Discover the history of the road to Santiago de Compostela in West Aveyron. Immerse yourself in 1000 years of pilgrimage in Rouergue between Conques and Toulouse.
To each pilgrim his way
In the 12th century, Aymery Picaud's pilgrim's guide described four symbolic routes that crisscrossed what is now France, leading pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela. Along these medieval roads, pilgrims prayed before a multitude of relics. The Rouergue region was no exception to these devotions, seeking solace for everyday ailments, nor was it immune to the passage of pilgrims. Ideas and artistic forms also circulated with them.
Le Conques-Toulouse: a major route for Saint James itineraries in the west of Aveyron
Between Conques and Toulouse , a connecting path between the Puy-en-Velay route (called the Via Podiensis and now the GR®65 ) and the Arles route (called the Via Tolosana, now the GR®653) allowed walkers and pilgrims to travel between the Rouergue mountains and the Garonne plain. Aubin, Peyrusse-le-Roc, Villeneuve d'Aveyron, Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Najac, Laguépie, and Cordes are marked by the presence of hospitals, confraternities, and other signs of devotion attesting to the passage of numerous pilgrims.
Testimonies of the richness of the heritage of the Saints
In Villeneuve, pilgrims can admire, in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre , the edifying testimony of the mural paintings relating to the miracle of the "hanged man unhanged" attributed to Saint James.
In Villefranche-de-Rouergue, the pilgrims' brotherhood offered them lodging and food in the hospital adjoining the Saint-Jacques chapel.
The path today
Today, the Conques-Toulouse route crosses four departments: Aveyron, Tarn-et-Garonne, Tarn, and Haute-Garonne. Spanning 230 km , it is divided into 10 stages spread over 10 days and marked as the GR®62b, 36, and 46 long-distance hiking trails . Beyond its rich heritage , it also offers a diverse landscape between the Causses and the Aveyron Gorges. It is a route firmly rooted in the present, with a railway line running alongside almost its entire length.
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