My chemin to be continued

    After returning from my previous "périple", I read an intriguing posting in Robert Forrester's Facebook page "Way of St. James - Via Podiensis" by Compostelle hiker, Michelle Guitard, about a variant route of the GR65, the GR 651.  This "variante", which goes by the valley of Célé River, is known locally as Paradise Valley. The photos Michelle posted were fantastic, and I was hooked there and then.  I did some research, discovered that the route was covered in the Miam-Miam Dodo, and decided that since that route could be a portion of the continuation of my chemin de Compostelle, I'd like to try it.  I have since started to sketch out the route, and I have discovered several alternatives.  The negatives of taking this variant route are that the distances between the normal stopping places are not always ideal, and the availability of places to stay varies.  Apparently in the Célé Valley, the options are considerably more sparse than along the regular route.  I will definitely want to start my journey a little earlier than I did last year, as many of the places close at the end of September.  So far I have roughed out my route as follows:

Day 1    Travel from Paris to Conques [via train to St. Christophe or Rodez then bus to Conques]

Day 2    Conques to Livinhac-le-haut 24,5 km

Day 3    Livinhac to Figeac 24.5 km

Day 4    Figeac to Espagnac 25 km

Day 5    Espagnac to Marcilhac-sur-Célé 15 km

Day 6    Marcilhac to Cabrerets 20 km

Day 7    Cabrerets to Pasturat 18 km

Day 8    Pasturat to Cahors 22 km

Day 9    Cahors to Lascabanes 23 km

Day 10  Lascabanes to Lauzerte 22 km
 

Day 11  Lauzerte to Moissac 24 km

Day 12  Leave Moissac by train for Paris

    I am still contemplating an extra day, and adding the medieval town of St. Cirq Lapopie. This, however would mean backtracking, which doesn't really appeal to me, so that is one consideration, the other being that I might need to add an additional day if I want to see the Peche Merle cave. I will probably arrive late in the afternoon in Cabrerets, and would be loath to have the added  lengthy and steep trek to the cave.  Although I would be traveling off-season, obtaining tickets shouldn't be a problem, but given my above-mentioned plan, this would not be too feasible without allowing additional time.

The route from Conques with the tiny chapel to Ste. Foy faintly visible near the center of the photo hidden among the tree branches

    I have been searching a way to reduce the distance from Conques to Livinhac-le-haut as I understand the initial vertical climb out of the town is a challenge, and the distance is a long one for a first day.  On the other hand, I desperately want to avoid staying in the sprawling industrial city Decazeville, some 4 km before Livinhac.  I have learned that there is a slightly shorter variant pilgrim-friendly route that diverges a little over a mile beyond the chapel pictured above, going by the town of Noailhac, which sounds promising.  Fortunately my Topo Guide Sentier vers Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle via Le Puy goes as far as the town of Figeac, facilitating my research.

 

I'll need to buy the the Topo Guide for the next portion of the journey, the one that covers Figeac to Moissac, which I understand it has the Rocamadour variant route. It's too expensive to buy here in the U.S., so when I'm in Paris I'll need to check to make sure it has the GR651 (Célé Valley route) included before I buy it.  The topographical maps included in these books, and the descriptions of the routes are almost as indispensable as the Miam Miam Dodo.  On the other hand, the Michelin Chemins de Compostelle with the helpful elevation maps won't help me here at all.  I did, however, find the following for the Noailhac route:

I hope this is picture is an exaggeration--the description does, however, give the instructions on how to follow the variant route via Noailhac, and avoiding Decazeville.  This is important as are no trail markers available for this option.