Trekking France's own Pilgrimage trail, the St-Giles Way [M]

Tour Highlights

Key Facts

• Eight-night tour, with arrivals any day from April to mid-October.
• Self-guided, moderate [M], inn-to-inn trekking.
• Start in Le Puy and finish in Alès - with optional 4-day extension to St Gilles in Camargue.
• Luggage transfers, with weight restrictions at 16 kgs per person.
• Best access is from Lyon, with onward train to Puy-en-Velay. There is also an option from Nimes.

Please click the headings below or scroll down.
1. Theme
2. Model 8-night Trekking the Saint-Gilles Way
3. Accommodation
4. What's Included
5. Prices

1. Theme

Trekking France’s St-Giles Way takes you along the overlooked medieval pilgrimage route that runs from Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Gilles-du-Gard in the Camargue, a total distance of 211 kilometres or 140 miles. As treks in France go, this 'best of' tour sees you walking from Le Puy to Ales, a distance of nearly 140 kilometres or 90 miles.

You hike high volcanic plateau, the schist slopes of the Céze Valley and the foothills of the Cevennes; through medieval villages and linear settlements, and through twelve centuries of history. If you like historical hiking, then this is one of those walking tours in France that is a must.

Trekking France’s St-Giles Way accurately traces the path that pilgrims, traders and armies, not to mention the Reformation, would have followed en route to Lower Languedoc, St Gilles and beyond. It is an authentic hiking-in-France experience designed for those who wish to hike, as far as is possible, the original path.

The stretch of the medieval trail that passes through the Mediterranean garrigue can be walked in a further 4 or 5 days - please ask us for details on this optional extension to our advertised treks in France.

Note: The French Tourist Board and the Hiking Federation wrongly refer to this trail as The Regordane. Please note that the historically correct title is The St Giles Way or Le Chemin de St Gilles. Only the section between Luc and Ales was ever referred to as Le Chemin de Regordane.

Day 1. Le Puy.

Arrival and hotel check-in. A visit to Le Puy merits a day's stay itself, so much history is there here to enjoy.
Night in Le Puy.

Day 2. Le Puy to Costaros. 13 miles-19.5 kms.

You climb 250 ms to the historic 'L’Estrade' and beyond, along the original St Giles Way and on the southern Massif Central plateau at over 1000 ms altitude. The trail takes you through a series of hamlets that straddle nine centuries of French history.
Night near Costaros.

Day 3. Costaros to Pradelles. 12 miles-18 kms

You continue your hike across the volcanic plateau. The walking is gentle and uphill for most of the day, with an elevation gain of only 160 ms. The blissful isolation is broken by the occasional hamlet before you arrive at the remarkable medieval walled ‘cité’ of Pradelles and some fabulous views over the whole region.
Night in Pradelles.

Day 4. Pradelles to La Bastide.16.5 miles-25 kms.

Day 5. La Bastide to Villefort.10.5 miles-16 kms.

You walk the most enchanting section of the volcanic plateau along a remarkable footpath en route to a medieval village overlooking the Chaussezac gorge. Then you commence your descent over the schist slopes down towards the majestic site of Lake Villefort.
Night in Villefort.

Day 6. Villefort to Genholac. 10 miles-15 kms.

There's the chance to visit a clifftop chapel, subject of its own pilgrimage, before you enter the Gard via the villages at the foot of Mont Lozere, see the source of the River Ceze and visit typical linear settlements en route with their unique Roman churches.
Night in Genolhac.

Day 7. Genolhac to Portes. 11.5 miles-17 kms.

March from the Huguenot stronghold through the countryside of the Cevennes' most famous writer, J-P Chabrol. The Chamborigaud viaduct is impressive and the site of Portes Castle a reminder of its strategic position as the northern gateway to The Cevennes.
Night near Portes.

Day 8. Portes to Mas Dieu [Alès]. 11.5 miles-17 kms.

You follow the watershed between the Ceze and the Gardon valleys, and traverse an apocalyptic mine as you pass from mountain to Mediterranean flora. Collection from Mas Dieu, de-briefing and night in Alès.
Night in Alès.

Day 9. End of your hiking in France.

A memorable trek has brought you to Alès, from where you depart on your onward journey to Nimes or Montpellier. If you want to visit St-Gilles Abbey, a UNESCO heritage site and resting place of St-Gilles-Aegidius, ask us for details.

These are your 8 overnight stops:
1. Le Puy; 2. Costaros; 3. Pradelles; 4. La Bastide; 5. Villefort; 6. Genholac; 7. Portes; 8. Alès.

¹ Important note: This allows you to take one piece of luggage per person up to 16kgs.

5. Prices 2012

• Visit Regordane Info, the official portal for The Régordane and the St-Gilles Way in France.

• Read our background article on The Saint-Gilles Way entitled, Le Chemin Régordane.

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