Camino Frances (Camino de Santiago)

The Camino Frances is the most commonly-walked of the Santiago trails, and the one most people would mean when referring to the Camino de Santiago.

The route originally most popular with Medieval (and earlier it was a Roman trade route and important, also, to the pagan religions whose scallop shell fertility symbol remains the symbol of the walk today) pilgrims passing through France (including those coming from Germany, Switzerland and the Low Countries), its start-point is, officially, at St Jean Pied-du-Port on the French side of the border, or Roncesvalles on the Spanish.

This is a walk of some 780km though pilgrims are, in fact, only required to complete the last 100km on foot which passes through the hills of the Basque, on down to Pamplona, Burgos, Leon, the hot flat plain of the meseta the towns of the Rioja, Astorga and the Galician hills. This route generally presents no problems in terms of difficulty; the main challenge is simply its length.

Allow a month to walk its length, and tack on time for rest stops and cultural sightseeing; the routes spiritual importance, and its importance in the political development of Europe the protection of pilgrims on this road was one of the primary drivers behind the expulsion of the Moors from northern Spain have left it scattered, even outside the great cities, with architectural and archaeological gems that validate leisurely exploration. For a suggested itinerary, try here

See Route below for extensive further information.