The GR65 - Via Podiensis, Le Puy to the Pyrenees; Dave Whitson on the pilgrim route and guidebook

Expert insights into the Via Podiensis (Chemin du Puy) pilgrim route along the GR65 through southern France to the Pyrenees. Dual Pilgrim and author Dave Whitson talks about his guidebook to the 750km route linking Le Puy-en-Velay with Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and the start of the Camino Francés to Santiago. Dave covers both the Célé Valley and Rocamadour variants. Find out about all the Via Podiensis has to offer including the best of French village life, offering a unique combination of pleasant trails, quaint historic communities and cultural delights.

If you'd like to walk the GR65 yourself then you can get the Cicerone guidebook by Dave Whitson, Camino de Santiago - Via Podiensis, Le Puy to the Pyrenees on the GR65 here:
https://www.cicerone.co.uk/camino-de-...

Highlights of the route include the Aubrac plateau, a stunningly rugged high-level region; the Lot Valley, containing a series of 'the most beautiful villages in France', perched on the winding river; the Célé River Valley, featuring limestone cliffs, prehistoric cave paintings and more idyllic villages; the pilgrimage centres of Rocamadour and Conques; the Western Pyrenees.

The Cicerone guidebook includes:
an overview map of the Via Podiensis, route summary tables, stage planning tables and a French-English glossary
The introduction covers stories of St James and St Roch, the history of the Via Podiensis and the regions encountered along the route. Also guidance on planning your walk, choosing your route, when to go, preparation and planning, being a pilgrim, getting there and back, where to stay, tips for making the most of your walk, what to pack, food and drink, postal services and baggage transportation, telephones and internet and local facilities.

Accommodation listings are comprehensive, and elevation profiles, maps and GPZ tracks are all available.

Stage 1 Le Puy-en-Velay to Montbonnet
Stage 2 Montbonnet to Saugues
Stage 3 Saugues to Domaine du Sauvage
Stage 4 Domaine du Sauvage to Aumont-Aubrac
Stage 5 Aumont-Aubrac to Nasbinals
Stage 6 Nasbinals to Saint-Côme-d’Olt
Stage 7 Saint-Come-d’Ôlt to Estaing
Stage 8 Estaing to Conques
Stage 9 Conques to Livinhac-le-Haut
Stage 10 Livinhac-le-Haut to Figeac
Stage 11 Figeac to Cajarc
Stage 12 Cajarc to Varaire
Stage 13 Varaire to Cahors
Stage 14 Cahors to Lascabanes
Stage 15 Lascabanes to Lauzerte
Stage 16 Lauzerte to Moissac
Stage 17 Moissac to Auvillar
Stage 18 Auvillar to Lectoure
Stage 19 Lectoure to Condom
Stage 20 Condom to Éauze
Stage 21 Éauze to Nogaro
Stage 22 Nogaro to Aire-sur-l’Adour
Stage 23 Aire-sur-l’Adour to Arzacq-Arraziguet
Stage 24 Arzacq-Arraziguet to Arthez-de-Béarn
Stage 25 Arthez-de-Béarn to Navarrenx
Stage 26 Navarrenx to Aroue
Stage 27 Aroue to Ostabat-Asme
Stage 28 Ostabat-Asme to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Célé Valley variant
Stage C1 Figeac to Espagnac-Sainte-Eulalie
Stage C2 Espagnac-Sainte-Eulalie to Marcilhac-sur-Célé
Stage C3 Marcilhac-sur-Célé to Cabrerets
Stage C4 Cabrerets to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie
Stage C5 Saint-Cirq-Lapopie to Cahors

Rocamadour variant
Stage R1 Figeac to Lacapelle-Marival
Stage R2 Lacapelle-Marival to Gramat
Stage R3 Gramat to Rocamadour
Stage R4 Rocamadour to Labastide-Murat
Stage R5 Labastide-Murat to Vers
Stage R6 Vers to Cahors

Connecting to the Camino del Norte
The GR10
The Voie Nive Bidassoa

BUY the book:
Camino de Santiago - Via Podiensis, Le Puy to the Pyrenees on the GR65 here:
https://www.cicerone.co.uk/camino-de-...

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About Dave Whitson
Dave Whitson is a high school History teacher in Portland, Oregon and a graduate of the University of Washington. He made his first pilgrimage in 2002 on the Camino Francés and was inspired to return with a group of his high school students, which he did in 2004. He has led a total of seven student pilgrimage trips, including five on the Camino de Santiago (four on the Francés and one on the Norte) and two on the Via Francigena. In addition, he has made long distance treks in Norway on the Pilgrim Road to Nidaros, in England on the North Downs Way to Canterbury, and in Turkey on the Lycian Way. All told, he has walked roughly 10,000 kilometers on pilgrim roads in Europe. Dave first walked the Camino del Norte and Camino Primitivo in 2008, returned with a student group in 2009, and then re-walked it in 2011 to ensure up-to-date route information for his guidebook.