Via Podiensis GPX
The Main Route and it’s Vatiants
The Main Route
Le Puy-en-Velay → Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (~750 km)
Download the full route
PLEASE NOTE On iPhone, after downloading, tap the share icon to open the file in your map app.
GPX Insurance
One of the quiet questions many of us carry—especially if this is your first Camino, or the Via Podiensis feels like stepping into the unknown—is:
What if I get lost?
First, take a breath.
The waymarking on the Via Podiensis (the GR 65) is excellent.
Those familiar white and red balises are everywhere—painted on trees, rocks, fence posts in the countryside, and marked on downspouts, lampposts, and road signs in towns.
They appear regularly and, once you tune your eye to them, they’re surprisingly hard to miss.
Give it a day.
Very quickly, spotting them becomes second nature… even a bit of a game—
“Where will the next one be?”
If you ever go more than about 15–20 minutes without seeing a balise, simply turn around and retrace your steps. You’ll almost always reconnect with the route within minutes.
Second, that moment will likely come…
You’re walking alone, or deep in conversation, or lost in thought—and suddenly:
“Wait… I haven’t seen a sign in a while…”
This is completely normal. In fact, it’s almost part of the experience. Most pilgrims have at least one of these moments.
Third, you are never truly alone out there.
Even in the quietest stretches, help is never far—someone in a garden, a farmer, a passerby.
And more often than not, if you look a little lost, someone kind will appear before you even ask.
A small note: the GR 65 is part of a much larger network of GR routes, all using the same white and red markings. At certain intersections, it’s possible to follow the wrong GR for a while without realizing it.
That happened to me on my first Camino, just outside Cahors.
I took a wrong turn, blissfully unaware… until I saw a sign pointing to the GR 65—19 km away in a completely different direction.
Let’s just say… things got interesting after that.
I ended up wandering into a maze of gullies with no clear path.
So I stopped. Took a breath. Asked myself what felt right.
The answer came simply:
“Walk to the top of that hill.”
At the crest—voices. A garden.
And some of the kindest people you could imagine: coffee, chocolate cake… and two beers for good measure.
Then a ride back to the correct route.
So yes—sometimes, it even pays to get a little lost.
Fourth—and this is your “insurance”—
Map apps are a wonderful backup.
Not something to use for constant navigation (the waymarking really is that good), but for peace of mind? Absolutely.
Load a GPX file, and if you ever wander off, you’ll instantly see where you are in relation to the route.
How to use this GPX
Download the GPX file
Open it in a free app like:
Organic Maps
Komoot
You’ll see the route as a line on your map
If in doubt:
open the app
check your position
rejoin the path
That’s it.
A gentle reminder:
Try not to walk inside the line.
Look up.
Follow the balises.
Talk to people.
The GPX is just there so you never feel truly lost.
One last thing:
When sharing this with others, it’s best to share this page, rather than the GPX file directly.
It avoids download issues and makes everything easier for everyone.
Walk freely.
Trust the signs.
Trust the Way.
And know that even if you stray…
you’re never really lost out there.
Variants Along the Way
As you walk the Via Podiensis, there are moments where the path opens.
Not in confusion—but in possibility.
From Figeac to Cahors in particular, three beautiful ways unfold. Each is a true Camino in its own right. Each offers a different experience of landscape, rhythm, and encounter.
There is no “right” choice—only the one that calls to you.
The Classic Route (GR 65)
This is the main route, continuing through Limogne-en-Quercy toward Cahors.
It is the most direct and the most commonly walked path.
If you are following the main GPX file, you are already on this route.
The Rocamadour Variant
This path leads you north from Figeac toward one of the most iconic pilgrimage sites in France: Rocamadour.
A village clinging to the cliffside, layered in history and devotion.From there, the route continues on to Cahors.
Download the Rocamadour Variant
Figeac → Rocamadour
Download GPX
Rocamadour → Cahors
Download GPX
The Célé Valley Variant
This is a more secluded, contemplative path.
From Figeac, the route follows the Célé valley through places like Marcilhac-sur-Célé, before reaching Bouziès, and eventually Cahors.It is wilder, more intimate, and often less traveled.
Along the way, near Cabrerets, you pass close to the Grotte du Pech Merle—a remarkable prehistoric cave with ancient paintings dating back over 20,000 years.
For those who feel drawn to it, it offers a different kind of encounter—something older, deeper, and quietly humbling.
Download the Célé Valley Variant
Figeac → Marcilhac-sur-Célé
Download GPX
Marcilhac-sur-Célé → Cahors
Download GPX
A small note
Near Bouziès, many pilgrims choose to visit Saint-Cirq-Lapopie—one of the most beautiful villages in France.
This is an optional detour, not part of the main track, but well worth the time if it calls to you.