Heart and Soul: Hervé's Way, the story of a one-legged pilgrim episode artwork

EPISODE · May 24, 2024 · 26 MIN

Heart and Soul: Hervé's Way, the story of a one-legged pilgrim

from The Documentary Podcast · host BBC World Service

Hervé lost a leg in a motorbike accident. On the eve of the operation, he made a deal with God: “If I walk again, I'll go to Santiago.” He did walk again, but not on pilgrimage. Instead, he got caught up in his business affairs, had a burn out, tried to kill himself and spent several months in a psychiatric hospital before he decided to keep his side of the bargain. He set out, with crutches and a prosthetic leg, for Santiago de Compostela, a journey of 1,920 kilometres from his home in Brittany in north west France to the cathedral that contains the relics of Saint James at the tip of north west Spain. John Laurenson walks with him for a couple of days to hear his story and talk about life, God, pilgrimage.

Hervé lost a leg in a motorbike accident. On the eve of the operation, he made a deal with God: “If I walk again, I'll go to Santiago.” He did walk again, but not on pilgrimage. Instead, he got caught up in his business affairs, had a burn out, tried to kill himself and spent several months in a psychiatric hospital before he decided to keep his side of the bargain. He set out, with crutches and a prosthetic leg, for Santiago de Compostela, a journey of 1,920 kilometres from his home in Brittany in north west France to the cathedral that contains the relics of Saint James at the tip of north west Spain. John Laurenson walks with him for a couple of days to hear his story and talk about life, God, pilgrimage.

NOW PLAYING

Heart and Soul: Hervé's Way, the story of a one-legged pilgrim

0:00 26:29

No transcript for this episode yet

We transcribe on demand. Request one and we'll notify you when it's ready — usually under 10 minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long is this episode of The Documentary Podcast?

This episode is 26 minutes long.

When was this The Documentary Podcast episode published?

This episode was published on May 24, 2024.

What is this episode about?

Hervé lost a leg in a motorbike accident. On the eve of the operation, he made a deal with God: “If I walk again, I'll go to Santiago.” He did walk again, but not on pilgrimage. Instead, he got caught up in his business affairs, had a burn out,...

Can I download this The Documentary Podcast episode?

Yes, you can download this episode by clicking the download button on the episode player, or subscribe to the podcast in your preferred podcast app for automatic downloads.
URL copied to clipboard!