Le Puy-en-Velay - 1 May, 2018

Accommodation: Hotel Bristol

Weather: Cold, occasional showers, max temp 15. 

Henk, Neil and I arrived at the city of Le Puy-en-Velay by train yesterday evening to prepare ourselves for the start of our second Camino with the 774 kilometre walk from Le Puy to St-Jean -Pied-de-Port. The weather en route to Le Puy was very changeable with sunny skies to pea-sized hail in quick succession. We were pleased not to be walking until tomorrow when the weather looks to be improving.

It’s the start of the walking season and already there are quite a number of walkers in the city with many staying at our hotel. We quickly met our fellow walkers and we are feeling the camaraderie. Ann a solo walker from NSW has kept us company. We spent the day seeing the sites of Le Puy which sits in a four million year old volcanic basin. There are a number of tall volcanic spires upon which the Catholic Church has built monuments. These include the Cathedral of Le Puy, the amazing chapel of St Michael d’Aiguilhe and the 84 metre deep pink statue of Our Lady of France which we could see from our hotel balcony. 

Despite the initial cold (5 degrees) and the occasional shower we spent the morning touring these sites. We first walked the steep narrow cobbled lanes to the cathedral and bought our Credential for the walk at the cathedral shop. We will have our Credential stamped along the way to show we have undertaken the walk. There was a mass starting in celebration of the Feast of St Joseph the Worker on International Workers Day so we attended it. When we left the church down long steep steps and down a long, steep, narrow cobbled road we turned to find a religious procession coming from the church. 

We had early lunch in a small, local restaurant where we tasted Le Puy’s green lentil with other French delicacies. The name of the Le Puy lentil is protected and can only be used for the lentil grown in the area. 

After lunch we climbed the 268 steep stairs carved into volcanic rock to reach the chapel Saint-Michael d’Aiguilhe which sits on an 82 metre spire. It was built in 961 and is associated with the pilgrimage of St James. There were 360 degree views over the picturesque city of Le Puy-en-Velay. 

When we were returning to our hotel we came across the start of a large race as part of the May Day celebrations in the town’s square. The town’s people lined the square and about 300 children were taking part. A touching moment was seeing a young boy pushing his mate in his wheelchair with the other runners. They were coming last but the crowd was barracking for them.

Tomorrow our journey begins.