Europe · France, Spain
Camino Francés
Navarre to Galicia, Spain (from the French Basque Country)
Hikes / Europe / Camino Francés
Where these numbers come from
Public sources, official ones first, each numbered and listed under Sources, checked Nov 2026. Anything they don't give is left out.
Relief map
The route
The best-known route of the Way of St James, starting at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on the French side of the Pyrenees and heading west across the mountains, valleys and plains of northern Spain to the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. It passes Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos and León and crosses Navarre, La Rioja, Castilla y León and Galicia.1,2
Route drawn from OpenStreetMap (Camiño Francés, read Nov 2026). © OpenStreetMap contributors, ODbL. Terrain: Mapzen Terrain Tiles (EU-DEM, SRTM) on AWS. A sketch for planning, not for navigation.
Before you go
The basics
- Start
- Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France1
- Distance
- About 784 km (about 487 mi), as Cicerone gives it.1
- Days
- Cicerone gives about 4-5 weeks over 36 stages of about 17-36 km.1
- High point
- Cruz de Ferro, about 1,500 m, between Astorga and Ponferrada, the highest point of the Way per Spain's tourist board.2
- Usual difficulty
- Cicerone calls it moderate, fine for reasonably fit walkers with no special gear, with stages graded easy to difficult.1
- Best time
- Spain's tourist board names spring and September-October as the pleasantest times; Cicerone says spring or autumn, summer is busiest, and winter can bring snow higher up1,2
- Permits
- No permit. To earn the Compostela at the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago, carry a pilgrim credential stamped along the way and walk at least the last 100 continuous km on one route (200 km by bike), with stamps at the start and end of each stage; you need a QR ticket at the office, which is open daily 10:00-19:00. Credentials and stamps are available at hostels, parish churches, post offices and Camino associations.2,3
- Lodging
- Hotels and guesthouses
Pilgrim hostels (albergues), some public ones free or by donation, private ones dearer and none bookable (first come, first served); also rural houses, hotels, Paradors and campsites.2
From the sources
Safety
Insurance
- The UK government says insurance should cover your itinerary, planned activities and expenses in an emergency
Source 5
From the sources below, checked Nov 2026. For planning, not navigation: check before you go.
Their films and versions
Creators who've done it
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Your time
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Typical: 28–35 days (the hike's facts).
Ask this hike
Planning questions about Camino Francés, answered only from this page's facts, the creators' versions and hikers' public tracks, with where each answer comes from. When the data doesn't say, the answer says "not given".
From hikers
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Answered from the data
Questions people ask
How many days do you need for Camino Francés?
28–35 days. Cicerone gives about 4-5 weeks over 36 stages of about 17-36 km.
From Cicerone Press (guide), checked Nov 2026. [1]
How long is Camino Francés?
487 mi (784 km). About 784 km (about 487 mi), as Cicerone gives it.
From Cicerone Press (guide), checked Nov 2026. [1]
When is the best time to hike Camino Francés?
Do you need a permit for Camino Francés?
No permit. To earn the Compostela at the Pilgrim's Office in Santiago, carry a pilgrim credential stamped along the way and walk at least the last 100 continuous km on one route (200 km by bike), with stamps at the start and end of each stage; you need a QR ticket at the office, which is open daily 10:00-19:00. Credentials and stamps are available at hostels, parish churches, post offices and Camino associations.
From Spain.info, Turespaña (official tourist board); Pilgrim's Reception Office, Santiago Cathedral (official), checked Nov 2026. [2] [3]
Where do you sleep on Camino Francés?
Hotels and guesthouses. Pilgrim hostels (albergues), some public ones free or by donation, private ones dearer and none bookable (first come, first served); also rural houses, hotels, Paradors and campsites.
From Spain.info, Turespaña (official tourist board), checked Nov 2026. [2]
How high does Camino Francés go?
4,921 ft (1,500 m). Cruz de Ferro, about 1,500 m, between Astorga and Ponferrada, the highest point of the Way per Spain's tourist board.
From Spain.info, Turespaña (official tourist board), checked Nov 2026. [2]
What's the emergency number on Camino Francés?
Emergency: 112 (free EU-wide emergency number, works in France and Spain).
From European Commission, 112 (official), checked Nov 2026. [4]
Sources
- Cicerone Press (guide) · guide · checked Nov 2026
- Spain.info, Turespaña (official tourist board) · official · checked Nov 2026
- Pilgrim's Reception Office, Santiago Cathedral (official) · official · checked Nov 2026
- European Commission, 112 (official) · official · checked Nov 2026
- www.gov.uk · official · checked Nov 2026
Facts are written in our own words from these pages; nothing is copied. Rules, fees and closures change: check the official page before you go.