LE PUY-EN-VELAY, Enchanted Starting Point (26 to 29 July 2015)

 

LE CHEMIN DU PUY (LA VOIE PODIENSIS, or The Way of Le Puy):

 

     How did we decide on Le Puy as starting point?  We had always imagined walking the "classic" route from St. Jean-Pied-du-Port, like most modern pilgrims.  But in fact, in medieval times, that route was only part of a much larger network of walking routes that covered Europe like a vast spiderweb.  Pilgrims would walk out their front door (wherever they were from), walk to Santiago, and walk back!  So, as fate would have it, in October '14 we were explaining our walking plans to two WWOOF hosts of ours in Isere, France (Annick and Thierry), and Thierry convinced us that we should start our walk if at all possible from Le Puy, being the "classic" French route.  Nevermind that this would double our distance and walking time!!

 

After some basic research on the topic, we learned that there are four major traditional routes in France (and dozens and dozens of lesser ones) that have been in use since medieval times: Le Puy, Arles, Vezelay, and Paris/Tours.  Of the four, the Le Puy route is the most well-known, perhaps the most beautiful in terms of landscapes, and the most served by pilgrim hostels/b+b's/restaurants/shops/campgrounds, etc..  And it has a long rich history...

 



     In 950 or 951 Godescalc, bishop of Le Puy-en-Velay, set off on a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.  He was the first Frenchman (and known foreigner) to undertake the pilgrimage, leading a large caravan that included members of the clergy, their staff and servants, various nobles and gentlemen and men-at-arms.  In their day, much of the way passed through was wilderness or remote and rough lands, which meant thieves, bandits, wolves, bears and extreme weather conditions were all major obstacles to such a voyage. 

 

Over time, France would become the second-most important country (after Spain of course) in the pilgrimages to Santiago, and this can be seen to this day in the richness of the cultural and architectural heritage that remains...

Representation of Gotescalc.

 



LE PUY-EN-VELAY:

 

Our man, fresh off a train from Paris, and ready to hit the trails.

A farewell to our Flemish friends Michel and Karyn (who have just dropped off Jeff in Le Puy) whom we met through Warm Showers (cyclists' network) one year previously. 

In Le Puy we stayed at a hostel called Bellevue about 1.5km from the center.  Our hosts, Jean-Marie and Marcelle, who gave us a fantastic welcome and shared some fine moments with us.



Cooling off in Bellevue's pool with Bo and Katy.

The magnificent city of Le Puy as seen from near Bellevue.

 

We stayed three days in Le Puy, organizing, packing, and visiting some of the sights... this is the inimitable Rocher St. Michel d'Aiguilhe.

268 steps carved into rock, of which Bo climbed nearly all.

The chapel was built in 962 A.D., by Gotescalc, to celebrate his successful pilgrimage to Santiago.

 

Katy shows off her scallop shell necklace (scallop shells being the ultimate symbol of pilgrims and the pilgrimage itself).

The magical Rocher St. Michel from another angle.

 We climbed up to the Cathedral of Le Puy at dawn for the daily 7 AM pilgrims' mass. 

Our first sighting of St. Jacques Pelerin (Santiago Peregrino), in the Cathedral. 

Never saw so many backpacks inside a church.

After the mass there was a pilgrims' blessing under the watchful gaze of St. James, conducted by a visiting African priest from Benin.  There are an average of 100 pilgrims per day who start out from Le Puy.

The Black Madonna of Le Puy.  In 1254, when passing through on his return from the Holy Land, Louis IX gave the cathedral an ebony image clothed in gold brocade (known as Notre-Dame du Puy). It was destroyed during the French Revolution, but later replaced with a copy that continues to be venerated.

The view down from the Cathedral of Le Puy, looking out over the volcanic highlands of the region.  For us, these would be our first steps towards Santiago de Compostela.



Jeff and Bo.  The Cathedral, built on an old pagan site, was mostly built before 1150 A.D..



Bo takes a break on the cathedral steps.

Katy and Bo exploring the medieval streets of Le Puy.

Our first encounter with other pilgrims at Le Camino, a meeting and sharing point for pilgrims.  We met French, American, Spanish and Swiss pilgrims here.

 

Our first big challenge was to make all of this fit into and onto our Chariot and into Katy's backpack.  By no means a simple task...

 

... but we managed it somehow, even though we weren't thrilled with the top-heavy and overloaded results!

This sign reads: Here begins the Way of Le Puy, the great Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.

We would follow these markers (sealed into the streets) out of town and towards Santiago...