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Revision as of 14:37, 9 August 2020 by Pierdeux(talk | contribs)(Camino francés means (literally) "way of the Franks" (as in the legend surrounding Charlemagne) and not "French Way"; this is worth pointing out.)
"The French Way" redirects here. For the heavy metal album, see Marseille (band). For the bluegrass album, see Hot Rize.
The four branches of the Way of St. James
The French Way (Galician: Camiño francés, Spanish: Camino francés, literally the "way of the Franks") is the most popular of the routes of the Way of St. James (Spanish: Camino de Santiago), the ancient pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. It runs from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees to Roncesvalles on the Spanish side and then another 780km on to Santiago de Compostela through the major cities of Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos and León. A typical walk on the Camino francés takes at least four weeks, allowing for one or two rest days on the way. Some travel the Camino on bicycle or on horseback.
Paths from the cities of Tours, Vézelay, and Le Puy-en-Velay meet at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. A fourth French route originates in Arles, in Provence, and crosses the French–Spanish frontier at a different point, between the Pyrenees towns of Somport and Canfranc. This fourth route follows the Aragonese Way and joins the French Way at Puente la Reina, south of Pamplona, in Navarre, about 700 kilometres from Santiago de Compostela.
In 2017 roughly 60% of pilgrims traveled to Santiago de Compostela via the French Way according to statistics gathered by the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago.[1]
Example itinerary
Though there is no set itinerary for this route, daily stages from major town to major town could be walked as follows: