"The first thing a pilgrim does is wash his clothes": in the heart of a pilgrim refuge in Dordogne, on the Way of St. James

In the village of Sorges, in the Périgord Vert region, there is a house that has been welcoming pilgrims since 2003, along the Vézelay route. Report

It 's barely 4 p.m. and the first pilgrims are passing through the gate. The heatwave of these July days has pushed them to leave early to walk as cool as possible. Overtaken by the heat during the last few kilometers, they arrive red and sweaty, but with smiles on their faces, happy to have completed this new milestone .

"Welcome!" Leïla calls out to them in a reedy voice with a charming English accent. For several years, the young woman, a student at Oxford, has crossed the Channel and then France during the summer months to provide hospitality and stewardship services, for a few weeks, at this Pilgrim's House. A pilgrim refuge, set up right on the Vézelay route, at the foot of the church in the village of Sorges, in the Dordogne. "I've already made the Camino de Santiago and I love the spirit that reigns along the paths that lead there," Leïla confides. "Volunteering here allows me to meet wonderful people and work on languages."

In the world of gastronomy, Sorges, a small town attached to the new commune of Sorges-et-Ligueux-en-Périgord, is known as the capital of black truffles. But in another area, its Maison du pèlerin also contributes to its influence. Every year, hikers from all over France and even the planet arrive here, motivated by the taste for effort, the spiritual quest, and, no doubt, the beauty of France. "Recently, I welcomed a Japanese couple," says Leïla, also mentioning visitors from New Zealand, Quebec, and the United States.

"All year long, we're caught up in the frenzy of life, work, running a house. I wanted to take a break."

Today, there are four of them setting down the bags in the entrance hall, in the middle of the kitchen. The first to arrive is Birgit, a German. She has decided to spend a year traveling, until she celebrates her 60th birthday. “I've been walking since March,” she says. “I left home. The experience is trying, especially for the feet and knees. But you get used to it. And it leaves time to think, to meditate. That's what I was looking for.”

“The experience is trying. But you get used to it. And it leaves time to think, to meditate. That’s what I was looking for.”

Marie, for her part, is walking with her father, Gérard, and her son, Valentin, 13. Three generations sharing the same adventure, step by step. "All year long, we're caught up in the frenzy of life, work, running the house. I wanted to take a break. I talked to my father about it and we said, 'Let's go!'" They started together in 2024, from Cher, where they live, on the banks of the Canal du Berry. This year, Valentin decided to accompany them. "It's hard," he says, "especially the climbs." This morning, they left from Thiviers. Distance covered: nearly 19 kilometers. Despite the fatigue, the teenager, who was only refreshed by a water syrup, is already thinking about the stages... of next year.

“Our mission is to enable pilgrims to make the journey in the best possible conditions.”

"The first thing a pilgrim does is do their laundry, so it's dry the next day. They often do it while they shower," says Philippe Enjolras. He is the contact person for the Sorges refuge and another in Gironde on behalf of the association that manages them, the Friends and Pilgrims of Saint-Jacques of the Vézelay Route. "Our mission is to enable pilgrims to complete the journey in the best possible conditions," he adds. This sense of hospitality, he believes, explains the success of the Camino de Santiago.

What is certain is that in Sorges, travelers are well looked after: a newly renovated, comfortable and warm refuge, simple, homemade meals, including breakfast, left "at the pilgrim's discretion," and a town that offers all the necessary shops. "It's good that we can give back what we've been given," comments Philippe Enjolras.