🇫🇷 Le Puy-en-Velay

Le Puy-en-Velay station is about a 10-minute walk from the cathedral and the old town at the base of the volcanic peaks. Walk north along Avenue Charles Dupuy to reach the dramatic historic centre.

TER Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes trains connect Le Puy to Saint-Etienne in about 80 minutes, where connections to Lyon and Paris are available. The scenic line through the volcanic Velay landscape is one of France's most attractive regional rail journeys.

Luggage storage at the station is limited. The station has a ticket office and basic facilities. For pilgrims starting the Camino de Santiago, hotels near the cathedral usually store bags.

Le Puy is one of France's most dramatic towns, with the Romanesque cathedral built into a cliff, the Chapel of Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe perched on a volcanic needle, and the colossal red Virgin statue on the Rocher Corneille. The town is also famous for its handmade bobbin lace.

Le Puy-en-Velay is one of the four traditional starting points for the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. The Via Podiensis (GR 65) begins at the cathedral and is the most popular French route, covering 730 kilometres to the Spanish border.