We walked a part of the GR65, the ‘Grande Randonnée 65’ also called the Via Podiensis. A walk in the Midi-Pyrénées. We walked from Le Puy-en-Velay to Conques and on to Moissac.
We slept for the first time in ‘Gîtes d’Etapes’. An exciting prospect. It became a wonderful part of the journey. The Gîtes d’Etapes where we stayed overnight are ‘inns’ along the route, where you can sleep if you have a ‘credencial’; the stamp card, in which you can get a stamp in every gîte or cathedral. So this gîtes are really intended for hikers. In the morning around 9 o’clock you have to be on your way again on the next stage.

The route is known and loved by many French people. There are not many foreigners on the road. Yes, we met some people from Quebec, who are also French speaking. This means that French is the language.
The months before we went to France we tried to brush up on our French with the help of Duo-Lingo. That helped, but the best French course is practice. Not always easy, but we found the people in the gîtes to be very nice and helpful. We felt completely accepted.

Most people sleep in a dormitory; a room with several beds. But most gites also have smaller rooms. The guests eat dinner together. The food is usually very good and more than enough.

We met some hikers again later, in other gites, or along the way. Everyone is doing the same thing; walking. People are very open to each other.

Twenty nights in different gites, each with its own atmosphere, but we have good memories of all of them.

We walked from Le Puy-en-Velay to Saugues, les Faux, Aumont-Aubrac, Finieyrols, St.Chely, Espalion, Estaign, Sénerges, Conques, Livinhac, Figeac, Béduer, Cajarc, Limogne-en-Quercy, Mas de Vers, Cahors, Lascabanes, Lauzerte, Dufort la Capalette, Moissac.

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