Pilgrim walks in Cacabelos

It goes through vineyards to Villafranca del Bierzo. Here, pilgrims who could no longer manage the way over the Cebreiro received early absolution; therefore, the place is also called “Little Compostela”.

Recording of the entire Camino frances from St. Jean Pied de Port to Santiago de Compostela

The Camino Francés begins in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port at the French foot of the Pyrenees and ends in Santiago de Compostela. It is the most frequented section of all the Camino routes, as most pilgrims finally come to Santiago along this axis.

Ponferrada is a city that has experienced significant growth in recent years, becoming the economic engine of the El Bierzo region and establishing itself as a renowned university city. If you plan to visit Ponferrada, you will fall in love with its medieval historic center and its enormous Templar castle. As the capital of the El Bierzo comarca in the province of León, the city is one of the main stops on the Camino de Santiago, adorned by the Sil and Boeza rivers. Something you will love is getting to know Ponferrada from a historical perspective. Its old town is the place to experience the city’s medieval origins, wandering through its stone alleys that lead to the Castle of the Templars. Inside, you will find the “templum libri,” a valuable collection of medieval works and a rich exhibition of Renaissance books, as well as the New Templar Library, with 1380 copies about the Order of the Temple. If you choose to travel to Ponferrada and let yourself be carried away by its alleys, you will reach important buildings such as the 16th-century Basilica of la Encina. Very close by you can visit the Clock Tower, the only original one preserved in its wall. On the other hand, the Royal Prison is a building camouflaged among the old buildings that currently houses the El Bierzo Museum. If you want to choose one of your next trips to Ponferrada, you might like to know that, being a university city, it has an active nightlife and bar areas, especially in the Temple district. For a day of shopping and dining, the new city is the perfect place to do tourism in Ponferrada, have a drink on its terraces, or enjoy a peaceful walk along Avenida de España. This corner is a favorite for tapas lovers and affordable drinks. But you won’t find only leisure in the new area; here is also located the science museum La Fábrica de Luz. Museo de la Energía, where you can see how this resource has affected and changed people’s lives over the years. Venturing into millenary chestnut and oak forests, you will make your way towards Compostela. Numerous horreos, castros, hermitages, and cruceiros will guide you through the small villages that make up the deepest Galicia, where delicious local delicacies are grown and prepared to become that comforting reward at the end of each stage. You will travel through an area full of historical footprints such as Hospital de Órbigo and its Puente del Paso Honroso, one of the longest bridges on the Camino at almost 300 meters, or Astorga and Gaudí’s architecture. You will cross the Montes de León, a natural barrier between the Maragatería and Bierzo regions, and find one of the most emblematic points of the Jacobean Route: the Cruz de Ferro, highly symbolic for pilgrims, located at almost 1,500 meters altitude.

The French Way is a pilgrimage from St Jean Pied de Port in France over the Pyrenees and northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela. Passing through famous Spanish towns and cities such as Pamplona, Burgos, León, and Ponferrada, there are many opportunities to enjoy the unique culture of this region. The walk will take you through varied landscapes from the mountainous Pyrenees region to the flat plateau of northern Spain and the rolling mountainous landscape of Galicia. To complete the full French Way, you need to have a reasonable level of physical fitness and also more than a month free to have time to walk and incorporate some rest days along the way. Don't hesitate to get in touch if you want more information on how to do the full French Way and get a personalized quote and itinerary. The French Way extends from St Jean Pied de Port in France over the Pyrenees and northern Spain, covering just under 800 km. Naturally, with such a long distance, you will find that there is a wide variety of terrain on the French Way. Starting in the Pyrenees mountains, panoramic views from the top of the very high peaks to the dense forest rich in wildlife will take you to the Navarra region, where the landscape becomes more mountainous as you meet the Ebro river, which sustains the wine region of La Rioja. Moving on to the larger French Way region, you reach Castilla y León, which encompasses the large, flat Castilian plateau before ascending to the mountains of León. Gently descending from the mountains of León, you enter the green and mountainous region of Galicia and the final goal perched on top of a hill, Santiago de Compostela.

Camino Frances from Burgos via Leon to  SdC and then on to Muxia!

The Camino Francés begins in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port at the French foot of the Pyrenees  and ends in Santiago de Compostela. It is the most frequented section of all the Camino routes, as most pilgrims ultimately arrive in Santiago on this axis.

Camino Frances starting in Pamplona and ending at the sea in Muxia in 37 days

GR65-60- Ponferrada ---> Villafranca Sept 9, 2020 at 07:39 25km60th stage of the Camino de Santiago