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Accueil > Day 3 on the route de Compostela : Saugues – St Alban

Day 3 on the route de Compostela : Saugues – St Alban


la bête du gévaudan sur le chemin de compostelle

Not to be missed : Saugues

At Saugues, pilgrims are welcomed by an impressive wood carving of the beast of Gévaudan. The beast of Gévaudan, half hyena half lion, terrorized the region in the 18th century. Along that, with a rough climate and history, Saugues has kept a strong idendity over the century. Although part of the Margeride plateau, the history has forced Saugues to join the Haute Loire on the other side of the Allier river. There is a special atmostphere here, and this is the beginning of the wildest part of your way to Santiago de Compostela.

3rd stage on the way of Compostela in brief :

33 kilomètres, 5H walk
Maximale elevation : 1319m
Minimale elevation : 963m
Distance from Saugues : Villeret d'Apchier 9km > Le Sauvage 10,8km > Croisement de la Roche pour GR4 4km > Les Faux 1km > St Alban 5,5km


What to see along the Camino ?

  • At Saugues : a dungeon and St Médard cathedral with its wood carvings, the english tower and the Saint Jacques hospital
  • The Clauze tower, a leaning tower remnant form a XV century cattle
  • Le Domaine du Sauvage, the old « Domerie des Templiers » in 1217. This is also a pilgrim accommodation.
  • Saint Roch Chapel
  • Saint Alban de Limagnole Cattle : this is now the tourism office of Saint Alban de Limagnole

Where to sleep at Saint Alban de Limagnole ?


Hôtel et gîte d'étape du Centre
Tel. 04 66 31 50 04

Hôtel Relais Saint-Roch****
Tel. 04 66 31 55 48

Chambre d'hôte Auberge Saint Jacques
Tel. 04 66 31 51 76

Chambre d'hôtes
Tel. 04 66 31 53 03 ou 06 37 10 96 18

Chambre d'hôtes, M. et Mme Charbonnel
Tel. 04 66 31 51 25 ou 06 72 26 83 06

Gîte d'étape La Penote
Tel. 04 66 31 54 13 ou 06 88 24 51 32

La Maison du Pèlerin, M et Mme Conan
Tel. 04 66 45 74 33

Chambre d'hôte La maison de Grand-mère
Tel. 06 83 86 09 22

Chambre d'hôte les Drailles de la Margeride
Tel. 06 70 11 20 54

Gite snack bar de l'Europe
Tel. 06 06 81 14 81 78

Camping Le Galier**
Tel. 04 66 31 58 80

Services you can find at Saint Alban sur Limagnole

Grocery store, bakery, butchery, cafe, restaurant, doctor, nurse, pharmacy, post office, bank.


Compostel'Bus between Saugues and St Alban sur Limagnole

  • Villeret d'Apchier : In from of the Hostal Les 2 pèlerins. This stop allow you to shorten this stage presented as one of the longuest of the Camino de Santiago (33km)
  • Chanaleilles : in front of the bar
  • La Chapelle St Roch (to reach Le Sauvage) : In front of the chaptel. On the way up, the 2de way goes to Le Sauvage. Another good option to shorten this stage.
  • La Roche : to reach the GR4, another hiking route that goes from the Margeride (St Flour) to Ardèche. At 1km from la Roche, you can also stop at Les Faux to reach an hotel.
  • Les Faux : at the sign L'Oustal de Parent
  • St Alban sur Limagnole : in front of the council, place du breuil

Did you know ?

The Beast of Gevaudan is a mythical creature that was held responsible for at least 60 animal-attack deaths in 1760s France and terrorized the region during 3 years (some reports put the death toll over 100, but there has been difficulty in proving more than about 60 of the cases). Several traditional depictions of the Beast of Gevaudan show the wide variety of physical characteristics that were attributed to this monster. If there was a real animal behind these sightings and reports, it is obscured by a great deal of folklore. Locals believed it was a werewolf, or, more specifically, a sorcerer who shapeshifted into a monstrous predator in order to feed on human flesh.