Of the four main pilgrimage routes in France to St Jean Pied de Port, where pilgrims would connect with the Camino Francés in Spain, the Le Puy Camino is by far the most popular.

Once the word had spread across Europe that the apostle of St James’ relics had been discovered in Santiago, a pilgrimage to the site became a rite of passage. The journey at times rivalled a trip to Jerusalem or Rome, and pilgrims from as far as Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Poland and the Czech Republic made their way through France to St Jean Pied de Port along the Le Puy Way.

While the earliest recordings of pilgrims on this way dates back to 950AD, the popularity of the Le Puy Camino today can be traced back to more recent times when the long distance GR65 hiking route was created in the 1970s. As more modern day travellers began to seek ways to Santiago, the French Way of St James stood out as the most spectacular, taking in some of the most scenic parts of France.

The Le Puy Camino begins in Le Puy-en-Velay and travels across the high plateaus of the Massif Central, the volcanic highlands of Velay, through rustic villages, past impressive castles, quaint villages, a myriad of monuments and through picturesque French countryside. For today’s travellers, the Le Puy Way provides one of the most beautiful of all the ways. The Le Puy Camino is also known as the Via Podiensis or the French Way of Saint James. Unlike the Camino Francés, it avoids major cities and towns.