Camino Le Puy Way: Stages 5 & 6

Arrive in Lectoure and settle into your comfortable hotel. Spend some time looking around this very attractive town which was once an important stopping point on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Originally the capital of the Lomagne region, it was once the base of the Counts of Armagnac and there is much to discover here, such as the 15th century cathedral, the town hall and the Gallo-Roman museum.

This morning head towards Marsolan, where you can find the remains of l’Hôpital St Jacques at the entrance to the village. It is worth stopping here as the view from the terrace over the Auchie Gascon and the surrounding countryside is superb. Once past Marsolan continue on following a track downhill until you come across the Chapelle d’Abrin, a former commandery of the Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem and now a private house.

Pass a lake and go through some woods, before arriving in La Romieu, which takes its  name from the romieux or pilgrims that used to pass through. This village has an enormous church comparative to its size, which indicates it’s former importance. The cloisters in the church are well worth a visit.              

On departing from La Romieu, and as you walk, there will be terrific views over the surrounding countryside as in this part of La Gers the landscape is very open. After a short climb you will reach the small village of Castelnau-sur-l’Auvignon and the Chapelle Sainte-Germaine de Soldanum, the remains of a former monastery. Here is a good place to take a rest before continuing onto Condom, a medieval town.

The highlight in Condom is the Cathedral of St Pierre, built at the end of the 14th century, which has an ornately carved entrance and the outside of which is slightly unusual in style. Take time here to wander through the narrow streets of the old town, perhaps stopping in a local café for an aperitif.

Le Carbon is your first point of call today and it is perhaps worth taking a slight detour (15 minutes in each direction) to get to the tiny fortified town of Larresingle. This was the fortress of the Bishops of Condom in the Middle Ages and when you are here you will see that little has changed and it is like you are back in medieval times.

Today you will also cross the Pont d’Artigues, originally a Roman bridge over the River Osse and also pass by the oldest church in this region, Eglise de Routges. Notice the small door at the side of the church which was used as an entrance by Cagots, an outcast population who lived segregated lives until the end of the 19th century due to the fact that they may have been leprous, unclean, or bearers of evil. Arrive in Montreal du Gers, your overnight stop.

This morning you may like to spend some time discovering Montreal du Gers, a typical bastide town and on the northern limits of the Gers department. This town has a classic arcaded market place, ramparts and many interesting houses. From here walk to Lamothe and view its 13th century guard tower. Continue on through quiet countryside and vineyards before arriving in Eauze, a former Roman colony and now the capital of Armagnac.

As you depart from Eauze walk with the church on your right and then continue down a minor road and along a grassy track. Pass by a small farm before arriving in Manciet which has a rural bullring used for cattle races. Pass an interesting church, formerly belonging to the Order of the Knights of Malta and by an 18th century milestone that has a Malteses cross.

Arrive into Nogaro, which takes its name from Nogarium, meaning a place planted with walnuts.This small town was established in the 11th century and has a Romanesque church and a bullring.

Initially pass by the small farms of La Grange, Bidet and Micoulas. Perhaps you would like to stop for a shady rest in the church porch of Lanne-Soubiran before perhaps having lunch in the in Barcelonne du Gers.

After lunch is the last stretch and here vineyards become rarer and the landscape changes to an area that is tree covered with maritime pines, oaks and chestnuts. Arrive into Aire sur l’Adour, an ancient town of two parts and your final destination today.

Walking in the Landes region is quite easy has this area is quite flat. The route continues to be waymarked with blue and yellow cockle shell stickers as well as the familiar red and white balises.

You will see your first view of the snow-capped Pyrenees today as you enter the department of the Pyrenees-Atlantiques. Your first stop is Pontet and en route you also pass the magnificent 11th century Church of Miramont Sensacq formerly dedicated to St James. Arrive in Miramont Sensacq, your overnight stop.

On departing Miramont Sensacq you reach Arzacq-Arraziguet, a bastide town with two main squares. This town has an interesting beginning as when it was founded in the 13th and 14th centuries it was actually in France and not in the Béarn, which was then an independent country. This town used to mark the boundary between France and Béarn.

Pass the modern Church of St Martin in Louvigny and follow the road along the ridge until you reach Fichous-Riumayou and eventually Larreule, the site of a Benedictine monastery founded in 995. When you reach Larreule you must call the hotel owner and he will come to find you and take you to Casteide Candau.

Today the hotel owner will transport you to Pomps so that you may continue on the trail. Pomps has a 17th century church with an interesting octagon-shaped tower. In Castillon there is a an 11th century church of St Pierre that was used as a hospital for pilgrims and travellers at that time. Also walk through the long and narrow town of Arthez-de-Béarn (nearly 2km from one end to the other!) which is situated along a ridge. See some interesting old houses and ramparts, remnants from the Wars of Religion.

This morning you will encounter one of the greatest sights of the Camino Le Puy Way, the Cistercian Abbey of Sauvelade, founded by Gaston IV of Béarn in 1128. Before reaching the abbey follow the Gave de Pau from which there are stunning views over the faraway mountains.

Upon reaching Sauvelade it is worth stopping to view the abbey and its statue of St James before continuing on through the farmyard of Labarthe. Then cross a ford before arriving in the medieval bastide town of Navarranx with its rustic and elegant houses. In former times this town had a large population of cagot (outcasts), many of whom became important public figures in the 20th century.

As you depart the fortified town of Navarrenx you cross a bridge over the river and head towards Castenau-Camblong with its Béarn-style houses. You will pass two chateaux today, Montgaston and Joantho, the former you can visit, but the latter is privately owned. Once you get close to Lichos you have now crossed from the Béarn into French Basque country.

Over the next few days, as you walk from one region to the next, the change in landscapes from green wooded hillsides to steep farm country with lofty conifers becomes more and more apparent.

As Lichos is off the GR65 footpath you will need to read your map carefully this morning to get back on the main route. As you reach south of Lichos and back on the GR65 path you will see the Stele de Gibraltar to the right, a stone cross that marks where the three French Camino routes of Le Puy, Vezelay and Tours were thought to have met. Now officially in the Basque country many of the signs are written in the Basque language and in every town and village there is a pelota court (a traditional Basque game).

En route to Larceveau you will also go through Ostabat-Asme, a small village today, but in the Middle Ages it was a very important gathering point for pilgrims coming along the different routes. At this time in history the hospitals and inns along the route were able to accommodate up to 5000 pilgrims at a time, but today there is just a gite d’etape and the Maison Optalier. Arrive into Larceveau where you anticipate your last day of walking along the trail tomorrow and into St Jean Pied de Port.

Today is the last stage of the Camino Le Puy Way and as you walk along you are constantly greeted with magnificent views of the snow-capped Pyrenees.

Walk through Ainchice Mongelos and see the ancient chapel of Bustince before walking uphill through St Jean le Vieux and arriving in St Jean Pied de Port, your final destination. It is a small town, only 8km from the border of Spain and has ancient cobbled streets and several places of interest, such as the Citadelle, and the Prison des Evêques. Just as other pilgrims have done you will enter the town along the GR65 by the Porte St Jacques.

Bid farewell to the Camino Le Puy today. After breakfast check out of your hotel and make your onward journey.