Choosing an off-the-beaten-path Camino de Santiago route
in Occitanie
Occitanie is a land of passage, spirituality, and wide-open spaces. While the most well-known historical routes of the Camino de Santiago (the Le Puy Route / GR 65, the Arles Route / GR 653, and the Piedmont Route) cross this region, they only tell part of the story. Here, for centuries, travelers, pilgrims, merchants, and hermits have taken countless secondary paths. Less frequented and wilder, these routes offer another way to walk to Compostela: slower and more contemplative.
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Bouziès towpath near Saint-Cirq-Lapopie (Lot department, France)
Alternative paths steeped in history and meaning
The Régordane Way (GR 700)
- This is a major ancient communication route between the Massif Central and the Mediterranean, as it once connected Le Puy-en-Velay to Saint-Gilles-du-Gard. Approximately 240 km long, this path was already used in the Middle Ages by pilgrims traveling to the tomb of Saint Giles, a 7th-century hermit known for his ascetic life, gentleness, and reputation for holiness. According to legend, he lived with a tame doe, which he protected from a hunter: the arrow meant for the animal wounded him instead, thus enhancing his renown. He later founded a Benedictine monastery, which became a large Romanesque abbey considered at the time to be one of the greatest sanctuaries in the West, a place of miracles and indulgences.
- This is a thousand-year-old route linking two major UNESCO World Heritage sites.
- With exceptional heritage: medieval villages, ancient bridges...
- A meditative atmosphere amidst volcanic plateaus, the Cévennes mountains, and garrigue scrubland.
- It's an ideal route for those who wish to combine history, nature, and spirituality.
The Urban V Trail (GR 670)
- You will walk in the footsteps of Urban V, born Guillaume de Grimoard, a Benedictine monk from Gévaudan who became pope in the 14th century. At that time, the papacy was established in Avignon (1309-1377) because Rome was too unstable and dangerous. Under the influence of the King of France, Avignon became a safe haven and an efficient administrative center. This situation, intended to be temporary, lasted nearly 70 years. Urban V attempted to return the papacy to Rome in 1365, before returning to Avignon where he died in 1370. A major figure in the religious history of southern France, Urban V is recognized as a reforming and peacemaking pope. He worked to improve the morality of ecclesiastical life, pacify Italy, and support the construction of churches and monasteries, particularly in his native region.
- The Urbain V Trail (GR670) follows the significant places in his life: from Grizac to Mende, passing through the Causses, the Cévennes, Saint-Gilles, and Avignon.
- This spiritual and cultural route traverses the iconic landscapes of Lozère, including Aubrac, the Causses, Mont Lozère, and the Cévennes, covering 330 to 430 km depending on the route, and will lead you to four UNESCO World Heritage sites.
- It is an ideal trail for hikers seeking meaning and solitude.
The Templar and Hospitaller Trails of the Larzac (GR 71C and GR71D)
- On the Larzac plateau, these two loops offer a rare immersion into medieval history. From the 12th to the 14th centuries, the Templars and then the Hospitallers shaped this strategic territory, establishing powerful commanderies and fortified villages tasked with administering the land, protecting transhumant flocks, and controlling trade routes between Rouergue, Languedoc, and the Mediterranean. After the suppression of the Order of the Temple in 1312, all their possessions were transferred to the Hospitallers, who continued the rigorous organization of these estates.
- La Couvertoirade, Sainte Eulalie de Cernon, La Cavalerie, and Le Viala du Pas de Jaux bear witness to this exceptional presence. Their intact ramparts, watchtowers, Romanesque churches, and fortified barns illustrate the economic and military power of these religious orders. The drovers' roads that crisscross the plateau are a reminder of the importance of sheep farming and transhumance, activities essential to the prosperity of the commanderies.
- Around these villages, the Larzac unfolds its open, vast, and silent landscapes. Hikers traverse a mineral and pastoral world where the horizon seems infinite. This stark scenery, sculpted by wind and time, naturally invites contemplation and slowing down, in an almost monastic atmosphere.
- Walking here means escaping the modern world. The GR71C and GR71D trails offer a timeless experience, where medieval history blends with the solitude of the vast Causse landscapes. A powerful route, at once cultural, spiritual, and deeply rooted in the identity of the Larzac.
The Cathar Trail (GR 367)
- From the Aude to the Ariège, the Cathar Trail follows the traces of one of the most significant episodes of the Occitan Middle Ages: the rise and subsequent suppression of Catharism. Between the 12th and 13th centuries, this religious dissent took root in the Corbières and the Pyrenees, protected by local lords and by the very topography of the region. The hilltop castles of Quéribus, Peyrepertuse, Puilaurens, Montségur, and Roquefixade, now iconic landmarks, were strategic strongholds during the Albigensian Crusade and the Inquisition.
- Walking the GR 367 means traversing a territory where spiritual and political history has left a profound mark. Each stage evokes the resistance of the "good men," the sieges, the exiles, and the still-vibrant memory of Catharism in Occitan culture.
- The trail also unfolds spectacular landscapes: the limestone ridges of the Corbières, wild gorges, windswept plateaus, deep forests, and sweeping panoramas of the Pyrenees. This rugged landscape recalls the refuge it once served as for hunted dissidents.
- It is a demanding, long, and often challenging route, requiring good physical condition and true self-sufficiency. But for experienced hikers, it offers a rare immersion in a historical, spiritual, and scenic heritage unique in Europe.
The Way of Saint Regis (GR 430)
This circular route of approximately 200 km connects Le Puy-en-Velay to Lalouvesc, following in the footsteps of Saint John Francis Regis, a 17th-century Jesuit missionary. Born in 1597, Regis dedicated his life to traveling the countryside of Velay and Vivarais to preach, teach, help the poorest, and reconcile communities. He walked tirelessly, often in extreme conditions, to reach the most isolated hamlets. After his death in 1640, his reputation for charity and devotion, along with the numerous accounts of graces received, drew crowds to Lalouvesc. This exceptional popular devotion led the Church to officially recognize his sainthood: he was beatified in 1716 and then canonized in 1737. He thus became one of the great spiritual figures of the Velay region.
- The GR430 long-distance hiking trail crosses the landscapes that were the setting for his mission: the volcanic plateaus of the Velay, deep gorges, the forests of the Ardèche Vivarais, isolated villages, and ancient mule tracks. These rural, sometimes harsh, territories reflect the conditions in which Régis walked each winter to reach the poorest communities.
- Even today, the trail remains relatively unknown, far from the main tourist routes. This gives it a unique atmosphere of silence, slowness, and authenticity.
- It is a route conducive to introspection, where one walks as much through history as through nature, at the pace of the landscapes and the memory of the "missionary of the Velay."
The Way of Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert (GR 60)
- This path is one of the oldest routes in southern France. Approximately 240 km long, it connects Aumont-Aubrac to Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert, following a route used since the Middle Ages by pilgrims crossing the Massif Central to reach the Mediterranean. This route linked the high plateaus of the Aubrac to the Hérault gorges and served as a link between the major sanctuaries of Languedoc and the routes to Santiago de Compostela.
- The route crosses areas steeped in history: pastoral trails, ancient Roman roads, fortified villages, medieval bridges, and isolated monasteries. Heading south, the landscapes evolve from the austere granite of the Aubrac plateau to the limestone hills of the Grands Causses, before opening onto the garrigue scrubland and spectacular cliffs of the Hérault Valley.
- Arriving in Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert is a highlight for many hikers. Nestled at the bottom of a small valley, this medieval village is among the most beautiful in France. Its Gellone Abbey, founded in the 9th century by William of Gellone, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site as part of the Routes of Santiago de Compostela.
- But who was Saint Guilhem? William of Gellone (c. 755–812) was a cousin of Charlemagne and one of his most loyal companions in arms. A military hero, he participated in campaigns against the Saracens and was celebrated in epic poems under the name William of Orange. At the end of his life, he renounced arms and retired to the Gellone Valley, where he founded a Benedictine monastery. His piety, humility, and the miracles reported after his death led to his veneration as a saint. His tomb quickly became a major pilgrimage site, attracting travelers, knights, and pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.
- Even today, the GR60 retains a strong spiritual dimension. It is a path of transition, a slow descent towards the southern light, where religious history, the beauty of the landscapes, and the solitude of the vast open spaces combine to offer an unforgettable hiking experience.
I have also dedicated a page on my website and an article on my blog to this trail, having hiked it in August 2021.
The Stevenson Trail (GR 70)
- The Stevenson Trail is inspired by the journey undertaken in 1878 by Robert Louis Stevenson, a young Scottish writer still unknown at the time, who crossed the Massif Central and the Cévennes mountains accompanied by his donkey, Modestine. This journey, which he recounted in *Travels with a Donkey in the Cévennes*, is one of the first modern hiking narratives. In it, he describes with humor and sensitivity the austere landscapes of the Velay region, the volcanic plateaus, the Cévennes drovers' roads, but also the religious tensions still simmering after the Wars of Religion.
- By following the GR 70, you will, like him, traverse a large part of Occitanie, notably the Lozère and Gard departments, passing through isolated villages, deep valleys, and windswept ridges. The trail faithfully retraces the historical route between Le Monastier-sur-Gazeille and Saint-Jean-du-Gard, where Stevenson ended his journey before continuing on to the Mediterranean.
- It's a wild, contemplative, and intimate hike that appeals to walkers seeking silence, unspoiled nature, and a slower pace. The landscapes traversed (Cévennes forests, high-altitude moors, granite boulder fields, and schist valleys) offer a rare diversity and total immersion in the atmosphere of the Cévennes.
- While not leading to Santiago de Compostela, this trail nevertheless carries an almost pilgrimage-like dimension. Stevenson himself sought a form of inner freedom, a detachment from the modern world, and a more direct relationship with the landscape and with time. Even today, the GR70 retains this unique atmosphere and provides a profound sense of freedom.
I have also dedicated a page on my website to this trail, having hiked it in 2020.
My joyful arrival at the Rocamadour sanctuary during the 2013 jubilee
Walking to Compostela from Cahors or Figeac
These two towns form a strategic crossroads on the Way of Le Puy-en-Velay in the French department of Lot. To avoid the busiest sections of the Via Podiensis (GR 65), two remarkable alternatives are available.
1. The Rocamadour Way (GR 6 / GR 46)
- The Rocamadour Way is one of the most iconic historical detours for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela. Already used in the Middle Ages, it led walkers to one of the greatest Marian shrines in the West, a major pilgrimage site since the 12th century. Rocamadour attracted kings, knights, popes, and pilgrims who came to venerate the Black Madonna and the relics of Saint Amadour.
- From Figeac, the GR6 crosses a mosaic of landscapes typical of the Quercy region: limestone plateaus, dry stone walls, sinkholes, downy oak forests, and hilltop villages. The final approach through the Alzou Valley is one of the most memorable moments of the route. The trail follows a small, spectacular canyon before opening onto the sacred city, perched on its cliff for over 1,000 years.
- Rocamadour, a designated Grand Site de France, boasts a unique architectural ensemble: superimposed sanctuaries, pilgrimage staircases, troglodytic chapels, and panoramic views of the surrounding countryside.
- The GR46 then connects to Cahors and the Via Podiensis, offering a harmonious transition between spirituality, heritage, and nature.
- This alternative route is ideal for those who wish to combine hiking, history, and major spiritual sites, while discovering a less frequented part of the Quercy region than the main route.
I've even dedicated a page on my website to this trail, having hiked it in 2013.
2. The Célé Way (GR 651)
- Often cited by pilgrims as one of the most beautiful variations of the Camino de Santiago, the Célé Way offers a wilder and more intimate alternative to the Via Podiensis. It stretches for 70 km from Figeac to Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, and for 120 km to Cahors, where it joins the GR 65.
- This is a preserved route that follows the meanders of the Célé River in the heart of the Causses du Quercy Regional Natural Park. The path winds through a spectacular limestone canyon, dominated by golden cliffs where troglodytic villages like Sauliac-sur-Célé are nestled.
- History is ever-present: the route passes by the remains of the Benedictine abbey of Marcilhac-sur-Célé, a Romanesque masterpiece, partly open to the sky, which was once a major spiritual center in the valley. The local heritage is also remarkable, with its cazelles (small stone huts), dry-stone walls, and downy oak forests.
- The Célé Way is a peaceful but sometimes challenging route, with several sections offering breathtaking panoramic views of the valley. Nature is abundant here: refreshing rivers, steep cliffs, rocky outcrops, caves, and springs.
- Arriving at Saint-Cirq-Lapopie, a medieval village perched above the Lot River, is one of the highlights of the journey. The path then continues towards Bouziès, where you'll discover the unmissable towpath carved into the rock, a 19th-century masterpiece hewn directly into the cliff face, offering a unique walk along the water's edge.
- The Célé Way is ideal for walkers seeking nature, tranquility, and authenticity in a valley that remains unspoiled and less frequented than the GR65 long-distance hiking trail.
In short : Occitanie is a land of walking and freedom.
Beyond the Camino de Santiago routes, Occitanie offers thousands of kilometers of marked trails. Whether around Cahors, the Lot Valley, the Aubrac plateau, or the Cévennes mountains, you can create your own itinerary at your own pace. Walking to Compostela in a different way sometimes means straying from the official route to get closer to what truly matters: taking your time, because life is short...
👉 On this website, I share my unique rollercoaster journey to Santiago de Compostela. For me, the most important thing is to create and follow your own path: taking many detours to visit historical sites (places frequented by pilgrims in the Middle Ages), favoring the most remote natural landscapes, and traversing the mountains.
The harder the journey, the longer the journey. Ultreia!
You will find in the following pages, step by step all my itineraries seen from the sky .
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Buen camino !!! Lionel de Compostelle
