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The French Camino is without doubt one of the routes of the Camino de Santiago, a pilgrimage to the tomb of the Apostle St.James in Santiago de Compostela. The French Approach is the most well-liked Camino route. In response to the Pilgrims’ Consideration Workplace in 2019 greater than 180 000 individuals walked this Camino ranging from completely different locations alongside the route. 50% of pilgrims who accomplished the French Camino walked the final 100 km from Sarria.
Yow will discover extra data on strolling phases, distances, elevations, stops alongside the route, and albergues in our Camino Frances strolling phases publish.
The French Camino route overview
- Complete distance – 770 km/478 mi
- Variety of days required – 30-33 days
- Strolling on asphalt – 290 km/180 mi
- Strolling on the street – 70 km/43,3 mi largely very quiet roads with nearly no vehicles
- Common value – 30 Euro per particular person per day
- Lodging – albergues, accommodations, guesthouses
- Route marking – yellow shells and arrows
Insurance coverage for the Camino
You may learn extra data on journey insurance coverage for the Camino Frances in our devoted publish on Camino journey insurance coverage or get an instantaneous quote proper now.
World Nomads journey insurance coverage has been designed by vacationers for vacationers, with protection for greater than 150 actions in addition to emergency medical, misplaced baggage, journey cancellation, and extra.
The French Camino de Santiago free downloadable PDFs
To make your planning simpler we’ve created free downloadable PDF information that comprise detailed strolling phases and locations to remain on the French Approach of St.James.
What’s the French Approach of the Camino de Santiago?
The French Approach of St.James is the most well-liked Camino de Santiago long-distance pilgrimage route. The historical past of the Camino dates many centuries again. For the reason that twelfth century, the French Camino has been utilized by lots of of hundreds of pilgrims from throughout Europe as the primary path to the tomb of St.James in Santiago de Compostela. Attributable to its reputation, the French Camino has the very best infrastructure and essentially the most albergues in comparison with the opposite routes. Many pilgrims select it as their first Camino stroll.
How lengthy is the French Camino de Santiago?
The full distance of the French Approach of St.James from St.Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela is 770 km/478 mi. One wants 30-35 days to finish the route.
The place does the French Approach begin?
The French Camino de Santiago begins within the small city of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France, close to the border with Spain. St.Jean is the official begin of the route however you can begin strolling from anyplace alongside the Camino route. Many individuals don’t stroll the whole Camino and do solely part of it relying on how a lot time they’ve and the way far their wish to stroll.
The place to start out strolling the French Approach of St.James?
Title of the place | Distance to Santiago |
---|---|
Le Puy (France) | 1490 km |
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port | 770 km |
Roncesvalles | 746 km |
Pamplona | 702 km |
Logroño | 606 km |
Burgos | 483 km |
León | 319 km |
Astorga | 267 km |
O Cebreiro | 162 km |
Sarria | 116 km |
In case you have plenty of time and are eager on strolling for a few months beginning the French Camino in Le Puy (France) is an efficient possibility for you. Le Puy is 1500 km from Santiago, and St.Jean Pied de Port is about midway. I haven’t walked the French half but however I’ve met some individuals who have. From what I’ve heard the French a part of the Camino is kind of completely different, initially, as a result of there are only a few individuals which may be nice when you’re searching for solitude. Second, there are fewer albergues which implies your lodging bills will probably be larger.
Many individuals begin the French Camino from Roncesvalles (746 km from Santiago) skipping the primary stage from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. I assume the primary purpose is that everyone is aware of in regards to the robust stroll with a really steep ascent and a subsequent descent from St.Jean to Roncesvalles. My recommendation is when you begin in Roncesvalles and get there by bus ebook your lodging forward, there may be one big albergue for 200 individuals, one or two fancy accommodations and nothing else. You may ebook it on-line.
Beginning in one of many massive cities like Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, Leon, or Astorga (examine distances from these cities to Santiago within the desk above) is kind of a preferred possibility. You may select any of those cities relying on how a lot time you’ve and the way far you wish to stroll. It’s fairly straightforward to get to any of the cities from anyplace in Spain or from different European international locations.
One other widespread level to start out the French Approach is O Cebreiro although attending to this little village hidden within the mountains may be a bit difficult. There are not any public buses going to O Cebreiro the most suitable choice is to get first to Lugo, then to take a bus to a small city Pedrafita do Cebreiro which is 4,5km away from O Cebreiro, and from there stroll or take a taxi. There are a few every day buses from Lugo going that method.
If you wish to get the Compostela (the certificates that claims that you simply’ve walked the Camino) the required minimal is to stroll not less than the final 100 km to Santiago de Compostela or to cycle 200 km, not any 100 km on the Camino however the final 100km. For that reason, many individuals begin strolling the French Camino in Sarria, a city that’s 116 km away from Santiago. It’s an possibility when you don’t have a lot time.
The perfect guidebook for the French route
If you wish to purchase a guidebook for the French Camino I can advocate A Pilgrim’s Information to the Camino de Santiago; Camino Frances by John Brierley. We used his guides for a number of Camino routes together with this one. They’re straightforward to make use of, very detailed, and useful.
Is the French route arduous?
Sure, the French Camino is tough like several one-month stroll. It has some difficult elements with steep ascents and descents or lengthy strolling distances. It’s particularly arduous for a first-time unprepared pilgrim so coaching for the Camino de Santiago is necessary.
Easy methods to get to the French Camino?
St.Jean Pied de Port is the official begin of the French Approach of St.James. It’s a small city on the border between France and Spain getting there would possibly look a bit of bit sophisticated initially I attempted to place collectively the very best transportation choices from Spain and France.
Both method by way of France or Spain you’ll should make not less than one change with a view to get to St.Jean there are not any direct transport choices. Departure instances and ticket costs can change at any time, you possibly can affirm the knowledge on the businesses’ web sites (the hyperlinks are offered beneath). We’ve got an in depth publish explaining the way to get to St.Jean Pied de Port from completely different cities in France and Spain.
Attending to St.Jean Pied de Port from Madrid or Barcelona
Step 1. Fly to Madrid or Barcelona there are various worldwide flights to those airports from all around the world. We all the time fly to considered one of these cities when occurring the Camino journey.
Step 2. From Madrid take a bus/practice or catch a flight to Pamplona. Any of those choices are wonderful, the flight is the costliest however the quickest, and the bus is the most affordable however the slowest. Pamplona’s identify in Euskera (the Basque language) is Iruña don’t get confused when you see in your ticket each names.
From Barcelona catching a bus or a practice is the most suitable choice right here. There are no direct flights to Pamplona from Barcelona all flights go first to Madrid which is kind of inconvenient.
The benefit of taking a bus from each cities is that you simply arrive and go away for St.Jean from the identical bus station you simply change buses. From the practice stations and the airport, you’ll should get to the bus station first.
For those who’re coming from Europe there may be flights to Pamplona out of your metropolis possibly not direct however with a stopover.
Step 3 in season (between Easter and twentieth October). From Pamplona catch a direct bus to St.Jean Pied de Port. Buses are operated by ALSA.
Step 3 low season. Low season there are not any direct buses from Pamplona to St.Jean. Step 3. From Pamplona bus station take a bus to Roncesvalles. Step 4. From Roncesvalles take a taxi (can share it with different pilgrims) to St.Jean Pied de Port. Be aware! Low season attending to St.Jean by way of Paris may be a greater possibility.
Attending to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port from Paris
Step 1. Fly to Paris. Like with Madrid and Barcelona, there are lots of of flights to Paris from all around the world.
Step 2. From Paris take a practice/bus or catch a flight to Bayonne.
From Paris, the simplest is to take a practice on this case you simply change trains in Bayonne. Getting there by bus is a really lengthy journey although it’s the most affordable possibility. As for the flight, there isn’t any airport in Bayonne you will get a direct flight from Paris (CDG) to Biarritz which is about 4km away, and from the airport take a bus to Bayonne. The bus trip takes about 15min. and prices 1 Euro.
Step 3. From Bayonne practice station take a direct practice to Saint Jean Pied de Port. There are a number of every day trains. The journey takes 1h.20min., and the value is 10 Euros. Tickets will be bought on-line.
Backpack supply on the French route
It’s doable to stroll the French Approach of St.James with out a backpack there are a number of baggage switch companies that may ship your backpack between lodging (door-to-door service) every single day. You may stroll with a small day pack carrying solely valuables and water and your baggage will probably be delivered to your lodge/albergue. The service prices between 5€-6€ per backpack per stage. The backpacks are picked up within the morning on the reception and delivered by lunchtime. Among the firms that do baggage transfers are Correos, Pilbeo, and Xacotrans (from O Cebreiro to Santiago).
What’s the finest part of the French Camino?
The reply to this query depends upon your preferences. I actually get pleasure from mountainous surroundings and don’t thoughts steep ascents and descents for me the start of the French Camino from St.Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pamplona and the center part to and from O Cebreiro are the very best elements of the route.
For those who choose strolling on flat floor then the a part of the French route between Burgos and Leon, the well-known Meseta is the very best part for you. It’s most likely the commonest surroundings of the Camino.
If you wish to do a shorter stroll and get your Compostela certificates for finishing the Camino then the French Camino from Sarria is the very best part so that you can stroll.
What’s the finest month to stroll the French Camino de Santiago?
If you wish to have the very best climate not too wet and chilly and never too sizzling Might, June, and September are the very best months for strolling this route. Temperatures are snug round 25°C, there should not many rainfalls. Spring generally and Might, specifically, is, for my part, the very best time for strolling the Camino. Along with the great climate and lengthy days, you get to see fields coated in flowers. September is an efficient month too however the day is getting shorter and when you like to start out strolling early within the morning you’ll should stroll at midnight for an hour or so.
After all, the great climate attracts lots of people, Might, June, and September are the busiest months for the French Camino. You might need to ebook lodging in some locations prematurely and take care of many individuals on the route however on the brilliant aspect, it’s a really social good for individuals who stroll alone.
In August and July, it may possibly get very popular and dry, particularly within the a part of the Meseta, you’ll have to start out strolling actually early to be completed earlier than noon. I used to suppose that August was the height season for this route (possibly as a result of August is the height vacationer season for Europe generally) but it surely’s not. In reality, there are not many individuals strolling the route in August all people is aware of that it’s very popular, and never many individuals, particularly foreigners, wish to stroll within the warmth.
Strolling the French Approach in October, March, or April you possibly can be fortunate and get good climate although it’ll be fairly chilly and darkish, or very unfortunate and get plenty of rain. There will probably be nonetheless some pilgrims however considerably fewer than in the summertime months.
As for strolling utterly low season from November to February, it’ll be chilly and moist, some albergues may be closed in addition to some elements of the Camino, two specifically the place you need to go over the passes; from St.Jean to Roncesvalles and thru O Cebreiro. You’ll should take an alternate winter route or skip the stage. The one benefit of strolling the French Approach in winter is that there will probably be no individuals in case you wish to have a solitary stroll.
The French route fall vs spring
How a lot does the French Camino de Santiago value?
The Camino will be finished on a really tight funds spending 20€ per day. For those who don’t thoughts paying extra to have extra consolation your value will be between 40 and 50€ per particular person per day. Here’s a detailed breakdown of the Camino value.
Lodging
The most cost effective lodging possibility on the French Camino is municipal albergues (a dormitory with bunk beds) which value round 8€, non-public albergues (a dormitory with bunk beds or regular beds) are between 12€ and 14€. Costs for non-public lodging begin from 25-30€ for a single room and 35-40€ for a double room.
The lodging makes an enormous distinction to your funds. For those who keep in municipal albergues your stroll will probably be actually low-cost and quite the opposite, when you select to remain in non-public rooms your funds will probably be similar to a traditional vacation funds.
Sleeping each night time in a dormitory with many different individuals and utilizing shared services is kind of tiring, all people wants some privateness infrequently. I used to ebook not less than as soon as per week (each fourth or fifth night time) a non-public room the place I might have a pleasant sleep, take an extended bathe, and simply get pleasure from being alone.
Consuming out
Not surprisingly that it really works out dearer when you eat out in comparison with making your individual meals however generally on the Camino you’re too lazy or drained to make meals or simply wish to exit with different pilgrims. An ordinary breakfast (espresso, orange juice, croissant/sandwich/toast) that you simply discover just about in every single place on the French Approach prices 4€. A lot of the day I ended for breakfast as a result of I simply didn’t really feel like making meals at 6 am.
Menú del Día or Menú del Peregrino is the most well-liked lunch possibility on the French Camino, you get it in every single place within the afternoon, and a few locations serve it for dinner as effectively. It’s a set lunch with the primary (soup, salad, or pasta), the primary (meat, hen, fish, vegetarian with garnish), wine/beer/water/cool drink, dessert, or espresso, and bread. Menú del Día often prices 10-12€ generally it’s actually good and massive, generally not superb and never that a lot. My recommendation, ask your albergue/lodge a couple of good place to eat they often know.
Espresso, beer, and wine are fairly low-cost in Spain even when you’re on a decent funds you positively will be capable of afford a every day cup of espresso or two and a glass of wine or beer. A cup of espresso is 1,5€, and a glass of wine/beer – 2€.
Grocery buying
The most cost effective meals possibility is to purchase stuff in a grocery store and make your individual meals. Staying in albergues will assist with spending much less on meals as a result of many of the albergues have a kitchen, in contrast to accommodations. A lot of the locations you cease on the French route have supermarkets, outlets, or not less than small grocery shops. Relying on what you purchase put together to spend between 8€ and 10€ per particular person per day on groceries.
Additional companies on the Camino
The backpack supply service that many individuals use on the French Camino, prices between 5€ and 6€ per backpack per stage. You don’t have to make use of it every single day I do know some pilgrims use it when it’s an extended strolling day or a troublesome one with many hills or a steep climb.
Many pilgrims wash their garments every single day by hand many albergues have washing machines in addition to driers that work with cash. One load of washing is often 3€, drying – 3-4€. These machines are often massive you possibly can share one load between two or three individuals.
My funds breakdown for the French Camino
In 32 days on the French route I spent;
- Lodging – 494€, 8 nights in non-public rooms (together with 1 night time in a spa lodge), 8 nights in dorms in municipal albergues, and 16 nights in dorms in non-public albergues. For those who keep in albergues solely you are able to do it for underneath 350€ per particular person for 32 days.
- Grocery buying – 178€
- Consuming out – 298€, when you make your individual meals and eat solely breakfast or a sandwich it can save you about 100€.
- Espresso, wine, beer – 49€
- Transport – 84€, bus Barcelona – Pamplona – 28€, bus Pamplona – St.Jean Pied de Port – 22€, practice Santiago – Madrid – 34€.
- Laundry – 23€
- Different (SIM card, entrance charges, toiletries, and many others.) – 50€
Complete: 1152€ or 36€ per particular person per day.
What to pack for the Camino
My most important tip right here is to not pack an excessive amount of until you’re planning to make use of a backpack supply service then it doesn’t matter and you may take the whole closet with you. Two important issues that you simply wish to be good and comfy are footwear and a backpack. Ensure you put on your footwear earlier than and your ft are used to them when you purchase a brand new pair of footwear your possibilities of getting dangerous blisters are fairly excessive. Discover out extra particulars on the very best footwear for the Camino de Santiago.
We’ve got an in depth Camino packing publish the place you’ll find what to pack for the Camino for various seasons for women and men.
What’s the lodging like on the French Camino?
Discovering lodging on the French Camino could be very straightforward, there are various albergues, accommodations, and pensions alongside the route. As I already talked about albergues are the most affordable lodging on the Camino. Albergues will be municipal which implies they’re run by native municipalities and personal. Municipal albergues are often cheaper, larger, and a bit much less snug in comparison with non-public ones.
Most albergues have a few dormitories with bunk beds (generally one big room with many beds) and shared services like a kitchen, bogs, and showers. Usually in municipal albergues, you get disposable bedding (a mattress sheet and a pillow casing).
Challenges you might encounter in albergues, particularly in municipal as they’re often larger and accommodate extra individuals;
- Snorers, be certain to pack earplugs you’ll positively have individuals loud night breathing in your dorms.
- Lining up to make use of showers, washing machines, cooking utensils, checking in, and many others. My recommendation is after you checked in don’t make your mattress or unpack your backpack, seize your stuff, and go to the bathe generally there are solely two or three of them for 30 or 40 individuals.
- Being woken up at 4.30am as a result of some individuals begin strolling at 5am and even when they attempt to be quiet they nonetheless wake you up.
If staying in dormitories doesn’t sound very interesting and also you reasonably pay more money to have extra consolation and privateness you possibly can keep in accommodations and pensions. For those who’re planning to stroll the French route in excessive season (Might to September) I’d advocate reserving accommodations prematurely from my expertise (I walked the French Approach in September) non-public rooms had been often totally booked and in lots of locations it was very troublesome to discover a effectively priced non-public room on arrival. You’ll positively have extra consolation when you keep in accommodations however only for the expertise, I’d recommend spending not less than one night time within the albergue.
Services | Municipal albergues | Non-public albergues | Motels |
---|---|---|---|
Just for pilgrims | sure | no | no |
Want a Credential to remain | sure | no | no |
Scorching bathe | sure | sure | sure |
Kitchen | often | often | no |
Wi-fi | often | sure | sure |
Blankets | generally | often | sure |
Washer | often | often | generally |
Restaurant | no | often | often |
Superior reserving | hardly ever | sure | sure |
Baggage supply | generally | sure | sure |
As for reserving prematurely, I’d advocate doing it within the peak season, significantly in some locations. To start with in Roncesvalles (there is just one albergue for 200 individuals and two costly accommodations) particularly when you’re ranging from there and arriving late by bus. Zubiri is a small city and a very talked-about cease on the second day. O Cebreiro is one other small city with one municipal albergue and a few pensions.
The French Camino vs different Camino routes
Our readers typically ask us “What’s your favourite Camino?”. These sorts of questions are all the time troublesome to reply however after strolling seven completely different Camino routes over the past two years we now have bought our favorites. We favored completely different Camino routes for various causes, some for the breathtaking surroundings, some for being off the overwhelmed monitor, some for providing an amazing cultural expertise and so forth each Camino has one thing particular.
If we now have to decide on we’d say for the surroundings the Camino del Norte might be our favourite. Strolling subsequent to the ocean for not less than half of the best way is an incredible expertise. The Camino Primitivo was one other route that we actually loved regardless of the wet climate and the muddy path. It’s doable to mix the French Approach with the Camino Primitivo. From Leon, you possibly can stroll to Oviedo following the Camino de San Salvador, and from there proceed to Santiago on the Camino Primitivo.
We do plenty of mountaineering within the mountains and the Primitivo was the closest you will get on the Camino to actual mountaineering. The Portuguese Camino was an amazing expertise since you get to stroll by way of two international locations; Portugal and Spain and when you select the Coastal Route you stroll subsequent to the ocean.
The French Camino gives an incredible cultural expertise. You stroll by way of some unbelievable Spanish cities with nice historical past and structure like Pamplona, Burgos, León, and Astorga. Their astonishing cathedrals and fortresses simply blow you away.
As for the surroundings on the French route, I actually loved the very starting of the stroll, the mountain half from St.Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona in addition to the half from Astorga to Molinaseca and the stroll to O Cebreiro. I actually get pleasure from strolling within the mountains. As for the well-known Meseta an extended stretch between Burgos and Astorga by way of plains and fields I’m not a giant fan of this type of surroundings. This half jogged my memory of some phases of the Portuguese Camino from Lisbon and the By way of de la Plata. I do know many pilgrims get pleasure from this explicit half however for me, it bought fairly monotonous after a few days.
One other purpose in favor of selecting the French Camino is the social life you’re by no means alone, it’s straightforward to search out firm or a good friend to stroll with or simply to speak to within the night. I walked the French Approach of St.James alone and was by no means bored or lonely.
French Camino FAQ
Will I be lonely if I stroll the Camino alone?
The French Approach was one of many few Camino routes that I walked alone with out my husband. At first, I needed to alter to it however I positively can say I didn’t really feel lonely. There are various pilgrims strolling this route and your possibilities of not seeing an individual for a few hours are fairly small. By the tip of the primary week you realize fairly lots of people and all the time can discover someone to stroll with, to speak to, to eat lunch or to drink a glass of wine. I generally felt overwhelmed by all of the individuals and speaking.
Is it protected to stroll the French Approach of St.James alone as a girl?
Security for feminine pilgrims is without doubt one of the most continuously requested Camino questions we get. I walked alone for 780km and by no means felt unsafe on the French Camino. As I mentioned you hardly stroll alone there are often different pilgrims on the route however even after I had an hour or so strolling by myself I by no means felt any hazard. If for no matter purpose you’re feeling intimidated or unsafe you all the time can workforce up with one other pilgrim there are various individuals strolling the Camino solo.
Will it’s troublesome to speak on the French Camino if I don’t communicate Spanish?
For those who don’t communicate any Spanish don’t fear about it most pilgrims should not Spanish. Nearly all of individuals I met on the French route might communicate fairly good English. In reality, on this route, there have been actually many pilgrims from the US, Canada, and the UK in comparison with the opposite Camino routes English right here was most likely essentially the most spoken language. As for native individuals, a lot of them don’t communicate English although those that work in albergues or accommodations do there may be all the time somebody round who may also help and translate for you.
Which Camino route is the very best to stroll for a first-timer?
Out of the long-distance routes, I’d say the French Approach might be the very best as a result of it has essentially the most infrastructure for pilgrims, distances between albergues should not that lengthy you possibly can simply stroll 20km a day and discover a place to sleep. If you need simply to strive the Camino and aren’t able to decide to strolling for one month you possibly can select a shorter route just like the Camino Inglés or the Camino Finisterre or stroll the final 100km on the Camino Francés from Sarria.
Really useful books and guidebooks for the French Approach of St.James
The French Camino de Santiago planning assets
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The beautiful half of Stingy Nomads, accountable for all our land adventures (mountaineering, climbing, strolling the Camino) and following them write-ups. Alya loves strolling since she was a baby, she prefers to stroll 1000 km with a backpack reasonably than to do a ten 000 km street journey (truly any street journey). Alya is a giant fan of Latin America, the Spanish language, and dancing. Each time we go away she desperately misses our canine Chile.
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