Le Puy-en-Velay - Betty

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Betty Day 10: Le Puy-En-Velay

The early drive to Le Puy-En-Velay saw us charging out on the motorway again flying through the ever-changing landscape of France. We headed out of Provence and into Massif Country. The freeways lifted us higher and higher into this mountainous area with wildflowers like bright purple pompoms and mauve sprays of blossoms, button grasses and granite outcrops. The wide sky changed over us and we reached Le Puy-en-Velay in the afternoon. We packed our suitcases in our room at the Regina Hotel: what was once probably a salubrious establishment in the 1950s, but in some dire need of a makeover from its current state. In fact, right across the road, one could view the slightly more swanky “Dyke Hotel.” Yep. I think we made the wrong choice.

OK. I don’t know how else to write this, but I swear it’s true… every word of it. That afternoon, I saw the biggest stone dyke I’ve ever laid eyes on. And on top of the dyke, there was a giant virgin. So we climbed up the dyke (via the stairs) and inside the virgin.
(OK kids, joke’s over.) The stairs didn’t go all the way up, but we managed an impressive view from somewhere inside her armpits. It was sort of like the ‘Big Pineapple’ on Australia’s sunshine coast. Just as disturbing, and just as “mauvaise gout” (bad taste), but a kooky must-see if you’re in the area.

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