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Hotel Deltour

Address 4 rue de Genebret, Brives Charensac, 43700, FRANCE Phone 04 71 05 92 23 E-mail [email protected]

Tourism

Le Puy-en-Velay: volcanoes, pilgrimage and heritage

The Le Puy-en-Velay urban area comprises 72 municipalities, including Brives-Charensac, just a few minutes from the town centre. Known in France and abroad, the destination has a rich history dating back to the Palaeolithic era.

The European capital of the Ways of Saint James, Le Puy-en-Velay is the starting point of the Via Podiensis, one of the most iconic routes to Santiago de Compostela. At the heart of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region, the town also stands out for its volcanic plateaus and monuments built on impressive rocky peaks.

Numerous hiking trails around Le Puy-en-Velay

Until the 10th century, pilgrims came to Le Puy-en-Velay to pray to the Virgin Mary. The town later became a major starting point for the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Godescalc, Bishop of Le Puy, helped establish the city as one of the great departure points for this pilgrimage.

Today, the GR65 remains an essential route. Other major trails also invite you to discover the landscapes of Haute-Loire. The GR3 follows the course of the Loire, the GR70 leads in the footsteps of writer Robert Louis Stevenson, and the GR40 crosses the Velay volcanoes.

Haute-Loire also offers more than 1,600 kilometres of marked GR trails, along with an extensive network of walking and hiking routes. Everyone can find a trail suited to their pace, through villages, plateaus, valleys and volcanic landscapes.

Le Puy-en-Velay, tourism and history

Located in the Henri-Vinay garden, the Crozatier Museum is an encyclopaedic museum founded in 1820. Its collections explore history, fine arts, science and the culture of Le Puy-en-Velay. They include ancient treasures, works dating from the 15th to the 20th century and a remarkably well-preserved mastodon.

Notre-Dame-du-Puy Cathedral, built in the Romanesque style, stands on the site of an ancient sanctuary dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Legend has it that the Virgin appeared there in the 5th century on a large dark slab known as the fever stone. This story contributed to the development of Marian worship in the city.

The fever stone can still be seen inside the cathedral. The Black Virgin is honoured during major religious celebrations.

Next to the cathedral, the Hôtel-Dieu now houses a museum and the Hôtel des Lumières digital art centre. Its immersive displays offer another way to discover the culture and history of Le Puy-en-Velay.

Discover Le Puy-en-Velay

At the heart of Haute-Loire, Le Puy-en-Velay invites you to discover a town steeped in history, shaped by…

Stage on the Way of Saint James

Le Puy-en-Velay is the European capital of the Ways of Saint James. The town marks the starting point…

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