The way of Saint James – From Espalion to Cahors

The way of Saint James – From Espalion to Cahors

Via Podiensis is one of the four main pilgrimage routes to the Spanish sanctuary of Santiago de Compostela from Le Puy en Velay, a Marian sanctuary since the fifth century. Since the Middle Ages, millions of pilgrims have left from Le Puy to journey to the Spanish Galicia, at the extremity of the Iberian Peninsula, to venerate the relics of Saint James, one of Christ’s apostles. This pilgrimage is today registered on the World Heritage list of UNESCO.
Walking along the heights of the Lot Valley, you will arrive in the lovely city of Conques, a treasure of Romanesque art nestled in a small, scallop-shell-shaped valley. You will cross through the Decazeville Basin, formerly a large coal field, and arrive in Figeac and Cajarc. From there you will head across the Causse of Limogne, a large area of sparse vegetation and stunted trees, to Cahors, an old town tucked into a curve of the Lot River.

STANDARD : accommodation in 2 star hotels with terroir dinners

COMFORT : accommodation in 3 or 4 star hotels with gourmet dinners

Standard tour description

Day 1: Arrival at Espalion
Day 2: Espalion – Estaing (13 km)
Day 3: Estaing – Espeyrac (24 km)
Day 4: Espeyrac – Conques (15 km)
Day 5: Conques – Livinhac le Haut (24 km)
Day 6: Livinhac Le Haut – Figeac (25.5 km)
Day 7: Faycelles – Cajarc (23 km)
               Taxi transfer from Figeac to Faycelles
Day 8: Limogne en Quercy – Lalbenque (25 km)
               Taxi transfer from Cajarc to Limogne
Day 9: Lalbenque – Cahors (24 km)
Day 10: Cahors – End of the tour after breakfast

Comfort tour description

Day 1: Arrival at Espalion
Day 2: Espalion – Estaing (13 km)
Day 3: Estaing – Espeyrac (24 km)
               Taxi transfer to Entraygues at the end of the day
Day 4: Espeyrac – Conques (15 km)
               Taxi transfer at Espeyrac in the morning
Day 5: Conques – Livinhac le Haut (24 km)
Day 6: Livinhac Le Haut – Figeac (25.5 km)
Day 7: Faycelles – Cajarc (23 km)
               Taxi transfer from Figeac to Faycelles
Day 8: Limogne en Quercy – Lalbenque (25 km)
               Taxi transfer from Cajarc to Limogne
Day 9: Lalbenque – Cahors (24 km)
Day 10: Cahors – End of the tour after breakfast

What’s included?

• Accomodation and breakfast
• Dinners according to description and selected range of services
• Hotel to hotel luggage transfer along the trail.
• A set of maps (1/25 000 scale) with the route marked on and detailed route notes describing the trail.
• A daily itinerary together with information about facilities and places of interest along the trail.
• Emergency assistance in English