Camino de Santiago: French Way

St. Jean Pied de Port is considered the official starting point for the Camino de Santiago.  This idyllic French village is also the perfect place to start your Camino, as it offers good food in a pleasant and peaceful atmosphere.
 Here you will find French village charm, history, monuments and good restaurants in abundance.

St. Jean Pied de Port is located at the foot of the Pyrenees, which makes the location unique, but the mountains also account for a significant challenge on the Camino as they have to be crossed in order to continue the journey. The first stage is one of the most beautiful on the whole Camino, yet certainly the toughest, without the possibility of shortening this stage.

If approximately 18 kilometers of hard climb sounds like a lot, we can arrange transportation for the first 10 kilometers – which are the toughest – or all the way to Roncesvalles (you may also begin your walk in Roncesvalles, which will result in a price reduction of approximately 50€/person). 



The benefits of starting in St. Jean Pied de Port are: 1. The city is well worth a visit. 2. This stage is immensely beautiful. 3. By starting here, you will experience the Camino from the start. 4. Last, but not least, the hardest stage is already over on the first day.

See Timelap of the stage here.

Roncesvalles is a widely used starting point for pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago since the route from here is a bit easier than the previous one, as it primarily descends towards Pamplona.



However, the terrain is still very hilly and relatively hard. Nonetheless, you will walk through a series of idyllic and very well-maintained villages, some of the most beautiful villages you will experience throughout the trip, as well as forested hills that provide shade and wonderful ambiance. There are several small, but tough ascents along the way but, generally your hike will descend 400 meters this day.



During most of the day, this stage follows the Arga River but despite this, you have to climb some hilltops. The stage also passes through a large number of small villages as Pamplona's suburbs are beginning to appear. Before being rewarded with Pamplona's old district, you will have to successfully complete the climb towards the city center.

In return, you will experience Pamplona’s atmosphere-filled center, which is one of Spain's most attractive. Pamplona is famous for its tapas and pinchos. In the accompanying guidebook we give you our recommendations for the best places, so you can experience Pamplona in just the right way. If you want more time to explore and enjoy the city, an extra night is certainly recommendable.

Note: If you want to stay in Pamplona during the Sanfermines festival from the 6th to the 17th of July each year, the price will be significantly higher. In addition, it’s necessary to book at least eight months in advance during this period. 



Climbing Mount Alto del Perdón (see picture) is the biggest obstacle on this day, but if the climb seems too hard, will you discover a recommendable detour in our guidebook. However, despite the difficulty we recommend the climb, because from the top you will have a spectacular view of Pamplona and the Pyrenees in one direction and a view of the easier upcoming stages of the route in the other. 
Today's stage ends in Puente de la Reina, which has a beautiful old town and a famous bridge from where the Camino heads west (The Queens bridge, Puente de la Reina).

A few minor but steep hills bring you to Estella. Especially during the early part of this stage you will pass through many vineyards.  It's recommendable to take the several opportunities to visit some of them and in this way also enjoy a little rest along the way. 

Estella is a history-rich and exciting city with a beautiful old town.

Today's stage begins with a relatively gentle ascent and continues into flat and easy walking as you travel. There are several wineries along the way which can be visited, with a few of them also serving as excellent restaurants.

There’s not much shade available at this stage, so if you walk in the summer or on a sunny day it advisable to get an early start. Torres del Rio is situated on a hilltop and has a nice old town in which to relax and explore.

This is a flat and easy stage compared to everything you've experienced so far. You will pass several historical villages along the Camino. You will begin to be surrounded by vineyards, a sign that welcomes you to Logroño and La Rioja.

Logroño is La Rioja's largest city and, of course, the center of many of the Rioja wineries. Besides an excellent glass of wine for which Logroño is so well-known, is also its great cuisine. In the city's well-preserved old town center there are also countless delicious tapas bars.