Way of Saint James: a new route in ten stages between Conques-en-Rouergue and Toulouse
An interdepartmental partnership has just been signed to promote an alternative to the GR65 which connects Conques-en-Rouergue to Toulouse by setting up ten stages in the program of a new tourist path.
It is a vast structuring tourist project which animates four departments and which has just, at least in its phase of collective consultation, to be carried on the baptismal font. It is a question of making live on four departments an alternative to the GR 65, the way of Saint-Jacques, between Conques-en-Rouergue and Toulouse. A St. James route that will meander over some 250 kilometers and offers ten stages to hikers, i.e. as many days for the route.
“We have carried out collective work over several months so that each of the four departments can make its way,” explains Jean-Luc Calmelly, vice-president of the Aveyron departmental council and president of the Departmental Tourism Attractiveness Agency (Adat). For example, the Haute-Garonne has completely revised the route to improve the circuit and add tourist stages such as the castle of Bonrepos – Riquet, home of Pierre-Paul Riquet, creator of the Canal du Midi…”
Collective work
All the departmental structures concerned by the route, starting with the tourism committees, but also the regional tourism and hiking committees or the Agence française des Chemins de Compostelle have joined forces in a steering committee. which met a few days ago in Laguépie in Tarn-et-Garonne. And this, “to validate the terms of partnership via an agreement and to adopt a budget and an action plan to launch this route in 2023”, assures Julien Andurand, of the Territories and Networks Pole of Adat.
At the end of a day of consultation, this collective work was presented to the itinerary committee, bringing together elected officials and tourism professionals. More than fifty people, clearly enthusiastic about this promotion process “and the objectives pursued by this agreement: to guarantee a harmonized itinerary between the territories, to strengthen the service offer linked to roaming, to increase the notoriety of the “Conques-Toulouse pedestrian route, through communication and promotion adapted to its audiences”, specifies Julien Andurand.
The associated track
Some innovations are also recorded in the project, in particular that of associating the train with the route. “A large part of the path is followed by the railway. We rely on the rail to develop important work around mobility, confides Jean-Luc Calmelly. Thus, it is planned, during the inaugural day of this route Saint-Jacques to connect Toulouse to Laguépie or Najac by train, then to offer a pedestrian connection before returning by train”.
Presented at the Occ’Ygène show at the end of March
And if this inaugural day has not yet been fixed, the actions are already integrated by the territories concerned, in particular to affix the signage and to create a document of appeal and a topoguide. A presentation to the general public is planned during the Occ’Ygène show to be held in Toulouse from March 31 to April 2.
Four departments concerned by the route
The Conques-Toulouse route to Compostela concerns the department of Aveyron of course, but also Tarn-et-Garonne, Tarn and Haute-Garonne. Over 250 kilometres, it will cross Conques, Cransac, Peyrusse-le-Roc, Villeneuve-d’Aveyron, Villefranche-de-Rouergue, Najac, Cordes-sur-Ciel, Gaillac, Rabastens, Montastruc and Toulouse, among others.