Via Podiensis

The via Podiensis (or road of the Puy ) is one of the ways of the Pèlerinage of Saint-Jacques-to-Compostelle, which leaves the Puy-en-Velay and is prolonged to the collar of Roncevaux and, from there, with Saint-Jacques-with-Compostelle.

Before Puy, starting from Geneva, exists the Via Gebennensis, which collects the Swiss and German pilgrims and leads to via Podiensis. From Geneva with Pampelune, the two ways ( via Gebennensis + via Podiensis ) are marked out as a Sentier of great excursion GR. 65 .

In the steps of Godescalc

In the year 950 or 951 (each year has its fervent supporters), Godescalc, bishop of the Puy-en-Velay, goes in pilgrimage to Saint-Jacques-with-Compostelle. He is the first nonHispanic pilgrim to carry out the pilgrimage with Compostelle

It is a true troop which moves. In addition to the bishop and the members of the clergy accompanying it, one counts there Troubadour S, jugglers, pages with the service of the ecclesiastics, barons and seneshals, all these beautiful Sirs being protected by many men-at-arms: archers and lancers.

The followed course is well known little about, and yet some cities do not hesitate to assert their passage.

On the other hand, this pilgrimage is authenticated in the writings of Gomesano, monk of the Spanish convent of Saint Martin's day d' Albeda (near to Logroño): “ the bishop Godescalc, animated of a proclamation devotion, left its country of Aquitaine, accompanied by a large procession, moving towards the end of Galicia to touch the divine mercy by beseeching humbly the protection of the holy apostle Jacques. ”

At the end of a manuscript, it happens that the scribe mentions its name, its age, the date of its work. These data form the colophon. In that of Virginitate, copied for Godescalc, into 951, Gomesano, monk of Albelda, expresses itself as follows: “ the very holy Godescalc bishop carried this little book of Hispanie in Aquitaine during the winter, in early January… ”

It is also necessary to mention the pilgrimage of the count de Rouergue into 961, Raymond II, who was killed in the course of road by Buckwheats.

Pilgrims with the Middle Ages

See also: Pilgrim of Saint-Jacques-of-Compostelle

The “Burgundian and Teutons ” whose Aimery Picaud in its Guide speaks about the Pilgrim , and, more generally, the jacquets come from the east of Europe, began their peregrination by the large sanctuary marial which gave its name to via Podiensis.

If the route of the tour of Godescalc remains unknown, the pilgrims who walked on with his continuation left many traces on their passage. Sanctuaries, abbeys, hospital and bridges, but also miracles and legends, durably marked the landscape and the places crossed by their way, which, on the basis of Puy, crosses the mounts of Aubrac to reach Conques and the valley of the Batch, traverses Quercy while stopping in Moissac, and, after Gascogne, merges, with the crossroads of Gibraltar, with the Via Lemovicensis and the Via joined together Turonensis.

In the Guide of the Pilgrim of the 12th century, Aimery Picaud gives only three indications to the Chapter First, the Ways of Saint-Jacob: it quotes only three churches; Notre-Dame of Puy, Holy-Foy of Conches and Saint-Pierre de Moissac.

Always in the Guide of the Pilgrim, in the Chapter IV, Corps holy which rest on the road of Saint-Jacob and which Pilgrims must visit, it announces one holy body, holy Foy de Conques. There were few holy bodies to visit on this road, contrary to the other roads.

With the pilgrims to find itself since the next stage is Ostabat, and the crossroads of Gibraltar, where the three roads meet.

Where is thus the historical way “” that the pilgrims of the 21e century want to follow at all prices? A later indication, to follow the Saint-Jacob hospitals.

The Saint-Jacob hospitals on via Podiensis

With the Middle Ages, the term “hospital” indicated a place of assistance and asylum rather than an establishment of care. One received the “poor there place and poor passers by ”, i.e. all the travellers, of which the pilgrims, poor “ spiritual ”, who, even rich, had stripped themselves to voluntarily take the road and “ to follow poor poor Christ. ” the term under which the hospital was placed is not of no importance: it is thought that of “Jacques saint” received primarily customers of pilgrims coming from Galicia without, of course, that the door was closed with the other travellers.

In the Guide of the Pilgrim , Aimery Picaud notes in Chapter XI, of the reception to be made the pilgrims of Saint-Jacob: “ the poor pilgrims or rich person who return from Saint-Jacob or who go there must be received with charity and surrounded by veneration. Because whoever will have received them and lodged with eagerness will have as a host not only holy Jacques, but Our Lord himself, as he said it in his Gospel: who receives you, receives me. ”

Each difficult passage (river, mountain), asylums in addition ensured the service of a vat, the maintenance of a bridge or the protection of those which passed the collars. The old people's homes were all the more modest as they were numerous. They could lodge usually only from three to twenty-five people; each pilgrim could remain there only one or two nights unless being sick and the poor were not allowed there that if they did not have the force to beg.

The personnel was reduced: the “Master” appointed for life or for a time (often three years) and one or two brothers, one or two sisters for maintenance, the preparation of the meals and the work of the contiguous grounds. Under the control and the protection of the bishops, municipalities or sovereigns, they enjoyed privileges, the such freedom from tax. Legacies and gifts increased their inheritance with the incomes of which could be added the product of the searches and the benefit drawn from various rights.

Thus, we find on via Podiensis of the Saint-Jacob hospitals to the Puy-en-Velay, Saugues, the Hospitalet (currently the Saint-Roch Vault of Margeride), Figeac, Varaire, Cahors, Moissac, Peyronelle (with the entry of Lectoure), Lectoure, Condom (hospital of Saint-Jacob de Teste and Saint-Jacob of Bouquerie).

They constitute undeniable stakes of the passage of the pilgrims of antan in these localities.

The current way

In the Haute-Loire

  • the Puy-en-Velay, the cathedral Notre-Dame and her cloister, the Saint-Jacob Hospital, the St. Lawrence church, the church of the Carmelite friars, the vault of Penitent, without forgetting the village of Aiguilhe and its Vault of Saint Michel of Aiguilhe.
  • Valleys-near-the-Puy
  • Saint-Christophe-on-Dolaison and its church Saint-Christophe.
  • Baths, the hamlet of Montbonnet and the Saint-Roch Vault,
  • Saint-Privat-in Allier
  • Monistrol-in Allier, the Place known as of Rochegude and the Saint-Jacob vault, the hamlet of Escluzels and the vault of the Madeleine.
  • Saugues the collegial Saint M3edard's Day and the Holy Old people's home Jacques
  • Chanaleilles Dômerie of the Savage, old domery templière and the Saint-Roch Vault.

In the Lozere

In the Aveyron

In the Batch

  • Montredon, the holy Priory Michel
  • Saint-Felix, the Holy Romance church Radegonde
  • Figeac, the Place of the Writings (representation of Pierre de Rosette), the church Saint-Saver and the holy Hospital Jacques.
  • Béduer, and its castle of Barast

Some joined Graélou, and reached banks of the Batch with Cajarc.
Others followed the course of the That until its junction with the Batch.

Alternative by the valley of the Batch.

  • Gréalou, the Romance church Notre-Dame and the dolmen of Pech-Laglaire.
  • Cajarc, and its vault Holy-Marguerite
  • Hellebore, the church and the holy hospital Jacques.

Alternative by the valley of the That.

The jaquets gathered and joined:

In Tarn-et-Garonne

  • Lauzerte, old country house and the church St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre
  • Moissac, the Abbey Saint-Pierre and his cloister.
  • Auvillar, its round market and the church Saint-Pierre

In the Gers

  • Saint-Antoine-on-L' Arrats.
  • Flamarens its castle.
  • Miradoux, old country house.
  • Lectoure, the Saint-Gervais-Saint-Protais cathedral.
  • Romieu and its collegial Saint-Pierre.
  • Condom and its abbey church.
  • Larressingle .
  • Beaumont on the OSI and its Bridge of Artigues.
  • the Abbey of Flaran, except way.
  • Montreal-of-Gers the.
  • Lauraët .
  • Lagraulet-of-Gers the.
  • Eauze .
  • Manciet .
  • Nogaro the village of nuts.
  • Barcelona-of-Gers the.

In the Moors

  • Aire-sur-l'Adour, the cathedral Saint Jean-Baptiste, and the Holy church Quitterie.

At the beginning of Aire-sur-l'Adour the pilgrims could pass by:

Or to pass by:

  • Miramont-Sensacq, the church formerly placed under the invocation of Jacques Saint.

They were found with:

  • Pimbo, its collegial St. Bartholomew's Day Massacre.

In the Yrénées-Atlantiques

  • Morlanne,
  • Arthez-with-Béarn and the hospital of Caubin.
  • Sauvelade and its Cistercian abbey.
  • Navarrenx, its ramparts, its church German Saint.
  • Charre and the Castle of Mongaston
  • Aroue, the church Etienne Saint.
  • Saint-Palate
  • Lieu says the Crossroads of “Gibraltar there” or three ways meet. He does not owe anything with Tariq ibn Ziyad, it is simply a phonetic deformation of the sanctuary of Saint-Saver, on the hill. Chabaltore out of Basque, became by slip Chibaltare, Chibraltare and finally Gibraltar.
  • Ostabat-Asme, the Saint Nicolas's Day Vault, the hamlet of Harambeltz and its priory-hospital dedicated to Nicolas saint.
  • Larceveau-Arros-Cibits, the hamlet of Utziat, its priory-hospital dedicated to Nicolas saint.
  • Saint-Jean-the-Old man, the church of Holy Marie-madeleine of the Recluse or Betbéder, the Soft food-Ospitale hamlet and its priory-hospital.
  • Saint-Jean-Foot-of-Port, the citadel, the Door Notre-Dame, the Bridge Notre-Dame, the Notre-Dame church of the End of the Bridge, this time one must hold the good end.

The next stage being the Collar of Roncevaux or Roncesvalles.

Finally the the Pyrenees are crossed. The thanksgivings fused in all the languages of Europe.
“ E Ultreya, E suseya, Deus aia our ” (More oultre! … Higher, Further, God helps us).

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • It via Podiensis

  • Cartography
  • GR65 - Of Puy in Velay (the High Loire) with Nasbinals (Lozere)
  • GR65 - De Nasbinals (Lozere) with Figeac (Batch)
  • GR65 - De Figeac (Batch) with Moissac (Tarn and the Garonne)
  • GR65 - De Moissac (Tarn and the Garonne) with Aire on Adour (Moors)
  • GR65 - Of Surface on Adour (Moors) with Roncevaux (Spain)
  • has VTT on the ways of Compostelle, it via podiensis and all the ways towards Compostelle, for the walkers and VTTistes.

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