Day 3 - First Steps on the Via Podiensis : Le Puy en Velay to Saint-Privat-d'Allier
First Steps on the Via Podiensis Chemin Saint Jacques de Compostelle Today was our first day of hiking, and it felt really good to be back on the Camino! We woke up at 6 AM and headed over to the Cathedral for the pilgrim's mass at 7 AM. It was a wonderful service, which made me wish my grasp of French was better. The priest made everyone laugh and really gave us an impressive and personalized send-off. After the Mass, we returned to the seminary to pick up our bags and then stopped at the foot of the hill for a breakfast of pain au chocolat and espresso. It felt like a very leisurely and luxurious morning compared to the rush that often occurred on the Camino Frances . Departing Le Puy We began the hike out of Le Puy around 9:30 AM with a steep climb out of the town that afforded wonderful views of the town behind us. After the initial climb, the trail levelled out a little as it wound its way through beautiful countryside, but most of the ...