Lynn Amber - Travel & Photography
sharing my thoughts through words and images
4th of July Parade
Who doesn’t like a parade? And, there’s nothing quite like a small (really small!) town parade on the 4th of July. If they were giving out prizes for “most original” float, my vote would have been for the chickens! They rule!
A couple of other runners-up:
Le Puy Camino – via Podiensis: Tallode to Saint-Privat d’Allier
April 1, 2023
Our second day on the walk and we woke feeling refreshed and ready to go. We had reservations for an accommodation in Montbonnet but, since our 12km walk yesterday went well, we decided that it was too close and opted to change our plans. One day completed and we were already making alternations! 🙂
This is when the use of a luggage transport company can complicate life. We decided to walk to Saint-Privat-d’Allier instead of stopping in Montbonnet and I confirmed with our reservation in Saint-Privat that we could arrive a day early. We could not talk directly to the luggage transfer company but left them a message that our luggage drop had changed – hoping for the best!
The day started out with a mix of sun and clouds and continued in that fashion throughout the afternoon.
The night before, we shared a room with Laure and she was to become our new friend along the Way. We crossed paths with her many times over the next two weeks.
After leaving the gîte, we backtracked the short distance to the GR65 and set our course towards Montbonnet. The early morning walk was characterized by ominous-looking clouds interspersed with radiant sunshine that made for some dramatic landscapes. What I remember most about the walk between Tallode and Montbonnet are the freshly plowed farm fields and the livestock. The GR65 traversed mostly dirt and paved country roads heading towards Montbonnet – so fairly easy walking.
A short distance from Tallode, there is a variant or alternate route that detours through the small hamlet of Bains. We chose to stay on the main GR65 and continue towards the small town of Ramousroucle.
After walking about 6 kilometers, we came upon the sign announcing our arrival in the village of Ramourouscle. The architecture of the village is typical of many in this region with stone and tile predominating.
In the village we noticed the above device and wondered purpose it might have served. I was pretty sure it involved farm animals. After doing some research, I discovered that this is a “travail à ferrer” – a means of containing large animals for “shoeing”. We saw examples of these structures several times along the Way.
In many villages, old fountains still exist as a reminder of times past. In most cases today, these are marked as non-potable. I love the ironwork on this one!
Just before entering the town of Montbonnet, the GR65 passes by a beautiful 11th century chapel called the Chapelle Saint-Roch. It deserved a closer look and I took the time to wander around the outside and inside of this Romanesque chapel. It was built by the Montlaur family who were barons of Montbonnet. Originally dedicated to Saint James, it later became associated with Saint Roch. Legend has it that Saint Roch was born with a red birthmark on his chest in the image of a cross. He was born in 1295 into a wealthy family whose father was the governor of Montpellier. Aa a young man, after his parents death, he renounced his wealth, gave his money to the poor and refused to take over the reigns of the governorship in his fathers place. He embarked on the life of a pilgrim traveling to Italy to visit all the holy places along the way.
While tending to people stricken with the plague, he himself succumbed to the disease and stole away to the forest to isolate himself from others. It is said that a dog from a neighboring farm found him and brought him food and nursed his wounds. He is known as the patron saint of dogs and dog owners and knee problems – as well as the patron saint of invalids. Statues often depict him with a dog at his side and his pilgrim garb hiked up to show his plague-scarred “bubo” on his thigh. He is often thought of today as a patron saint of pilgrims along with Saint James.
I noticed an interesting adornment on one of the candelabras and was wondering why it was placed here. It was a crown of thorns. Perhaps the upcoming religious holiday of “Pâques” or Easter as we know it in the United States had something to do with this symbolic gesture.
Before leaving the chapel, we encountered two local women – mother (Helene) and daughter (Fanny) – who volunteer their time to help maintain the chapel. If I’m remembering correctly, Helene mentioned that her grandfather was a stone mason and was involved in the restorative stone work surrounding the church. There was a great degree of pride exhibited by these women towards their duty to keep this beautiful chapel open and available to pilgrims.
It was a short walk into the village of Montbonnet from the chapel. We found a nice café open where we enjoyed a fantastic lunch for a grand total of 5 euros!
In regards to the gentlemen smoking outside the café, I must say that one of my observations along the Way was the amount of people who smoke in France. It was commonplace among locals and pilgrims. It surprised me and I’m still puzzled by it. I realize we still have many folks in the United States who choose to smoke but it’s not something I see every day like I did in France.
Planning Tip: Montbonnet is often a first night stay for those striking out from Le-Puy-en-Velay. There are several accommodations and services here. One thing I discovered deep into our walk is that many Camino guides key in on the same towns when suggesting stops. During busier times in the season, if you can alter your walking distances so that you are not ending the day in these more popular spots, you will have better luck getting accommodations.
Susan and I split up after lunch since we walk at different paces and I continued on to Saint-Privat-d’Allier ahead of her. It was a beautiful walk – climbing a moderate grade up out of Montbonnet and transitioning into more of a “trail” that wound through some forest land.
As the trail started to enter a forested area, I found this little spot off the trail where a spring bubbled up out of the ground. There was a pilgrim marker here. I’m thinking at one time this was a source of water for pilgrims.
Up on this high plateau, there is a wetland area know as Le Lac de l’Oeuf. It was once much larger but due to agricultural activity and development has been significantly reduced from its former size. An effort to restore it is in progress as denotes this interpretive sign.
Coming out of the woods onto the high plateau affords a view of the town of Le Chier. Oddly enough, I read where this unfortunate name means “to take a dump.” Many people have speculated that the town was named as such to reflect the rich “aroma” of the surrounding agricultural dairy farming activity. Okay – makes sense, I guess! 🙂
After the village of Le Chier, I started the somewhat steep descent into Saint-Privat-d’Allier. The dirt road turned into more of a path as it descended through another forested area.
As I approached the outskirts of Saint-Privat, I crossed over a sweet little stream with an adorable little stone cottage nestled in the woods. Sweet spot!
I was particularly taken with the ornate door! I was able to find a reference to this place as the Moulin de Pique-Meule – an old mill. One of several found along this stream due to a source of water for the mills.
Further along the trail, as you enter the town, is the old farm that was part of the mill. I captured a photo of the one side of the extended building.
And I’ve arrived!! It was a 15 kilometer day and a glorious walk with so many interesting sights along the way. My first view of Saint-Privat-d’Allier as I rounded the corner and exited the woods was spectacular. I could not wait to explore this town. But first, I needed to find our accommodations – aptly named Chambre d’hôtes Le Saint-Bernard – as you will see later on!
Le Puy Camino – via Podiensis: On The Way
March 31, 2023
Finally, our departure day arrived! We are walking the Camino de Santiago – Via Podiensis, which is the route along the GR65 from Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in the Pyrenees. It’s a walking distance of 748.9 kilometers. The GR65 is one part of the extensive Grand Randonnée network of long-distance walking paths that exist across Europe. It is known by many names – The Way of Saint James, The Chemin de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle, Via Podiensis, The Le Puy Route and The French Way. Most pilgrims take anywhere from 4 to 6 weeks to walk this section of the Camino de Santiago to its destination in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. We will be on the trail for 6 weeks. Technically, the GR65 starts in Geneva, Switzerland and ends in Roncevalles (Roncevaux), Spain. But, many people who complete just this section only walk the route between Le Puy-en-Velay and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. And, that is our plan.
On our departure day, we woke up to a weather forecast that was predicting mostly cloudy skies with some showers likely and highs in the mid-50’s. I guess my raingear was going to be put to the test on the very first day!
The first order of business (after our breakfast at the hostel) was to pack up and arrive at the Cathédrale Notre–Dame for the pilgrim mass and blessing. The Cathédrale Notre–Dame du Puy has historically been the starting point for one of the most important pilgrim routes to Santiago de Compostela and, as such, is one of many UNESCO World Heritage Sites along the Way. The existing church was built over several centuries starting in the 11th century. It is considered a sanctuary for the Black Madonna and now houses a replica of the original. Apparently, the original Black Madonna was a statue of the Virgin Mary and Jesus sculpted from ebony. It was destroyed during the French Revolution and the current statue replaced it.
After the mass and the blessing by the priest, we got our pilgrim credential stamped and followed the tradition of many before us. The floor of the cathedral opens up and a hidden stairway descends to the outside of the church high above the town. This is the traditional starting point of the Via Podiensis. We were taking our time with donning our packs and getting ready to exit the church. Everyone else had left, and when we approached the hidden stairwell, they were getting ready to close it back up! I believe we were the last to leave via this opening in the church floor! My sister-in-law, Susan, in motion below!
Descending the steep stairs from the cathedral, we walk along the cobblestone street of Rue des Tables past the “Fontaine et Place des Tables” – a historical landmark. The colorful buildings and shutters are a welcome sight on this dreary, cloudy day!
As I passed the Fontaine et Place des Tables, I could not resist one last look back at the Cathédrale Notre–Dame.
Since we chose to start our walk with a few short distance days, we were not in a hurry to leave Le Puy and decided to enjoy a relaxing start to our adventure at Le P’tit Creux café where we indulged in an excellent quiche breakfast and extra coffee to fuel our walk!
The route in town is marked by gold-colored metal “shells” imbedded in the sidewalks. Follow the “shells” to navigate through the maze of streets and up onto the plateau outside of town.
For those who are intending to walk all the way to Santiago de Compostella from Le Puy, there is this daunting signage on the street in Le Puy!
As we climbed the steep walk up out of Le Puy-en-Velay, I glanced back and snapped this photo of the city.
It paid off waiting until a little later in the morning to depart – as the air cleared up a bit and we enjoyed some blue skies. The walk starts off on the highland area known as the Massif Central in south-central France. Characterized by high plateaus and mountains, it is crisscrossed with numerous walking paths that traverse open grasslands and forests edged with dry stone walls. The path just outside of town on top of the plateau consists of a narrow gravel road for fairly easy walking interspersed with dirt trails with mild grades.
According to an interpretive sign just outside of Le Puy, we were entering an area known as The Devès and the valley of Dolaizon. The Devès is described as the largest basalt plateau in France. The soil of this area was created through volcanic activity and resulted in the fertility that allows for the production of the famous Puy “green lentils” that I mentioned in a previous post. They were referred to as “the caviar of the poor.”
Along the route in this area, there are small stone structures called chibottes. Laid with dry stone construction, they served as temporary shelters for shepherds in the 18th and 19th centuries. I kept looking for any sign of these shelters but never saw one. Later on, I did come across some similar structures – so stay tuned!
Another typical sight all along the Chemin are crosses of all sizes and made of many types of materials. I have so many photographs of crosses! Yikes! They were usually a good indicator that you were on the correct path!
But, most important, are the red and white stripped markers that identify the GR65. These are carefully placed regularly along the Chemin to guide walkers. Planning Tip: Always look for these marks when there is a juncture or split on the trail. It is not always obvious which way to go when you come to a “Y” or cross trail. See the yellow mark below the red and white one?? There are many other “local” trails that crisscross the GR65 and, occasionally, variant trails offering an alternate route.
There are many small clusters of houses and outbuildings that we pass through each day – sort of extended family farms in many cases – or small settlements. The photograph below illustrates just such a settlement outside of Le Puy.
The first actual town we encountered on Day 1 was Saint-Christophe-sur-Dolaison. Barely more than a crossroads, it had a picturesque Romanesque church built in the 12th century of – what else? – pink basalt.
Along the way, I tried to take the time to enter each of the churches and immerse myself in the beauty of the interior architecture unique to each church. In most cases, local parishioners volunteered their time to the upkeep of the buildings, including the addition of fresh flowers.
The other outstanding and memorable sensory experience that I enjoyed along the entire walk was the sound of church bells throughout the countryside marking the passage of each hour. Whenever I hear a church bell now, it brings back fond memories of the French countryside.
It was in Saint-Christophe where I visited my very first French cemetery. I have never experienced a cemetery quite like the ones I encountered in Southern France. As with churches, I tried to visit each cemetery I passed. I have relatives who immigrated from France back in the 17th or 18th century – with the last name Buffett. I’ve never been able to identify the specific region where they lived in France and I wandered through many of these cemeteries looking at the names on the headstones in search of a Buffett! Planning Tip: All cemeteries in France are required to have potable water on site and available to visitors. So, you can always count on being able to replenish a water bottle along the Way at a cemetery.
Our first day on the trail was characterized by easy to moderate hiking difficulty, open countryside, stone walls and plowed fields waiting for spring seeds to emerge. I even noticed some spring wildflowers starting to grace the sides of the trail. Stinking hellebore – Helleborus foetidus – was covering the banks along the trail throughout the day.
I love all the unique signs that are posted to guide and encourage pilgrims!
After leaving Saint Christophe, we were a short distance away from our destination on the first day – the small village of Tallode.
Our first night, we had made reservations at the Gîte d’étape La Maison Vielle. Nicole was a great hostess serving us a delicious meal of locally raised Lamb and (you guessed it!) Green Lentils. We shared a room with one other French women who was hiking on her own named Laure. We would cross paths with her many times over the next two weeks. And, there were two other women who joined us that night from Germany.
It was a memorable first day and we collapsed into bed that night tired but happy! 12.2 kilometers under our belt – and many, many more to go! 🙂
In Search of a Rare Orchid
A Lady with Style
Concealed in the fen
The regal pink and white queen
Nods her head at us.
~Lynn Amber
Showy Lady’s Slipper is a rare orchid that inhabits wetland areas whose soil and water lean towards the limy side of neutral. A neighbor and friend here in Vermont has a unique “fen” on his property where these precious orchids thrive. It’s been years since I visited this site. When I knew I would be in Vermont at the time they bloom this year, I asked him to take me back to see them. It’s a trek through his sugarbush forest along well-worn horse trails and then a bit of bushwhacking to reach the bog.
I am amazed at the blossoms we see immediately upon entering the wetland. What a treat for the eyes to behold!
Crabapple Magic
I bought this crabapple for my husband as a birthday gift many years ago. After it almost died from fire blight, it came back strong and has matured into a beautiful tree. Love the deep pink buds that open to a papery white flower. It makes a striking contrast against the deep green foliage.
Baptisia in Bloom
In between my Camino posts, I’ll try and post random photographs that I’m taking – from my garden, my local walks – and ease back into a more daily blog routine.
After being away from Vermont for over a year, I’m trying to get my flower garden back in shape. One plant that needs little attention and never disappoints me is my Baptisia australis. A true gem!!
On the other hand, after years of neglect, my bearded Iris is letting me know that I need to pay it some attention. I have very little blooms on the Iris this year and it’s way overdue for some serious maintenance. I will be digging it all up and dividing it come July and August. Here’s one of the few blossoms with some rain drops still hanging on – gorgeous!
Le Puy Camino – via Podiensis: Final Days in Le Puy-en-Velay, Part Two
March 29 – 30, 2023
On Wednesday morning, March 29th, we packed up our belongings to make our final accommodation change while in Le Puy-en-Velay. The Gîte d’étape Accueil chrétien Saint François was established in 1994 and is operated through a joint venture between the Sisters of Saint François of Assisi and local community members. Located in a 15th century building within minutes of the cathedral, the gîte offers accommodations at a more reasonable price for pilgrims in a dormitory-style atmosphere. According to their website, the “house “was designed as a family place where everyone can “put down their suitcases”, a place of social diversity and meeting where volunteers, nuns meet , employees in integration, permanent employees and residents.”
We stayed here for two nights. The accommodation is typical of many gîtes along the Way that offer more affordable rates with less amenities. Most do offer demi-pension (petit dejeuner and repas du soir) as an option but also provide kitchen space where thrifty pilgrims can cook their own meals to save money. Also, we found that most of the dormitory-style hostels provide disposable bed covers (bottom sheet and pillow cover) with a blanket and you are required to use your own towel in shared shower/bathroom spaces. We had our own room with twin beds here while many other low-cost gîtes along the walk offer only large rooms with up to 15 beds.
The continental breakfast was set up as “self-serve” each morning. It was early in the season so there were not many people staying here. One other group we met at dinner indicated they were a walking club from Northern France. When I went down for breakfast in the morning I had the place all to myself! Enjoyed my coffee in a chair by the window gazing out at the rooftops!
For the next two days, we did some more tourist-type activities and I continued to walk the GR65 so I could keep up my fitness level!
One of the most prominent structures dominating the skyline in Le Puy-en-Velay is La Statue de Notre-Dame de France. Built in the 19th century, it has the distinction of being made with the metal from 213 cannons that were confiscated after the seige of Sevastopol during the Crimean War. The statue was created by Jean-Marie Bonnassieux and built on the highest point in the city. The statue is hollow and there is a cast iron circular staircase that leads up the center of the statue to the crown. There are viewpoints along the way that look out over the city.
We made reservations for lunch at the popular vegetarian restaurant Caulet-Flori located in the quaint Place du Plot. It was another fantastic meal complete with dessert – all for the low price of 18 euros. Dinner on Wednesday was at the accommodation. Planning Tip: Get used to eating dinner later on at night in France. I am used to eating around 6pm here in the US and it took me awhile to adjust to an evening meal starting at 7:30pm. Dinner was usually a multi-course affair and considered a social event. It could easily take up to an hour to complete. We would basically eat dinner and go right to bed since we were getting up early to continue our walk the next day. By the time dinner was over we were exhausted and not just from walking all day but also because we had to try and converse with our French dinner mates. It took all my concentration to understand the conversation and try to partake. I would collapse into bed each night physically and mentally exhausted! But – it was a good kind of exhaustion! 🙂 Oddly, I did finally adjust to eating a late meal and going right to bed. But, I will happily revert to my US schedule after the trip!
On Thursday, March 30, we took care of some last minute details and ate a lunch of leftovers at the gîte. We took some time in the afternoon to go over our packs and then decided to head out for another walk about town. As we were descending into the historic part of town, we encountered a gentleman named Laurent who stopped and chatted with us. He seemed to be an “unofficial” ambassador of Le Puy! He suggested that we should visit the Cloître de la Cathédrale du Puy-en-Velay that dates back to the 12th century. Now a museum, it also houses the Cathedral Treasury. The Treasury contains an amazing collection of treasures including embroidered ceremonial robes and clothes and ornaments used for ceremonies.
Laurent was waiting for us as we exited the Cloister and walked us over to another building that appeared to be a government building I later identified as the Conseil Départemental de la Haute-Loire. He wanted to show us some local artwork inside this building and also some photographs on an outside wall depicting places of interest in the surrounding countryside. He offered to take some photographs of us and was quite professional about it! The first photo below was taken in the courtyard outside the building and the second photo was taken inside the building in the art gallery. Before we parted ways with Laurent, he even offered to loan us his car the next day so we could explore the countryside. Since this was our last day in Le Puy, we politely declined but it was such a nice gesture of kindness.
Walking back towards town, there was a great view of the Rocher Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe. It still holds the honor of being my favorite place in Le Puy.
We still had some time before heading back to the gîte for dinner so we wandered around town. In addition to being known for its green lentils, Le Puy is also famous for its lace. The art of lace-making in Le Puy dates back to the Middle Ages. The technique is called bobbin lace and it has its origins in Le Puy. In days gone by, Couviges (groups of women who are lacemakers) would convene along the cobblestone streets in Le Puy in the afternoons to work with their bobbin lace cushions. I imagine it must have also been a major social event for the women – chatting to the rhythm of the bobbins as they weaved the lace.
My sister-in-law and I both thought it would be cool to take home a piece of Le Puy lace but we did not want to carry extra items and assumed we could pick some up in Saint-Jean-Pied-du-Port. All along our walk, it was common to see lace curtains in all the windows so my thought was to purchase a set of curtains. But, alas, there was no lace to be found in Saint-Jean! Oh well – there’s always the internet!
The next day we were to start our long walk to Saint-Jean-Pied-du-Port along the Chemin de Saint-Jacques. I’m not sure I got much sleep the night before! Next time – our first day on the trail! 🙂
Le Puy Camino – via Podiensis: Final Days in Le Puy-en-Velay, Part One
March 27 – 28
Over the next 4 days, I spent time continuing our preparations for the chemin interspersed with sightseeing, shopping, eating (delicious French food!) and getting some hiking time in on the GR 65.
On Monday, we visited the pilgrim office to pick up a hiking guide and our pilgrim credentials. There are numerous walking guides for both the Chemin de Saint-Jacques du-Puy that follows the GR 65 walking path in France and the more popular section – the Camino Francis – that takes pilgrims through Spain. Before leaving the U.S., I had ordered one recommended guide published by the Fédération Française de la Randonnée Pédestre, an organization that oversees maintaining all the walking paths in France. Their guides are called TopoGuides and include topographic maps for each section of the walking path along with historical and geographical information, accommodations, restaurants and services available in each town and walking notes with distances and time approximations. The section we were hiking was divided up into 3 separate guides.
While in Le Puy-en-Velay, I bought another guide at the pilgrim office called the Miam Miam Dodo. It contains approximately the same information as the TopoGuide but is less cluttered and the map was easier to read. Accommodations were listed with much more information than the TopoGuide that included price with or without demi-pension, # of beds, street address, phone # and email address as well as check-in time. I found this useful. If you are interested in more extensive historical and landscape information, you will not find that in the Miam Miam Dodo. This guide is obtained via the publishers website or in pilgrim offices and tourist centers in each major town.
Both guides above are written in French and there is no English translation. I did not find this to be a problem with the Miam Miam Dodo as there was less text and I quickly became accustomed to the French words. I ended up using the Miam Miam Dodo almost exclusively. The TopoGuide was relegated to a place in the extra luggage bag so I could access it if I wanted in the evening. But, I rarely did.
The other print guide we had along with us is a book written by Dave Whitson called Walking the Camino de Santiago – Via Podiensis, Le Puy to the Pyrenees on the GR65. He is a high school teacher from Oregon and has walked numerous Camino routes over the years. He publishes his guides through the Cicerone Press in the UK. The nice thing about this guide is that it is written in English. The guide contains much the same information as the above books. We did not carry this with us during the day but delegated this book to the extra luggage bag as well. Occasionally, I did pull it out at night to read some descriptions of upcoming trail sections in English. I also had a downloaded excel file on my phone that Dave Whitson produces with a comprehensive list of accommodations. Unfortunately, since we were limited to the accommodations listed in the Miam Miam (due to the baggage company requirements), I did not end up using this along the way. But, if not using luggage transport, it would have been invaluable.
The other resource I had at my disposal was digital. I purchased PDF files from a woman who maintains a website called I Love Walking in France. I had these files downloaded to my phone and could access them along the trail. She has numerous digital guidebooks for many established walking routes in France. I find them to be full of useful information.
The guidebook that you choose to use along the chemin is a personal choice based on your specific needs. Planning Tip: No matter what guide you decide on, make sure that it is the updated version. They are all updated annually during the off-season months of January and February. Many things change from year to year – accommodations come and go – and at times, the actual walking path changes course. It is important to have the most up-to-date information.
After choosing the Miam Miam Dodo for the first half of the walk, we also purchased our pilgrim credentials from the pilgrim office located in the cathedral. The pilgrim credential is a small booklet used to collect “stamps” along the chemin – mostly from accommodations where you stay but also from some churches and historical landmarks and places. In order to receive an official certificate of completion for the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, you must present this credential as proof that you walked the distance required. It also makes a pretty cool souvenir! Along with the credential, I bought a scallop shell to carry on my backpack. It is the symbol of the Camino and identifies one as a pilgrim. Again, a great souvenir! Below is a peek at part of my pilgrim credential marked with some of the colorful stamps I collected along the way and my seashell that I attached to the outside of my pack. Hopefully, I will be able to return to Europe and walk one of the Spanish Camino routes that lead to Santiago de Compostela and receive the coveted certificate.
After the pilgrim office, we stopped in at La Malle Postale transportation office and arranged our first few days of luggage transport. They agreed to accommodate us on March 31st so that would be our official start day for the chemin! We found the post office so that I could purchase some international stamps for sending postcards back home and ate lunch at Gabriel’s restaurant where they served up some outstanding pizza!
My sister-in-law and I parted ways for the afternoon and I decided I needed to go for a short walk. I followed the Chemin du Saint-Jacques (GR65) out of town and into the countryside. It is the route we will take on Friday and I wanted to get a feel for what to expect. It’s a steep climb up out of Le Puy-en-Velay and levels off after about a mile.
It was a good trial run and I got my first introduction into the way markers that I would be focusing on for the next 6 weeks. The Way of St. James (Chemin du Saint-Jacques) follows a pathway called the GR65 in France. It is marked with two painted lines – a white stripe and a red stripe. The mark is found on sign posts, trees, stones, fence posts, walls and even buildings along the trail. Below is an example of a sign post that is common where the trail meets local paths and other trail junctions.
I turned around at the 2-mile mark and headed back to town. As I approached the descent into town, I encountered Michael, who was a German guy also staying at our accommodation La Maison du Loup. Funny – I’m in a town in France taking a walk and actually run into someone I know! He was a very interesting fellow.
He’s a long-distance runner and has traveled all over the world running marathons. He had just completed one and was heading to Italy from Le Puy to compete in another one. Along the way, he was visiting many Catholic religious sights – Le Puy being one of them. We had breakfast with him two mornings at La Maison du Loup and his knowledge of the Catholic faith and, in particular, of a renowned female German philosopher named Edith Stein was notable. She was from Germany and converted from Judaism to Catholicism in 1922. In 1935, she joined the Discalced Carmelite monastery in Cologne and took the name “Teresia Benedicta a Cruce” – receiving her perpetual vows in 1938. Due to her Jewish heritage, she got caught up in the Nazi invasion when she was located at the Carmelite monastery in the Netherlands. She was sent to Auschwitz along with other baptized Catholics of Jewish origin where she died in the gas chamber. She was beatified as a martyr by Pope John Paul II in 1987 and later canonized by him in 1998.
My sister-in-law, who is a member of a secular Carmelite order, is well-versed in regards to Edith Stein so it was quite a coincidence and thrill for her to meet someone who is also an admirer of Edith Stein. As a non-Catholic, I was fascinated with their conversation at the breakfast table and learned a great deal about this remarkable woman.
The next day (Tuesday March 28) I spent some time exploring a city park in Le Puy-en-Velay called the Jardin Henri Vinay. It is located between the Prefecture de la Haute-Loire government building and the Musee Crozatier. It was a beautiful day to explore this green space!
While wandering around town after the park, I stopped into an outdoor store and purchased an extra layer of clothing for the walk. The weather in Le Puy was cool and I was just not sure I had enough layers. I found a great 40% off deal on a Mammut zip-up hooded light jacket. Of course, I had buyer’s remorse later on that day but in hindsight it was a good move! The jacket ended up being my go-to layer once we started the walk!
Lunch that day was an economical meal consisting of a tart embellished with green lentils. Le Puy and the surrounding area is known for its production of a particular variety of green lentils. It is a staple in this area and was presented to us on numerous occasions as part of the evening meal in the gites. The Le Puy green lentils are special due to the fact they are grown in the rich volcanic soil predominant in this region of France. The lentils were served to us in many different ways over the next couple of weeks and, while I enjoyed them immensely, I admit I did get a tad weary of them after awhile!
Tomorrow (Wednesday) we will make one more accommodation changed before leaving Le Puy. I’ll cover our last two days in the next post! 🙂
Le Puy Camino – via Podiensis: First Few Days in Le Puy-en-Velay
March 25 – 26, 2023
After our first night’s sleep in Le Puy, we had some decisions to make first thing Saturday morning. We only had a one night stay in the current lodging and needed to make a plan. Since we arrived in Le Puy earlier than expected, we needed to alter some previous reservations. My sister-in-law had secured lodging in another chambre d-hôtes but we needed to alter the dates since we had bypassed Paris. Luckily, we were able to change our arrival date at Chambre d-hôtes La Maison du Loup and – a bonus – they would allow us to drop our packs there until check-in time later in the day so we would not have to walk around all day with loaded backpacks. After breakfast at Chambre d-hôtes La Prévôté, we got ready for the move.
The Chambre d-hôtes La Maison du Loup is located in a 16th century building within the historic district of Le Puy and a short walk to all amenities.
Along with arranging accommodations for our stay in Le Puy, we also had some logistical items to cross off our list. We both had some additional supplies that we needed for the walk, and I needed to find an ATM so that I could start the walk with some euros in my possession. I determined the best way to access cash along the chemin was to set up a debit card account and use ATM machines that are prevalent in the larger towns. I was nervous about doing this as I’ve never used a debit card before! It was a tad unnerving the first time I inserted the card. I had visions of the 24-hour ATM machine eating my card but all fears were laid to rest and I found it incredibly easy to manage my money this way throughout the whole trip. Planning Tip: Most of the gîtes and chambre d-hôtes along the chemin only accept cash (or an ANCV Cheques-vacances – which is a paper checkbook for use in the European Union). I found it only necessary to carry a few days worth of cash to pay for accommodations and lunch food. It was important to be aware when and where the next ATM machine was located.
After attending mass at the Cathedral Notre-Dame, we headed off in the direction of the historic shopping district to get our bearings and shop. Since I was limiting my luggage to carry-on items only, I could not bring my hiking poles on the plane from Montreal to Paris. I found a cheap pair of poles in a tourist shop that would serve me well for the walk. I also wanted to get a small Swiss Army pocket knife with scissors to carry along with me for lunch and first aid needs. It took awhile to find but eventually I located a shop that had just what I wanted.
We ended up eating lunch on Saturday at the same restaurant where we had eaten dinner the previous night. Our dinner had been a true multi-course culinary delight so we felt sure lunch would be just as awesome! Comme A la Maison is a French restaurant that I highly recommend if you find yourself in Le Puy-en-Velay.
After spending time wandering the cobblestone streets of the historic district, it was time to head back up the hill to our accommodation so we could check-in and get settled.
Ascending yet another stone spiral staircase to our room at La Maison du Loup, we noticed a small staircase leading up another small flight of stairs to a common room in the “tower” that afforded a terrific view of the town. If you look closely, just below the tower window is a “wolf” (or le loup, in French) protruding from the stone. Our host told the us that it seems likely one of the original owners of the building was a wolf hunter by profession. Common prior to the 19th century, wolf hunters belonged to a special corps called the “louveterie.” They protected livestock and people from wolves and by the 20th century wolves were completely eradicated from France. There is evidence that wolves are making a come-back now due to their protected status in modern times.
After settling in to our room, we went back into the historic shopping district in search of dinner. We landed at Aux Beaux Thés du Monde, a small crêperie that proved to be excellent food at an incredibly reasonable price. Planning Tip: We quickly learned that “tipping” in restaurants is not common or expected. I actually loved this concept! It kept things much simpler. We also realized that waiters do not bring a check to the table. When you are done with your meal and ready to leave, you simply go to the register counter and pay for your meal.
The next day (Sunday), I spent a leisurely morning figuring out how to arrange accommodations each night for when we start walking. I wanted to have a least the first few days of accommodations reserved. Everyone approaches this differently. Some pilgrims choose not to reserve in advance so they have the flexibility to walk further if they feel okay or stop earlier if they are struggling. Others reserve their entire walk in advance. Then, there are those like us who were choosing to reserve just a few days in advance. I was using a spreadsheet that I secured from a website maintained by an American school teacher who has done may Camino trips. It quickly became clear that we would not be able to start our walk until March 31st for two reasons.
It was early in the season – really still the shoulder season – and many gîtes and chambre d-hôtes were not open yet. Some were set to open on April 1st and others, not until April 15th. The second reason that delayed our departure day was the availability of luggage transport. My sister-in-law wanted to have one small duffle bag that would be transported each day from one accommodation to the next by a luggage transportation company so that she could lighten the backpack she would be carrying every day. Many people carry everything they need in their backpack. Most recommendations are to carry no more than 10% of your body weight. That is ideal for walking extensively over many weeks.
Since most people are using gîtes and chambre d-hôtes for lodging, there is no need to carry a tent, sleeping bag and multiple days worth of food. I was able to limit my pack to around 15 lbs. – which was close to the weight recommendation. Since my sister-in-law was going to use a luggage transport company, I agreed to share the cost and put a ziplock bag of some of my extra clothes in the duffle. It was nice to utilize this service but not necessary for me. We used a company called La Malle Postale. We showed up at their office in Le Puy make arrangements and found out that they did not start transport until April 1st. I had already made reservations for March 31st but they kindly agreed to start a day early for us. It also became clear that they only transport luggage to accommodations listed in a particular guidebook (that we had not purchased yet). Since one of the accommodations on the spreadsheet was not in that guidebook, I was already altering reservations! Planning Tip: For subsequent walking trips, I would not use a luggage transport company. They were great to deal with – this is not a reflection on them. For those who just cannot walk with a burdensome pack, it is a great service. It makes the pilgrimage more accessible to more people. But, using them limited where we could stay and also limited our flexibility. I think it best – if you are fit and able – to make sure your pack weighs what you can carry and avoid the limitations placed on you by a luggage transport company.
After countless hours of planning, I was ready for a break! It was time to get some exercise and see some sights! Rising up high from the top of a rock outcropping, I had been seeing the Chapel Saint-Michel d’Aiguilhe from a distance and was eager to make the steep climb to view it up close and personal. It was built in the 10th century on top of a “volcanic plug.” I was so impressed with the chapel that I visited it twice while in Le Puy. It became my favorite spot in the city. The chapel was built by Bishop Godescalc of Le Puy-en-Velay in celebration of his return from his own pilgrimage on the Way of Saint James. The chapel is named after Archangel Michael.
As I started to climb the 268 steps, there was a sweet, small little chapel near the base that I detoured to first.
Some of the 268 steps leading to the Chapel Saint-Michel with a view of the Statue of Notre-Dame of France off in the distance. The inside of the chapel was simply furnished and so peaceful. The ancient frescoes on the ceiling and walls were spectacular – as were the stained glass windows. I sat on a bench inside the chapel quietly for a long time – taking in the incredible beauty of this place.
I had read that there was a fresco of a hand above the door to the chapel that many believe represents a blessing for pilgrims as they exit the chapel. It actually took me awhile to find it!
Below are some close-ups of the artwork in the chapel. Stunning!
Until next time….final preparations and our jumping off day!!
Le Puy Camino – Via Podiensis: The Start of My Journey
March 22-24, 2023
After months of preparation, it was hard to believe that the day of departure for this incredible journey was upon me. Walking for six weeks in rural France along an ancient pilgrimage route was a dream come true.
The first leg of my journey started with a Greyhound bus ride from Montpelier, Vermont to Montreal, Quebec, Canada where I would hook up with a traveling companion (my sister-in-law) who was flying in from Vancouver, Canada.
We spent a night and a partial day in Montreal waiting for our overnight flight to Paris. It was fun to explore part of the old city, enjoy a fantastic lunch at Chez Suzette and get used to hearing French spoken all around us! Now that I’ve spent 6 weeks immersed in the French language, I see more visits to my northern neighbor, Quebec, in my future as a good way to practice my new language skills.
From Montreal, we boarded an Air Canada flight to Paris. Due to the political upheaval in France and the protests and strikes plaguing Paris, we opted to cancel our plans to spend 4 days in Paris. Instead, we reserved train tickets from the Charles de Gaulle Airport train station directly to Le Puy-en-Velay – where we would ultimately commence our walk. As it turned out, the train we were to board was cancelled due to the strike but, luckily, we were able to catch another train departing that same day with available space. Whew! We were on our way!
It is not a straight forward train ride from Paris to Le Puy. We had to change trains in Lyon and then switch to a bus in the town of St. Etienne. At one point, we disembarked the train at the wrong stop (blaming it on the language barrier!) and almost made a costly mistake. We realized our error just in time to hop back through the train doors before they closed! After more than 24 hours of travel via air, train and bus, we arrived in Le Puy-en-Velay early evening on March 24. During the train ride, we arranged accommodations for our first night in Le Puy at the Chambre-d’hôtes La Prévôté – one of many options within the village.
Housed in a stone building converted from an ancient convent, the lodging proved very nice and we quickly got a lesson in protocol that would be repeated numerous times over the course of 6 weeks. Because of the number of pilgrims and walkers who pass through this region, certain procedures have been adopted to minimize the onset of the dreaded “bed bugs” issue commonly found in shared housing along the Camino routes. All backpacks and shoes were left in a communal area of the accommodation. We were issued plastic tubs to put items in that we would need and we carried only that tub to our bedroom. Everything else was to remain with the backpacks. While inconvenient at times (there was always that one item left in the pack that I needed!), I was happy to comply if it meant avoiding those pesky little critters!
Our first night accommodation ended up being directly behind the Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy. Sebastian was an excellent host and a typical French continental breakfast is included with the cost of the room. Our stay here represented what I would categorize as typical lodging for us along the Le Puy Camino with the exception being we usually paid extra for an evening meal to be included – referred to as a demi-pension.
There was an ancient stone spiral staircase that led to the accommodations – very cool! I felt like I had stepped back in time! The rooms were simply furnished but clean, bright and inviting. Below is the common room where breakfast was served and our bedroom – where we happily collapsed that night after so many hours of travel. The first photograph on this post was actually the rooftop view out our bedroom window!
A little history….
Le Puy-en-Velay is the capital of the Haute-Loire department in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes région of south-central France. The town has its origins in medieval times and was a major diocese of the Catholic church. Le Puy has been considered a major starting point for the pilgrim route to Santiago de Compostella since before the 10th century. The Cathédrale Notre-Dame du Puy was constructed between the 5th and 15th centuries and is located on the highest point in the town. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site along with many other historic sites along the Camino route.
It is the jumping off point for the Le Puy Camino. Each morning, a pilgrim mass is conducted in the church followed by a special blessing. Pilgrims then descend a hidden staircase from inside the church down to the cathedral steps to start the walk towards Santiago de Compostella – a distance of over 1500 kilometers. We would be executing this rite of passage in a few days and I could not wait to begin the journey!
In the meantime, we had several days in Le Puy to sightsee, do a final shake-down and pick up any additional items we might need for the walk. Next up – our fun-filled days in Le Puy-en-Velay…..
Lynn Amber - Travel & Photography 