Overview
The Chemin du Puy, also known as the Via Podiensis, is one of four ancient routes through France that eventually join up with the Camino de Santiago. Covering an epic 750km, this segment is from Cahors to Lectoure, the former famous for its medieval marvels and fine wine, and the latter is classified as one of France’s ‘Villes d’art et d’histoire’. Walk between 11- 24km per day along the Garonne River, passing through medieval villages, visiting ancient places of worship and taking plenty of paysan pauses for thought. Stay in small, comfortable accommodation, with your bags transported for you, and enjoy fine French fare en route.
Highlights
- Camino le Puy from Cahors to Lectoure
- Moissac, UNESCO World Heritage Site
- Church of Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais and the Holy Spirit Church
- Cahors, largest town on the Camino Le Puy
- Walks along the Garonne River
- Moissac Abbey
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrival in Cahors
Cahors was established by the Gauls, followed by the Romans, for the sacred water source called Divona. This spring still provides clear drinking water to the town Cahors was a major financial and trading centre during the Middle Ages and its former importance is evident in its buildings. Cahors is the largest town on the Camino Le Puy, with 22,000 inhabitants.Visit Saint-Etienne Cathedral and Pont Valentré.
- Accommodation: Hotel Brit Le Valentré or similar in Cahors
Day 2: Cahors to Lascabanes | 23km
From Cahors, the walk starts with a demanding climb, giving you a view of Cahors down in the valley before continuing to Causses limestone plateau. On your way, you pass the village of Labastide-Marnhac, before arriving in the village of Lascabanes. Lascabanes had a pilgrim hospital in the 15th century and the tiny chapel here still offers a pilgrim blessing every day at 18.00h
- Walking for the day: 23km, 5-6h, ↑330m ↓280m
- Accommodation: B&B Lanies or similar in Lascabanes
Day 3: Lascabanes to Lauzerte | 23km
Today’s walk has a few ascents and descents all the way to Lauzerte. There are fewer woodlands today, but more farmland and fields, until you reach the village of Lauzerte, another on the official Les Plus Beaux Villages de France list. Located in the heart of the Chasselas Wine Region, also famous for producing Quercy melons, Lauzerte boasts an appealing landscape of limestone valleys, vineyards, orchards, sunflower and lavender fields.
- Walking for the day: 23km, 5h, ↑370m ↓345m
- Accommodation: Gîte Les Figuiers or similar in Lauzerte
Day 4: Lauzerte to Moissac | 25km
Today is one of the easiest walking days as you make your way towards Moissac on quiet countryside tracks crossing woodlands, fields and vineyards. Moissac is at the confluence of the Garonne and Tarn at the Canal de Garonne,and is well known for its medieval Moissac Abbey.
- Walking for the day: 25km, 5-6h, ↑330m ↓470m
- Accommodation: Hotel Le Pont Napoléon or similar in Moissac
Day 5: Moissac to Auvillar | 21km
The route to Auvillar follows the Garonne River for most of the day, then crosses the canal at Malause before climbing up towards Auvillar. The village is surrounded by ancient fortified walls and entrance gates. One of gates passes under the 17th-century clock tower, unusual in that it was made from alternating levels of white stone with the typical red brick of the region.
- Walking for the day: 21km, 5h, ↑300m ↓270m
- Accommodation: Hotel de L’Horloge or similar in Auvillar
Day 6: Auvillar to Miradoux | 17km
Today you leave the Lot département to enter the farmlands of Le Gers. Today’s walk takes you to villages such as Flamarens, with its 13th-century castle. Your walk finishes in Miradoux, a former bastide, founded in 1253, the oldest in the département.
- Walking for the day: 17km, 4h, ↑285m ↓210m
- Accommodation: B&B Maison Lamothe or similar in Flamarens
Day 7: Miradoux to Lectoure | 15km
Today’s walk leads you to Lectoure, a designated ‘Ville d’art et d’histoire’. Lectoure is in the Armagnac región, famous for its brandy. Known as one of the oldest towns in Le Gers, its foundation dates back to the Gallo-Roman period. Not to miss in this historic spa town: the ramparts, Albinhac Tower, Bourreau Tower, the old castle of the Counts of Armagnac, Diana’s Fountain and Eglise Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais.
- Walking for the day: 15km, 4h, ↑190m ↓215m
- Accommodation: Hotel de Bastard or similar in Lectoure
Day 8: Departure
Enjoy a leisurely breakfast before departure. Extra nights available on request.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour includes a mix of welcoming B&Bs and simple, comfortable hotels, with private rooms and en-suite bathrooms. Accommodation along the Camino route are usually stopover places, and unfortunately, we sometimes have a limited choice. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. Extra nights can be booked at any of the locations along the way. If you choose a double or a twin room, we will do our best to book this, but it will not always be possible to confirm the requested room type.
Please note: We aim to book you into each town listed on the itinerary. However, in case of low availability, we may book you at nearby places.
Click to view default hotels
- Hotel Brit Le Valentré (Cahors)
- B&B Lanies (Lascabanes)
- Gite Les Figuiers (Lauzerte)
- Hotel Le Pont Napoléon (Moissac)
- Hotel de L’Horloge (Auvillar)
- B&B Les Tournesols (Miradoux)
- Hotel de Bastard (Lectoure)
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included (usually a simple buffet breakfast/coffee and toast/bread/croissant) on all days. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunches can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. There are many local restaurants available near to hotels for dinners.
Difficulty and terrain
This walk is graded moderate to strenuous and includes walks of up to 25km a day, with some of the walks being fairly strenuous with steeper ascents/descents. A reasonable level of fitness is required. This route can be challenging for those with little walking experience (read more about difficulty grades). Le Puy Camino follows a mixture of farm/dirt tracks, minor roads and footpaths. The route is marked with yellow painted arrows, but please take care at intersections. There are sections on the route where you will divert to follow the red and white stripes of the GR routes. There will often be other walkers around in case you are looking for help. We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through unknown and unmarked terrain. We provide you with maps, and you can call our local assistance phone number anytime.
When to go
This trip is available from the beginning of April until the end of October.
The weather in southern France is varied. In general, you can expect a mild warm climate and pleasant temperatures for walking from 19C and up to about 26C in summer months. Summers in the south of France are hot, dry and sunny. Late spring and early autumn are less hot but usually still very pleasant and typically warm enough to spend your evenings eating outside.
The flexibility of self-guided walking holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
Getting there
Click to view travel options
By plane
Our recommended arrival airport for this tour is Toulouse. The alternative airports are Paris Orly and Paris Charles de Gaulle.
By train or bus
Arrival in Cahors: From Toulouse airport (Blagnac) to Toulouse train station (Matabiau), you can take a shuttle bus. Then take a train which goes directly to Cahors. From Paris, you can get from Charles De Gaulle airport to Gare Paris Austerlitz using the RER train. Then, there is a direct connection from Paris Austerlitz to Cahors.
Departure from Lectoure: At the end of your trip, there is a public bus which leaves from Lectoure to Agen, once every 4 hours. The bus drive takes an hour. From the train station of Agen you can easily reach Cahors or Toulouse. For timetables and further information check the website of SNCF for all French national trains.
Inclusions
Included
- 7 nights in private en-suite rooms
- 7 breakfasts and 5 dinners
- Digital route description and maps
- Luggage transfers from hotel to hotel on all walking days (one piece up to 20kg per person)
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches and dinners, drinks and snacks
- Additional luggage
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on the spot)
- Any items not explicitly listed as included
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own
- This holiday is available for solo travellers; a supplement will be charged as accommodation and luggage transfer costs are not shared (we never mix and match – solo travellers will be accommodated in single rooms)
- Extra nights
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