CSJ Guides to the Routes through France #4i: Arles to Toulouse

CSJ Guides to the Routes through
France #4i: Arles to Toulouse (2011) update January 2015
p6 Guides and maps Latest editions: Miam Miam Dodo Saint Jacques de
Compostelle par La Voie d’Arles GR653 Edition 2014-15 Les éditions du Vieux
Crayon 978-2916446448 available from CSJ bookshop.
Sur le Chemin de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle: Le Chemin d’Arles ou Via
Tolosana Lepère, Dehnel, Heckmann Lepère Editions 2014 978-2915156454
Le Chemin d’Arles vers Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle. La Voie du Sud LabordeBalen & Siréjol Rando Editions 2012 978-2841825059.
Sentier vers Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle (Arles-Toulouse) Topoguide 6533
FFRP 2013 978-2751406270
p7 www.gr-infos.com/gr653.htm has route in France on Google maps but without
recent changes.
p9 Accommodation Bear in mind that prices are those from 2010.
Arles route members of Les Haltes vers Compostelle are now Les Haltes Pèlerins;
there are 21 and their website is www.leshaltespelerins.com
p14 Arles GE La Maison du Pèlerin et du Voyageur, place Pomme, 06 99 71 11
89 & 04 90 96 11 89, 25€, ½p 35€ .
p15 ROUTE Modifications to 2 stretches of GR653:
line 18 About 100m after crossing the Petit Rhône, turn R down slope and go
L at foot of embankment. Follow dirt track for some 300m until you meet D179;
turn R and follow to the rail tracks. Continue as at top p16.
p16 Saint-Gilles La Pause du Pèlerin 25€, ½p 35. Delete Le Jardin Secret.
p17 Vauvert CH GE Le Relais de la Gare 04 66 80 10 92
p17 ROUTE line 7 of paragraph ‘13km to Gallargues-le-Montueux’. Construction
of Nîmes-Montpellier TGV line affects GR653; check locally for latest
situation and for detours. Dec 2014 info says waymarked deviation begins at
sign “Mas Saint-Louis”: with care go R on D104. After approx. 2.5km cross canal
and enter Codognan by route de Camargue. Cross N113 at lights and ahead on
rue des Mas for 200m. Turn L on rue de la Védière, cross fitness trail (picnic
tables), and continue on D842 for 600m. Fork L on track which goes west, broadly
parallel with railway for about 1.2km. On reaching D363, turn L and follow it south,
ignoring D142 which goes off L. After 500m, at vines, turn R, cross wooden bridge
and KSO through industrial estate. Rejoin guidebook 3 lines from bottom of page.
This section is about 1.5km longer than the route it replaces.
p18 Gallargues-le-Montueux New AP phone: 07 82 42 81 40. Again check in
Gallargues for latest TGV deviations. Dec 2014 info indicates deviation soon
after village of Villetelle but this appears to be a rather circuitous cycle route with
green marker posts that leads to Castries. From Castries you can head S on the
D26 for approx. 1.3km to pick up the GR653 where you turn R onto it (p.19 para 4
l.2). You can also travel by bus from Castries to Montpellier.
http://www.herault.fr/files/gcausse/reseau-vert-0.pdf
p22 Montpellier AP Sanctuaire Saint Roch does not open until 16h30; no
reservations except winter; correct phone is 04 67 52 74 87. PBB Roger &
Michèle Baudin 04 67 47 87 47 & 06 16 02 30 64, ½p 20€, off GR at Pignan but
will collect from Mosson tram station.
p23 Montarnaud G/CH Les Muriers 09 51 97 57 90, 6p, 10-15€, TH 15€
p24 La Boissière CH/G La Radassière 04 67 66 60 91, 06 79 46 68 76, 25€.
p24 Aniane CH Les Esterelles 04 64 57 47 59 & 06 22 57 17 81, 60€.
p25 Saint-Jean-de-Fos CH Le Mas des Elfes 04 67 57 98 10, 60€.
p26 Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert delete GE Le Logis des Pénitents.
p28 Saint-Jean-de-la-Blaquière PG also 06 26 44 69 75
p29 Usclas-du-Bosc G Gîte l'Étape 06 80 72 15 76 & 04 67 44 48 80, 4p, 15€,
1km from village.
p30 Lodève G La Mégisserie; 06 24 58 77 40 & delete Pierre Bléron; no meals.
If you want to stay at G Le Belbezet remember it is on the old GR653 route.
p34 Mècle GE (Les Amoureux du Chemin) is Halte Pèlerin, ½p 29€.
p35 Saint-Gervais-sur-Mare delete GE M.Bras and CH Mme Dressayre.
p36 Ginestet delete GE Les Clèdes reported filthy 2013. Other GE is
Fagairolles, 2km N on D58 or GR71.
p37 Murat-sur-Vèbre L’Etape des Menhirs add 06 70 72 99 27, 17€, ½p 31€.
p42 Boissezon GE Le Saint-Jacques is Halte Pèlerin; try mairie phone first.
p45 Castres delete G Bernard Py (deceased).
p46 Dourgne CH TH Loroc ½p 25€‡, 30€ 2 pilgrims.
p49 Labastide d'Anjou HR Grilladou 04 68 60 11 63, 39€ 2.5km E on D6113.
p49 Seuil de Naurouze CH TH Minoterie de Naurouze reopened 06 22 49 57 15
p53-4 Baziège PG now 05 34 66 30 09; 12p in new gîte, place Jeanne d’Arc
p57 Renneville G Refuge Viola 2000 05 61 81 22 18 & 06 07 85 94 60,
14p, 15€, ½p 25€. CH Le Souleilla 05 62 71 14 94, ½p 65€.
p60 Toulouse PG La Halte des Jacobins, 9 rue Lakanal, 06 82 56 53 54, 6p,
21€, ½p 29€. Toulouse reported as very cycle-friendly.