This six-night walking holiday is the first stage of the Way of St. James – one of the most famous pilgrimage routes in all of Christianity.
This six-night walking holiday is the first stage of the Way of St. James – one of the most famous pilgrimage routes in all of Christianity.
Price:
£780 per person, based on two people sharing a room
Single room supplement – £180
Supplement for solo walker on request
Included:
*Dinners are set menus – supplement payable locally for a la carte menu.
Difficulty:
4 to 6 hours walking a day.
Easy route with 150 to 500 metres of altitude change per day.
Luggage:
Your luggage is transferred from accommodation to accommodation every day.
Day 1: Arrival at Le Puy (overnight and dinner)
Day 2: Le Puy – St Privat, 23 km/14.4 miles.
Altitude at departure: 625m/2063ft.
The route climbs up to the high plateau of the Velay. On the horizon is the silhouette of the Deves mountains. Away to the left are the higher peaks as we descend gently towards St. Privat, overlooking the Allier gorges.
Altitude at arrival: 890m/2937ft. 6 hours walking.
Day 3: St Privat – Saugues, 18 km/11.25 miles.
Altitude at departure: 890m/2937ft.
The route overlooks the gorges as far as Rochegude (967m/3191ft), dominated by an ancient tower, then down to to the Allier itself, which we cross at Monistrol (619m/2043ft). Then it climbs again to the plateau (+400m/1320ft) before arriving at Saugues, well known for its wild mushrooms.
Altitude at arrival: 960m/3168ft. 5 hours.
Day 4: Saugues – Les Faux, 26 km/16.25 miles.
Altitude at departure: 960m/3168ft.
Today the route crosses the solitary highlands of the Margeride at over 1000m/3300ft, as far as the L’Hospitalet pass (1304m/4303ft). After the chapel at St. Roch a sign records that there are only 1443 kms/902 miles to Santiago. The hamlet of Les Faux, just off the route, is tiny but the inn, a handsome stone building, offers you a well-deserved rest.
Altitude at arrival: 1113m/3673ft. 8 hours.
Day 5: Les Faux – Aumont Aubrac, 21 km/13.2 miles.
Altitude at departure: 1113m/3673ft.
After Saint Alban de Limagnole (950m/3135ft), where we arrive after little more than an hour, we continue across an impressive and beautiful granite plateau. At Pont des Estrets (932m/3076ft) there is a toll to pay for crossing the Truyere and then the route follows the ancient Roman ‘Agrippa Way’ (Lyon-Toulouse) that take us to Aumont Aubrac.
Altitude at arrival: 1050m/3465ft. 4 hours.
Day 6: Aumont – Nasbinals, 26 km/16.25 miles.
Altitude at departure: 1050m/3465ft.
With the Margeride behind us, we now tackle the Aubrac. An immense plateau of pasture and marshy moorland, bristling with granite boulders, you will meet more livestock than people – the cattle here, the Aubrac, are wonderful, with their honey-coloured coat and lyre-shaped horns. After a place known as ‘the Four Tracks’ (1178m/3887ft), the route continues across Riutort (literally ‘the Twisted Stream’) to Nasbinals.
Altitude at arrival: 1080m/3894ft. 6 hours 45 minutes.
Day 7: End of the trip after breakfast.
7 days – 6 nights – 5 days walk.
SAMPLE ACCOMMODATION LIST:
LE PUY EN VELAY Hôtel Bristol**
ST PRIVAT D ALLIER La Vieille Auberge
SAUGUES: Hôtel Restaurant de la Terrasse **
LES FAUX: L’Oustal de Parent
AUMONT AUBRAC: Hôtel – Restaurant Prunières **
NASBINALS: Hôtel de la Route d’Argent**
