1/ The Ancient Route to the Holy Land
Connecting Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Gilles-du-Gard, once a major gateway for boarding pilgrims destined for Rome and the Holy Land, the Régordane Way still allows travelers today to move from the volcanic foothills of the Massif Central to the Provençal garrigue. Along the way, villages with rich Roman architectural heritage, such as Pradelles, La Garde-Guérin, or Génolhac.
- Total distance : 240 km (about 10 days).
- Note : opened in 2007, the GR 700 (white-red markings) largely follows the old route, albeit with some deviations.
- In one day : the final stage (20 km) between Nîmes and Saint-Gilles will delight heritage enthusiasts. At the end, the abbey church, once the world’s fourth pilgrimage site, has retained all its splendor.
2/ Going to See the Black Virgin
From the year 1000, the Marian cult that developed at Rocamadour draws pilgrims. To allow them to detour to the Haut-Quercy city, where, from the 12th century, a sanctuary (listed by UNESCO) was erected, and then resume the route toward Saint James, an alternative to the main path was created. It can still be traveled today by following the GR 652 (or the Rocamadour Way), between Laroquebrou (Cantal) and La Romieu (Gers).
- Total distance : 342 km (13 to 16 days).
Note : the association responsible for the rediscovery of this route designed a very practical topo guide (Glénat edition). - In one day : opt for the 11th stage, between Lacave and Rocamadour (16 km), to climb to the chapel and see the Black Virgin that has made the site famous.
3/ The Saint-Martin Summer
Heirs of the old medieval routes (like the Via Turonensis), several itineraries appeared around the turn of the 2000s in the Touraine-Poitou region. These Saint-Martin paths, drawing on episodes from the life of the evangelist and Bishop of Tours, are mainly a pretext for walking along the Loire’s edge.
- Itinerary : four options, including the Saint-Martin Summer path, 104 km between Chinon and Tours.
- In one day : the third stage, from Chouzé-sur-Loire to Cinq-Mars-la-Pile (18 km), offers the best balance between Loire landscapes and architectural heritage.
➤ An article to be found in GEO Special Issue No. 133, June-July 2026, “France, our favorite walks for the summer,” on newsstands
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