Day 1 - Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Privat-d’Allier - 2 May

Time Departed: 8.30am

Time Arrived: 4.30pm

Distance: 24kms

Cumulative Distance: 24kms

Percentage Completed: 3% (40 600 steps) 

Weather: Cold, mostly overcast 

Accommodation: Hotel le Pain de Sucre, Monistrol d’Allier 

Feelings: Neil - Excited, Henk - Tres Bon,  Di - Excited & Apprehensive, Ann - Excited and Open

We’ve completed the first day of the walk and feel chuffed that we have it “under our belt”. It was a great day of walking and much easier than we expected. When we emerged from our cosy hotel we found the temperature to be a cool eight degrees and it was peak hour. We soon rose above the city using the narrow steep footpaths. The views over Le Puy were excellent. 

We soon met fellow Aussie walkers, Cathy and Bree from Adelaide and many others as we made our way to Saint-Privat-d’Allier. It’s this sense of camaraderie which makes the Camino so enjoyable. The path was initially on small county dirt roads then hiking paths as we made our way past farms and through very tiny villages. Saint-Christophe-sur-Dolaison had an exquisite 11th century Romanesque church with a very strong looking bell tower. The bells tolled us out of the village. 

After about two hours of walking we came across an enterprising young woman who had set up a caravan and small eating area beside a farm. Knowing that there were few coffee places en route we immediately stopped and enjoyed the company of our fellow walkers. 

The countryside is lined with drystone walls and the houses and farm buildings are also made from the local volcanic stone. The large farm houses are grouped in hamlets and most of them are “fermes-blocs” which means the building comprises the house as well as the shed, pigsty, barn and stable.

Just prior to lunch the path took us by the very small 11th century St Roch Chapel. St Roch is often depicted showing an infected leg and walking with a dog. 

Our very tasty French lunch was provided by our hotel and we enjoyed a late lunch at a quarter to two at a picnic table just before we arrived at the small village of Montbonnet. We only rested for 30 minutes as the cold weather drove us on. After lunch we only had about seven kilometres to go. The first part of the seven kilometres was a slow steepish climb through thick forest up to 1200m on Mt Deves. There were isolated patches of ice on the ground from the previous day.  After we emerged from the forest at the peak we came across stunning views of mountains and deep valleys as far as the eye could see. The descent from Mt Deves to Saint-Privat-d’Allier was very steep, stony and slushy underfoot and seemed to go on for quite a long time. We were pleased to get to the bottom. 

At Saint Privat-d’Allier Henk phoned our friendly hotel manager at Monistrol-d’Allier and he arrived soon after in his van to take us to his hotel which was only four kilometres away. The drive between the two villages was a very steep descent on a windy road to the very tiny village which sits deep in a valley. Tomorrow we have to walk out of this deep valley. 

We had an enjoyable dinner at the hotel and are making the most of the wonderful French food.