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A man stretching on the Camino route in Spain

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Le Puy Camino - Via Podiensis

The Camino in France! A historical start in Auvergne from Le Puy en Velay.

The old Le Puy Camino or Via Podiensis is one of the four main pilgrimage routes through France and is one of the most popular among pilgrims walking the Camino in France.

The Le Puy Route is stunning and boasts spectacular views of volcanic landscapes and stunning countryside. In terms of scenery, it is known for being one of the most interesting, particularly for nature lovers.

Starting in Le Puy en Velay with its famous Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy, where pilgrims can be blessed each morning before starting their pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.   The route goes from the high plateau of the Massif Central, dropping suddenly to follow the valley of the river Lot, where there is a series of fairy-tale villages.  Crossing the Tarn and the Adour, the track enters the rich undulating expanses of Gascony before finally arriving at the Basque village of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the end of the French half of the pilgrimage and the beginning of the very famous French Way.

Le Puy Camino Routes Map

732km

of walking trails

30 +

days of walking

6

different stages

Recommended Packages

Starting out surrounded by the Auvergne's green, dormant volcanoes, this first section of the Le Puy Camino runs through undulating landscapes. Passing over the Velay massif and the Gévaudan plateau, pilgrims stop in notable regional towns including Sauges before traversing light woodlands and hillside scrub before reaching Aumont-Aubrac, gateway to the mythic Aubrac high plateau.
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On our second section of Via Podiensis, the Camino runs between Aumont-Aubrac and Conques. The area the Camino crosses is almost legendary on the Via Podiensis or Le Puy route as it goes through the austere high Aubrac plateau, an isolated landscape fairly unique in French topography home to green and dormant volcanoes. The second half of the walking holiday enters the livelier Lot valley, with the constant sight and sound of the river a relaxing companion.
From Conques to Cahors, this third section links two of the prettiest cities of the whole Le Puy route. Leaving the cobbled streets of Conques, the Camino runs through the gentle hills of the Aveyron region before continuing into Le Lot on the far side of the river. This gentle section of the Via Podiensis allows for ample exploration away from the daily hike. Walking along wall-lined tracks on the high plateaux, drinking coffee on shaded terraces in peaceful villages, sightseeing at UNESCO World Heritage sites, these are part of the daily experiences pilgrims can enjoy during this section.
On this fourth section of Le Puy route, the Camino goes from beautiful Cahors to charming Lectoure and crosses both the Lot and Garonne valleys. The green rounded hills of the area, added to a rich historical heritage of numerous mediaeval buildings at almost every stopover, make this leg of the Camino a beautiful walking holiday for anybody seeking both natural and cultural sites.

From Lectoure to Aire-sur-l’Adour, the 5th section of Via Podiensis brings us deep into lands of tradition and undulating cultivated landscapes. Here, the Camino starts in Le Gers département, both home to foie gras and to vineyards producing the famous Armagnac brandy. Approaching Aire-sur-l’Adour, the landscape gradually changes into crop fields and pinewoods as we enter Les Landes area. Architectural heritage and history are also part of the journey, almost everywhere along the Camino!
From Aire-sur-L’Adour to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the final section of Via Podiensis will surely bewitch you. It starts in Les Landes and hikers quickly enter the French Basque Country. Charming villages, beautiful forests, great scenic views, history: this section combines it all as you get closer to the Pyrenees, never far ahead in the distance. Finally, you reach their foothills in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, both the end of Via Podiensis and the beginning of the Camino Frances, all the way to the city of Santiago de Compostela.

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