Camino Le Puy Way: Stage 4
- The wonderful town of Cahors, the capital of the Lot region
- Abbey Church of Moissac, a World UNESCO Heritage Site
- The tranquility and remoteness of the landscapes
- Green round hills and historical heritage of the Garonne river plain
- Finest fortified medieval bridge in Europe, the Pont Valentré
Gallery
Itinerary
Day 1 Arrive in CahorsArrive in Cahors and settle in to your comfortable hotel. Spend some time looking around this town in order to discover it’s rich historical heritage. Explore the Cathedral of St-Etienne with its amazing cloisters, several interesting churches and the Pont Valentré, the finest fortified medieval bridge in Europe.
This 2* hotel is situated in the town centre, near the train station and the famous bridge Valentré. The hotel holds recently renovated rooms, equipped with TV and free WiFi.
Cross the medieval bridge of Pont Valentré and climb the staircase to the cross of Pech d’Angely from which you can take your last look at Cahors before setting off on the trail to Labastide-Marnhac. Continue along uplands and through woodlands passing the hamlet of Baffalie before arriving in Lascabanes, a prosperous village and today's destination.
Ascent: +361m (1184ft) / Descent: -303m (994ft)
Le Clos de Gamel is a small hamlet made up of white stone houses and barns entirely restored in the style of the local tradition. You will stay in the guest room with an en suite bathroom and a mezzanine bedroom. There is also a large living room with a private terrace. If you fancy a dip after your day of walking there is also a swimming pool.
Head towards Rouillac which you pass on your right hand side. Emerge briefly onto an open plateau before arriving in Montlauzen and into the department of Tarn et Garonne. Lauzerte is next, a bastide hill town dating from the 12th century. See it’s medieval houses and two churches, one of which has a modern statue of St James as a pilgrim inside.
Ascent: +397m (1302ft) / Descent: -378m (1240ft)

An independent and family establishment that has 9 rooms and offers a warm welcome to pilgrims. With its pretty terrace, pleasant in fine weather, and its dining room in warm and bright colors, the Hotel du Quercy welcomes you all year round in Lauzerte. Frédéric Bacou, member and co-president of the Association des Restaurateurs du Tarn-et-Garonne (82) offers regional cuisine, made from fresh and seasonal products, benefiting from the Label Fait Maison.
Cross three bridges, then pass a dovecote and the Church of Saint-Sermin-du-Bosc which was restored in 1991 and onwards to Durfort. Along this particular stretch of the route, locals put out big jugs of cold water along the route for travellers and pilgrims, which you can stop and drink when you are thirsty. Then descend to a stream and walk up to a ridge before arriving in Moissac which is dominated by it’s Abbey Church of St Pierre.
Ascent: +414m (1358ft) / Descent: -572m (1876ft)
A beautiful family run hotel offering great hospitality, delicious food and comfortable rooms. If you arrive on a Sunday, Monday or Bank Holiday please could you call to advise approximately what time you will arrive (after 2pm).
This morning the trail takes you along the River Tarn, cross a lockgate and then continues onto Boudou, from which there is a viewpoint over the surrounding countryside. Next walk through the hamlet of Timbrune before arriving in the delightful village of Auvillar which has a charming cobblestone plaza and a medieval circular market. This town overlooks the River Garonne and is classified as one of France’s Most Beautiful Villages.
Ascent: +339m (1112ft) / Descent: -306m (1003ft)
A lovely hotel owned by a friendly and attentive couple. You will really enjoy the friendly service in this comfortable hotel.
As you depart from Auvillar walk along the Rue de l’Horloge and under the archway beneath the clock. Entering the Gers region you then walk through the quaint villages of Bardigues, St Antoine, and Flamarens where you can see its12th century castle, part of which was destroyed by fire in 1945. The undulating countryside in this area consists mainly of cornfields and row upon row of sunflowers. After a picnic lunch and perhaps some refreshments in a local café you arrive into Miradoux, the oldest bastide in the Gers.
Ascent: +361m (1184ft) / Descent: -286m (938ft)
Pascale welcome you warmly in her guest house in the nice village of Sainte Mère, 5 kms away from the GR
Today is your final day of walking through these beautiful and ancient rural routes of France. Depart from Miradoux this morning and walk past the Chateaux de Fieux and then Castet Arrouy, which means red castle and originally the site of a small fort. Continue past the church and walk along grassy tracks, through farms and past a very large wayside cross before arriving in Lectoure. As today is a relatively short walking day you should have time to explore this town which was once an important stopping point on this pilgrimage route. It sits high above the Gers River and has a 15th century cathedral built after Louis XI destroyed the previous one. It's also a striking tower with a round turret attached to the bell-tower.
Ascent: +284m (931ft) / Descent: -306m (1003ft)
Family run hotel with a lovely swimming pool. Clothes washing facilities available.
Bid farewell to the Camino Le Puy today. After breakfast check out of your hotel and make your onward journey.
This trip has a carbon score of 15kg per person per night, meaning it’s one of our best trips! For comparison, a carbon count of 15kg is equivalent to 4.5 cheeseburgers. Here at Macs, we pride ourselves on being a responsible travel company and continue to adopt, develop and innovate ways to positively impact the environment. Find out more information on how we've carbon counted our trips.
Other Information
Is it for me?You can either complete Stage 4 of this pilgrimage route as a self-guided walking tour in its own right, or you may complete more or all of the sections at the same time. This particular section is graded as moderate, however the daily distances do range from 33 km to only 15 km on the last day. You will stay in comfortable hotels whilst enjoying the camaraderie of fellow pilgrims and travellers.
Pilgrimages | For those looking to follow a path of self-discovery. Our Pilgrimage and Camino routes take you on a journey through diverse landscapes and local flavours, while meeting like-minded adventurers along the way.
Inn to Inn Walking | Walk from place-to-place changing accommodations each night. Generally staying in B&Bs, inns, and guesthouses.
Solo Travellers, Families with Teens
The minimum age for this tour is: 12 Years
This walk is graded moderate and includes daily walks of 15-33km. The walk is extremely well way-marked and you will also be supplied with turn by turn route notes and detailed maps so you will have no problem following the route each day. On the Le Puy Camino you will follow a mixture of farm/dirt tracks, minor roads and footpaths.
On this self-guided walk in France you will stay in comfortable 1 or 2* hotels.
Please note that on occasion you may not have en suite rooms.
Alternate accommodation
You might be booked into alternative accommodations which are not listed in the description. If those listed are unavailable the alternative accommodation will be of the same or better standard as those described.
Single Rooms & Solo Walkers
If you require single rooms within your party we would be happy to accommodate you although there is a single room supplement payable. Solo walkers are also welcome, and again, a supplement is payable.
Meals
Daily breakfasts and dinners at your hotels are included. Breakfasts are buffet-style and dinners will be the “meal of the day” at the hotel. If you want a choice for dinner you can pay a supplement. You can order packed lunches at your hotel the evening before (ranging from €7 to €10) or you can buy lunch in grocery stores, cafes and restaurants en route.
The route is well waymarked with white and red painted arrows but please take care at intersections. There will always be other walkers around in case you are looking for help. A detailed information pack including route notes, local information and maps will be waiting for you at your first accommodation. You will also have access to the Macs Adventure Smartphone App enabling you to follow the route using your phone's GPS so you will have no problems finding the way. You can simply download the GPX tracks to your phone for offline use and off you go!
- 7 Nights in either 1 or 2* hotels
- 7 Breakfasts
- 7 Dinners
- Baggage transfers
- Daily route information and access to mapped GPX tracks within the Macs Adventure App
- 24/7 Emergency telephone support from our partner in France and our UK office
- Travel to Cahors
- Travel from Lectoure
- Lunches, drinks and snacks
- Personal equipment
- Travel insurance
- Mountain rescue / emergency assistance
- Additional nights before or after the holiday
This tour can be started on any day between the beginning of April and the end of October, offering flexibility to suit your travel plans. For bookings from October onwards, a supplementary charge might apply due to the out-of-season bag transfer service required.
Snow is possible in early April, particularly at higher elevations on the Camino Le Puy, especially in the Aubrac region. If you plan to begin your journey during this time, be well-prepared for wintry conditions. The weather along the Camino Le Puy varies greatly, reflecting the changing seasons and regional differences.
The best way of getting to Cahors is by train as it has a train station on the SNCF Toulouse to Paris line. You can fly into Toulouse Airport and takes a train to Cahors. Or you can even fly into Paris and take a train from here to Cahors. It is also possible to drive to Cahors and park your car in a private car park (for a fee).
There are railway stations at Auch and Agen. You can take a bus between Lectoure and either of these two stations and from here you can make your way back to Cahors to pick up your car, or by train to Toulouse or Paris for your return flights. For train schedules please check the SNCF website.
Baggage transfers are included in the Camino Le Puy trip. Your bags should be left in the reception of your accommodation every morning. Your bags will then be transferred onto your next nights’ accommodation.
Please note that the luggage transfer company have placed a limit of 13kg per person (1 piece of luggage) to be transported from accommodation to accommodation. So please pack accordingly. Please choose a soft bag rather than a hard suitcase as these can be damaged when transported. If you wish to increase the amount of luggage you want to bring the cost per transfer from accommodation to accommodation will be an additional €8.50 per person, per bag. This must be paid for locally.
At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase. Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person and the weight of your luggage allowed is specific to the destination you will be travelling to. This is why it is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags and/or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.
It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable Travel Insurance which covers you for the activity, emergency evacuation and hospital care.
This tour is suitable for most people that are in good physical condition. It is rated moderate as the average daily mileages are quite significant.
This tour is suitable for most people that are in good physical condition. It is rated moderate as the average daily distance is 22km. You will walk through woods, fields, hamlets, villages and alongside rivers and streams. The terrain will be quite smooth, but may be slippery when wet.
We suggest you book as far in advance as possible as the Camino le Puy Way is extremely popular. We will always try and accommodate late bookings but realistically you need to book at least 6 weeks prior to departure.
The tour operates between May and October although we recommend travelling in May or June when spring wild flowers are at their peak, or in September/October when the autumn colours are stunning. July and August can be very hot if you are not used to walking in the heat.
The best way of getting to Cahors is by train as it has a train station on the SNCF Toulouse to Paris line. You can fly into Toulouse Airport and takes a train to Cahors. Or you can even fly into Paris and take a train from here to Cahors.
This tour is suitable for most people that are in good physical condition. It is rated moderate as there are some elevation gains and losses and on a couple of days there is significant mileages to be walked.
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