We chose the winding route via Clermont Ferrant from Geneva, Switzerland to the western Pyrenees because it traverses the region Auvergne of France with a lot of nature, marvelous little villages, and the stunning mountains and extinct volcanoes of Massif Central. There we did three superb hikes including its major peak Puy de Sancy which is with 1885 meters sea level the highest point between the Alps and Pyrenees.

Marion in the rocks on the way to the summit of Puy de Sancy
Marion in the rocks on the way to the summit of Puy de Sancy

 

Before we came to the region Auvergne we enjoyed the unusual warm weather in mid October 2023 with swimming in Lake Geneva and in Lake Lac des Eaux Bleus (10 kilometers northeast of Lyon). Outstanding was our hike to 1623 meters high Crêt de La Goutte in the French Jura mountains - close to the Swiss border where we could see Lake Geneva and the northwestern ranges of the Alps.

 View to Mont Blanc (highest peak of the Alps) from Crêt de La GoutteView to Mont Blanc (highest peak of the Alps) from Crêt de La Goutte

 

Crêt de La Goutte in the back of Alfred
Crêt de La Goutte in the back of Alfred

 

The famous Chaine des Puys - chain of volcanoes few kilometers west of Clermont Ferrand includes 48 cinder domes, 8 lava domes, and 15 maars and explosion craters. Of course we climbed up its highest point - Puy de Dome on a sunny but windy day. There are transmitters, a restored Gallo-Roman temple of Mercury, a lot of other bildings including the station of its rack railway and many, many tourists on the summit.

On the next day we hiked to the volcanoes Puy Pariou, Le Petit Suchet and Puy de Clierzuou. Unfortunately the weather was a little bit foggy and rainy but we could explore some interesting caves which had been used by the French resistance in the second world war.

Summit of 1465 meters high Puy de Dôme
Summit of 1465 meters high Puy de Dôme

 

View to the northern Chaine des Puys from Puy de Dome
View to the northern Chaine des Puys from Puy de Dome

 

Alfred in a cave of Grottes de Cliersou
Alfred in a cave of Grottes de Cliersou

 

Hiking Puy de Sancy was a strenuous trip because we did a circle from the skiing resort Mont-Dore including the three secondary mountains Puy de Cacadogne, Puy des Crebasses and Roc de Cuzeau.

Pilgrimage church Basilique Notre-Dame d'Orcival between Puy de Dome and Puy de Sancy
Pilgrimage church Basilique Notre-Dame d'Orcival between Puy de Dome and Puy de Sancy

 

Eagle in the sky on our ascent to Puy de Sancy
Eagle in the sky on our ascent to Puy de Sancy

 

Alfred on top of Puy de Sancy
Alfred on top of Puy de Sancy

 

Marion close to the summit of 1737 meters high Roc de Cuzeau
Marion close to the summit of 1737 meters high Roc de Cuzeau

 

On our itinerary southwest we strolled through the smaller but nice towns Aurillac, Figeac and Caylus - all with a lot of history

Church Église Saint-Sauveur of Figeac
Church Église Saint-Sauveur of Figeac

 

Iron owl on the wall of the town hall of Caylus
Iron owl on the wall of the town hall of Caylus

 

Garden in Caylus - opposite of its church
Garden in Caylus - opposite of its church

 

Marion behind an old door in Caylus
Marion behind an old door in Caylus

 

The 14 years old girl Bernadette Soubirous had had eighteen Marian apparitions in a cave close to Lourdes in the year 1858. She had been canonized in the year 1933 and thus Lourdes became one of most important pilgrimage destination on earth with more than 3.5 million visitors per year. Pilgrims believe that the water of the source in Bernadette's cave heals diseases - Countless purported miracle cures have been documented there.

Statue of holy Bernadette (1844 to 1879)
Statue of holy Bernadette (1844 to 1879)

 

Buddhist monks in front of the chapels Saint Bernadette and Notre Dame de Guadeloupe
Buddhist monks in front of the chapels Saint Bernadette and Notre Dame de Guadeloupe

 

Sick pilgrims in the afternoon procession in the hope of getting healing
Sick pilgrims in the afternoon procession in the hope of getting healing

 

We feel that the spectacle in Lourdes is a little bit weird but touching. Nice is that pilgrims of different religions, cultures and countries are coming to Lourdes - like a global come together.

On October 20th 2023 we spent our last day in France in the beautiful town Oloron-Sainte-Marie which is like Lourdes on the northwestern foothills of the Pyrenees.

Bridge Pont de Bétharram between Lourdes and Oloron-Sainte-Marie
Bridge Pont de Bétharram between Lourdes and Oloron-Sainte-Marie

Sculpture
Sculpture "Depart" in front of the cathedral of Oloron-Sainte-Marie from the Algerian artist Mohand Amara

 

River La Gave d'Aspe in Oloron-Sainte-Marie
River La Gave d'Aspe in Oloron-Sainte-Marie

 

For more pictures, please click here

For a map of our itineraries, click here

To download our GPS coordinates files of France, click here 

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