Saint-Privat-d'Allier

Saint-Privat-d’Allier is a commune in the Haute-Loire department, set on a promontory of basalt rock above the Allier river gorge. The village has a medieval character with dark lava-stone houses, a ruined feudal tower, and the church of Saint-Privat clustered around the hilltop.

The view from the village over the steep gorge of the Allier is one of the more dramatic on the early stages of the Via Podiensis. The descent from the plateau to the river valley below involves a significant change in altitude, and the landscape shifts from open farmland to enclosed rocky gorge terrain.

The route from Saint-Privat descends steeply to the Allier, a transition that marks the first major topographic challenge on the GR65 for pilgrims walking from Le Puy.