Starting at the Beginning

Leaving the Cathedral to start our walk at 7:30am

Starting a pilgrimage route used to be from one's front door but that is kinda hard for North Americans.  We are beginning this walk in Le Puy-en-Velay which seems like the start for many French in the same way St Jean Pied da Port (SJPP) is the start for many English speaking pilgrims.  We really like hiking in France as well as really liking French food, wine, croissants, desserts, coffee.  Our plan is to walk to St. Jean and see every little French village in between and hopefully try as much different food as we can.  We have just finished Day 2 after hiking from Le Puy to Montbonnet yesterday, and then today on to Monistrol d'Allier - just 15km each day as was our plan.  Both days very pleasant scenery (& wonderful brown & white Auvergne cows). Today had a lot of ups and downs although more downs - serious downs unfortunately as this means there will be serious ups tomorrow.  We go on to Sauges tomorrow, another fairly short day.  The differences we are finding with this hike compared to the Camino in Spain we are just discovering.  The most noticeable would be the lack of community and International folks hiking.  Most walkers are French, and many are only walking for one or two weeks.  We have met an American guy and a couple of women from Tasmania who are also planning to go to SJPP.  Just lucked into an amazing dinner in this tiny village - a British chef/owner who also ingratiated himself to us by sharing his WiFi password with us!  

To be continued -