Jutting crags of volcanic rock pierce the sky near Le Puy-en-Velay (luh pwee- uhn-vah-lay; pop. 20,500). For centuries, the city has served as the starting point for the 1600km Via Podiensis pilgrimage trail, which ends in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. The summer influx of pilgrims, many of them young—as well as tourists who come for Le Puy’s famous lentilles (lentils) and dentelles (lace)—gives Le Puy a vitality uncommon among cities of its size.
From the station, walk left along av. Charles Dupuy, cross sq. du Docteur Henri Coiffier, and turn left onto bd. du Maréchal Fayolle. A 5min. walk leads to place Michelet and place du Breuil. Turn right onto rue Porte-Aiguière to reach the tourist office in place du Clauzel. Restaurants and stores cluster around this place; the cathedral, hostel, and vieille ville are uphill to the right.
Le Puy-en-Velay has been recognized by the French government for its exceptional cuisine. Quality-controlled lentilles vertes (green lentils) are grown in mass quantities throughout the region, and they appear on nearly every menu. Cap off a meal with Verveine, an alcoholic digestif with a sweet mint flavor, made from local herbs and honey (€10-22 per bottle). The distillery outside of town on N88 offers tours and Verveine dégustations. (☎04 71 03 04 11; www.verveine.com. Open July-Aug. daily 10am-12:30pm and 1:30-6:30pm; Sept.-Dec. and Mar.-June Tu-Sa 10am-noon and 1:30-6:30pm; Jan.-Feb. Tu-Sa 1:30-4:30pm. €5.80, students €4.20, under 12 €2.) A Petit Casino supermarket, 8 rue St-Gilles, sits near pl. du Plot. (Open Tu-Sa 7:30am-12:30pm and 2:30-7:30pm, Su 8am-12:15pm. MC/V.) On Saturdays (6am-noon), farmers set up fresh produce markets on almost every square. The markets on place du Plot and place de la Halle sell fresh fruit, cheese, and mushrooms as well as live chickens and rabbits. Inexpensive restaurants can be found on streets off place du Breuil.
Le Puy’s essential religious sights draw thousands of pilgrims each year; as a unit, they represent sections of the Bible’s apocalyptic Book of Revelation.
Cathédrale Notre-Dame. Legend has it that in the AD fifth century the Virgin Mary healed a woman who came to pray at what is now the Cité Episcopale, a collection of religious buildings that tower over the city on a rock known as le puy. Now a pilgrimage site, the cathedral has attracted pilgrims and tourists for over 1000 years. The major attractions include the famous statue of La Vierge Noir (the Black Virgin), who sits serenely on a tabernacle flanked by two golden angels, and a piece of black slate on which Mary is reputed to have healed the sick woman. The simple stone interior is adorned with unusual crystal chandeliers that reflect the colorful lights from the stained glass above. Especially stunning is the stained-glass dome above La Vierge Noir. The church is surrounded by a dense cluster of religious buildings, making it difficult to get a good look at the exterior. However, a walk up the steps on rue des Talbes is rewarded by a stunning view of the beautiful polychromatic facade. To see the entire cathedral, including its dome and huge bell tower, walk up the hill to the Statue of Notre-Dame . (☎04 71 09 79 77; www.cathedraledupuy.org. Open daily 6:30am-7:30pm. Tours in French from early July to late Aug. Free.)
Chapelle Saint-Michel D’Aiguille. This chapel sits atop an 80m spike of volcanic rock. Erected in the 10th century by Le Puy’s bishop after he returned from a pilgrimage to Compostela, the church’s colorful front conceals an interior full of recently restored frescoes. (☎04 71 09 50 03. Open daily May-Sept. 9am-6:30pm; from Oct. to mid-Nov. and from mid-Mar. to Apr. 9:30am-noon and 2-5:30pm; from Feb. to mid-Mar. 2-5pm. €2.75, students €2.50, under 14 €1.25.)
Statue De Notre-Dame De France. The pinnacle of the vieille ville is the Rocher Corneille, a 757m tall core of a volcano. A 23m statue of the Virgin Mary cast from Russian cannons captured during the Crimean War crowns the summit. The structure earned fame in 1942 when 20,000 young people came here to pray for France’s liberation. The statue itself is more impressive from the bottom of the hill; a steep climb inside leads only to a small chamber marred by graffiti. (Open daily July-Aug. 9am-7:30pm; Sept. and May-June 9am-7pm; from Oct. to mid-Mar. 10am-5pm; from mid-Mar. to Apr. 9am-6pm. €3, students with ID and under 18 €1.50.)
Cloister. Attached to the cathedral, the cloister boasts terra-cotta mosaics and striped arches that reflect a Spanish Islamic influence. Beneath flame-red tiling and ornate arcades is the bestiaire , a series of grinning faces and mythical beasts carved into the stone around the courtyard. Amid the Byzantine arches of the salle capitulaire, a well-preserved 13th-century fresco depicts the Crucifixion. The entry ticket also allows a peek at the second-level Trésor d’Art Religieux, a museum of 13th- to 18th-century art containing impressive life-size wood statues and a small collection of paintings, chalices, and crucifixes. (☎04 71 05 45 52. Both open daily July-Aug. 9am-6:30pm; Sept. and May-June 9am-noon and 2-6:30pm; Oct.-Apr. 9am-noon and 2-5pm. Tours in French 10:30am, 2:30, 3:30pm; English tours available by reservation. Free written explanation in 6 languages. €5, ages 18-25 €3.50. )
Musée Crozatier. This all-encompassing museum has a different theme for each floor: local craftsmanship, fine arts, archaeology, and natural history. Particularly impressive is an exhibit on Le Puy native Émile Reynaud, who invented the praxinoscope —the precursor to the film projector. Another museum highlight is the first-floor statue by Emmanuel Hannaux, Fleurs de Sommeil. The museum overlooks the meticulously manicured Jardin Henri Vinay. Its shaded pond is the perfect backdrop for a picnic. (Musée ☎04 71 06 62 40. Open from May to mid-Sept. daily 10am-noon and 2-6pm; Oct.-Apr. M and W-Sa 10am-noon and 2-4pm, Su 2-4pm. Garden open daily May-Sept. 7:15am-9pm; Oct.-Apr. 7:15am-7pm. Free.)
There’s a cinema at 29 pl. du Breuil. (☎04 71 09 00 35. €6.50, students €5.50.) The Municipal Theater, pl. du Breuil, hosts plays and dance shows. (☎04 71 09 03 45.) For information on performances in towns around Le Puy, call the Centre Culturel de Vals, av. Charles Massot (☎04 71 05 90 12).
The tourist office gives out free copies of Sortir, a guide to the festival season, and can provide up-to-date info.
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