From the volcanic pinnacle of Le Puy-en-Velay, where the Black Madonna has drawn pilgrims for over a thousand years, begins France's most beloved route to Santiago. The Via Podiensis winds through the Massif Central, passing the golden abbey of Conques before descending to the Pyrenees - a journey through landscapes and shrines that define French pilgrimage heritage.
📜 History & Significance
Le Puy-en-Velay has been a pilgrimage destination since at least the 5th century, when a vision of the Virgin Mary appeared on the volcanic rock. The bishop Godescalc made the pilgrimage to Santiago in 951, one of the first recorded French pilgrims, establishing Le Puy as a natural starting point for the journey west.
The Via Podiensis became the most traveled of the four French routes, celebrated in the Codex Calixtinus and marked by an extraordinary concentration of Romanesque art and architecture. Today it draws more pilgrims than any other French way, its GR 65 trail one of the most walked long-distance paths in Europe.
🥾 Route Overview
The Via Podiensis stretches approximately 730 km from Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, typically completed in 28-32 days of walking. The route follows the GR 65 through the volcanic landscapes of the Auvergne and the limestone plateaus of the Causses.
From Le Puy, the path crosses the Margeride highlands to Conques, then continues through Figeac and Cahors. The route descends through the Lot valley and crosses Gascony before reaching the Basque foothills and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.
☩ Key Pilgrimage Sites
Le Puy-en-Velay's Cathedral of Notre-Dame, perched on volcanic rock, houses the venerated Black Madonna. The town's extraordinary setting - with the Chapel of Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe crowning a needle of volcanic rock - has inspired pilgrims for centuries.
The Abbey of Sainte-Foy in Conques, with its magnificent Last Judgment tympanum and treasury of medieval goldwork, remains one of the most complete pilgrimage ensembles in France. Rocamadour's cliffside sanctuary and Moissac's sublime Romanesque cloister further enrich the route.
📚 Further Reading
Curated resources to help you research and plan your pilgrimage on the The Way of St James - Via Podiensis.
