Page 8 - Camino de Santiago - UTracks

Camino Francés
St Jean Pied de Port - Santiago, 790km
Pilgrims walking across the Pyrenees from France, or beyond, typically followed a route similar to what is today known as the
Camino Francés, or the French Way. While a pilgrimage of cially began from
one’s front door, and pilgrims came from all over Europe, it made sense for many to follow the same path once they reached France for safety reasons as well as camaraderie. The Camino Francés followed an old Roman trade route and ultimately became the preferred way to Santiago.
It is by far the most popular route. On average, over 60% of all people who walk along a section on any of the seven main Camino pilgrimage routes follow this path to Santiago.
These numbers are bolstered by the fact that the most popular starting point for today’s travellers is the delightful town of
Santiago de Compostela
Sarria, which conveniently sits 115km from Santiago, just enough for people to earn their of cial Compostela certi cate and complete within a week.
Subsequently, the Camino Francés has the best infrastructure for pilgrims, with more hotels, restaurants and organised walks found along this route than any other. It is also the best waymarked.
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SPAIN
The Camino Francés offers pilgrims and walkers a tougher challenge and a more complete Camino experience, passing by a multitude of churches and famous towns, such as Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos and Leon, as well as a variety of landscapes from the mountains of the Pyrenees to the Rioja vineyards, the vast meseta and the rolling green hills of Galicia.
Sarria
Pamplona
Leon Burgos Logroño
Pilgrims on the Camino Francés near Rioja
FRANCE
St Jean Pied de Port
Roncesvalles