Routes to Santiago de Compostela from France

The Pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia has an important place in Western European history dating back to the Middle Ages.
The four main pilgrimage routes from France began at Paris, Vézelay, Le Puy, and Arles respectively, and each of these was fed by a number of subsidiary routes. Thus, the start of the Paris route saw the convergence of routes from Boulogne-sur-Mer, Tournai, and the Low Countries, whilst routes from Caen, Mont-Saint-Michel, and Brittany joined it at intermediate points such as Tours, Poitiers, Saint-Jean-d'Angély, and Bordeaux (which also served as the port for pilgrims coming by sea from England and coastal areas of Brittany and Normandy). Le Puy was the link with the Rhône valley, whilst those coming from Italy passed through Arles. The three western routes converged at Ostabat, crossing the Pyrenees by means of the Ibaneta pass, whilst the eastern route from Arles used the Somport pass; the two routes joined in Spain at Puente-la-Reina. The total length identified as being associated with the pilgrimage is over 5000 km.
The national survey of Santiago de Compostela routes in France has identified some 800 properties of all kinds that have associations with the pilgrimage. In this inscription, 71 properties were selected. In addition, seven stretches of the Chemin du Puy are included in the nomination.

To be considered a true pilgrim, the last 100 km must be covered on foot or the last 200 km by bike or horse. Therefore, it is essential for pilgrims to be not only spiritually focused but physically fit.

On a more prosaic level, it is necessary to have permission to enter France (if you are starting your journey from somewhere else) and Spain. See Schengen for information on entry rules for these two EU countries.

There are four main routes:

The Paris and Tours route

This route starts with a trip from Paris to Tours through either Orléans or Chartres. From Tours, the route passes through Poitiers, Bordeaux and the forest at Les Landes before connecting to the Camino Francés (a footpath now called Grande Randonnée 65) near Ostabat and Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port or to the Camino de la Costa in Irún.

The Vézelay route

The Vézelay route passes through Limoges and joins the GR 65 near Ostabat.

The Le Puy route

The Le Puy route starts in Le Puy-en-Velay and passes through Conques, Cahors and Moissac on the way to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. It is part of GR 65.

The Arles Way

The route from Italy becomes the Arles Way in southern France. It goes through Montpellier, Toulouse and Oloron-Sainte-Marie before reaching the Spanish border at Col du Somport in the Pyrenees. There it connects to the Aragonese Way.

There are traditional hostels along the route offering low-cost accommodation to pilgrims. See the links to stops along the way for specific listings.

78 sites are included on the World Heritage List. Here is a full list of all the sites arranged by region.

• Aquitaine

Périgueux : Cathedral
Saint-Avit-Sénieur : Church
Le Buisson-de-Cadouin : Abbay

Bazas : Old Cathedral

Bordeaux : Cathédrale Saint-André, Basilica of Saint-Seurin, Basilica of Saint-Michel
La Sauve-Majeure: Abbaye, Church of Saint-Pierre
Soulac-sur-Mer: Church of Notre-Dame-de-la-Fin-des-Terres
Aire-sur-l'Adour: Church of Sainte-Quitterie
Mimizan: Bells
Sorde-l'Abbaye: abbaye Saint-Jean

Saint-Sever: abbaye
Agen : Cathedral Saint Caprais
Bayonne: Cathedral Sainte-Marie
L'Hôpital-Saint-Blaise: Church
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port : Bridge of Saint Jacques
Oloron-Sainte-Marie: Eglise Sainte Marie

• Auverge

Clermont-Ferrand: église Notre-Dame-du-Port
Le-Puy-en-Velay : Cathédrale, Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques

• Normandy

Mont-Saint-Michel

• Burgundy

La Charité-sur-Loire: église prieurale Sainte-Croix-Notre-Dame
Asquins: église Saint-Jacques d'Asquins
Vézelay: ancienne abbatiale Sainte-Madeleine

• Centre

Neuvy-Saint-Sépulchre: collégiale Saint-Etienne (anciennement collégiale Saint-Jacques)
Bourges: cathédrale Saint-Etienne

• Champagne

L'Epine: basilique Notre-Dame
Châlons-en-Champagne: église Notre-Dame-en-Vaux

• Ile de France

Paris : Tower of Saint-Jacques-de-la-Boucherie

• Languedoc-Roussillon

Saint-Guilhem-le-Désert:ancienne abbaye de Gellone
Aniane/Saint-Jean-de-Fos: Pont du Diable
Saint-Gilles-du-Gard: ancienne abbatiale
Saint-Léonard-de-Noblat: église Saint-Léonard

• Midi-Pyrenees

Audressein: église de Tramesaygues Midi-Pyrénées
Saint-Lizier: Old Cathédrale and cloîster, cathédrale Notre-Dame-de-la-Sède, Palace épiscopal, rampart
Conques: abbatiale Sainte-Foy, Bridge over the Dourdou
Espalion: Pont-Vieux (old Bridge)
Estaing: pont sur le Lot (Bridge over the Lot)
Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac: Bridge called "des pèlerins" ("of the pilgrims") over the Boralde
Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges: Old Cathédrale Notre-Dame, PaleoChristian Basilica, chapelle Saint-Julien
Toulouse : basilique Saint-Sernin, Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques
Valcabrère: église Saint-Just
Auch: cathédrale Sainte-Marie
Beaumont-sur-l'Osse et Larressinge: Pont d'Artigue ou de Lartigue
La Romieu: collégiale Saint-Pierre
Cahors: cathédrale Saint-Etienne, pont Valentré
Gréalou: dolmen de Pech-Laglaire
Figeac: hôpital Saint-Jacques
Rocamadour : Church of Saint-Sauveur and crypt of Saint-Amadour
Aragnouet: hospice du Plan and chapelle Notre-Dame- de-l'Assomption, known as the chapelle des Templiers (chapel of the Templars)
Gavarnie: église paroissiale (parish church)
Jezeau: église Saint-Laurent
Ourdis-Cotdussan: église de Cotdussan
Rabastens: église Notre-Dame-du-Bourg

Moissac: abbey of Saint-Pierre and its cloister

• Picardie

Amiens : cathédrale Notre-Dame
Folleville: église paroissiale Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Compiègne: église paroissiale Saint-Jacques

• Poitou-Charentes

Saintes: église Sainte-Eutrope Poitou-Charentes
Saint-Jean-d'Angély: abbaye royale Saint-Jean-Baptiste
Melle: église Saint-Hilaire
Aulnay: église Saint-Pierre
Poitiers : église Saint-Hilaire-le-Grand
Pons: ancien hôpital des Pèlerins

• Provence

Arles

• Specific Routes, Chemin du Puy

From Nasbinals to Saint-Chély-d'Aubrac (17 km) Languedoc-Roussillon to Midi-Pyrénées
From Saint-Côme-d'Olt to Estaing (17 km) Midi-Pyrénées
From Montredon to Figeac (18 km) Midi-Pyrénées
From Faycelles to Cajarc (22.5 km) Midi-Pyrénées
From Bach to Cahors (26 km) Midi-Pyrénées
From Lectoure to Condom (35 km) Midi-Pyrénées
From Aroue to Ostabat (22 km) Aquitaine