The famous path of Saint-Jacques GR®65 from Puy-en-Velay actually begins in Geneva! It connects the “Via Gebennensis” between Geneva and Le Puy-en-Velay and the “Via Podiensis” between Le Puy-en-Velay and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.

La way of Geneva of the path of Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle is the link with Switzerland, Eastern Europe and the roads of southern Germany. It is a route that runs along the Rhone over many kilometers and punctuates the mountainous environments between the Alpes, The Massif Central and the great plains of the Rhône valley. It is rich in its heritage, the variety of its landscapes and its terroir with the vine and its great appellations on the side of Condrieu et Chavanay. From the shores of Lake Geneva, reach Le Puy-en-Velay, the historic start of the path of Saint-Jacques in the footsteps of ancient pilgrims.

TECHNICAL SHEET

GR®65 SAINT-JACQUES: FROM GENEVA TO PUY EN VELAY

  • Departure: Geneva
  • Arrival: Le Puy-en-Velay
  • Distance: 360km
  • Duration: 18 days
  • Means of transport for departure: airport/train in Geneva
  • Means of transport for the return: SNCF station in Puy-en-Velay
  • Website : www.chemindesaintjacques.com
Mathilde Wydauw
GR®65 Geneva Le Puy
Stage
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Stage 1: From Geneva to Beaumont

Stage 1: From Geneva to Beaumont

The Geneva Way of the Chemin de Saint-Jacques begins on the square in front of the Saint-Pierre Cathedral in Geneva. The remarkable building was included in July 2009 in the list of honor “ of European heritage » because of its important historical-cultural value for European history. This label certifies monuments that are emblematic of European values ​​and relations between peoples. A beautiful symbol for a departure towards Compostela whoseThe paths are 1er registered on the European Cultural Routes by the Council of Europe in 1987.

Then the GR® 65 from Geneva quickly joins the river Rhone. The latter will follow the hikers for two thirds of the path: from Lyon to the entrance to the Massif-Central, around Condrieu.

Having left the city and arrived in the Swiss countryside, you pass through the hamlet of Wedges where it is possible to discover the commandery de Compesières, a fortified house which belonged to the order of the Hospitallers of Saint-Jean of Jerusalem.

Do not miss :

  • the visit to Geneva
  • the Commandery of Compesières

Step 2: From Beaumont to Chaumont

This second stage of the Geneva route, quite long, takes hikers from Beaumont à Chaumont, crossing the countryside of Genevan Haut-Savoyard. This route between Salève and Vuache offersmagnificent views on the Geneva basin and the Alps.

Several curiosities and heritage sites mark this stage: the Pomier chartreuse, Santa Claus village at Col du Mont-Sion or Chaumont castle in the Usses valley.

Do not miss :

  • Pomier chartreuse
  • Santa Claus' village at Col du Mont Sion (Saint-Blaise)
  • the medieval village and the castle of Chaumont

Step 3: From Chaumont to Seyssel

Today's stage is divided into two beautiful parts. The first allows us to discover the Usses valley, river that the pilgrim will cross at French, before tackling a second part of the route that is much more sporty. This hike on the hills offers a rolling landscape, before reaching the heights of Seyssel, where the lodges are located.

Do not miss :

  • culinary specialties in Frangy: Tome de Frangy and vineyard
  • the Maison du Haut Rhône (ecomuseum) in Seyssel

Step 4: From Seyssel to Chanaz

A stage downhill then without difficulties which allows you to start from the heights of Seyssel to reach the very pretty village of Chanaz which welcomes 200 visitors each summer. If the entire first part of the stage leads to the confluence of the Fier and the Rhône, the entire second part takes place in the Rhône basin where the mark of man on the landscapes is very present through housing, agriculture and industry.

Chanaz, located at the confluence of the Savières canal and the Rhône, is nicknamed “thea little Savoyard Venice ". Walkers will be able to appreciate its small streets from the 15th and 16th centuries, the houses with limestone facades and flat tile roofs, the Boigne house and its Dovecote, the bread oven, the walnut and hazelnut oil mill, the Gallo-Roman museum “Les Potiers de Portout” in the Gothic chapel “Notre Dame de Miséricorde”, the lock, the leisure center…

Do not miss :

  • Chanaz, classified among the “Small Town of Character”

Step 5: From Chanaz to Yenne

Today's stage takes place entirely in the Savoie department between Chanaz and Yenne. The GR© runs along a large part of the Rhône that walkers leave at the start, to gain height, and which they will find upon arrival in the village of yenne and its medieval atmospheres. There Savoy vineyard marks the landscapes that hikers cross as well as the nearby reliefs and in particular the Tooth Cat, visible to the south-east on the panoramic site of the stage.

Do not miss :

  • the Savoyard vineyard
  • the Saint-Romain chapel in Jongieux-le-Haut

Stage 6: From Yenne to Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers

The 6th day of the Geneva route of the Chemin de Saint-Jacques is a sporting stage! From Yenne and the banks of the Rhône, the path takes you to Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers having to cross the Mont Tourbier, culminating at 880 meters above sea level.

The entire first part of the stage is devoted toascension on a wooded path on the mountainside before going back down to the banks of the Guiers. On the heritage side, the chapel Note-Lady of the Mountain, a nod to the Fourvière basilica in Lyon, is worth stopping there. On arrival, a brioche with Saint-Genix pralines rewards the efforts of the day!

Do not miss :

  • the Notre-Dame de la Montagne chapel in Yenne
  • Mont Tournier in Saint-Genix-les-Villages
  • taste the brioche of Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers

Stage 7: From Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers to Valencogne

Departing from Savoie, this is the first of many stages which will allow you to cross the department of'Isère. After the mountains of Savoie, the path Saint-Jacques enters Isère via the communes of Aoste, Romagnieu, Les Abrets en Dauphiné, Saint Ondras and Valencogne for a gentle stopover on the hills of the Vals du Dauphiné.

The path, between countryside and villages, crosses a part of Dauphiné and heads south to join, from the next stage, the heights of Lake Paladru and begin the turn due west which will take travelers towards the Massif-Central.

Do not miss :

  • Lake Romagnieu
  • the statues of Notre-Dame des Vignes and Saint-Jacques in Valencogne

Stage 8: From Valencogne to Grand Lemps

The Valencogne stage at the Grand-Lemps is quite athletic but allows you to discover pretty forest massifs and the Paladru lake. On the heritage side, between the hamlets and villages punctuating the 20 kilometers of the day, the old monastery of the Chartreuse de la Sylve Bénite and above all its Dimiere Barn worth a look.

Do not miss :

  • Paladru Lake
  • the Carthusian pond at Le Pin
  • Chartreuse de la Sylve Bénite and Grande Dimière (Villages of Lake Paladru)

Stage 9: From Grand Lemps to La Côte Saint André

This fairly short stage, 100% Isère, takes the hiker to The Côte-Saint-André, birthplace of the famous French composer of the 19th century Hector Berlioz.

Along the way, you will enjoy the small country roads and several private castles (Montgontier and Pointières and Louis XI) which line the route.

Shortly before arrival, a short round trip to climb the promontory of the Notre-Dame-du-Mont chapel worth the detour for the exceptional panorama offered over the Alps and the Plaine de la Bièvre.

Do not miss :

  • the Notre-Dame-du-Mont chapel in Gillonnay
  • the Museums of La Côte-Saint-André: Hector-Berlioz, Cheery Rocher (liqueur) and Paradis du chocolat

Stage 10: From Côte Saint André to Revel-Tourdan

From La Côte Saint Andrée, it is time to continue westwards until the Saint Michel de Balbin chapel. Built in 1525 by Pierre de Salignon, lord of la Buissonnière, this chapel dedicated to the Archangel Saint-Michel offers a superb panorama of the surrounding area.

The GR® continues in the Isère countryside through fields and small forests punctuated by several streams and ponds, such as the Marais pond at the gates of Faramans. Numerous crosses mark the path. After the village, you cross Beaurepaire apple trees then you pass slightly north of the Barbarin Castle before arriving in the heart of the village of Revel in the commune of Revel-Tourdan.

This part of the village is perched on the hill and dominates the plain of Tourdan and Bièvre-Valloire. The Croton site where the ruins of the old castle sit offers a wide panorama of the Alps, the Vercors and the Rhône valley.

Do not miss :

  • the Saint-Michel chapel in Ornacieux-Balbins
  • the Marais pond in Faramans
  • the Barbarin castle in Revel-Tourdan

Stage 11: From Revel-Tourdan to Saint-Romain-de-Surieu

This stage, around twenty kilometers long, allows hikers to continue crossing the countryside of Isère. Between small country roads and wooded paths, the path offers pretty open landscapes with the The Massif Central and Alpes background. On the heritage side, the Salette chapel, Surieu monastery and the crossing of the high-speed line between Paris, Lyon and Marseille punctuate the route.

Do not miss :

  • the Salette chapel in Bellegarde-Poussieu
  • the Carmel de Surieu monastery in Saint-Romain-de-Surieu

Stage 12: From Saint-Romain-de-Surieu to Chavanay

After Saint-Romain-de-Surieu, the path leads to Chavanay and on the banks of the Rhone. Last step before The Massif Central, the route offers several variants between the GR and the paths marked by the Jacquaire associations. To avoid getting lost, it is recommended to follow the white and red markings of the Grande Randonnée routes.

Gastronomy lovers will definitely stop at Condrieu to taste two designations of origin: Condrieu (white wine) and Rigotte de Condrieu (goat cheese).

Do not miss :

  • Condrieu AOP specialties: Condrieu (white wine) and Rigotte de Condrieu (cheese)
  • Calvary chapel in Chanay

Stage 13: From Chavanay to St-Julien-Molin-Molette

This step, first of The Massif Central, is 100% in the Pilat Regional Nature Park. This is also where you start to climb to reach the Haute-Loire. On the side of Bessey, you can admire the panoramas of the nearby summits of the Pilat including the Crêt de l’Oeillon (1370m) and the mineral site of Three Teeth (1211m) then, at the cross of Sainte Blandine, a half turn allows you to judge your ascent while admiring the Rhône valley, the Alps and the Ardèche department.

Do not miss :

  • the vineyards of the Rhône valley
  • the church and the Saint-Blandine cross in Lupé

Stage 14: From St-Julien-Molin-Molette to Sétoux

The stage of the Geneva route between Saint-Julien-Molin-Molette and Bourg-Argental is not the easiest but it causes great satisfaction at the end of the day. Indeed, in the heart of the Pilat massif, the path leads to the watershed between the Atlantic and the Mediterranean, at the tipping point between the last foothills of the Rhône valley and the volcanic plateaus of Velay: The Tracol pass.

For this, the GR© first take the Via Fluvia, the greenway between Loire and Rhône, then forest paths to the pass. After crossing the Pilat and the Vivarais, it is now the Velay who accompanies the hiker for the last part of the journey.

Do not miss :

  • the visit of Bourg Argental
  • the chapel of Clavas in Sétoux

Stage 15: From Sétoux to Montfaucon-en-Velay

The introduction, of just under 20 kilometers, up to Montfaucon-en-Velay, is a tribute to nature both in the atmosphere and in the landscapes. It is also an opportunity to admire, in the distance, the roofs of the Haute-Loire with the Mont Mezenc, Mont Alambre , Peak of Lizieux and Meygal massif. In the village, it would be a shame not to take advantage of the collection of 12 Flemish paintings from the XNUMXth century, signed Abel Grimmer, on permanent exhibition in the Notre-Dame chapel.

Do not miss :

  • Flemish paintings by Abel Grimmer in the Notre-Dame chapel in Montfaucon-en-Velay

Stage 16: From Montfaucon-en-Velay to Saint Jeures

To reach Tence then Saint-Jeures, you follow part of the trail of the Velay Express. To vary the pleasures, it is also possible to reach the train station hoarse and join Tenence by this route, if the season and times are suitable. Along the way, the landscapes and habitat begin to change and we discover the first stone houses with slate roofs.

Do not miss :

  • the Velay Express
  • the village of Tence and its chapels
  • red fruits from Saint-Jeures

Stage 17: From St-Jeures to St-Julien-Chapteuil

This is a 100% step Megal in the heart of volcanic juices from Haute-Loire who is waiting for you! The path gradually takes you to more than 1000 m altitude where you will cross emblematic sites such as the villages ofAraules, Monedeyres and Saint-Julien-Chapteuil but also superb panoramas of the Testavoyre or the rock of Queyrieres composed of basalt organs, witness to the surrounding volcanism.

Do not miss :

  • the work of art refuge at Col de Raffy (Queyrières): “Suchaillou”
  • the rock of the village of Queyrières
  • the church of Monedeyres in Queyrières
  • the Jules Romains museum and the church in Saint-Julien-Chapteuil

Stage 18: From St-Julien-Chapteuil to Puy-en-Velay

La last step of the way of Geneva of the way of Saint-Jacques allows you to reach Le Puy-en-Velay from Saint-Julien-Chapteuil. This end of the route will be done slowly downhill.

This arrival at Puy-en-Velay on the way to Saint-Jacques is a outcome for some or a call for others towards a new beginning always on the GR®65 but this time continuing on the “Via Podiensis”. The walkers are then left with nearly 1550 km before arrival at Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle from Puy-en-Velay.

At the end of your journey, take the time to visit the town of Puy-en-Velay and its emblematic monuments: the Puy Cathedral inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List, the statue of the Virgin for a 360-degree view of the city and the rock Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe as well as its chapel. It's difficult to leave Le Puy-en-Velay without having tasted a dish of green lentil AOP du Puy and the traditional green verbena from Velay, after having put in his bag a Puy lace in memory !

Do not miss :

  • Doue Abbey in Saint-Germain-Laprade
  • a visit to the town of Puy-en-Velay and its monuments

Book your stay

You want to do the Way of Saint-Jacques without worrying about the logistical details? Then go with one of our partner travel agencies. They will be able to guide you in order to have a pleasant stay from Geneva or Condrieu towards Le Puy-en-Velay on the way to Saint-Jacques-of Compostela.


GPX TRACK

PRACTICAL TIPS

Plotting on an IGN map, description of the route, references to accommodation, restaurants, more generally all practical services, presentation of emblematic elements and reading of the landscapes, the Topoguide, light and easy to slip into the bag, is the tool essential to ensure peace of mind!


FAQ

1) Geneva > Beaumont: 16 km

2) Beaumont > Chaumont: 25 km

3) Chaumont > Seyssel: 16 km

4) Seyssel > Chanaz: 22 km

5) Chanaz > Yenne: 16,5 km

6) Yenne > St Genix sur Guiers: 24 km

7) St Genix sur Guiers > Valencogne: 22 km

8) Valencogne > Le Grand Lemps: 20 km

9) Le Grand-Lemps > La Côte St André: 14 km

10) La Côte St André > Revel Tourdan: 22 km

11) Revel Tourdan > St Romain de Surieu: 19 km

12) St Romain de Surieu > Chavanay: 26,5 km

13) Chavanay > St Julien Molin Molette: 18,5 km

14) St Julien Molin Molette > Les Sétoux: 23,5 km

15) Les Sétoux > Montfaucon: 18,5 km

16) Montfaucon > Saint Jeures: 18,5 km

17) Saint Jeures > St Julien Chapteuil: 21 km

18) St Julien Chapteuil > Le Puy-en-Velay: 19 km

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