After a day off in le Puy, and on the first morning of my walk, I attended the Pilgrims’ Mass at the Cathedral de Notre Dame. The church was full, perhaps 300 people with maybe 2/3s being pilgrims. The last time I was here was in 2019, there were only about 80 pilgrims in a small side chapel. The big number surprised me so I figured there’ll be a lot of people on the walk this year.
After the service, and special pilgrims’ blessing, I slammed 2 more stamp entries into the 2 notebooks I’ll probably never use.
I took a wrong turn at the bottom of the steep cobblestoned road from the cathedral. No problem – I have 60 odd days, a further 10 minutes won’t be a bother and it provides the opportunity to stop for the obligatory coffee. After a stuttered start it was time to take the journey.
On leaving le Puy township, the climb up the hill was more difficult than I remember. As per my normal way, I didn’t prepare for this trek, and I’m also 5 years older than last time I walked here. But I was on my way and I still remember this beautiful countryside. Generally, the path wasn’t too difficult today and was mostly flat except for the steep down and up into St Privat.
It turns out that this is one of the busiest weeks on the Podiensis. After May 8, many French people take a long weekend, or a week off because there are a couple of holidays bunched up. This explains the crowds and the numerous little food stalls and coffee spots along the way. Many of the local pilgrims will take a week or two to walk to Conques, and then the numbers thin out a bit.
After about 23 kms, and 8 hours later, arrived in St Privat d’Allier, my first o/night stop in Gîte Randonneurs, hosted by Sandrine.
I shared a 4-bed room with a French bloke, our conversation was only by hand signal.
Dinner and breakfast were served community style on one long table and both meals were great.
Met an English couple – Mary and Ian and a young French family whose mother spent some time in Melbourne as an intern.
