Camino Le Puy: Stage 2 – Aumont Aubrac to Conques – 8 Days

DISTANCE - ABOVE AVERAGE

Distance training is a major consideration in your overall training program. As you progress, incorporate longer walks into your training plan.

Schedule one or two long walks each week, gradually increasing the distance until you can comfortably cover 12-26 km in a single day. Also include walks on consecutive days to help your body adapt to the demands of walking for multiple days in a row. Take every opportunity you can to walk. If you have a fitness watch or phone, you should try to reach >15,000 steps every day.

Ensure you can comfortably walk the average distance per day displayed in the graph, at least one month before you undertake your hike.

ELEVATION - BELOW AVERAGE

Elevation is not a major consideration in your overall training program. However, you should still incorporate some form of resistance training to increase your endurance.

TERRAIN

FLAT TERRAIN

Whilst training for walking on flat and hard terrain, you should focus on building endurance and ensuring you can maintain a comfortable pace.

Start with regular walks on sidewalks, roads, or paved paths to get used to the surface. Maintain a proper posture and engage your core muscles to support your back, keeping a steady gait. Ensure that you have comfortable, supportive footwear with adequate cushioning. If endurance is important, consider incorporating low-impact cross-training activities like swimming or cycling into your routine.

MOUNTAINOUS / UNDULATING TERRAIN

As terrain associated with mountain climbs is often somewhat uneven and rocky, balancing and core exercises are vital.

Try to also include some form of elevation in more than 50% of your walking and prioritise resistance training, whilst incorporating stairs anytime you can. Walking up mountains or hills, up and down stairs at work, or up and down at a local oval with a grandstand is incredibly useful. Elevation is often where walkers encounter problems not distance, as it uses an entirely different set of muscles to everyday flat walking. Concentrate on doing lots of squats and lunges to build your glute muscles.

AVAILABILITY

This tour is available from the start of April through October.

On some occasions, but not often, the walk days may vary slightly regarding their length to what we have advertised. This allows us to book the 7  accommodations in sequence to facilitate this walk.

Solo walking is allowed, but as there are many transfers that are costed as being shared across 2 walkers, this will come at an extra cost. Please speak to the office about the price of this.

WEATHER

The route runs across a variety of terrain. The weather is generally mild and good for walking in both the early season (late April to early May) and the latter part of the season (late August to mid-October). You can expect comfortable temperatures and beautiful scenery with blooming flowers in spring and autumn colours later on. Just be ready for some rain during both periods, and late September is often a sweet spot with nice weather and fewer people.

THE WALKING

We may have to shorten or even lengthen the walking day to make the accommodation bookings work. Of course, we will let you know if this happens. The Camino is a well-trodden route, so the trails are very well defined for the most part. You will follow an ancient pilgrim trail;  whilst sections of the walk will take you deep into the picturesque countryside, you will also walk through urban environments and along roads as you follow the most accurate route possible.

You should be used to walking up to 26km. On any typical day, you will hike on rocky trails, farm and forest tracks and cover long sections in the open countryside. You will sustain climbs to hilltop towns, villages, and the rolling countryside. You will also walk on some roads, so please be mindful of all road users at all times.

The route is well waymarked by the iconic scallop-shell markers, and with the many other walkers on the trail, it’s straightforward to find your way. For each walk, you will be provided daily walk notes, a map and the GPX tracks if you wish to use them for your own device.

HOW TO GET THERE AND AWAY

The tour starts in Aumont-Aubrac and finishes in Conques. The best way to reach Aumont-Aubrac is by arriving at one of the following airports: Clermont-Ferrand  or Lyon.

From Clermont-Ferrand, take a local train to Aumont-Aubrac for approximately 3.5 hours.

To leave Conques, you’ll typically combine local bus or taxi with train travel. Get a bus to Rodez which is around an hour travel to Saint-Christophe or Decazeville.

INSURANCE

We require that you have adequate travel insurance against potential losses, damage or injury, including cancellation costs and loss of luggage.

For all trips that require international travel, you must have purchased travel insurance that also includes medical evacuation coverage.

We also charge a cancellation fee if you cancel your walking holiday after we have confirmed it to cover costs incurred from our suppliers and in the office.  See the FAQ section for more information.