The biggest drawback at this point is that, just as the information available about the Camino de Santiago on foot or by bike is very abundant, this is not the case with pilgrimage on horseback. The Camino de Santiago Frances is the easiest one to do on horseback. The best route on the Camino de Santiago to do on horseback is the Camino Frances. lll Camino de Santiago Map: main Camino routes, stages & distance. Follow the camino Frances pilgrimage, Portuguese way, camino del Norte and Finisterre. +34 910 607 497 / info@pilgrim.es The included files are GPS tracks for the Camino de Santiago (specifically, the Camino Francés plus the extension to Fisterra). They are in KML format, meaning they can be used in Google Earth and easily converted to other formats (such as .gpx) for use on your mobile device. The GPS tracks cover four categories, each organized into its own Routes naar Santiago de Compostela: Camino Francés en routes van Noord-Spanje. In 1987 riep de Raad van Europa Santiago de Compostela uit tot de eerste Europese Culturele route. Deze route langs de Frans-Spaanse grens was – en is nog steeds – de pelgrimsroute naar Santiago de Compostela. The Camino Frances is 780 km, about 500 Miles. It is also known as the French Way and is the most popular Camino de Santiago route. Traditionally the Camino Frances starts in Saint Jean Pied de Port and passes through four major cities, Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, and Ponferrada. Like all the pilgrimage routes you can start and stop anywhere 3. Walking the Camino: Six Ways to Santiago (2013) Walking the Camino: 6 Ways to Santiago is a documentary film about six pilgrims’ responses to undertaking the Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. Annie, Tomas, Misa, Jack, Tatiana, and Sam are all undergoing the daunting, yet enlightening, trek for different reasons. Winter Camino Budget. Daily Cost: 30 euros or less (unless you want to spend more) Albergue Cost: donation-12 euros; most typically the price is 5-6 euros. Pilgrim Meal (with multiple courses): 8-10 euros. Breakfast in a Café: 3.50-4.50 euros. Etappe 24 Villafranca del Bierzo - O Cebreiro. Etappe 25 O Cebreiro - Triacastela. Etappe 26 Triacastela - Sarria. Etappe 27 Sarria - Portomarín. Etappe 28 Portomarín - Palas de Rei. Etappe 29 Palas de Rei - Arzúa. Etappe 30 Arzúa - O Pedrouzo. Etappe 31 O Pedrouzo - Santiago de Compostela. Camino Francés: alles wat je moet weten over de El Camino Francés es la ruta más conocida y popular del Camino de Santiago, atrayendo a la mayoría de los peregrinos cada año. Comienza en Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, en Francia, y se extiende a lo largo de aproximadamente 800 km hasta Santiago de Compostela. The Camino de Santiago, or Way of St. James, is a network of pathways across northern Spain. The trail begins wherever a pilgrim leaves their doorstep and ends in Santiago de Compostela, where tradition state the first martyred apostle is buried. During the Middle Ages, it became an important pilgrimage for Christians. dLYnNL. Camino Frances is the most traditional of all the pilgrims’ ways to Santiago de Compostela… and the best known internationally. It stretches from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago in western Galicia. The first leg of this way crosses the Pyrenees and is know as the most difficult stretch of El Camino Frances. This stretch usually takes a lot of energy so you are able to rest in the historic and quaint village of Roncesvalles in the Pyrenees Mountains. From there on in it gets easier to walk as it is flatter terrain, there are of course some hills but nothing that is not manageable for a person of average fitness level. To complete the full French way you’d need to allow one month but most pilgrims nowadays walk the final 100kms in order to collect their pilgrim certificate. The Route The route crosses the north of the Iberian Peninsula, through the Basque Country, Navarra, La Rioja, Castilla y Leon and Galicia regions of Spain, was established in the late 11th century. Thanks to the efforts of monarchs like Sancho III the Greater and Sancho Ramirez de Navarra y Aragon, as well as Alphonse VI and his successors, who took care of its construction and its promotion. The principal routes of the Way in France and Spain were described in detail around the year 1135 in the Codex Calixtinus, an essential reference work providing details of the pilgrimage tradition. Book V of this codex is a bonafide medieval guide describing the pilgrimage to Santiago. It enumerates the different stretches of the French Way from the lands of Gaul. It offers detailed information on the sanctuaries to be found along the way, including comments on the hospitality, the people, the food, natural springs, local customs. The entire work is written clearly and succinctly, a practical answer to a specific demand: the pilgrimage to Santiago. Learn more: Download your FREE Camino e-book! Discover the routes and sections of the famous Camino de Santiago pilgrimage. Download This guide, attributed to the French cleric, Aymeric Picaud, reveals the political and religious interest that lay behind promoting the sanctuary of Santiago de Compostela and making it easily accessible. Yet, it also bears testimony to the demand for this type of information. At the time of the writing of this book, the Camino Frances and the pilgrimage routes reached their heydey and a maximum stream of visitors. Santiago became the goal of all pilgrims for the entire Christian world. This surge of pilgrims was so intense that it prompted a Moslem Ambassador to comment that “the throng of worshipers who travel to Santiago and back is so great that there is almost no room left on the road leading to the west”. Over the centuries and with the political and religious avatars in Europe, the physical route of the French Way lost much of its former influence. Indeed, it was not until the end of the 19th century that there was a resurgence of interest in the question of Saint James and the pilgrimage way. In which, interest continued into the second half of the 20th century. The progressive restoration and recovery of the ancient way allowed it to become internationally recognised as one of the historical symbols of European unity. Take a look at a Brief History of the Camino de Santiago here. Camino Frances is also a place where was created the idea of Camino Gin by Tom Cartwright – the founder of Camino Gin – a company that makes gin in the UK that is flavoured with a special combination of botanicals found along the Camino Frances. If you want more information on walking the Camino Frances. Feel free to contact us at info@ for more details on walking the Camino or our other Camino de Santiago tours. The Camino is Open for 2023 Bookings! Some of our top accommodation booked out in 2022, so get in now to secure the best accommodation for your Camino! Discover this empowering journey across Spain, Portugal and France for yourself. Journeys from 3 to 90+ days available. Flexible itineraries Luggage transfers Private rooms & bathrooms Contact us Originally published on 27th June 2015 Don't forget to share this post! Explore the Iconic French Way The Camino Frances (or the French Way) is perhaps the most famous of the nine major Camino de Santiago routes. Its 800KM of trails have inspired many artists, writers and filmmakers – such as Paulo Coelho in his bestseller The Pilgrimage and 2010’s Hollywood movie The Way starring Martin Sheen. The Camino French Way traditionally starts in St. Jean-Pied-De-Port in France, before traversing the Pyrenees and continuing through the La Rioja wine region and along the rolling hills of northern Spain, before finishing in Santiago de Compostela, the burial place of St. James. Whether you walk the Camino Frances route to take quality time with friends and family, solo to rediscover yourself, to get away from the hustle and bustle, or for personal fulfilment and enrichment, the experience you will have on the French Way of Saint James will stay with you forever. Camino Frances Stages The Camino Frances is a pilgrimage from St Jean Pied de Port in France over the Pyrenees and across the north of Spain to Santiago de Compostela and the tomb of St James. Passing through famous Spanish towns and cities such as Pamplona, Burgos, Leon and Ponferrada, you have plenty of opportunity to enjoy the unique culture of this region. The walk will have you traversing varying landscape from the mountainous region of the Pyrenees, to the flat plateau of Northern Spain and the undulating hilly landscape of Galicia. To complete the full French Way you do need to have a reasonable level of fitness and also over a month free to give you the time to walk and incorporate a few rest days along the way. We can assist with booking this trip for all budgets. So do not hesitate to get in touch if you would like to find out more about completing the full Camino Frances and to get a personalised quote and itinerary. For those who are short on time, but still want to experience the beauty of the Camino, you can walk from Sarria to Santiago de Compostela in 5 days. You will still receive your certificate of completion, or Compostela. Take an extra day or 2 to experience Santiago at the end. The final stage of the famous Camino Frances (or French Way) is the most popular Camino package. It traverses the beautiful hilly landscapes of Galicia. Reward your efforts in Santiago de Compostela, the heart and hub of all pilgrimages on the Way of St James. Most Popular: Experience the last 100km of the famous Camino Frances. The route begins in Sarria and finishes in Santiago de Compostela, traversing the hilly landscapes of Galicia. Reward your efforts in Santiago de Compostela, the heart and hub of all pilgrimages on the Way of St James. This specific route is the starting point of the Camino Frances. It begins in France at St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and finishes in Pamplona, the town famous for its Running of the Bulls festival in San Fermin, described by Ernest Hemingway in his novel The Sun Also Rises. At first, it follows the Route de Napoleon over the Roncesvalles Pass (1500m) in the Basque country, and then crosses into more gentle terrain in the great region of Navarra. Start your walk in Pamplona, famous for its Bull Running festival, and finish in Logrono at the heart of the Rioja wine region. Enjoy an attractive hike in hilly Navarra with its 12th-century castles, picturesque villages, and vineyards. The third section of the Camino Frances starts from Logrono in the heart of the famous Rioja region and finishes in medieval Burgos. This section is slightly flatter than the previous; it crosses the hilly province of Burgos, passing typical villages, vineyards and ruined castles. Starting from Burgos, the medieval city and hometown of “El Cid”, and finishing in Sahagun, a town renowned for its unique Romanesque churches – this Camino is certainly one of the most rewarding in terms of culture and natural walk can be physically demanding and requires a reasonable level of fitness. However, it’s a highly rewarding walk that includes numerous cultural highlights. Every day during the walk, you are guaranteed a comfortable accommodation and the best local food! On this section, you’ll walk from Sahagun, a medieval town renowned for its architecture, and finish in Leon, one of the greatest cities in Camino de Santiago, or Way of Saint James, crosses the vast Castilian Plateau (900m) and passes through its wealthy villages before ending in Leon. You’ll start in Léon, one of the greatest cities in Spain and finish in Ponferrada, built by the Templars in the 12th century. The Camino de Santiago, or Way of Saint James, starts on the central high plateau and traverses the untouched Leon with all of our tours, you’ll be treated to the very best local gastronomy, and stay in comfortable hotels and traditional guesthouses. Starting in the mountain-hugging town of Ponferrada and finishing in Sarria, a bustling market town, this Camino crosses the magnificent O Cebreiro Mountains before winding down to a more gentle is a megalithic village with round stone houses, with an amazing church, Santa Maria Real, where you can find the most important religious remains of Galicia (the miracle of Santo Milagro with a Chalice and Paten turning into the body and blood of Jesus Christ). The Chalice and Paten are the symbol of Galicia and are on the Galician remains of Don Elias Valina Sampredo, the father of the modern Camino and ‘inventor’ of the yellow arrow, are also in the Church. What Our Customers Say This Camino Frances Map is a handy visual representation of the most famous route on the Camino de Santiago. The Camino Frances or French Way is well known for many films, books, and documentaries. The French Way or Camino Francés is the most famous and popular of the Camino de Santiago routes, attracting nearly 70% of all Camino pilgrims. Starting in St Jean Pied de Port, at the foot of the Pyrenees, the Camino Frances makes its way across Northern Spain taking pilgrims all the way to Santiago de Compostela, in Galicia, and its spectacular cathedral. The vineyards of La Rioja, Burgos Cathedral, Ponferrada Castle, and the mountains of O Cebreiro are some of the most magnificent sights along this epic 800 km Camino route. It should take just over a month to complete the Full Camino Frances route on foot but you can also choose to start at different points along the way. The most popular starting points on the Camino Frances are: Sarria, St Jean Pied de Port, Leon, O Cebreiro and Ponferrada. You can also cycle the Camino Francés in 15 days. Highlights on the Camino Frances Map The Camino Frances Map highlights some of the key stages on the full route. Here are some of the highlights you can see: Pyrenees After you leave St Jean Pied de Port you will walk across the Pyrenees Mountains. This is the most challenging section of the Camino Frances but also one of the most beautiful. The views are worth the effort of the climbs. Pamplona Most people will know Pamploma from the famous San Fermin festival which includes the ‘running from the bulls’. The city itself is well worth a visit even outside of festival time with colourful streets, friendly locals and delicious pinxtos. Rioja Region This is one for the wine lovers out there. Around Logrono you will find the Rioja Region where you will be surrounded by vineyards. Burgos Burgos is home to one of the most magnificent Cathedrals in Spain. This is a great warm up for a trip to Santiago! Leon Leon is another town with a gorgeous cathedral, famed for its Gothic architecture and magnificent stained-glass windows. Enjoy dinner in the old town followed by a glass of local wine or beer. O Cebreiro This spot is unique due to its circular granite homes with thatched roofs. You will be nearing the end of your Camino at this point and you are reminded of all of the footsteps that will have passed this town throughout history. Santiago de Compostela This is the last stop on the Camino Frances. Marvel at the atmosphere in front of the famous cathedral and spend some time exploring the walled streets of the old town. Santiago is one of the prettiest cities in Europe! Check out our Downloadable Camino De Santiago Map for our other Camino routes. For more information about the Camino Frances, other Camino de Santiago routes or to book your Camino trip, contact our travel specialists From Saint Jean Pied de Port, France, to Santiago de Compostela 31 Sections. 773 kilometres. From Somport (Aragón) to Santiago de Compostela. 33 Sections. 937 Spain, the Camino Francés (The French Way) starts in Roncesvalles, you leave from Navarre, or in Somport if you depart from Aragón. This is the most well-known and tradition-steeped route to Santiago de Compostela to the point that it has become a cultural, artistic and sociological landmark attracting 7 out of 10 pilgrims coming to the Santiago de Compostela. READ MORE Equipped with a very complete network of services and with a large number of public hostels, correct signage and unique hospitality, the Camino Francés is the perfect itinerary for the pilgrim who wants to discover the Camino de it is one of the longest itineraries that go to Santiago, with about 800 km from the French town of Saint Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela, the pilgrim will discover an extraordinary human, artistic and cultural wealth. It is about a total of about 30 stages of the Camino that cross the north of Spain and that are worth traveling once in a lifetimeA World Heritage RouteThe Camino Francés received in 2004 the Prince of Asturias Award for Concord, it is a World Heritage Site and the Council of Europe made it the first European Cultural Itinerary. Acknowledgments all that realize the importance of this pilgrimage route since the 9th century, the date on which the discovery of the Apostle's tomb is dated, the Camino Francés has a route that was fixed, as we know it today, at the end of the 11th French Route aroused such interest in Medieval Europe, that already in 1135 the famous Codex Calixtinus became a pioneering travel guide, collecting all the sections, sanctuaries, data of the local inhabitants and detailed notes of this itinerary that departs from Routes from FranceThe Camino Francés crosses the Gallic country through four routes: Paris-Tours, Vezelay-Limoges and Le Puy-Conques, which enter Spain through Navarre. The fourth, Arles-Toulouse, crosses the border at Somport and continues to Jaca, starting the Aragonese Way. Crossed the border, the pilgrim will have to face a month's journey on foot, with thirty stages, until reaching Spain, the Camino Francés has two starting points: Roncesvalles if the pilgrim starts in Navarra, or in Somport if he starts his Way in Aragon. To give you an idea, here is a link where you can locate the French Way on the la Reina is the junction point between the two variants of the Camino Francés: those that arrive from Saint Jean Pied de Port and cross Roncesvalles and Pamplona; and those who walk from Somport through the provinces of Zaragoza and this point, the Camino Francés crosses significant places such as Estella, Logroño, Nájera, Santo Domingo de la Calzada, Belorado, Burgos, Frómista, Carrión de los Condes, Burgo Ranero, Mansilla de las Mulas, León, Astorga, Ponferrada or Villafranca del the Bercian region you can access Galicia, the mythical town of O Cebreiro. From there there is a week of travel through the lands of meigas, legends and green landscapes, until we reach the Praza do Obradoiro and pick up the Sarria to SantiagoThe Camino Francés from Sarria to Santiago is the most popular section among the current pilgrim. This is the last 100 kilometers of the Jacobean Route, the ones necessary to get to the section from Sarria to Santiago is usually covered in five stages, with stops in Portomarín, Palas de Rei, Arzúa and O Pedrouzo. However, like all Caminos, they can be adapted to your needs. Many pilgrims decide to go from Sarria to Santiago in 6 stages, dividing the Palas de Rei-Arzúa stage in two. This allows the pilgrim to go more rested and spend the night in the Jacobean town of it is perfect for people who have only a few days to do the Camino, it is advisable to extend the Route to enjoy the Camino and live the experience Camino Frances de Santiago by bike is also very popular. The minimum to get to Compostela, what many pilgrims mistakenly call the Compostelana, is 200 km, so the most used section of the Camino is backpack transport service is available on the entire Camino Fancés from Easter to October 31. And on the Sarria-Santiago section, the Paq Mochila is available all year round. Camino de Santiago associations Aragón Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Jaca Email master@ Direction Calle Conde Aznar, 9 Jaca, 22700 Aragón Jaca Jacobea Asociación Oscense de los Amigos del Camino de Santiago Email huescasantiago@ Direction Calle Valentín Gardeta, 34 Huesca, 22007 Aragón Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Zaragoza Email peregrinosantiagozaragoza@ Direction Calle San Vicente de Paul, 1 Zaragoza, 50001 Castilla y León Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Burgos Email asociacion@ Direction Calle Fernán Gonzalez, 28 - Apdo. de Correos 331 Burgos, 09003 Castilla y León Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Mansilla de las Mulas Email jcachan@ Direction Plaza de San Martin, 1 - Iglesia de San Martín Mansilla de las Mulas, 24210 Castilla y León Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Palencia Email fromista@ Direction Real Monasterio de San Zoilo Carrión de los Condes, 34120 Castilla y León Asociación Amigos del Camino de Santiago de León "Pulchra Leonina" Email caminosantiagoleon@ Direction Avenida Independencia, 2 - 5º Izq. León, 24003 Castilla y León Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Astorga y Comarca Email asociacion@ Direction Plaza de San Francisco, 3 Astorga, 24700 Castilla y León Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago del Bierzo Email asociacion@ Direction Avenida del Castillo, 106 Ponferrada, 24401 Francia Amis du chemin de St Jacques des Pyrennes Atlantiques Email contact@ Direction Rue de la Citadelle, 39 Saint Jean Pied du Port, 64220 Galicia Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Lugo Email lugocamino@ Direction Plaza Comandante Manso, 11 - Entresuelo Lugo, 27001 Galicia Asociación Amigos del Camino de la Comarca de Sarria Email amigoscaminosarria@ Direction Vigo de Sarria, 15, Km 115 27600 Sarria, Lugo La Rioja Federación Española de Asociaciones de Amigos del Camino de Santiago Email caminosantiago@ Direction Rúa Vieja, 3 Logroño, 26001 Navarra Asociación de Amigos del Camino de Santiago en Navarra Email info@ Direction Calle Florencio de Ansoleaga, 2 31001, Pamplona Navarra Asociación de los Amigos del Camino de Santiago de Estella Email amigos@ Direction Calle La Rúa, 50 - Apto. de Correos, 20 Estella, 21004