Pilgrims walking across the Pyrenees from France, or beyond, typically followed a route similar to what is today known as the Camino Francés, or the French Way.

While a pilgrimage officially began from one’s front door, and pilgrims came from all over Europe, it made sense for many to follow the same path once they reached France for safety reasons as well as camaraderie. The Camino Francés followed an old Roman trade route and ultimately became the preferred way to Santiago.

It is by far the most popular route. On average, over 60% of all people who walk along a section on any of the seven main Camino pilgrimage routes follow this path to Santiago.

These numbers are bolstered by the fact that the most popular starting point for today’s travellers is the delightful town of Sarria, which conveniently sits 115km from Santiago, just enough for people to earn their official Compostela certificate and complete within a week.

Subsequently, the Camino Francés has the best infrastructure for pilgrims, with more hotels, restaurants and organised walks found along this route than any other. It is also the best waymarked.

The Camino Francés is also the longest of all the widely recognised Camino’s, offering hardier pilgrims and walkers a tougher challenge, and a more complete Camino experience passing by a multitude of churches and famous towns, such as Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos and Leon, as well as a variety of landscapes from the mountains of the Pyrenees to the Rioja winefields, the vast meseta and the rolling green hills of Galicia.