Full Le Puy Camino by Bike

Arrive in Le Puy-en-Velay. Capital of Haute-Loire and located in the southeast of the Massif Central, it's an ancient town surrounded by a volcanic landscape which is dominated by rocky peaks rising from the valley floor. We recommend that you allow at least half a day to explore. Take a stroll and visit the Chapel of Saint Michel d’Aiguilhe, built by Godescalc, after his pilgrimage to Santiago in AD951. Warm up your cycling legs and climb the 267 steps for views over the town and surrounding area. You can also visit some of the many museums and the Romanesque Cathedral of Notre Dame. Make sure you purchase your pilgrim passport to have it stamped throughout your journey to St Jean Pied de Port.

Starting from the cathedral, the route ascends quickly to leave the town of Le Puy. It goes through the Monts du Velay, where green lentils are grown, and enters the volcanic range of Devès before going down into the Haut-Allier gorges, a natural frontier before the Velay and the Gévaudan areas. The ascent of the Saugues plateau will be the last difficulty of this stage. Overnight in Saugues, which is famous for its mushrooms! Cumulative: 968m/3175ft ascent, 670m/2198ft descent

Saugues is a small town famous for its English Tower, its Mushroom Fair and the legendary Beast of Gévaudan. Today's route continues into the Margeride plateau, then winds through the Truyère high valley. On your way, pass St Roch Chapel, the hightest point of this stage with an altitude of around 1300m, and cross pretty hamlets of Le Rouget, St Alban sur Limagnole and Les Estrets. Your destination is the charming town of Aumont-Aubrac (at 1043m) in the heart of Lozère, an important point on the pilgrimage route. Cumulative: 728m/2388ft ascent, 648m/2126ft descent

From Aumont-Aubrac, located in "Terre de Peyre" (land of stones), the route goes through pine groves before reaching the Aubrac plateau, covered with pastures as far as the eye can see. Just after Nasbinals, famous for the "transhumance" (at the end of May), you pass the highest point of the Le Puy Camino, col d'Aubrac, at 1340m. Further down, around Saint Côme d’Olt, the route becomes flat and you will discover the Lot valley and the lovely village of Estaing. Cumulative: 325m/1066ft ascent, 1059m/3474ft descent

Today is one of the shorter stages and also one of the most challenging, taking you through the very hilly Aveyron. Leaving Estaing and the Lot valley, there is a very steep ascent to Campuac before you continue towards Espeyrac, a nice village with its ruined castle dating from the Middle Ages. Soon after you reach Sénergues, also very interesting with its castle and the Tour Carrée, before a spectacular route takes you downhill towards Conques, classified among the most beautiful of France. You'll be amazed by St Foy Abbey-church and its tympanum of the Last Judgment, a jewel of Romanesque art on the Via Podiensis. Cumulative: 639m/2096ft ascent, 649m/2129ft descent

Start today along the river Dourdou de Conques, which brings you back along the Lot river. On the Lot, flat-bottomed boats called “gabares” used to transport charcoal to Bordeaux. The river is the connecting thread of this stage, leading you up to Livinhac-le-Haut. You then leave it behind to reach the pretty town of Figeac, by the Célé river. This is the home town of Champollion, the 'Father of Egyptology' who first deciphered hieroglyphics, and a very important pilgrimage connecting point. Cumulative: 716m/2349ft ascent, 1028m/3372ft descent

Today's route winds through the Célé valley. You will follow the road that winds alongside the river and pass typical Quercy villages including Espagnac and its lovely 13th century church, Saint Sulpice and its troglodyte houses, Marcilhac and the ruins of its Benedictine abbey church, then Sauliac and Cabrerets with its prehistoric cave of Peche Merle. A few kilometres later, in Conduché, you will find the Lot river again and then soon cross the bridge to reach Bouziès, where you stay tonight. Cumulative: 730m/2395ft ascent, 790m/2592ft descent