Category: Via Podiensis

Just before the village of Montbonnet – which many people choose as the stop of their first stage – we come to a lovely little chapel. Dedicated to Saint Roche, this place was a shady oasis on a blisteringly hot day. There were a lovely group of third order Dominicans ministering to the pilgrims here and re-supplying them with water. […]

After second breakfast in Saint-Christophe-sur-Dolaison, I walked on through several little villages with similar names but extremely different personalities. The Way was still trending uphill, and it was, if anything, steeper. Some of these villages consisted of no more than three to five buildings, all of which appeared to be residences. At some point just before Liac, there was a […]

This altar to the Immaculate Heart of Mary may be found in the charming village church of Saint-Christophe-sur-Dolaison. I’m not entirely sure why folks have brought other Marian statues and laid them upon the gradines of the altar, but I found it touching. Date: 18 August 2023 Place: Saint-Christophe-sur-Dolaison, Haute-Loire Département, Region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, France Maps!

I found these beautiful processional crosses in the first church I stopped to pray in – the village church of Saint-Christophe-sur-Dolaison. It seems appropriate that the first stop on this Camino is to visit the church of Saint Christopher, the patron saint of travelers. It’s a cozy little church, so I may post one or two other photos of it […]

Sometimes people ask me what the biggest differences are between walking a pilgrimage in France versus walking a pilgrimage in Spain. This is certainly one of the biggest differences. Along the Le Puy route – at least for the first few weeks – you will often find public rest rooms. This is most certainly not the case in Spain, where […]

About an hour into my pilgrimage walk, I found this little lady. She was face down in the gravel road. There were no human habitations nearby, and I had no idea who might have dropped her or when. I picked her up, and she stayed in my fanny pack (that’s bum bag to the rest of the world) for the […]

The road from Le Puy was mostly gravel, and – though you can’t see it in this photo – there were quite a few pilgrims walking the Way. It was quite steep coming out of town, but it did eventually flatten out. The terrain to each side featured scrubby farms and pasture land. Although I didn’t see any cows at […]

The signage on the Via Podiensis is clear and easy to follow, though that didn’t stop me in subsequent days from getting lost with alarming frequency. The Camino wound its way through the city before heading out into the countryside. The distances on the sign are, as always, lies. Date: 18 August 2023 Place: leaving Le Puy-en-Velay, Haute-Loire Département, Region […]

I saw this little fellow shortly after leaving the cathedral. He seemed a cheery sort of bunny, and I imagine he was there to wish the pilgrims bon chemin as they set out upon their long pilgrimage route. I’m not quite sure what happened to his nose, though. Date: 18 August 2023 Place: Le Puy-en-Velay, Haute-Loire Département, Region of Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, […]

The Cathedral of Le Puy has the most amazing and moving entrance onto the Camino of any place I’ve ever been. Following the Pilgrims’ Mass and the blessing, the floor of the cathedral’s nave opens up. The pilgrims walk down the stairs to the cathedral’s main entrance and directly onto the Camino route. It is an unforgettable beginning. Date: 18 […]