The GR65, known as the Chemin du Puy or Via Podiensis, is the most popular French starting point for the Camino de Santiago, running 735km from Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the Spanish border, where most pilgrims continue onto the Camino Francés.
Routekaart
Terrein
Rolling French countryside through the Auvergne volcanic hills, the Aubrac plateau, the Lot valley and Gascony, with a mix of farm tracks, forest paths and quiet lanes. Generally moderate walking with occasional steeper stretches in the Aubrac and Auvergne sections. Waymarked with the GR's red-and-white flashes alongside the Camino's scallop shell symbol.
Tips
A pilgrim's credencial (passport), available at the start in Le Puy, gets you into gîtes d'étape and albergues along the route and is stamped daily. The Aubrac plateau crossing is beautiful but exposed — check weather before setting out in poor conditions. Many walkers do it in stages over several years rather than in one trip.
Vergunningen & toegang
No permit required, though most walkers carry a pilgrim credencial (available at the start point) for access to pilgrim accommodation.