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The earliest pilgrim records on the French Way of St James, or Chemin du Puy, date back to 950 AD. However the popularity of the trail today can be traced to more recent times when the long distance GR65 hiking route was created in the 1970s. As more modern-day travellers began to seek ways to Santiago, the French Way of St James stood out as the most spectacular, taking in some of the most scenic parts of France. Recently, every year many cyclists are also embarking on the great adventure.
The French Way of St James begins in Le Puy-en-Velay and travels across the high plateaus of the Massif Central, the volcanic highlands of Velay, rustic villages, impressive castles, quaint villages, and a myriad of monuments all through the painfully picturesque French countryside. For today’s traveller this is one of the most beautiful of all The Ways!
