We walk the paths of Compostela on foot, by bike, on horseback, or even by boat. In several short stays or over several weeks, at your own pace. Tourists by car, despite the interest of cultural visits, will not know the victory over the tiredness of the body, the slow approach of the walk to reach the superb church or the small chapel, the deep feeling which invades the pilgrim not after not, the evening reunion at the inn or hospice, the meetings that make lasting friendships…

Once upon a time Santiago
Year 44: a stone boat mysteriously floats towards the beach of El Padrón, at the western end of Spanish Galicia. It carries the martyred remains of Saint Jacques-le-Majeur, the one we see near Christ on the Last Supper paintings. Saint Jacques will be buried in the star field, “campus stellae “for Compostela.

Soon miracles follow one another. A basilica is built in Santiago de Compostela. Saint Jacques appears in a dream to the Emperor Charlemagne and orders him to take back the lands conquered by the Muslims.

Legends and tales of knightly deeds, including the epic of Roland at Roncevaux, abound to accompany those of Jacques, himself appearing on a white horse during the battle of Clavijo against the Saracens. He will be nicknamed the “Matamoros “, the killer of the Moors.

In the Middle Ages, the pilgrimage took on an unprecedented scale. Backgammons crowd the dangerous roads, looking fords, praying for graces. They will be nearly half a million a year to walk the paths where the thieves slip, disguised as “shells” giving their name later to the shell or lack of printing.

In 1130, a small Poitevin monk, Aymeric Picaud, described the paths in the Codex Calixtinus. It will be the beginning of the great itineraries which will attract all the pilgrims from the countries of Catholic Europe.

For the greatest number, coming from the North, the Urals, Scotland, Scandinavia, they meet in France. Those of Italy skirt the Pyrenees. Those from the Mediterranean come from the south of Spain and Portugal. The pilgrimage to Compostela is ranked first in the hit parade of great medieval pilgrimages. The paths of Santiago de Compostela are listed as Unesco World Heritage, both in France and in Spain.

Routes in France and Spain

Itineraries in France
If the network of paths of Compostela takes on a European amplitude, these routes are based on four historic paths defined by our little monk, in the 12th century, to cross the Pyrenees.

The first three meet in Ostabat, a village in the Basque country:
– via Turonensis (885 km), from the North, the Saint-Jacques tower in Paris, the Romanesque towers and churches of Poitou-Charentes.
– via Lemovicensis (800 km), from the basilica of Vézelay, via Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat and Limoges.
– via Podensis (730 km) from Puy-en-Velay and its Black Virgin, via the Conques treasure, the Moissac cloister and the Valentré bridge in Cahors.

These three historic paths then meet to cross the Pyrenees towards Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and Roncevaux.

The fourth path, or via Tolosana (525 km, GR 653) from Arles, the Romanesque portal of Saint-Gilles-du-Gard and Toulouse, crosses the Pyrenees at the Somport pass where its route is currently threatened by the activity of the new road tunnel. He joined the other three in Puente la Reina, in Spanish Navarre.

These four paths then become the Camino Francés, the only path to Santiago. It is a bit complicated, but already simplified when you know that each pilgrim followed the easiest path according to the seasons and the few existing bridges or made a detour to such a church renowned for its graces. It is also for this reason that many players in tourism take advantage of the situation to promote their site “on the way to Compostela” But after all, what importance?

The fifth path, the Voie des Piémonts (GR78), links Carcassonne to Saint-Jean-Pied-de -Port via Lourdes and Oloron-Sainte-Marie.

Throughout these journeys, the cathedrals and their treasures, the churches and the monuments, the statues of Saint-Jacques, recognizable by its shell on its hat, and the calvaries mark the incredible fervor of the pilgrims of always. Warning! Do not confuse Saint Jacques, who became patron saint of hat makers, with Saint Roch, also dressed as a pilgrim, but who presents his sick knee to a dog…

Camino Francés in Spain
The four French routes of Compostela meet at Puente la Reina, in Spain. From there, a single path, the “Camino real Francés” (735 km), then heads towards Santiago where the shell of Saint Jacques rewards the hiker who will have avoided putting it around the neck, from the start.

In Navarre, Aragon and Rioja
The approximately 70 km between Roncevaux and Puente la Reina, via Pamplona, allows us to find our GR 653 in Puente la Reina. A few meters from the N 111, the Camino is perfectly marked with a stylized yellow shell. It is particularly rich in monuments. Sumptuous cathedrals, royal monasteries, beautiful Romanesque chapels, each village is worth a stop. Sometimes a concert of medieval music or a popular festival brings joy in these sierras of the sun.

We will content ourselves with citing a few “favorites”, among many others, on the Camino:
– On the Navarrese side: the Roncevaux monastery and the Pamplona cathedral; the wine fountain that flows at will for pilgrims to Irache but watch out for the piqu! The Romanesque churches of Estella nicknamed the “Toledo of the North”.
– Aragonese side: The Roman portals of the churches of Jaca and Sangüesa; the chapel of the Jacobites at Eunate, with Mozarabic dome and lantern of the dead, lost in the open fields; Puente la Reina and its famous bridge over an old ford.
– La Rioja : the royal pantheon of Santa Maria in Nájera; the medieval ramparts of Clavijo which saw Saint James appear on his white horse; the hen and the rooster crowing in the cathedral of Santo Domingo de la Calzada, evoking a well-known legend on the way.

In Castile, León and Galicia
Hot and cold for these stages between the plateau of the Meseta and the often-rugged mountains of León. Museums on the Camino can be found in Pontevedra (Galicia) and Astorga (Castile-León): you can see black jet jewelry that was once sold to pilgrims.

The monuments follow one another, all more beautiful than the others:
– Burgos (Castile-León): the city of Cid and its many monuments.
– Castrojeriz (Castille-León): village made of superb churches, nicknamed during the Napoleonic wars “Four mice “.
– Fromista (Castile-León) and its Romanesque churches.
– Sahagun (Castille-León): the Spanish Cluny.
– León and its cathedral.
– The villages of the Maragateria beyond Astorga (Castile-León) and the Foncebadon iron cross. Every pilgrim must add a stone to his cairn before embarking on the crossing of the León mountains, once feared for their wolves.
– The Templar castle of Ponferrada (Castile-León).
– The village of Cebreiro (1,300 m above sea level) and the miraculous chalice of its church (Galicia).
– The city of pilgrims in Monte do Gozo and the arrival in Santiago. Here you are at last…
– Entry to Santiago de Compostela, after so many kilometers, does not leave moving, even if the city, its 46 churches, its 114 steeples and its arcades take a little Lourdes. Facing the splendid portico of Glory (12th century), one enters the basilica. Don’t be surprised by certain customs such as hitting your forehead on the columns of the portico, touching the shoulder of the silver bust of Saint James or placing your hand on the doorframe of the small door in Via Sacra. The latter is only open in the Jubilee years, when Saint-Jacques (July 25) falls on a Sunday. Mass for pilgrims takes place every day at noon. The Botafumeiro, a giant 85kg censer, is swung across the cathedral by eight men dressed in red, the Tiraboleiros, during the jubilee years.

– The bravest will still have 20 kilometers to Cape Finisterre where a magnificent coastline will reward them. But there are no more shells on El Padrón beach.

Practical advice

With whom?
Alone or in a group: the use of the route has increased by some 70% in four years, the French and the Spanish in the lead. It is better to book pilgrim hostels, which are taken by storm in summer, especially during the jubilee years.

When?
The half season is recommended. Departure in May or August 15 from Puy-en-Velay to reach Compostela in October. Unable to have a long period to hike, some make the pilgrimage in small sections, resuming their departure at their point of arrival. There are generally 3 to 4 km of walking per hour and 4 to 5 hours per day to make a stage. Avoid the heat of the plain in summer and the passage of mountains in winter. Weather information in France on 08 36 68 02 + the department number.

How? ‘Or’ What?
The pilgrim’s passport is the Credencial, to “credence “, to trust. Obtain it from the associations of the Friends of Saint-Jacques before leaving. It is stamped at each stop and has existed since the Middle Ages. In Spain, the Credencial passport doubles as the Compostela over the last 100 kilometers. To be stamped at each stop to the Cathedral of Santiago.

Or sleep?
The lodgings and inns for pilgrims are indicated in the topo-guides. On the Spanish side, to avoid crowds in pilgrim hostels, which are often full in season from 4 p.m., get the guide from Turismo Verde, a happy initiative from the State which favors guesthouses (around € 50 per room for 2). The hotels are of uneven quality and often noisy. Otherwise the paradors when your purse allows (count around 210 € for 2 at the Parador de Santiago, in Saint-Jacques).

With what?
In general, the woman can carry 9-10 kg and the man up to 12 kg or more. Making a bag as light as possible is essential. The Practical Guide for Hikers (ed. FFRP) gives the practical bases. No disguise, but rather equipment in Goretex and polar fabrics.

Above all, the pilgrim’s bag has a very good pair of waterproof walking shoes that hold the ankle. Wearing two pairs of thin socks one on top of the other prevents chafing. A pair of soft sneakers, or even slippers, will be welcome in the evening.

An indispensable water bottle and a small pharmacy with protection against blisters will be added to the ordinary equipment of the hiker. Bring cream and a hat against the sun for crossing Castile and mountain equipment for the Pyrenees (1,632 m) and the Leon mountains (1,300 m), especially in winter. In Santiago, you can buy your shell (€ 1) and your iron pole (€ 10) for the return. And don’t forget the specialized topo-guides and detailed maps.

Knowing that the calabash is a gourd, that the bumblebee is a large iron stick and that the hospital is a hospice or an inn, nothing prevents you from repeating the old song of the pilgrim on the roads: ” My calabash, my companion , my drone, my companion, the tavern rules me there. The hospital is my home.”

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