Camino de Santiago the Enchanting French Way

19 Days

Want to pick your own dates, walk a self-guided pilgrimage

Join us as we travel this Enchanting French Way along the Camino de Santiago and experience a journey for the soul. We will walk approximately 300 km from beautiful Leon to Santiago de Compostela and follow the well-trodden path that millions of pilgrims have walked before us.

Our pilgrimage will start with a day of exploration in the majestic city of Leon. This day will give us time to rest from our travels to Leon and explore this amazing city.

As we start our pilgrimage we will cross the Maragata region into the beautiful Bierzo valley and finally into the enchanting Galicia. This is the northwestern route of the Camino Frances, the most popular of all the Camino routes. At the end of this walk, you will receive your “Compostela, (El Camino Certificate, Pilgrims passport).  This route will bring us beauty and wonder. We will enjoy the mental (Meseta) and spiritual (Galicia) side of the Camino.

The Camino de Santiago is a life-changing experience for many and is always an adventure of a lifetime.

Are you ready?  Do you hear the call?

Reconnect with yourself and connect with other pilgrims from all over the world, clear your mind, and be inspired. As we walk you will be a part of this ancient journey. You will feel the power of the Camino as we will walk through villages, enjoy the local food and engage in conversation with the locals.

Even within the pilgrimage group, we encourage you to take the opportunity to be alone with yourself. The journey is yours to experience. Each of us is on our own journey. Part of the beauty of the Camino is walking no matter what, in the rain or the sun. This allows us to experience the Camino, to take what is given to us, and to endure and be thankful every step of the way.

See the Itinerary and more details below.

Overview

DIFFICULTY: AVERAGE

ACCOMMODATION: 18 nights in holiday farms and hotels

Pilgrim’s Credential with each person’s name on it will also be issued.

Itinerary

Day 1 :
Depart USA

Meet up in Madrid at the airport and depart for Leon, via Van or Bus.

Leon a perfect day to rest, explore and enjoy.

This day is easy walking with a long up hill at the start, however it is easy going all day – except on the eyes. Long stretches of the Meseta, which is part of the Mental side of the Camino.

Today is a fairly easy walk into Astorga. We will arrive into Astorga with plenty of time to explore and enjoy this beautiful city.

Underfoot the route is easy walking mostly along an old rarely used asphalt road.  There is lots of tree cover during the day as you walk up into the Leon Mountains. There are many grass fields where it is pleasant to stop for lunch and rest if you are walking through the mid day sun. 

At all times of the year an early start will be chilly, so it is worth having your fleece out as you start walking.  The panorama views in the mountains are beautiful.

Today is a day that many pilgrims hope to be lighter, both physically and spiritually. The Cruz del Ferro is an iron cross on top of a 5 metre wooden pole.  Many pilgrims bring a stone from home to leave with the many thousands of stones already there.  Leaving a stone is the sign of leaving behind a burden, or letting go of something in your life.

Today is a fairly easy day walking as far as the Camino goes.  It is a long day, but most of the day is through vineyards and along easy tracks underfoot.  The maximum change in elevation over the day is about 70 meters.

Due to the long day, we start early. Todays walk is gently uphill and fairly easy until we arrive in Las Herrerias. At this point, we will start our climb. We will walk our last 8kms climbing from 600 meters to 1,335 meters. It is a beautiful climb with an amazing reward at the top, O'Cebreiro. This quaint little village is where we will rest our heads for the night. 

We start our day off with some hills but some beautiful views. These long days start to flow as your body is getting use to the walking. Beautiful scenery with ups and downs.

Call it a partial rest day, as we saunter into Sarria. A short nice day, time to rest and enjoy this town. Prepare yourself for the crowds, this is where most people start the last 100 kms walk.

Today's section is along small country roads and a few country paths, it is generally tree-lined and will provide good shade in the sun.

After the steep down hill along Portomarin main street and the a gentle uphill around Monte San Antonio the rest of the day is easy going through rolling country side.

Today is an easy day, apart from the length of the route, it is easy under foot and there are no long steep accents or descents.  The Spanish call this section the “leg breaker” not due to the surface, but due to the length.  If you have been walking for the last two weeks or more you will find it quite an easy stroll in comparison to much of the way already walked. This is the last long day.

As with the previous few days since Sarria there are lots of hamlets and villages along the way for food and water. 2/3rds of today we walk on natural pathways with good shade offered by the ubiquitous eucalyptus. We have a largely level path with just 3 shallow river valleys. We end with a climb around the Alto de Santa Irene. 

The long awaited, final stage. Only the uphill climb to Monte do Gozo presents any real resistance, and this feels a lot easier on the legs due to the fact that we are so close to Santiago Cathedral. The entrance to the city along the road does not affect the mood of the pilgrim who has finally arrived to la Plaza del Obradoiro.
Today we will get our Compostela!

We will travel along the Costa da Morte on a full-day tour from Santiago de Compostela. We will visit Cape Finisterre, go to the villages of Muros and Muxía, and see the waterfall in Ézaro. Along the way, learn about the history and culture of the Galician region. Guided tour by an outside company. Back by 5 with time for dinner and exploring Santiago.

This is your day to explore this amazing city. Time to shop and explore.

Today we will transfer to the Santiago Airport to start our way back home or onto your next adventure!

Included:

  • Pre-departure information including planning and packing suggestions. Phone time with Mary.
  • Guide/Spiritual Coach accompanying the group
  • Private transfer from Madrid to Leon (where we start our pilgrimage)
  • Nights in double rooms, single occupancy additional $200.
  • Luggage transfer
  • The Way of St. James devotional
  • Pilgrims passport
  • Daily/retreat guide book.
  • Daily Breakfast
  • Day tour to Finisterre
  • Flight back to Madrid

Not Included:

  • Airfare to and from Europe. All flights need to fly into Madrid. (We will give you all the information you need to make these arrangements correctly).
  • Traveller’s insurance or trip cancellation insurance.​
  • Tips

You can send your enquiry via the form below.

Camino de Santiago the Enchanting French Way
From $1,700.00
/ Guided Pilgrimages
From $1,100.00
/ Self Guided Pilgrimages
  • $300 deposit of which $150 is non-refundable
  • $200 additional for optional Van Support
  • Limited to 10 pilgrims
  • $250 additional for single room

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