Camino de Santiago - Via Podiensis

Book excerpt: This guidebook describes in full the 735km Via Podiensis (GR65), a historic pilgrimage route through southern France from Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, where the trail meets the famous Camino Francés to Santiago de Compostela (Spain). Also detailed are 2 major variants: the Célé Valley (GR651) and Rocamadour (GR6 and GR46). Split into 28 stages, the full route takes 4 to 6 weeks to complete but can be divided into shorter sections - Figeac and Condom are well positioned to break the walk into three 2-week chunks. It can be adapted to suit all abilities, with regularly spaced accommodation and baggage transport available, and is best walked in spring and autumn, with May and September the most popular months. Abundant accommodation options offer a warm welcome to walkers and pilgrims and a chance to enjoy delicious home-cooked meals made with local ingredients. Walking directions are accompanied by 1;100,000 maps showing the route line and the facilities available at different locations. Accommodation listings provide invaluable information on where to stay. There are useful town maps for Cahors, Condom, Figeac, Le Puy, Moissac and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, and a stage planning table listing intermediate distances between accommodation means the schedule can be easily customised to individual requirements. The Via Podiensis leads pilgrims and walkers through the best of French village life, offering a unique combination of pleasant trails, quaint historic communities and cultural delights. It passes through charming Estaing, Saint-Cirq-Lapopie and Lauzerte, and visits pilgrim shrines including Conques and Rocamadour. Pilgrims carrying on to Santiago can either proceed directly from Saint-Jean on the Camino Francés or transition (via the GR10) over to the Camino del Norte - a skeletal outline of the routes linking Saint-Jean and Irún, Spain, is included in the guidebook.