held in Nasbinals.We saw hardly a soul along the waybefore we reached Nasbinals, where webooked into a local youth hostel.Despite the youth hostel's drabappearance, the friendly managerensured a smooth check-in. Our roomwas fresh and tidy, and the bathroomfurther along the hallway clean. Again,the accommodation along the routeexceeded our expectations.
25We passed the Roc des loupson the highest point of theplateau. It’s a giant oculus, a2.20m diameter ring cutfrom a single stone, truly aremarkable engineering feat.It sits on the highest point ofthe plateau, a spot thatoffers a spectacular view ofthe surrounding landscape.�Waiting for the Nasbinalstourist of�ce to open. Photosfrom the photo festival aredisplayed on walls throughout the village.�Unfortunately we missed out on thehighlight of the event calendar in Nasbinals– the ancient traditional Transhumance, anevent held in late May when the Aubraccows return to their summer grazing. Duringthe festival these yellow-coated beasts areadorned with �owers as they paradethrough the villages. The Aubrac cows arealso legendary for their milk, used bybaronniers to produce special cheesesunique to the Aubrac region. This sculpturein honour of the Aubrac cows is on thevillage square in Nasbinals.⊳
26Seven DayNasbinals – Saint Come-d’OltIhurt my left foot, so rather than walk the long 30 kmplus stretch to Saint Come-d’Olt, we opted to make useof La Malle Postale, a transport service for pilgrimswe’ve seen zooming from village to village in theirorange vans. They transport mainly the baggage of pilgrimswho choose not to carry heavy backpacks, but occasionallythey ferry pilgrims along the route as well.Organising a lift with them was super easy—they have anonline booking system. It only took a few minutes for us tobook and receive instructions on where to meet the van. Inthis case, it was a place we already knew—next to the cowsculpture in the centre of Nasbinals.Driving from village to village in comfort was fun, but wemissed walking. I’d fallen in love with the Aubrac plateau andwould’ve loved to spend more time walking along its solitarycountry lanes. But for now, taking a few snaps of the scenerywhizzing by was all I could do.One of the villages we drove through, St-Chély-d’Aubrac, isknown for being gorgeous and scenic, but we only caught ashort glimpse of it through the van’s windows. Pity.The forty-minute drive from Nasbinals went quickly, and wearrived way too early to check into the Couvent de Malet—an active convent we’re staying at. We idled away the time byexploring Saint Come-d'Olt. It’s an authentic, medieval walledvillage on the banks of the Lot River, well-kept and neatlyrenovated, complete with ancient buildings and narrow alleys.
27This is a true example of the “classic” picturesque Frenchvillage one sees photos of in travel brochures of France,and were due to see more off in the coming days.We bought a few snacks from an épicerie—a small grocerystore—and sat on a bench in the sun. Similar to us, a fewpilgrims strolled through the peaceful streets, enjoying theearly afternoon.Shortly before three o’clock, we walked the kilometre or soto the Couvent’s imposing building. They let us in earlierthan their regular time but asked us to wait in the libraryuntil they could show us our room. Like the Saint GeorgesSeminary in Le Puy, the previous religious community westayed with, the facilities were sparse but clean.Saint Come-d’Olt is also the start of a different geographicalregion. For the past few days we’ve been walking throughthe rugged hills of the Aubrac region, but starting todaywe’re joining the Lot River Valley, where the surroundingsare substantially different. We’ll miss the sparse, starklandscape of the Aubrac. It complemented the simple,austere tradition of pilgrimage. And it made fantasticlandscape photos, as the exhibition in Nasbinals showed.Nevertheless, the Lot Valley promised to have its owncharms and attractive scenery. From here on, we’ll bewalking through the famous picture-postcard Frenchvillages. No wonder they attract millions of tourists everyyear. There’s no shortage in France of romantic getaways.We’re excited to be experiencing them!Unique twisted spire
28Eight DaySaint Come-d’Olt – EstaingAubrac tea is an infusion made from theleaves and �owers of a plant only found onthe Aubrac plateau. It was a special momentto unexpectedly �nd and enjoy a pot ofAubrac tea in a small café along the way.Today was a thoroughlyenjoyable day with severalpleasant surprises along theway between Saint Come-d’Oltand Estaing.Among others, we watched a strangesport being played in Espalion, the firstlarge town after Saint Come-d’Olt. Later,we discovered that Aveyron considerseight-pin bowling a major sport.After a few kilometres, we stopped forlunch and enjoyed a fragrant pot ofAubrac tea. Afterward, we explored themonolithic Eglise Saint Pierre deBessuéjouls (try saying that fast),where we bumped into the whimsicaland delightful Madame Kim, a pilgrimwe first met in Le Puy. These littledelights made the road go quickly, eventhough it took us three hours to coverthe short 13 km distance.The highlight of the day was arriving inEstaing, perhaps the prettiest villagewe’ve seen so far on our walk. Estaingis the ancestral home of the illustriousValery d’Estaing, President of France inthe 1980s. The family's medieval familycastle, now a monument, is hard tomiss, as it towers above the village andis visible from far away. It was funtouring the castle’s maze of narrowcorridors and odd-shaped rooms. Ourgite was cramped and ratherunorganised, but as the saying goes,flexibility is the middle name of theCamino. So we embraced thecircumstances and adapted. Tomorrowwill be different.We only know a few key French words,but we are meeting many Frenchpilgrims who know enough English toconverse with. Obviously, there are noheart-to-heart talks, as so oftenhappen on Camino. Tonight there was abonus, however. We unexpectedly metan Afrikaans-speaking couple fromHermanus! During dinner we chatteredaway in our Dutch patois language, somuch so that the French around thetable fell silent and stared at thesecrazy South Africans carrying on.
29By now we’ve established aloose network of fellowpilgrims whose paths we keepcrossing. Whether weencountered each other at a gite, whilestrolling between towns, or whileexploring a village, we would instantlysmile and share details about theroute, our accommodations, and ourplans for the next day. If the personwas fluent in English, there’d be morein-depth conversations, especiallyduring dinnertime.In the case of Madame Kim, thedialogue took on a surreal tone as wecarried on in a colourful jumble of basicEnglish, Korean, and French words,spiced up by the ever-helpful butsometimes whimsical Google Translate.A few days later she kept on with theGR65 route when we branched off onthe GR651 towards the Célé valley. Wemissed her cheerful presence afterthat.Crossing the Lot River as wearrived in pretty Estaing. Thetall building is the imposingcastle of Estaing.�Madame Kim showing us theKorean sign for “good luck”.⊳
30�Please can I have a piece of your salami?This little pooch walked with us for morethan10km on a hiking path, probably tomake sure we arrived safely.�“I’ll be your tourist guide here at theNavarrenx. The prices is a quick cuddle,thank you very much.”�
31CatsWe’re cat people. We stop for a quick chatwhenever we meet a kitty that looks friendlyand in the mood for company. Theconversations were mostly short and sweet– a friendly purr, a stroke and a kind word.A few, however, just couldn’t stop talking.Most of these made it clear they were theappointed feline tour guides of theirvillages and insisted on a cuddle and a brieflap-sit too. It made us feel welcome andeven a little special. But don’t tell Mollyback home......and a few dogs, too.Another kitty that cornered us and couldn’tstop talking, this time at a church in SaintCôme-d’Olt. He demanded a “petting fee”for taking us on a guided tour. He/she thenfollowed us all the way to the end of thestreet, just to make sure we didn’t get lost.⊳
32Nine DayEstaing – MassipToday was again a short one—13 km, much thesame as yesterday. From the picturesque castletown of Estaing, we walked to Massip, a tiny farminghamlet where we are staying at a gite, L’Oree duChemin, which is located on a cattle farm.The walk was mostly uphill—a bit strenuous but not toorough—through beautiful forests. Around 10 am wecouldn’t resist anymore and devoured the pastries we’dbought at a boulangerie in Estaing. That happens most daysbecause the rather bland bread, jam, and coffee breakfastsjust don’t hold us till lunchtime. Thankfully, we canconsistently find pastry and bread shops open every day ofthe week.The road ran level with the Lot River for a while, then wentuphill and followed the contour lines right up to Massip. Themajority of the journey involved hiking paths throughforests, a landscape where one could expect to encounterfairies and gnomes. Perhaps they did too; we were just tooengrossed in conversation to notice.I can’t remember why I planned the distance so short, but itmeant we had a three-hour wait outside the gite. We tried tomake the most of the available sunshine while a chilly wind
33blew. We were relieved—no, overjoyed—when the giteopened slightly earlier than normal and we could escape thecold.Compared to the rather chaotic stay at the St. Christophegite in Estaing last night, L'Orée du Chemin was heaven. Wehad a cosy en-suite room, and because there were minimalrules and regulations, we had plenty of leisure time fornapping, showering, and creating some order in ourbackpacks. It was too cold to go out, so we fell into bedstraight after dinner.We will remember L'Orée du Chemin for its excellentorganisation and comfort. The meals were well-preparedand very tasty, so much so we voted it the best gite onthe journey so far.This happened so often–we’d walk througha small village, peek inside the church,perhaps have a coffee, then walk on. Tenminutes later, huf�ng and puf�ng, we’ll takea break and look back where we came from.And there, far below us in the valley, we’dsee the town we’d just walked through.�This is a donativo. It’s anunattended food stand set upnext to the road with snacksand drinks for hungry andthirsty pilgrims. You helpyourself and then leave adonation to express gratitude.The system relies on thehonesty of passers-by andtheir willingness toocontribute. The sign in frontsays “For coffee and tea,come in and serve it”. Wecame across them almostevery day, which shows thesupport of the local citizenryfor the Via Podiensis.��For the following few days after Estaing wewalked on-and-off with our Afrikaans fellowpilgrims, Martin and Rita. We hadentertaining conversations that shorten thewalks. Here’s Adeline and Rita comparingshoes...
34Ten DayMassip – ConquesSpecial thanks to L'Orée duChemin for giving us their onlydouble room with an en-suitebathroom last night. It meantwe had a fitful night’s rest to prepareus for the 22 km walk to Conques. Thewalk included—yet again—a hikethrough forests lined with moss-grownstone walls and emerald-greenscreensaver-like landscapes. Inaddition, we passed through tiny, rundown villages where everything lookedlike it had seen better days. But thequestion is, how do the French manageto make “shabby” look so chic?Everyone we spoke to said Conques isone of the highlights of the ViaPodiensis. They are right.We secured our stay at the legendaryAbbaye St Foy, situated adjacent to theAbbey church. It’s very popular withpilgrims, so checking in and getting toour very comfortable room (asreligious accommodations go) took awhile. After settling in, we sat down atan eatery on the town square thatfaced the Abbey church. There wespent the time people-watching,sipping beers, and munching chips.(The French pronounce it \"cheeps\",much to our amusement.) Later, at thesame restaurant, we had two of themost delicious savoury buckwheatcrepes we’d ever tasted for dinner.Lunch... A tin of sardines inlemon and olive oil each.⊳
35After finishing our meals, we crossed the square to thechurch, where a special program for pilgrims was about tostart. Halfway through the violin recital, we climbed to thetop floor and watched it from there, a special treat withwonderful acoustics. After the performance, we wereushered outdoors to witness a breathtaking spectacle:bright primary colours illuminated the normally dull,sculpted panel above the church door, known as thetympanum, transforming the relief work into a dazzling,colourful artwork. The phrase \"blown away\" accuratelydescribes our reaction.�Before and after... the Abbey church’stympanum lit up at night, and how it looksduring daytime.�Staircase to our bedroom.
36Eleven DayConques – LivinhacAfter the wonders we saw inConques, the next town wasalmost certain to be lessimpressive.The 25-kilometer, six-hour walk fromConques to Livinhac started with asteep 300-meter climb but rewarded uswith a marvellous view of Conques fromabout 200 meters above the town. Thetown appeared as though it hadmiraculously transitioned from theMiddle Ages to the present day. Therewere no recently added suburbs, nohighways, and no modern additionsassociated with built-up landscapes.It’s looked almost like a Disney themepark, yet it's authentic. It’s a real,lived-in town that hasn’t changedmuch since the Abbey church’soriginal foundation was laid in thetenth century, 1400 years ago.Walking the rest of the scenic routethrough rural countryside wasn’tdifficult. But that changed when we gotto the last few kilometres, where routeran through the sprawling industrialtown of Decazeville. It felt strange towalk on the sidewalks of busy streetsafter so many days of no traffic andbeing surrounded by nothing butfarmland and forest.Our destination for the day, Livinhac,was okay but lacked the rustic charmof Conques. It had very fewmemorable highlights, apart from asuper-nice boulangerie we discoveredat the town’s entrance. The gite wasadequate, but nothing special. It was astandard gite room, decent meal andpleasant conversation, but that wasthe extent of our stay.Fortunately, we have something specialto look forward to tomorrow in Figeac,our next destination. Read on!
37We met this little doggy, Tao, and hispilgrim master several times over the spanof a few days after Conques. An energetic,playful little creature, he once took tochasing a stray chicken down a hiking path,which had us rolling with laughter butannoyed his master terribly. Here he ispatiently waiting for his owner to reappearfrom a roadside church. Above the door is asculpture of Saint Roche, patron saint ofboth pilgrims and, as you can see, allcanines too.�
38Twelve DayLivinhac – FigeacWe’ve been looking forward to Figeac ever sincewe started. Let me explain. As a reward for ourbravery, Adeline’s parents kindly paid for a nightin a special place anywhere along the route. Wechose the five-star Mercure Hotel in Figeac, located in a500-year-old palace that once belonged to a localaristocrat. We were not disappointed with our choice, butlet's not get ahead of ourselves.The weather has been steadily deteriorating for the past fewdays. This morning we left Livinhac in pouring rain. Itcontinued to do so intermittently for the rest of the day.Fortunately, the delightful scenery made up for the rainyconditions. The cloudy sky only added ambience to theunfolding scenery—small lakes, forest walks, and grazingmeadows.A word on finding drinking water along the route. Here it'svery different from the Camino; there are more than enoughdrinkable water points. We each carried about two litres, andwe never ran out.
39�Our room at the Mercure.... Lap of luxury! Below is theview from our front door of the hotels garden court.When you’re wandering around anew town, it’s common to bumpinto “old friends” – fellowpilgrims. And so in Figeac weunexpectedly crossed paths withMartin and Rita, and they joinedus for a beer. Gesondheid!Figeac is by far the largest town we’veencountered. From the Lot River bridge, it tookus more than half an hour of navigatingnarrow alleyways in the old town to get towhere our fancy hotel was. The glitzy receptionarea probably didn't see too many wet,bedraggled pilgrims dripping water on its fluffycarpet. However, the smartly dressed manbehind the reception desk didn’t bat an eyelid.We felt like royalty when he led us up the regalstaircase to our room. On the way up westared in wonder at the opulence of thedecorations, much of which was part of theoriginal palace. The building had retained theauthentic ambience of wealth and glamourfrom way back. Impressive.The room and bathroom, as expected, had allthe modern amenities and were immaculatelyclean. However, with all our clothes soaked andin need of drying out before we set off again,the room soon looked like a laundry.One wouldn’t expect anything less than fivestar food in a posh establishment like this,which is why we had dinner in-house. Both thecuisine and the bottle of Les Petits CaillouxBlanc, which evokes a sense of royalty, weretruly exceptional. Despite being food snobs, wecouldn't find any fault with the cuisine. Franceis the kingdom of eating well, and we certainlydid.
4013 DayFigeac – Espagnac-Sainte-EulalieLooks like the rain will lift today,making the walking toEspagnac-Sainte Eulalie a biteasier. That's why, after a fillingbreakfast, we hit the road withenthusiasm.The “GR” routes are a network ofhiking trails that crisscross France. Onthe Via Podiensis, we follow the GR65,all the way from Le Puy to Saint Jean.Today, however, we switched to analternative route, the GR651, for fivedays before rejoining the GR65. TheGR651, also referred to as the \"CéléRiver Valley variant,\" was highlyrecommended due to its natural beautyand picturesque villages, which madeus overlook its one extra daycompared to the regular route.The wooden turn-off signboard for theGR651 appeared just before the villageof Beduer. Again, we’re impressed byhow well the Via Podiensis and the GRroutes in general are signposted. You'llnever lose your way if you simply followthe familiar red and white sign.Much of the walk ran through evergreen forests and tiny hamlets withhardly a soul in sight. We don’t miss theconstant clatter of pilgrim hiking polesand the endless small talk of pilgrimgroups passing the time on the Caminode Santiago.The place we’re staying at inEspagnac-Sainte-Eulalie is the “gîtecommunale”—the gîte run by the local
41municipality. A ruined priory, partially renovated for pilgrimuse, houses the gîte. The receptionist couldn’t speakEnglish but had a list of do’s and don’ts written down inEnglish. She dutifully recited this list to us. It was quitepractical of her, I must admit.We were fortunate enough to secure a bedroom in the towerhouse of the priory complex, which was similar to a pilgrim'sversion of a penthouse. The priory complex had the ambiance of antiquity, so much so that I was convinced I heardthe clip-clop of horse hooves on the cobblestone courtyard.We were part of only a handful of pilgrims staying over inthe gite. The dinner was pleasant—I recall a tasty vegetablesoup starter. Was this served to Medieval pilgrims too?�A photographic display in the courtyard ofthe priory. Below: The gite reception area isin a renovated building next to the priorychurch with its wooden bell tower.Ourbedroom!
42ChurchesCatholicism and its churches and cathedrals shapepilgrimages like the Via Podiensis. Perhaps religiontoday is not as important as it was 700 years ago,but most people walking a pilgrimage will say thatspirituality is part of their motivation for walking.So do we. We have reverence for the sacred things we see.We paused at most churches we passed along the way. Somewere magnificent, richly adorned cathedrals; others weresimple village churches with very little decoration. All had anambiance and a sense of peace that invited us to sit down fora moment of silence and contemplation.Some churches were filled with music. It may be someoneplaying the organ, a violin recital, or even a single voiceringing out in an otherwise empty church.
43I love exploring these ancient churches—many of them athousand years old—and deciphering their architecture—Romanesque, Gothic, or Baroque—and discovering subtlehints about their construction. Churches were designed totell Bible stories to the faithful who couldn’t read throughtheir stained glass windows, tympanums, and, in the earlychurches, wall paintings.The churches have all withstood harrowing conflicts, andmany still bear the scars. Many of the churches underwentrepeated rebuilding after their destruction. For us who grewup far away from this history, this is a valuable historylesson and a way to learn to appreciate the peaceful timeswe are fortunate to live in today.
4414 DayEspagnac-Sainte-Eulalie – Marcilhac-sur-CeleEspagnac-Sainte-Eulalie, with the priory where westayed in the centre.�The walk to Marcilhac ran along a cliffside ridge high above the CeleRiver valley that was inhabited in the distant past. Houses were builtinto shallow caves in the cliff wall, and ramparts were constructed toward off the English enemy, with whom France fought the HundredYears War. The English wreaked havoc in the region, destroying the 9thcentury abbey in 1368. There’s a photo of the ruins on the Churches page.Once we’d booked into the gite and had our customary post-walk beers, weexplored the abbey ruins. Inside the adjoining church, we could only vaguelysee one other visitor in the half-dark. Suddenly, he started singing with apowerful, resonant voice that resonated beautifully in the vast, empty space.We sat down, mesmerised, transported back in time to the earliest dayswhen monks and nuns sang liturgical melodies here.Later, a fire alarm in the gite interrupted our bliss at bedtime, but otherwise,we slept soundly.
45About 10 km from Marcilhac, ona wooded hiking path, a blackall-sorts pooch startedaccompanying us. Despite ourattempts to convince it to reversecourse, the hound steadfastly remainedby our side, constantly pacing aheadand vigilantly checking on us.We arrived in Marchilac aroundlunchtime. Much to our relief, ourcanine companion disappeared andhopefully found his way back to hisfamily. We searched for a few minutesbefore spotting a food truck parked onthe town commons that was about toclose for the day. Perhaps because welooked worn out and hungry, thefriendly owner reopened and made usdelicious crêpes with a spinach filling.They were tasty enough for us to ordertwo sweet ones as dessert!While munching our crêpes, we watchedthe villagers slowly gather around toplay pétanque, the unique “bowls”played with silver balls. It wasentertaining trying to figure out howthe game worked. It remains a mysteryfor us to this day.
4615 DayMarcilhac-sur-Cele – CarbreretsWe stood at the boulangeriedoor in Marcilhac at exactly 8am. The moment it opened,we bought six freshly bakedFrench pastries for the road. Thatshould keep hunger at bay for a longstretch without food stops.It was a day filled with whimsical wonder.True, it was also 19 km of solid up-anddown hiking, with no towns fromMarcilhac to Carbrerets, but in between,there was much to keep us entertained.The path continued along the bottomedge of the cliff. There were more of thefascinating houses “glued” to the rockface, like the ones we passed yesterday.We kept our eyes open for a ruin oropen house so we could peek inside andsee what these “rocky houses” were likeinside. Unfortunately, there were none.Tonight we’re in the Hotel Des Grottes inCarbrerets. To be honest, I harboursome scepticism towards most hotelsalong our route. They don’t offer thesame value for money as gites andchambre-d’hotes. This hotel looked veryWe’ve been coming acrosstiny little libraries–or bookexchanges–quite regularly.This is one of the mostinventive ones, built into thecliff leading up to Carberets.�
47ordinary from the outside, but thephotos on their website showed apleasant terrace overlooking the CéléRiver. That was the deciding factor forme.Once inside we were pleasantlysurprised. The restaurant served tasty,well-prepared meals, and the newlyrenovated bedrooms were modern andspotlessly clean. Our stay didn’t costmuch more than a gite, which was abonus. The breakfast was buffet style, awelcome break from the bread-yoghurtcoffee regime of the gites.While Carbrerets doesn’t have theambiance of towns like Estaing, itnevertheless has a sort of art villagecharm. The previous day, when we haddrinks at the leafy verandah of the localrestaurant, I noticed that an artist haderected several life-sized sculpturesthroughout the village. One of themfeatured three men who look like villageelders sitting quietly on a bench—I’msure there’s a story behind it.As pilgrims inevitably do, we wentstraight to bed after dinner. As weslumbered rain began falling softlyagain. Sounds like it’s going to beanother wet day tomorrow...A small tributary of the CéléRiver runs through the centreof Carbrerets. A pilgrim usesits tranquil setting to take alunch break.�
4816 DayCarbrerets – Saint-Cirq-LapopieToday we took off our pilgrimhats and wore tourist caps.After leaving Carbreretsfollowing a sumptuous buffetbreakfast, we stopped off at the PechMerle Caves, a steep one-kilometreclimb outside Carbrerets. The cavecomplex is a well-known paleontologicalsite, so we did the whole number—guided tour, museum visit, and outthrough the gift shop. Unfortunately,you cannot take photos inside thecavernous caves, but believe me, theplace boasts an impressive display ofcave art. The tour guide did her best totranslate into English, but sadly wemissed out on a lot.We trekked the remaining distance toSaint-Cirq through torrential rain. Withthe cave experience still fresh in ourminds, we engaged in a conversationabout palaeontology and our smallnessin the grand scheme of the Universe,akin to a \"pilgrims of the mind\"exchange.The walk along the Célé River waspleasant, especially the section thatruns next to a cave-like overhang. Thelast few hundred metres before ourdestination ran up a steep mountainpath that had turned into a river due tothe incessant downpour. By the time wereached our auberge in the centre oftown, we were thoroughly soaked andin no mood to walk around the village.An excellent dinner in a cosyrestaurant—the only one in town thatwas open—made up for the soaking.
49�Artists have turned the marble cliff wall on the riversidewalk to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie into an artwork.Bottom left: Street view in Saint-Cirq-LapopieBottom right: Choices, French choices... the dinner menu.
50Saint-Cirq-Lapopie is the quintessential romanticFrench village you see photos of in travel brochures.You’ve seen them before—two lovers ride bicyclesdown the cobblestoned alleys with fresh baguettesand a bottle of wine in the front basket.We woke up to a fairytale view from our bedroom window, thesort of picturesque vista girls dream of seeing after theirfirst honeymoon night. The village was idyllic, yes, but weweren’t on honeymoon, and we weren’t riding bicycles.Onwards, we must go!Fortunately, the rain held off long enough for us to explorethe streets of Saint-Cirq before setting off on our daily walk.The early-morning fog added a dreamy atmosphere to themedieval setting as we ascended to the top of the ruins ofthe ancient castle in the centre of the town along a series ofworn stepping stones. We were met by the most breathtakingview over the Célé River valley far below. It had been worththe exertion and a fine way to start the day.The only other people braving the drizzle were an Asianfamily sheltering under bright yellow umbrellas. There wasnot a single pilgrim in sight! We’re surprised by how fewpilgrims walk the very scenic Célé Valley variant.Before departing, we sniffed out the only boulangerie in townand stocked up on lunch pastries. We left Saint-Cirq via a tarroad to avoid the 120-meter drop on the slippery hiking pathwe arrived on yesterday.In sixteen days of walking, we’ve managed to find somethingtasty to eat every day, either at an épicerie or some sort ofrestaurant or café. We carry two tins of sardines and sachetsof high-protein porridge for backup but haven’t needed touse them thus far. Apart from two gites where the hostsweren’t into cooking at all, the standard of gîte eveningmeals has been exceptional. We've likely dined out morefrequently than the typical pilgrim, driven by our passion forsampling expertly prepared local produce. The French knowtheir way around a kitchen, and it’s been a culinaryeducation. Despite all the walking, we’re not going home anylighter!Intermittent rain marked the majority of the day. Fortunately,the greater part of the route was via tar roads and solidgravel, so we made reasonable headway.17 DaySaint-Cirq-Lapopie – Saint Gery