Day 1: Le Puy to Montbonnet

~10 miles, mostly uphill (although fairly easy overall)

I’m not even sure where to begin. Today was a multitude of days all contained within about 10 miles of waking. We started in Le-Puy-en-Valley and ended in Montbonnet, crossing farmlands, fields, tiny villages, and many hills. The day was relatively cool (low 60’s) and it rained on and off throughout the morning and afternoon. The scenery was spectacular! There were wildflowers everywhere; bursts of yellow and pink and purple and blue and white. There were fields of light green and dark green and muted yellow and bursts of bright blue shining through dark clouds. The rain was mostly mist but also occasionally came down in heavy sheets.

A few miles into our walk, we met a lovely couple from Australia and we ended up (serendipitously) staying at the same Auberge in Montbonnet (La Barbelotte). We were the only four people staying the night, which makes me think that booking 3 months in advance may have been unnecessary. We had a lovely three course meal, which included a salad and local charcuterie, baked chicken with gravy and fries, perhaps the best ice cream I have ever had (praline), and an after dinner digestive (Verveine), which was a dark green, herbal liqueur that was a specialty of the region. We drank local wine and talked for hours about our lives and the world.

Le Puy was stunning; a town built on ancient volcanic hills and spires. The Via Podiensis begins at the Cathedral, which sits atop the town and is accessed by walking up winding cobblestone streets and multiple sets of staircases. There is a daily morning mass for pilgrims that begins at 7am and includes a blessing for the journey ahead. I am not Catholic, but enjoyed the ritual and community aspect of the gathering. At the end of mass large metal gates in the floor open up and reveal a staircase leading out of the church to begin the walk. It’s dramatic and symbolic and an exciting start to the walk.

We had the privilege of starting our walk on market day, which was in the small town square filled with vendors of all kinds. We bought some trail mix and dried fruit, but the bread and cheese and roast chicken and endless rows of fruits and vegetables looked delicious!

Day 1 was an amazing adventure and we are so happy to be here!