Camino Le Puy Way

Camino Le Puy offers a remarkable experience for hikers of varying skill levels, from experienced trekkers to enthusiastic beginners seeking a rewarding challenge. This is a long-distance trail with long walking days and the elevation and terrain require a good level of fitness.

Before your tour, we recommend hiking regularly and incorporating some hilly terrain into your routine. Be sure to check the daily distances and elevation changes outlined in your itinerary.

You will walk through vineyards, rolling hills, hamlets, villages, alongside rivers and streams and over rocky, volcanic landscapes. The terrain will be quite smooth most of the time (except for a few rocky sections) but may be slippery when wet. You will follow a mixture of farm/dirt tracks, minor roads and footpaths.

As you enter the foothills of the Pyrenees there will be some elevation gains and losses.

This tour is graded moderate. Within the tour individual days may vary in difficulty - some might be a bit tougher or easier than the overall rating suggests.

Accommodation along the route is rustic and can be basic. It is a mix of small, family-run B&Bs, auberges, hostals (small, family-run hotels or guesthouse) and simple hotels, with a traditional, character and a warm welcome. Your private room will usually have a ensuite bathroom, but occasionally you’ll have a shared bathroom - you will not be in shared dorm-style accommodation. Air conditioning isn't common in some of the more traditional places you'll stay.

In peak season, or where there's no suitable lodging directly on the path, we may arrange a private transfer to nearby alternative accommodation, or you may occasionally stay at the same hotel for two consecutive nights.

Yes, solo travelers are very welcome. There will be a supplement because some costs, like transfers, aren't shared. Or if you'd like to book a single room, just ask. These are available for a supplement.

Daily breakfasts are included throughout, usually served buffet-style, though exactly what's on offer varies by region and accommodation, from a simple spread to something more substantial.

You can sometimes order a packed lunch from your hotel the evening before, or pick up supplies from a local grocery store, café or restaurant along the way.

Dinners are included at most of your hotels and are typically a set "meal of the day" - if you'd like more choice, you may be able to pay a supplement for an à la carte option. Occasionally an included dinner is at a local restaurant. Dinner is not included in St Jean Pied de Port as there are many options for dining out here.

Dinner may not be included if there is a specific change to a hotel - this will be outlined when booking.

If you have any specific dietary requirements please contact us prior to booking.

You can start this tour on any day between the beginning of April and the end of October.

Snow is possible in early April, particularly at higher elevations and in the Aubrac region, so come prepared for wintry conditions if you're setting off early in the season.

Weather along the route varies considerably through the year and by region. Many walkers especially enjoy May and June, when the spring wildflowers are at their best, or September and October, for the falls colours.

July and August can be very hot, so it's worth bearing this in mind when planning your dates if you're not used to walking in the heat. Also note that most accommodation will not have AC.

We highly recommend booking early for this specific route.

Your bags will be collected from your accommodation each day and moved onto your overnight accommodation. We ask you to limit your luggage to one bag of up to 13kg/29lbs per person.

Please take a soft bag rather than a hard-shell suitcase, as these are less likely to be damaged in transit. If you'd like to bring more luggage than this, an additional transfer fee (approx €10) is payable locally per extra bag, per transfer - please contact us prior to arrival to book this.

The route is well waymarked with white and red painted arrows, though it's worth taking extra care at trail intersections.

Navigation is straightforward using our app which has maps, tracks and daily route info. Simply download the information and tracks for offline use and follow the route on your phone. Once on the trail you do not need signal for the app to work and follow your progress.

Occasionally, the app's tracks may deviate slightly from the official waymarked route to avoid main roads or heavy traffic. Some newer guidebook editions reflect these same alternative, quieter paths.

If you wish to purchase a guidebook (not required for navigation but contains interesting background information) we recommend:

• Walking the Camino de Santiago - Via Podiensis - Le Puy to the Pyrenees on the GR65, Dave Whitson: Cicerone

The Camino Le Puy Way runs from Le Puy-en-Velay to St. Jean Pied de Port in France, so how you get there and away depends on which tour you book.

LE PUY-EN-VELAY, FRANCE

Tours: start of the Full Camino Le Puy Way and Stages 1 & 2

Closest airport: Lyon (LYS)

Flying in. Lyon Airport (LYS), around 93 miles / 150 km from Le Puy-en-Velay, is the closest international airport, with flights from the UK and other European gateways.

From Lyon. Take a train to Le Puy-en-Velay (around 2.5 hours). Check the SNCF website for up-to-date schedules and fares.

By car. You can also drive to Le Puy-en-Velay, where underground parking costs around €20 per week.

CONQUES, FRANCE

Tours: end of Stages 1 & 2, start of Stages 3 & 4

Closest airport: Rodez (RDZ)

By air. Rodez Airport (RDZ) has flights from the UK and from Paris. Take a bus or taxi between Rodez and Conques, both when arriving for Stages 3 & 4 and when leaving after Stages 1 & 2.

By car. You can also drive to Conques and park in one of the village's paying car parks.

LECTOURE, FRANCE

Tours: end of Stages 3 & 4, start of Stages 5 & 6

Closest airport: Bordeaux (BOD)

Flying in. Fly into Bordeaux Airport (BOD), then take a train to Agen (check the SNCF website for schedules), followed by a 50-minute bus ride to Lectoure.

Leaving after Stages 3 & 4. There are railway stations at Auch and Agen. Take a bus between Lectoure and either station to continue on to Toulouse (TLS) or Paris for your return flight. Check the SNCF website for train schedules.

By car. You can also drive to Lectoure and leave your car in one of the town's public car parks.

ST. JEAN PIED DE PORT, FRANCE

Tours: end of the Full Camino Le Puy Way and Stages 5 & 6

Closest airport: Pau (PUF), Biarritz (BIQ) or Bordeaux (BOD)

By train. From St. Jean Pied de Port, you can take the train to all of the recommended airports. Check the SNCF website for train schedules.

Pau (PUF). Take the train to Dax and then on to Pau, followed by a taxi to the airport (around €20).

Biarritz (BIQ). Take a train to Bayonne, then another to Biarritz, followed by a bus to the airport.

Bordeaux (BOD). Take a train to Bayonne, then on to Bordeaux, followed by a bus to the airport.

You'll need good hiking shoes or boots, comfortable hiking clothes, waterproofs, a daypack, and we recommend hiking poles. A portable charger for your cell phone is essential. On booking, our Trip Info will give you a complete packing list.

On certain days you can shorten the route or skip it entirely by using a taxi or public transport.

You can purchase a Camino passport and Scallop Shell at the official CSJ (Confraternity of St James) website, or from Tourism Offices or at the Cathedral in Puy-en-Velay on arrival.

The Passport is a beautiful record of your Camino journey, officially issued by the Church of St. James. Along the route, you'll collect stamps (sellos) from albergues, churches, cafes, and more. Each stamp is a colorful reminder of your journey.

This is a popular route, so we recommend booking as far in advance as possible.

We highly recommend that you have travel insurance when you book with Macs Adventure. Your policy should cover medical treatment (including repatriation and emergency evacuation by air ambulance or helicopter), injury, death, third-party liability, and trip cancellation