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French Way

  • 772 km
  • 33 stages
  • Medium Difficulty
  • 9,026 m of ascent
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Elevation profile of the route
172 824 1,476 km 0 km 386 km 771.3
↑ 9,026 m of ascent ↓ 8,894 m of descent Altitude: 172–1,476 m

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Detail

The French Way (Camino Francés) is the most famous and popular pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. Starting from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France, it crosses the Pyrenees and travels 772 km across northern Spain to the Cathedral of Santiago.

According to the Pilgrim's Office, in 2025 45.6% of pilgrims who received the Compostela arrived by this route. Over 33 stages it passes through historic cities like Pamplona, Burgos and León, as well as medieval villages with centuries of pilgrim hospitality.

The French Way follows the ancient route described in the Codex Calixtinus (12th century), history's first travel guide. It crosses diverse landscapes: the green Navarrese valleys, the cereal plains of the Castilian Meseta, the hills of El Bierzo and the stone villages of Galicia.

It is the route with the best infrastructure for pilgrims, with hundreds of hostels, fountains, yellow arrow waymarks and support services. Ideal for first-time walkers and experienced pilgrims alike.

Pilgrim stories

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Jose Ramón · Story

Confieso que en Melide quise dejarlo

Una confesión de mi Camino con mis padres: el momento exacto, con el pulpo delante y el horario de autobuses en el móvil, en que estuve a punto de rendirme, y lo que me hizo seguir hasta Arzúa.

Camille Roux · 3 days

Written by the editorial team

Trois jours pour franchir les Pyrénées, seule et sans peur

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Roncevaux, Zubiri, Pampelune : les trois premiers jours du Camino francés racontés par une Lyonnaise de trente-quatre ans qui partait seule pour la première fois, avec une peur qu'elle a laissée au col de Lepoeder.

Stages

Walk the Camino day by day. Click the number to locate the stage on the map.

Questions in the forum

  1. Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port → Roncesvalles

    24.2 km 5.4 h Mountainous

  2. Roncesvalles → Zubiri

    21.4 km 4.8 h Rolling

  3. Zubiri → Pamplona

    20.4 km 4.5 h Rolling

  4. Pamplona → Puente la Reina

    23.9 km 5.3 h Rolling

  5. Puente la Reina → Estella

    21.6 km 4.8 h Rolling

  6. Estella → Los Arcos

    21.3 km 4.7 h Rolling

  7. Los Arcos → Logroño

    27.6 km 6.1 h Rolling

  8. Logroño → Nájera

    28.5 km 6.3 h Rolling

  9. Nájera → Santo Domingo de la Calzada

    20.7 km 4.6 h Rolling

  10. Santo Domingo de la Calzada → Belorado

    22.0 km 4.9 h Rolling

  11. Belorado → San Juan de Ortega

    23.9 km 5.3 h Rolling

  12. San Juan de Ortega → Burgos

    25.8 km 5.7 h Rolling

  13. Burgos → Hornillos del Camino

    20.3 km 4.5 h Rolling

  14. Hornillos del Camino → Castrojeriz

    19.9 km 4.4 h Rolling

  15. Castrojeriz → Frómista

    24.7 km 5.5 h Rolling

  16. Frómista → Carrión de los Condes

    18.8 km 4.2 h Rolling

  17. Carrión de los Condes → Terradillos de los Templarios

    26.3 km 5.8 h Rolling

  18. Terradillos de los Templarios → Bercianos del Real Camino

    26.7 km 5.2 h Rolling

  19. Bercianos del Real Camino → Mansilla de las Mulas

    26.3 km 5.8 h Rolling

  20. Mansilla de las Mulas → León

    18.4 km 4.1 h Rolling

  21. León → San Martín del Camino

    24.6 km 5.5 h Rolling

  22. San Martín del Camino → Astorga

    28.0 km 5.3 h Rolling

  23. Astorga → Foncebadón

    25.8 km 5.7 h Rolling

  24. Foncebadón → Ponferrada

    26.8 km 6.0 h Mountainous

  25. Ponferrada → Villafranca del Bierzo

    23.2 km 5.2 h Rolling

  26. Villafranca del Bierzo → O Cebreiro

    27.8 km 6.2 h Mountainous

  27. O Cebreiro → Triacastela

    20.6 km 4.6 h Rolling

  28. Triacastela → Sarria

    17.8 km 4.0 h Rolling

  29. Sarria → Portomarín

    22.2 km 4.9 h Rolling

  30. Portomarín → Palas de Rei

    24.8 km 5.5 h Rolling

  31. Palas de Rei → Arzúa

    28.5 km 6.3 h Rolling

  32. Arzúa → O Pedrouzo

    19.3 km 4.3 h Rolling

  33. O Pedrouzo → Santiago de Compostela

    19.4 km 4.3 h Rolling

Frequently asked questions about the French Way

How many kilometres is the French Way?

The French Way is 772 km long, divided into 33 stages, from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela.

How many days does the French Way take?

The classic division is 33 stages, one per day, averaging 23.4 km daily. At a brisk pace stages can be combined; at a gentler pace, split up.

Where does the French Way start and end?

It starts in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and ends in Santiago de Compostela.

Which is the hardest stage of the French Way?

Stage 1 (Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port → Roncesvalles), with 1290 m of accumulated ascent.

How many hostels are there on the French Way?

Peregrinia has 613 pilgrim hostels mapped along the French Way, listed stage by stage with their exact kilometre point.

Companions for this route

1 pilgrim sets out on the French Way in October

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