Overview: the Camino Francés
This is the so-called “French way,” leading from the Pyrenees across northern Spain to Santiago de Compostela and the most well-known and well-travelled of the pilgrim roads to Santiago.The Camino de Santiago, also known as el camino de santiago or the way of Saint James, are actually several hiking routes that all lead to the town of Santiago de Compostela in northern Spain. The Camino Frances is the most popular camino, starting in Saint Jean de Pied de Port in France, and ending up about 30 - 45 days later in the town of Santiago de Compostela.
The origins of the Camino de Santiago goes back one thousand years and it was an important christian pilgrimage route during the middle ages, all walking to seek forgiveness from St James. It is thought that the remains of the apostle Saint James are buried in the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela.
In modern times pilgrims walk it for many reasons, not only religious, and to be a pilgrim has changed its meaning. What attracts people to the camino de santiago today, I think, is the mix of adventure, seeing spain and its culture and the camaraderie that builds up over several weeks of walking. Pilgrims that walk come from all over the world and that creates a great environment. Mix that with some good spanish wine and food, and you have the perfect experience.
The route is 800km long (500 miles), starting either in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the mountains and the border or 27km later in Roncesvalles in Spain. It passes through Pamplona, Puente la Reina, Estella, Logroño, Burgos, León, Astorga, Ponferrada and Sarria before it reaches the “City of the Apostle” Santiago de Compostella in the western reaches of Galicia. The route takes, on average, 4 - 6 weeks to walk.
The route is extremely well marked throughout with yellow arrows painted on rocks, trees. buildings etc., as well as with plaques and signposts bearing stylized shell symbols and the Council of Europe blue and gold shell logos. It is marked to Santiago only.
The terrain is varied, beginning with the ascent of the Pyrenees then passing through the undulating meseta (tableland) of the central part of the route between Burgos and León. After that the camino enters the Montes de León with some of its formerly abandoned villages now come back to life, before entering Galicia, green, wooded and criss-crossed with old walled lanes.
Formerly a quiet, solitary route the Camino francés has become extremely popular in recent years. In 2003 over 65,000 pilgrims of all ages, backgrounds, motivations, abilities and nationalities walked, cycled or rode all or part of this route. by 2010 this had reached 272,703.
I will start in St Jean Pied de Port, France. Here are some pics:
The route - up up up up and then down down down - and this is just the first day. Of course you can start on the other side of the Pyrenees at Roncesvalles, Spain. You can also walk around the mountain but that route is on a very busy road. I am going to walk over the mountain.
I thought I would begin to show the walk in short details and a few pics others have taken as they walked. Over the years I have read many books written by those that have walked before me. These have all inspired me to begin the training I am doing over the next year to prepare for this walk. Many do not train at all and therefore do have some very strong results. It is reading about the sore muscles, blistered feet and exhaustion that prompted me to decide to train for this next year. I am sure there will be my own pains as I walk but maybe I will be able to avoid some of the more extreme problems.
There is a hospital that has been built just to treat the pilgrims after the first 3 days of walking. Many pilgrims have to turn around and go home at this point. I decided I would train.
Buen Camino
b
I would like to give credit to the following sites for allowing the sharing of their information. Since I have not walked yet I am sharing their pics and info.
http://www.santiago-compostela.net/frances/en_cf01.html
http://www.caminodesantiago.me/
http://www.csj.org.uk/route-camino-frances.htm
http://www.ourcamino.com/stjean.html
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