Between the Aubrac plateau and Conques, the GR65 takes on a different character each day. Open pastures give way to the valleys of Aveyron, before the trail descends towards the abbey church. I walked this section in eight days, choosing my own stages and occasionally departing from the itinerary suggested by Grand Angle.
This travel journal records the distances, impressions and pleasant surprises along the way. It helps you picture the walk from Aumont-Aubrac to Conques, but accommodation and services can change: check the practical details when preparing for your trip.
Practical pointers before you set off
Our itinerary includes seven days of walking, followed by one final stop for good food before heading home. The distances and elevation gains given here relate to this trip in June 2021. To prepare for your own, check opening times, book accommodation and adapt each stage to your pace.
Understanding the link between the GR65 and the Camino de Santiago
Everyone has their own preferences when it comes to walking, and the pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela have never really appealed to me. Then again… since compromise breeds tolerance, I had already made an exception 2 years earlier, cycling the Spanish section to visit its magnificent villages and towns. Unforgettable memories. And this summer, I really, really wanted to cross the Aubrac plateau. As it happens, the GR65 and the Camino follow the same route… So, the Camino de Santiago it was!
No regrets: this journey helped us settle into a different rhythm.
The Aubrac plateau on the Camino de Santiago © Anne-Marie Billault
Aubrac, gentle landscapes stretching endlessly © Anne-Marie Billault
Note: circumstances meant that we did not always follow Grand Angle’s stages or stay in the same accommodation.
Day 1, 08 June: from Les Granges de Bigose to the 4 paths, pastoral Aubrac
A distance of 18 km with 370 m of ascent (we wondered where…) on good, easy paths that follow a pleasant route, though with a few kilometres on tarmac (we are hard to please); impossible to get lost!
Above Les Granges de Bigose © Anne-Marie Billault
We set off from the lovely walkers' guesthouse “Les Granges de Bigose”, taken over… just before Covid! by Thierry and Valérie. The setting is beautiful, beside a stream, a true green haven with hens and geese; a superb building, spotless facilities and a wonderful welcome. Lovely to see friends again… The evening before, we had a good, slightly heavy dinner (we hadn’t done any walking yet!), with a very local meal of aligot, sausage and salad, followed by an equally local cheese board. Excellent breakfast.
Leaving Les Granges de Bigose © Anne-Marie Billault
Off we go!
We cross wide, gently rolling landscapes in a festival of colours and scents. Against a backdrop of vivid green, flowering broom is everywhere, golden and fragrant with honey.
Broom © Anne-Marie Billault
Great swathes of white narcissi, carpets of wild pansies, brilliant purple with yellow centres, and delicate wild geraniums. Here and there, groves of red-trunked Scots pines are laden with pollen: it looks like little pale pine cones, releasing a cloud of pollen at the first gust of wind. Best of all, some places are covered in bilberry bushes! We’ll have to come back at the end of summer…
A carpet of bilberry bushes beneath the pines © Anne-Marie Billault
Aubrac cows watch us pass, small and sturdy, with coats in soft shades of pale chicory, dark muzzles ringed in white, eyes outlined in kohl and also ringed in white… and long, slender, lyre-shaped horns.
Aubrac cow © Anne-Marie Billault
We soon reach Aumont-Aubrac, in Terre de Peyre. What stands out most is the fountain topped by the Beast of Gévaudan and two very good restaurants, which I will return to later.
The trail continues, as pleasant as ever.
In Terre de Peyre © Anne-Marie Billault
A lovely Romanesque chapel with clean, simple lines in La Chaze de Peyre.
© Anne-Marie Billault
Today’s stage is short, so we take our time. A hairy caterpillar crosses the road as fast as its legs can carry it; we watch to make sure it reaches the other side safely.
We stop for a picnic beside a field being mown: 4 red kites circle and circle (hoping to spot field mice?), sometimes swooping so low they almost brush against me. They are large, beautiful birds. A green woodpecker takes flight before our eyes, and we watch it land on a post. Another woodpecker drums in the woods a little further away. A red squirrel crosses our path and climbs a pine tree, russet against red. Tits flit about, and we try to whistle like them.
Spring really is enchanting in these uplands!
Aubrac in bloom © Anne-Marie Billault
Not decided yet? Let us keep in touch.
A route idea, a seasonal tip, a date that opens up: one letter a week, written by the advisors who design the trips.
Your weekly dose of travel inspiration.
We have reached our destination. Les 4 Chemins, well… it is a junction of paths and minor roads, with a walkers' hostel on either side of the GR long-distance trail.
Once upon a time on the Camino de Santiago…
Late this afternoon, we gradually get to know the unique world of the Way of St James. Once upon a time…
Wall on the Aubrac plateau © Anne-Marie Billault
There are far more people than you would usually see in these uplands: we are on the Camino! And that is without the visitors from abroad this year. Still, it is hardly the RER commuter train at rush hour.
We are also struck by how many young people there are.
We discover quite a crowd of beginners, too! Many of these “pilgrims” are hiking for the first time, their outing number 1 (ah, all that brand-new Decathlon gear!). As for discussing map-reading… But why worry? The route is perfectly waymarked, and there is always someone to point you in the right direction if you are unsure.
Impossible to get lost © Anne-Marie Billault
We will spend a week in a really lovely, surprising “bubble”, with an atmosphere quite unlike a typical hiking trip. It feels like a welcoming little world of its own, a bubble outside time. We pass one another again and again, then meet up at the end of the day’s stage; everyone talks about their aches and pains (blisters and tendinitis) and marvels at what they have achieved (???). Every generation is here, and so is every motivation. It is impossible not to form friendships over the course of the week.
All generations on the Camino © Anne-Marie Billault
Tonight, the guesthouse where we are stopping is very much in keeping with the spirit of the Way. A lovely place, newly renovated. The delightful, welcoming couple hosting us are starting a new life, with a complete change of career, and share their story. They also tell us about the past of “chez Régine”, a very well-known establishment, but not really… how shall I put it? A pilgrims' stopover, if you see what I mean? Since taking over, they have had a whole series of adventures worthy of a farce… The atmosphere around the shared table is cheerful, all the more so because the food is excellent.
Day 2, 09 June: from 4 chemins to Nasbinals, wild Aubrac
Today we will cover 19km, with negligible elevation gain.
Here is the Aubrac plateau as I have always imagined it: vast rolling expanses, undulating green grasslands, armfuls of flowers and a few herds of cows.
The Aubrac plateau © Anne-Marie Billault
Magnificent dry-stone granite walls line the paths. Each field was cleared stone by stone, and the stones were piled along its boundaries. Across these far-reaching horizons, I feel as though I am reading a land registry laid out beneath the open sky.
Aubrac, a land registry beneath the open sky © Anne-Marie Billault
You can imagine how wild this country becomes in winter. The howling wind and snow blowing horizontally are enough to make you shiver. When the weather settles, the plateau becomes a beautiful setting for Nordic ski touring.
Few trees dot the landscape, but there are granite glacial erratics, reminders of past glaciations, as at Roc des Loups.
Glacial erratics on the Aubrac plateau © Anne-Marie Billault
Here, nature remains unspoilt. I find skylarks again, now so rare in our countryside… They sing at the tops of their voices for minutes on end, another immediately taking over whenever one stops. There are many other songbirds; I cannot identify them all. It is easier with the flowers! The moorland is carpeted with brilliant dwarf broom, cushions of vivid pansies and swathes of pure white mouse-ear chickweed.
A carpet of wild violets © Anne-Marie Billault
About halfway along, we reach the beautiful stone-built village of Rieutord d’Aubrac.
A beautiful porch in Rieutord d’Aubrac © Anne-Marie Billault
We choose the alternative route, which will spare us a few kilometres on tarmac. The plateau is criss-crossed by fields, and sometimes there is no option but to take the small roads… with no cars, as it happens! It is a beautiful route; we follow the Bès for a while. The 16th-century Marchastel bridge, built entirely of stone, is superb.
The Bès valley © Anne-Marie Billault
The Déroc waterfall, towering 30m above the glacial valley of Gambaïse, offers us a magnificent panoramic view in every direction.
The Déroc waterfall © Anne-Marie Billault
The stage ends in Nasbinals. Hôtel La Randonnée is a little outside the village, surrounded by nature. Comfortable and peaceful. Nasbinals itself is a beautiful stone-built village. There is a lively atmosphere, especially on the café terraces… and at the pharmacy! Once freshened up, we take the time to explore the very beautiful church of Nasbinals, inside and out, built in pure Auvergne Romanesque style.
The church of Nasbinals © Anne-Marie Billault
Day 3, 10 June: from Nasbinals to St Chély d’Aubrac, the most beautiful stage
The 17 km from Nasbinals to St Chély, via Aubrac, from the high plateau down to its foothills, are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Rightly so. For me, this is the most beautiful stage of the week.
The Aubrac plateau © Anne-Marie Billault
This morning, we are still on the high Aubrac plateau, a little higher up, at around 1300 m: a world of upland pastures. They are covered in yellow gentians; in August, when they are in bloom, it must be fabulous. In June, we walk among daisies, orchids and narcissi, among other flowers. A few trees begin to reappear. The landscapes are expansive and gently rolling, with views stretching far into the distance.
Aubrac, vast upland pastures © Anne-Marie Billault
We are merely hikers passing through, keeping a low profile, because in summer this is the domain of Aubrac cattle. The herds are large; the whole family is here! Cows, suckling calves and bulls too, massive and darker-coated, all perfectly peaceful.
A herd of Aubrac cattle © Anne-Marie Billault
Through a gate, across a herd, through another gate, and so on… this continues until we reach the Domerie d’Aubrac, a large monastic hospital founded in the early 12 century, at the entrance to Aubrac. It is a lovely approach to the Tour des Anglais, one of the surviving parts of this extensive architectural complex.
Approaching the Domerie d’Aubrac © Anne-Marie Billault
It is a peaceful place for a picnic break, with an open view. We enjoy the welcoming terrace at l’Estive d’Aubrac.
A welcoming break at l’Estive d’Aubrac © Anne-Marie Billault
We continue through the village, amused as we pass the restaurant “Chez Germaine” (closed), which some walkers told us so much about yesterday, eager to meet Germaine herself. But given her age, she has not been cooking there for a long time! Some myths die hard…
Throughout the day, we pass magnificent houses and superb stone roofs with rounded tiles.
A beautiful stone-tiled roof © Anne-Marie Billault
Basalt mingles with granite. We gradually leave the plateau behind. The heat is beginning to make itself felt, and the stretches on tarmac do not help. Fortunately, we descend in the shade of beautiful beech forests.
Approaching St Chély d’Aubrac © Anne-Marie Billault
And there we are! We arrive in St Chély d’Aubrac. The hotel Les Coudercous is comfortable and very friendly, and dinner is excellent: we try beef from Aubrac cattle…
We stroll through the village, discovering its architectural heritage. It will not, however, be the village I remember most from this week.
Day 4, 11 June: from St Chély d’Aubrac to St Côme d’Olt, on the Camino de Santiago in Aveyron
A beautiful, pastoral stage through countryside and woodland. We have left Lozère and entered Aveyron. The downside: a noticeable increase in the proportion of the route on tarmac.
Leaving St Chély d’Aubrac © Anne-Marie Billault
The day begins by crossing the Pont des Pèlerins (14th century), which spans the Boralde de St Chély d’Aubrac and is UNESCO-listed. We gradually approach the Lot valley. The vegetation changes as we descend (St Côme is at an altitude of 385 m) and the underlying rock changes: a few kilometres before our destination, we enter limestone country.
The Pont des Pèlerins in St Chély d’Aubrac © Anne-Marie Billault
We first walk through beautiful beech forests, which give way to chestnut trees. Some of the trunks are enormous and twisted, or stripped of their bark. Throughout the day, we alternate between beeches, oaks and chestnuts lining lovely sunken paths, and meadows, streams and rivers; foxgloves, broom, daisies and rampion form a flowering border.
A sunken path beneath the chestnut trees © Anne-Marie Billault
It is starting to get very hot. The tiny village of Lestrade offers us a welcoming stop for a refreshing drink. We are not the first to dream of a chance to cool down: a few kilometres before we reach St Côme, little signs start appearing along the path: “Keep going, only 45 minutes until Muriel’s farçous”, then 30, then 15, then 5, then… Yes, we’re here! The stop lives up to our expectations, and satisfies our hunger. The farçous are excellent, and the setting, surrounded by nature with views over the valley, is welcoming, as is Muriel herself: a big, warm-hearted woman who loves her grandmother’s home region and has taken over her beautiful house.
A lovely arrival in St Côme d’Olt, listed among the most beautiful villages in France, on the banks of the Lot. The village has a distinctly southern French feel!… So does the owner of Les Jardins d’Eliane, our lovely B&B; he serves us an excellent evening meal, full of southern flavours.
Arriving in St Côme d’Olt © Anne-Marie Billault
A long stroll through the medieval village with its beautiful houses,
The village of St Côme d’Olt © Anne-Marie Billault
along the pleasant banks of the Lot;
The banks of the Lot in St Côme d’Olt © Anne-Marie Billault
and a visit to the beautiful 16th-century church.
The church in St Côme d’Olt © Anne-Marie Billault
This stage has a real holiday feel, contrasting with the more austere villages of Lozère. Could the climate be just a little different?!
Day 5, 12 June: from St Côme d’Olt to Estaing, a UNESCO World Heritage site
“This part of the Lot valley provided an easy route for thousands of pilgrims. The Romanesque buildings along it and the bridges in Espalion and Estaing bear witness to this.”
UNESCO logo © Anne-Marie Billault
OK, but the 20 km or so covered on this stage leave me quite furious: most of it is on tarmac, including some busy roads. “It’s the Camino,” people reply to my complaints. On the other hand, the hamlets, villages and bridges we pass through and cross are absolutely magnificent, that much is true, and well worth a little road walking.
On the Camino de Santiago © Anne-Marie Billault
From the outset, we chose the alternative route, unmarked but easy to find, which follows the Lot along a quiet little road; it is utterly charming: lovely sandstone houses, the flowing river, greenery. There is that river-and-lake smell, a pleasant, slightly flat scent that brings to mind fishing and freshwater swimming. The atmosphere is easy-going. This morning, just before the bridge, we stop for a long chat with a delightful Portuguese retiree in his garden; he tells us about his successes in life and love. Further on, along the Lot, a fly fisherman insists on explaining why the young trout are stressed and dying…
Following the Lot © Anne-Marie Billault
The approach to Espalion is spectacular. The Pont Vieux, the oldest bridge over the Lot in Rouergue, thoroughly deserves its UNESCO listing. The caption on a statue tells us that the first self-contained diving apparatus in the history of diving was invented by people from Espalion.
Espalion and the Pont Vieux © Anne-Marie Billault
Here, the towns and villages are truly beautiful, with their red sandstone buildings and roofs of rounded stone slabs. We stop for photos.
Approaching Espalion © Anne-Marie Billault
The rest of the day’s walk is not particularly spectacular, and a little wearing in the heat and along the road, though brightened by some very beautiful hamlets, such as Trédou and Verrières… where we enjoy a delightful break with fruit juice and sorbet in the shaded garden of a magnificent house… The owner tells us about the twists and turns of its renovation…
The end of the day’s walk is magnificent: Estaing and its proud castle on the banks of the Lot, its houses built entirely of stone with stone-slab roofs, its medieval bridge of schist, sandstone and limestone. It is superb, though the village still feels rather dark. A stroll, a break on a café terrace…
Estaing and its castle © Anne-Marie Billault
An excellent day’s walk; at the hotel, we meet up with the “Bob family”, who have given in to the temptation of a night in a hotel. The Bobs (a nickname!) are a couple from Normandy whom we met at 4 Chemins and who are camping; our paths keep crossing. We spend an excellent evening together.
The village of Estaing © Anne-Marie Billault
Day 6, 13 June: from Estaing to Golinhac, the hare and the tortoise
Today’s short stage is 14km: just as well, as it is really very hot!
In fact, I do not have much to say about the scenery on this stage. First, we cross the magnificent bridge in Estaing, a historic monument listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The bridge in Estaing © Anne-Marie Billault
Then we follow the Lot for a while; it is bucolic but long, with a fair stretch on the road. After that comes a long, somewhat monotonous climb, partly on roads, partly on tracks, through forest and open countryside, with lovely glimpses of a landscape of woods, meadows and farmland.
The Camino de Santiago in Aveyron © Anne-Marie Billault
Fortunately, the final section follows a very pleasant path beneath the canopy of a beautiful mixed forest, predominantly chestnut and beech.
Welcome shade © Anne-Marie Billault
And the arrival in the village is very pleasant.
© Anne-Marie Billault
Golinhac stands on a hill and offers a sweeping, unobstructed view of the green valley and its rolling hills. We arrive right at the hotel, which has a large panoramic terrace: the first chance for a “bistro” stop since leaving Estaing. We take the opportunity to have a drink and lunch before even checking into our room!
The terrace of the hotel La Bastide d’Olt © Anne-Marie Billault
The Bobs (we’ve met up with them again!) choose the campsite, but share meals and impressions with us; it’s also a chance to share our amusement, because…
Among the walkers whose paths we’ve crossed time and again, we’ve got to know 2 women from Chambéry. Today, their destination is Conques (+21 km after St Côme). This morning, they rather smugly left us behind, with a touch of condescension… yet we see them arrive on the restaurant terrace a good half-hour after us! Did they really carry on to Conques that same day???
We spend the late afternoon relaxing and reading in a very pleasant room.
Day 7, 14 June: from Golinhac to Conques, the grand finale
21 km, very little elevation change, heat and tarmac; we can’t leave before 8 am, which is a shame!
As yesterday, the scenery is rolling and rural, with stretches shaded by chestnut, oak and beech woods. In the countryside, we see some livestock, crops and hay.
A walk through the countryside © Anne-Marie Billault
Two and a half hours after setting off, we reach the beautiful village of Espeyrac: a look around and a break for some fruit (no bistro); this will be our only stop.
The village of Espeyrac © Anne-Marie Billault
As always, we keep a moderate but very steady walking pace, which will bring us to our destination a little before 2:30 pm.
We approach Conques along a forest path with an easy, though somewhat steep, descent. Arriving above Conques and its Romanesque abbey is a deeply moving experience: the beauty and distinctive character of the place take our breath away.
Arriving at Conques © Anne-Marie Billault
Imagine a jewel box high in the hills, surrounded by slopes lush with greenery. Within it sit the abbey church and, on the hillside, the village.
First view of Conques Abbey © Anne-Marie Billault
The result is a village full of steps, with beautiful stone paving; the houses are magnificent, built of stone and timber framing. A welcome touch: the village is closed to traffic.
The village of Conques © Anne-Marie Billault
Many craftspeople and artists have set up shops in the narrow streets of Conques, including our host, an artisan specialising in manuscript illumination who fell under its spell; she recently left her native Anjou to settle here.
A street in Conques © Anne-Marie Billault
At the bottom of the village stands the magnificent Romanesque abbey, elegant and monumental, built entirely of dark and golden stone.
Conques, abbey church and village © Anne-Marie Billault
The Romanesque tympanum depicting the Last Judgement is unique.
Conques, the Last Judgement tympanum © Anne-Marie Billault
The interior is restrained, with soaring lines beautifully complemented by Soulages' stained-glass windows.
Conques, Soulages' stained-glass windows © Anne-Marie Billault
We finish with a stroll through the cloister, filled with swifts endlessly circling and calling. It is wonderfully peaceful.
Conques, view of the cloister © Anne-Marie Billault
In Conques, the atmosphere is cheerful and relaxed. It is the end or the beginning of a wonderful journey, and everyone is happy. Even the monks. As we wait for night to fall, songs are played on the organ (what a sound!). To our surprise, we are treated to a recital of Johny, Procol Harum and more!
After nightfall, our musical monk comes to give us a detailed yet very humorous explanation of the sculptures on the tympanum, accompanied by lighting effects.
Whether you are a believer or not, this evening remains one of the highlights of our arrival.
Conques, explanations with sound and light © Anne-Marie Billault
Day 8: Aubrac gastronomy on the Camino de Santiago
The next day, we take an organised bus transfer back to Les Granges de Bigose, which runs smoothly (and is very reasonably priced). One last friendly drink together, and we hit the road… as far as Aumont-Aubrac, where we stop for a good meal.
Chez Camillou is a Michelin-starred restaurant: with more driving ahead of us after lunch, we decide to pass. But next door is the brasserie Le Gabale, which is simpler, quicker and very affordable, while still offering the restaurant’s quality.
We were not disappointed; it is a lovely way to round off the trip!
It’s over, and it was wonderful! © Anne-Marie Billault
Continue along the trail after reading this account
Has this account inspired you? Grand Angle offers the Camino de Santiago route from Aumont-Aubrac to Conques.
And if you would like to link the stages together, you can begin your journey on the Camino de Santiago from Le Puy-en-Velay to Aumont-Aubrac.
To discover the plateau in a different way, the team also shares the story of its weekend in Aubrac on foot and by bike.
From Les Granges de Bigose to Conques; June 2021; text and photos © Anne-Marie Billault
