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. It’s the most well-liked Camino route. In response to the Pilgrims’ Reception Workplace in 2023 219 792 individuals walked the French route. Pilgrims begin their stroll from completely different cities alongside the Camino. 60% of all pilgrims on the French Camino stroll the final 100 km from Sarria.
You will discover extra info on strolling phases, distances, elevations, stops alongside the route, and albergues in our put up “Camino Frances strolling phases“.
The French Camino overview
- Whole distance – 770 km/478 mi
- Variety of days required – 30-33 days
- Strolling on asphalt – 290 km/180 mi
- Strolling on the highway – 70 km/43,3 mi principally quiet roads with virtually 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 possibly can learn extra info on journey insurance coverage for the Camino Frances in our devoted put up on Camino journey insurance coverage or get an on the spot quote proper now.
Issues can and do go mistaken while you journey. World Nomads gives protection for greater than 150 actions in addition to emergency medical, misplaced baggage, journey cancellation and extra.
Free downloadable PDFs
To make your planning simpler we’ve created free downloadable PDF recordsdata that comprise detailed strolling phases and locations to remain on the French Manner of St.James.
What’s the French Manner of the Camino de Santiago?
The French Manner 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 tons 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 recognition, the French Camino has one of the best infrastructure and probably the most albergues in comparison with the opposite routes. Many pilgrims select it as their first Camino stroll.
How lengthy is the route?
The gap of the French Manner 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. There are many lovely cities on the French Camino if you might want to take a relaxation day.
The place does the French Manner 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 all the Camino and do solely part of it relying on how a lot time they’ve and the way far they need to stroll.
The place can I begin strolling the Camino?
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 |
When you have a whole lot of time and are eager on strolling for a few months beginning the French Camino in Le Puy (France) is an effective 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, to begin with, as a result of there are only a few individuals which is perhaps nice in case you’re looking for solitude. Second, there are fewer albergues which implies your lodging bills will likely be increased.
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 cause 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 in case you begin in Roncesvalles and get there by bus guide your lodging forward, there may be one enormous albergue for 200 individuals, one or two fancy accommodations and nothing else. You possibly can guide 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 possibly can select any of those cities relying on how a lot time you will have and the way far you need to stroll. It’s fairly simple to get to any of the cities from anyplace in Spain or from different European nations.
One other well-liked level to start out the French Manner is O Cebreiro although attending to this little village hidden within the mountains is perhaps a bit difficult. Public buses don’t go to O Cebreiro the best 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 means.
If you wish to get the Compostela (the certificates that claims that you simply’ve walked the Camino) the required minimal is to stroll at the very least the final 100 km to Santiago de Compostela or to cycle 200 km, not any 100 km on the Camino however the final 100km. Because of this, many individuals begin strolling the French Camino in Sarria, a city that’s 116 km away from Santiago. It’s an possibility in case you don’t have a lot time.
The very best guidebook
If you wish to purchase a guidebook for the French Camino I can suggest 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 simple to make use of, very detailed, and useful.
Is the French route onerous?
Sure, the French Camino is tough like several one-month stroll. It has some difficult components with steep ascents and descents or lengthy strolling distances. It’s particularly onerous for a first-time pilgrim who has by no means executed a long-distance stroll. So coaching for the Camino de Santiago is necessary.
The best way to get to the start line?
St.Jean Pied de Port is the official begin of the French Manner 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 in the beginning I attempted to place collectively one of the best transportation choices from Spain and France.
Both means by way of France or Spain you’ll need to make at the very least one change to get to St.Jean there are not any direct transport choices. Departure instances and ticket costs can change at any time, you’ll be able to verify the data on the businesses’ web sites (the hyperlinks are supplied under). We’ve an in depth put up explaining methods to get to St.Jean Pied de Port from completely different cities in France and Spain.
Backpack supply on the French route
It’s potential to stroll the French Manner of St.James with out a backpack a number of baggage switch companies can ship your backpack between lodging (door-to-door service) every day. You possibly can stroll with a small day pack carrying solely valuables and water and your baggage will likely be delivered to your lodge/albergue. The service prices between 7€ per backpack per stage. The backpacks are picked up within the morning on the reception and delivered by lunchtime. Correos, Pilbeo, and Xacotrans (from O Cebreiro to Santiago) are some corporations providing baggage transfers.
What’s the finest part of the route?
The reply to this query is determined by your preferences. I take pleasure in 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 one of the best components of the route.
In the event you want strolling on flat floor then the a part of the French route between Burgos and Leon, the well-known Meseta is one of the best part for you. It’s in all probability 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 one of the best part so that you can stroll.
What’s the finest month to stroll?
If you wish to have one of the best climate not too wet and chilly and never too scorching Could, June, and September are one of the best months for strolling this route. Temperatures are comfy round 25°C and never many rainfalls. Spring basically and Could, particularly, is, in my view, one of the best time for strolling the Camino. Along with the nice climate and lengthy days, you get to see fields lined in flowers. September is an effective month too however the day is getting shorter and in case you like to start out strolling early within the morning you’ll need to stroll in the dead of night for an hour or so.
In fact, the nice climate attracts many individuals. Could, June, and September are the busiest months for the French Camino. You may need to guide lodging in some locations upfront and cope with many individuals on the route however on the intense facet, it’s a really social good for individuals who stroll alone.
In August and July, it’s scorching and dry, particularly within the a part of the Meseta, you’ll have to start out strolling early to be completed earlier than noon. I used to assume that August was the height season for this route (possibly as a result of August is the height vacationer season for Europe basically) but it surely’s not. There are not many individuals strolling the Camino in August. Everyone is aware of it’s scorching, and folks don’t need to stroll within the warmth.
Strolling in October, March, or April you’ll be able to be fortunate and get good climate although it’ll be fairly chilly and darkish, or very unfortunate and get a whole lot of rain. There will likely be 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 is perhaps closed in addition to some components of the Camino, two particularly the place it’s a must to go over the passes; from St.Jean to Roncesvalles and thru O Cebreiro. You’ll need to take an alternate winter route or skip the stage. The one benefit of strolling the French Manner in winter is that there will likely be no individuals in case you desire a solitary stroll.
The Camino in fall vs spring
How a lot does it value?
The Camino will be executed on a really tight finances spending 25€ every day. In the event you don’t thoughts paying extra and wish 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 13€ and 16€. Costs for non-public lodging begin from 30€ for a single room and 40€ for a double room.
The lodging makes an enormous distinction to your finances. In the event you keep in municipal albergues your stroll will likely be low cost and quite the opposite, in case you select to remain in non-public rooms your finances will likely be akin to a traditional vacation finances.
Sleeping each night time in a dormitory with many different individuals and utilizing shared services is kind of tiring, all people wants some privateness typically. I used to guide at the very least as soon as per week (each fourth or fifth night time) a personal room the place I may relaxation, take a protracted bathe, and luxuriate in being alone.
Consuming out
Not surprisingly consuming out is costlier than making meals however typically on the Camino, you’re too drained to cook dinner or need to exit with different pilgrims. Apart from making an attempt native meals on the Camino is part of the expertise so I’d recommend consuming out once in a while to get a style of Spain.
A normal breakfast (espresso, orange juice, croissant/sandwich/toast) you will discover all over the place on the French Manner prices 4€. Many of the day I ended for breakfast as a result of I 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 all over the place within the afternoon, and a few locations serve it for dinner. It’s a set lunch with the primary (soup, salad, or pasta), the primary (meat, rooster, fish, vegetarian with garnish), wine/beer/water/cool drink, dessert, or espresso, and bread. Menú del Día often prices 12€ typically it’s good and large, and typically it’s not superb and never that a lot. Ask your albergue/lodge a few good place to eat they often know.
Espresso, beer, and wine are fairly low cost in Spain even in case you’re on a decent finances you undoubtedly 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 procuring
The most cost effective possibility is shopping for meals in supermarkets. Staying in albergues will assist with spending much less on meals as a result of a lot of the albergues have a kitchen, not like accommodations. Most locations you cease on the French route have supermarkets, retailers, or at the very least 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 7€ per backpack per stage. You don’t have to make use of it day-after-day I do know some pilgrims use it when it’s a protracted strolling day or a troublesome one with many hills or a steep climb.
Many pilgrims wash their garments day-after-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’ll be able to share one load between two or three individuals.
My finances 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 municipal albergues, and 16 nights in non-public albergues. In the event you keep in albergues solely you are able to do it for below 350€ per particular person for 32 days.
- Grocery procuring – 178€
- Consuming out – 298€, in case you make your 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€, prepare Santiago – Madrid – 34€.
- Laundry – 23€
- Different (SIM card, entrance charges, toiletries, and many others.) – 50€
Whole: 1152€ or 36€ per particular person per day.
What to pack for the stroll?
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My 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’ll take all the closet with you. Two important issues that you simply need to be good and cozy are sneakers and a backpack. Ensure you put on your sneakers earlier than and your ft are used to them in case you purchase a brand new pair of sneakers your probabilities of getting dangerous blisters are fairly excessive. Discover out extra particulars on one of the best sneakers for the Camino de Santiago.
We’ve an in depth Camino packing put up the place you will discover what to pack for the Camino for various seasons for women and men.
What’s the lodging like on the Camino?
Discovering lodging on the French Camino could be very simple, there are numerous albergues, accommodations, and pensions alongside the route. As I already talked about albergues are the most cost effective lodging on the Camino. Albergues will be municipal and personal. Municipal albergues are cheaper, greater, and fewer comfy in comparison with non-public ones.
Most albergues have a few dormitories with bunk beds (typically one enormous room with many beds) and shared services like a kitchen, bogs, and showers. In municipal albergues, you typically get disposable bedding (a mattress sheet and a pillow casing).
Challenges chances are you’ll encounter in albergues, particularly in municipal as they’re often greater and accommodate extra individuals;
- Snorers, be sure that to pack earplugs you’ll 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 check-in don’t make your mattress or unpack your backpack, seize your stuff, and go to the bathe typically 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 fairly pay more money to have extra consolation and privateness you’ll be able to keep in accommodations and pensions. In the event you’re planning to stroll the French route in excessive season (Could to September) I’d suggest reserving accommodations upfront from my expertise (I walked the French Manner in September) non-public rooms had been often absolutely booked and in lots of cities, it was troublesome to discover a properly priced non-public room on arrival. You’ll have extra consolation in case you keep in accommodations however only for the expertise, I’d recommend spending at the very least one night time within the albergue.
Services | Municipal albergues | Non-public albergues | Inns |
---|---|---|---|
Just for pilgrims | sure | no | no |
Want a Credential to remain | sure | no | no |
Sizzling bathe | sure | sure | sure |
Kitchen | often | often | no |
Wi-fi | often | sure | sure |
Blankets | typically | often | sure |
Washer | often | often | typically |
Restaurant | no | often | often |
Superior reserving | not often | sure | sure |
Baggage supply | typically | sure | sure |
As for reserving upfront, I’d suggest doing it within the peak season, notably in some locations. Initially in Roncesvalles (there is just one albergue for 200 individuals and two costly accommodations) particularly in case you’re ranging from there and arriving late by bus. Zubiri is a small city and a preferred 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 questions are at all times troublesome to reply however after strolling seven completely different Camino routes over the past two years we now have obtained our favorites. We preferred completely different Camino routes for a number of causes, some for the breathtaking surroundings, some for being off the crushed monitor, some for providing an amazing cultural expertise, and many others. Each Camino has one thing distinctive and 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 is an incredible expertise. The Camino Primitivo was one other route we loved regardless of the wet climate and the muddy path. It’s potential to mix the French Manner with the Camino Primitivo. From Leon, you’ll be able to stroll to Oviedo following the Camino de San Salvador, one of many lesser-known Camino routes, and from there proceed to Santiago on the Camino Primitivo.
We do a whole lot of climbing within the mountains and the Primitivo was the closest you may get on the Camino to actual climbing. The Portuguese Camino was an amazing expertise since you get to stroll via two nations; Portugal and Spain and in case you select the Coastal Route you stroll subsequent to the ocean.
The French Camino gives an incredible cultural expertise. You stroll via unbelievable Spanish cities with nice historical past and structure like Pamplona, Burgos, León, and Astorga. Their astonishing cathedrals and fortresses blow you away.
As for the surroundings on the French route, I loved the start of the stroll, the mountain half from St.Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona, the half from Astorga to Molinaseca, and the stroll to O Cebreiro. I like strolling within the mountains. As for the well-known Meseta a protracted stretch between Burgos and Astorga via 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 take pleasure in this specific half however for me, it obtained fairly monotonous after a few days.
One other cause in favor of selecting the French Camino is the social life you’re by no means alone, it’s simple to search out somebody to stroll with or to speak to within the night. I walked the French Manner of St.James alone and was by no means bored or lonely.
French Manner FAQ
Will I be lonely if I stroll the Camino alone?
The French Manner was one of many few Camino routes I walked alone with out my husband. To start with, I needed to alter to it however I undoubtedly can say I didn’t really feel lonely. Many pilgrims stroll this route and your probabilities of strolling alone are fairly small. By the tip of the primary week you understand fairly lots of people and at all times can discover any individual to stroll with or have lunch.
Is it secure to stroll the French Manner of St.James alone as a girl?
Security for feminine pilgrims is without doubt one of the most often requested Camino questions we get. I walked alone for 780 km and by no means felt unsafe on the French Camino. As I stated you rarely 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. In the event you really feel intimidated or unsafe you’ll be able to workforce up with one other pilgrim many individuals stroll the Camino solo.
Will it’s troublesome to speak on the French Camino if I don’t communicate Spanish?
In the event you don’t communicate any Spanish don’t fear about it most pilgrims usually are not Spanish. Many individuals I met on the French route may communicate fairly good English. The truth is, on this route, there have been many pilgrims from the US, Canada, and the UK in comparison with the opposite Camino routes English right here was in all probability probably the most spoken language. Many locals don’t communicate English however there may be at all times somebody round who may also help and translate for you.
Which Camino route is one of the best to stroll for a first-timer?
Out of the long-distance routes, I’d say the French Manner might be one of the best as a result of it has probably the most infrastructure for pilgrims, distances between albergues usually are not that lengthy you’ll be able to simply stroll 20km a day and discover a place to sleep. If you wish to attempt the Camino and aren’t able to stroll for one month you’ll be able to select a shorter route just like the Camino Inglés or the Camino Finisterre or stroll the final 100km on the Camino Francés from Sarria.
Advisable books and guidebooks
Planning assets for the French route
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The gorgeous half of Stingy Nomads, chargeable for all our land adventures (climbing, 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 fairly than to do a ten 000 km highway journey (really any highway 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.