Le Puy-en-Velay : usefull advices to start Saint James’ Way

Le Puy en Velay, starting point of the route to Santiago de Compostela

Le Puy-en-Velay, a UNESCO world heritage and starting point of Camino de Santiago, enjoys a unique historical and architectural heritage that you must discover before you start your hike on the way to Santiago de Compostela.

Not to be missed :

Le Puy-en-Velay old city

A walk inside the historical and preserved sector of Le Puy en Velay is mandatory before you start your hike along the Saint James way : Place du Plot (a colorfull local market every saturday morning), Rue Raphaël, Place des Tables dominated by the cathedral, Place du Martouret, Rue Pannessac... Beyond its pilgrimage, Le Puy-en-Velay get part of its old prosperity from lace-making (you can visit few shops in the old town).

Notre Dame du Puy Cathedral

Visit the website

Saint Michel d'Aiguilhe Chapel

A charming, picturesque chapel, perched on the top of the rock, under the old town.
Visit the website

Le Camino

With a very modern scenography, visitors are immediately immersed in the Saint James pilgrimage atmostphere. Le Camino is a museum but also a place to get advices and meet pilgrims leaving for the route to Santiago de Compostela. The café des pèlerins and its wonderful garden is a nice stop close to the Cathedral.
Visit the website

Where to eat, where to sleep in Le Puy-en-Velay ?

A list of accommodations in Le Puy-en-Velay
A list of restaurants in Le Puy-en-Velay

Where to get a Credencial or Pilgrims' Passport ?

Get a Credencial from the Cathedral :

The Credencial is a document which you will need to get stamped along your route to Santiago de Compostela and it is then handed in at the Pilgrim's office in Santiago who will issue you a certificate issue to say you have completed the Camino. It is also used by many refuge or pilgrims hostal along the way, and without it, some of them may not give you a bed for the night.
Once you have your Credencial and have started your Camino you will need to get this stamped on a daily basis. You can do this at the Albergue or Refugio you are staying in for the night or at the local church.
In Le Puy en Velay, you can get your Credencial after the Mass and benediction directly at the Remise de la Cathédrale, everyday after 7am from April 1st to October 31st. , D, then from November 1st to March 31st from monday to friday after 7.am

Get a Pilgrim's passport :

The association « les amis de Saint Jacques » provide assistance to pilgrims starting their route to Compostela from April 1st to October 15th every evening from 5.30pm to 7.30pm, at Le Camino - 2 rue de la Manécanterie - 43 000 Puy-en-Velay.

How to get to le Puy-en-Velay ?

By train :

Trains from Lyon (via Saint-Étienne) and Clermont-Ferrand.
• By phone from France dial 3635 or +338 92 35 35 35
• Get more details about regional train on +339 69 36 39 68
• Look at the SNCF (French train company) website : www.sncf.com, www.voyages-sncf.com, www.auvergne-mobilite.fr

By place :

There is a small airport at Loudes (20 mn drive from Le Puy city center). Daily flight from Monday to Friday from Paris Orly sud.
Informations : Compagnie Hexair - Tel. +334 71 08 62 28

Where to park your vehicule ?

During your hike along the way to Santiago de Compostela, you can hike your car in the underground parking area of Place du Breuil in Le Puy en Velay (parking is under surveillance). It is opened everyday but Sunday and banking days from 7am to 11pm.
The city offers a preferential rate for pilgrims leaving for Saint James' way.
Booking is compulsory. Please ask for more details at the entrance of the parking (open from Monday to Saturday 7.30am to 8pm) : +334 71 02 03 54

Usefull contacts to prepare your hike to Compostela

Comité Départemental de la Randonnée Pédestre

They welcome hikers who start their way to Santiago de Compostela at La Croisée des Chemins, 21 rue du Collège
Telephone : +334 71 04 15 95
E-mail : randohauteloire@wanadoo.fr
Website : www.lacroiseedeschemins.com
From October 1st to April 30 : Monday to Saturday from 9am to 5pm
From May 1st to September 30th : Monday to Saturday from 9am to 12am and 2pm to 7pm

Les Amis de Saint-Jacques du Velay

This association provides assistance to pilgrims starting their route to Compostela for more than 15 years in Le Puy en Velay. From April 1st to October 15th every evening from 5.30pm to 7.30pm at Camino - 2 rue de la Manécanterie - 43 000 Puy-en-Velay.
You can also get your Credencial or pilgrims passport there.
Contact : M. Claude MOREL - Tel. : +336 37 08 65 83 - Email : claude_morel@orange.fr or M. Georges PERRET - Tel. : 04 71 75 26 12 (from 9.30am to 11am) - Email : georges.perret@laposte.net

Notre Dame du Puy Cathedral

Pilgrims mass is celebrated everyday at the cathedral of Le Puy-en-Velay at 7am.
It is in the main Cathedral from April 1st to October 30th, and then in the chapelle des reliques from November 1st to Mars 31th (no mass on saturdays and sunday during that time).
The mass is followed by the pilgrims blessing.
To get more details

Le Puy en Velay tourist office

The tourist office is opean daily, 2 place du Clauzel :
July and August from 8.30 to 7pm
April to September from 8.30 to 12am and 1.30pm to 6.15pm
Telephone : +334 71 09 38 41
Email : info@ot-lepuyenvelay.fr
Website : www.ot-lepuyenvelay.fr

They have edited along with the Comité Départemental de la Randonnée Pédestre de Haute-Loire, a practical guidebook to help you to organise your trip along the road to Santiago de Compostela from Le Puy en Velay to Figeac.
> Download the practical guide online