Welcome to our Camino Frances Blog

Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela on the Camino Francés 

Welcome to our Camino Francés hiking and pilgrimage Blog!

The Camino Francés is one of the most renowned and spiritually enriching pilgrimage routes in Spain, stretching over 780 kilometres from the French border to Santiago de Compostela. This historic trail, part of the larger Camino de Santiago network, offers hikers a unique blend of adventure, history, and personal reflection. Along the way, you pass through picturesque villages, rolling hills, and ancient towns, all while connecting with centuries of tradition.

Over the span of 35 days in September and October, we walked this 800 km pilgrimage route from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France, to Santiago de Compostela, Spain.  It was a wonderful experience that changed the course of our lives, as it immersed us in Spain's rich culture and stunning landscapes.  Continue reading to explore the trail’s highlights, tips for preparing, and why this pilgrimage is a life-changing experience for outdoor enthusiasts and spiritual seekers alike.

'Buen Camino'!

Camino Francés Itinerary and Stages

Accidental Pilgrim: The Decision to Walk the Camino Francés 

Camino de Santiago: Gear Choices 

 

Planning a Camino Pilgrimage: Preparing for the Camino de Santiago 

 

Day 1 - Setting Out, Toronto to Paris, France 

 

Day 2 - The Company of Canadian Pilgrims, Paris to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port  

 

Day 3 - First Steps on The Way, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Orisson 

 

Day 4 - Over the Pyrenees, Orisson to Roncesvalles

 

Day 5 - Café Con Leche and Sangria, Roncesvalles to Zubiri 

 

Day 6 - Exhaustion and Doubts, Zubiri to Pamplona 

 

Day 7 - Windmills and Sunsets, Pamplona to Puente La Reina 

 

Day 8 - Finding our Pace, Puente La Reina to Estella 

 

Day 9 - Pizza and Vino Tinto, Estella to Los Arcos 

 

Day 10 - From Sunrise to Sunset, Los Arcos to Viana  

 

Day 11 - Finding Satisfaction through Struggle, Viana to Navarrette 

 

Day 12 - Rivers and Red Clay, Navarrette to Nájera 

 

Day 13 - "Chicken in the Church", Nájera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada 

 

Day 14 - Swimming Pools and Champagne, Santo Domingo de la Calzada to Belorado 

 

Day 15 - Under a Hard Sun, Belorado to Agés  

 

Day 16 - Dinosaurs, Labyrinths and Cathedrals, Agés to Burgos 

 

Day 17 - A Day of Exploration and Rest, Burgos 

Learning to Become Pilgrims: Reflecting on Saint Jean Pied de Port to Burgos 

 

Day 18 - The Way, Burgos to Hornillos del Camino 

 

Day 19 - Storms and Stomach Flu, Hornillos del Camino to Castrojeriz 

 

Day 20 - The Meseta Plateau, Castrojeriz to Fromista 

 

Day 21 - Into the Monasterio, Fromista to Carrión de los Condes 

 

Day 22 - Knights Templar, Carrión de los Condes to Terradillos de los Templarios  

 

Day 23 - Pilgrim Advice, Terradillos de los Templarios to Bercianos del Real Camino  

 

Day 24 - Simplicity on The Way, Bercianos del Real Camino to Mansilla de las Mulas  

 

Day 25 - Vino Tinto y Jamón, Mansilla de las Mulas to León 

 

Day 26 - A Day to Explore, Leon 

Finding Beauty on the Meseta: Reflecting on Burgos to León

 

Day 27 - Authentic Pilgrim Experiences in Casa de Jesús, Leon to Villar de Mazarife 

 

Day 28 - Roman Roads and Chocolate Museums, Villar de Mazarife to Astorga 

 

Day 29 - Pilgrim Frustrations and Pilgrim Hopes, Astorga to Rabanal del Camino  

 

Day 30 - Prayers on the Hilltop, Rabanal del Camino to Molinaseca 

 

Day 31 - Café con Leche and Castles, Molinaseca to Cacabelos 

 

Day 32 - Pilgrim Reunions, Cacabelos to Herrerias 

 

Day 33 - Iconic Climbs and Beautiful Vistas, Herrerias to Biduedo 

 

Day 34 - 100 km Marker, Biduedo to Sarria 

 

Day 35 - Massive Procession of Pilgrims, Sarria to Portomarín 

 

Day 36 - Tours, Taxis, and Tensions, Portomarin to Palas de Rei 

 

Day 37 - On The Way, Palas de Rei to Ribadiso 

 

Day 38 - Nearly There, Ribadiso to O Pedrouzo 

 

Day 39 - Final Hike and Reflections, O Pedrouzo to Santiago de Compostela 

 

Day 40 - Pilgrimage comes to an End, Santiago de Compostela 

Mountains, Crowds and Coming to the End of the Camino: Reflecting on León to Santiago

 

Day 41 - Fast Transit Navigating Home, Santiago de Compostela to Paris 

 

Day 42 - A Return Home, Paris to Toronto 

What are the Hardest and Easiest Parts of the Camino Francés?

Camino Francés: Tips and Advice

Nature Along the Way: Landscapes and Wildlife on the Camino Francés

Pilgrimage on the Camino: Reflections on Hiking The Way 

From Le Puy to Santiago: How the GR65 Via Podiensis Compares to the Camino Francés

Two Roads to Santiago : Comparing the Camino Portugués and the Camino Francés

The Northern Camino and the Popular Way : Comparing the Camino Primitivo and the Camino Francés

Continuing Our Pilgrimage Journeys

Walking the Camino Francés from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago de Compostela was much more than an 800-kilometre journey across northern Spain. Over 35 days, we discovered the traditions of pilgrimage, experienced the generosity and companionship of fellow pilgrims, and learned how the rhythms of walking could change our relationship with time, distance, and the world around us. It was an experience that stayed with us long after we returned home and eventually encouraged us to explore other historic routes toward Santiago.

Among those subsequent journeys was France's Via Podiensis / GR65, which carried us from Le Puy-en-Velay through the remarkable landscapes, villages, and historic communities of southwestern France toward the Pyrenees. Although connected to the same pilgrimage tradition, the French route offered a distinctly different experience of walking, hospitality, and life along the Way.

We later returned to the Iberian Peninsula to follow the Camino Portugués Central, travelling north through Portugal from Lisbon toward Santiago, where the landscapes, communities, and traditions of pilgrimage revealed another side of the Camino. Our journeys also took us beyond Santiago along the Camino Finisterre and Muxía, where the Atlantic coastline offered a different kind of destination and an opportunity to reflect on what it means to arrive at the end of a pilgrimage.

These were only the beginnings of our continuing exploration of the Camino de Santiago. Over the years, we have followed quieter routes, returned to familiar places, and discovered how each pilgrimage offers its own challenges and opportunities for reflection. Readers interested in our other Caminos, long-distance walks, and slow journeys by trail, rail, and sail can explore the wider Come Walk With Us travel collection.

Buen Camino, and see you on the trail!