Le Puy Camino – via Podiensis: Aumont-Aubrac to Les Quatre Chemins

April 6 and 7, 2023

Aumont-Aubrac is the town in the Lozère valley region of France. The town has a decidedly Roman influence with some well-preserved buildings dating to the 16th and 17th centuries. The  “église Saint–Etienne” is the notable church in town dating to 1061 with a few renovations over the years. It was known to be a former Benedictine priory.

I considered this town to be the starting point for our walk through the rugged, exposed plateau known as the Aubrac. This high plateau is spread out over 1500 square kilometers on what is an ancient lava flow. Much of the Aubrac region is now preserved as a Parc Naturel. It is an area known for its severe weather and, since we were walking near the beginning of the season, we wondered if we would encounter some nasty weather. I’d heard some real horror stories about sudden snowstorms or extreme wind, cold and rain that tested even the hardiest of walking souls.

But, first, let’s explore the town of Aumont-Aubrac and our accommodations! Our lodging for the night was in the Chambres d’hôtes La Ferme du Barry. It was a bit more luxurious than many of the places we stayed but we considered it a treat! We had our own room AND our own bath – with linens and towels included!! True luxury! Given the price of 55 euros for the night including meals – it was a steal.

One of the highlights of our stay here was the dinner we were served that night which included a regional food with the spotlight on a dish called aligot – a cheesy, elasticy mashed potato combination that has its origins in the Lozere valley. It was not only about the taste but also the presentation of the meal. The dish is made with Laguiole cheese – also called Tome de Laguiole – a pressed, uncooked cheese. I read that Laguiole cheese is made in “three different French departments – Aveyron, Cantel, and Lozere – by the coopérative Jeune Montagne – the only producer currently licensed to produce this cheese.”  It is distinctive as it is made from only two different cattle breeds – French Simmental or Aubrac – cows milk. We were in for a real treat!!

The dining room was set up with 3 large tables so we were expecting a few dinner mates that night. It was a cozy room that appeared to be renovated from an old barn. Once everyone was seated, I counted over 25 guests for the night! The other incredibly amazing observation we had was that there were only 2 people running the entire meal – from food preparation to serving to clean-up. Talk about organized!

As is the case with all meals, this one encompassed several courses but the best of all was the main affair – Aligot! Our hostess visited each table to present and serve the aligot – from a large pot – which was paired with a Roast Beef dish. It was a spectacular show! The aligot is very elastic and there was a decided technique for cutting off a portion for each of us.

After the delicious meal of aligot and roast beef, we enjoyed a dessert called La Coupetado – another regional favorite from the Lozere valley. It’s a bread and raisin pudding baked in a ceramic dish. Take another look at the opening photograph and you’ll see La Coupetado cooling for the next nights meal!

We shared a table with an Australian couple who were walking the camino at a more leisurely pace with a few taxi rides in between towns. Everyone chooses to approach the camino in their own way depending on their physical and mental state – and that’s okay. We also ran into Justine again, who was hiking with her dog. We first met her in Saugues. She was meeting her mother here and probably ending her walk in Aumont-Aubrac.

We had a relaxing rest of the night and knew that our hike tomorrow would be short – about 12 kilometers – so we planned on exploring the town of Aumont-Aubrac in the morning before departing to our next destination. After breakfast, we headed towards the main part of town to see some sights. It was a sunny but cool morning – in the 40’s – 50’s – when we started out.

The first task was to find a market so we could stock up on some snack and lunch items for the walk. The next stop was not located in a town and we wanted to be prepared.

Once we had our food all packed away, we took a stroll around town. It was just a couple days before Easter – or Pâques – in French. The central fountain in town was decorated for this event with some whimsical arrangements.

We stopped by a cafe in the square and had a coffee – sitting in the outside table area. It was nice to enjoy a relaxing morning for a change instead of immediately heading out on the trail! After leaving the square with the fountain, we wandered down towards the church. The narrow streets and architecture created an atmosphere that seemed so ancient!

I captured a couple photos from the outside of the church – a “steeple” view and wide-angle (with my iPhone).

And the inside photos I took with the iPhone due to the low light.

As we were getting ready to leave the church, we ran into an 85 year-old elderly lady who spoke english with a very strong Irish accent. She has lived in France for many years and we chatted with her for a spell. She was very sweet and said she had walked the Camino in her younger years.

On our way out of town, we made another mandatory stop at the Boulangerie Pâtisserie Solignac at which time I indulged myself once again with a delectable eclair chocolat!! We left Aumont-Aubrac around 11:30am and the weather promised sunshine and warm temperatures. Today, the terrain was mostly dirt and paved backroads with only moderate changes in grade. We also passed through two small villages before reaching our destination for the night. It did not take long to get out into the countryside which was becoming increasingly more austere as we headed into the Aubrac region.

The first village I came to was La Chaze-de-Peyre. On the outskirts of town was a pretty impressive cemetery overlooking the sparse landscape.

Many of the cemeteries in France are surrounded by stone walls and have above ground monuments – something that is not common in the United States – with the exception of areas of the Southwest. I took my time wandering through this one – checking names and looking for Buffett! No luck!

As I entered town, I noticed the public restroom – always a welcome sight! And, potable water as well! It turns out that there are plenty of potable water stations along the Way. I never had to carry more than a full 32-ounce Nalgene at the start of the day.

The Église paroissiale was a short distance up this narrow street and worth a stopover. With so much to see along the route today, I was glad for the “short” 12 km walk today. I did not feel pressured to keep up the pace.

I’m enjoying the uniqueness of the architecture of each church we pass by as well as the regional variations in materials used.

After leaving La-Chaze-de-Peyre, I walked through more of the same countryside – passing small farms along the way. I got a kick out of this horse with the short legs. I guess it’s a type of breed used in this area?

Before arriving in the next town of Lasbros, I came to a crossroads and this tiny little 16th century chapel called the Chapelle de Bastide.

I spent a good bit of time here. It was such an unusual chapel – the architecture and artwork were so captivating.

I was so surprised when I stepped inside the chapel – the outside is so plain and yet the inside took my breath away with its ornate embellisments and colorful wall paintings.

Leaving the church behind, it was a short walk into the village of Lasbros. I stopped off at a small restuarant for a leisurely cup of tea.

On my way again, I was happy to see a sign that I was closing in on my next destination – Les Quatre Chemins – only 3km to go!