El Camino de Santiago or The Way of St. James, is one of the most important Christian pilgrimages,
with Santiago de Compostela in Spain, as the final destination.
The pilgrimage goes to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia in northwestern Spain,
where tradition has it that the remains of the apostle Saint James are buried. According
to the legend, St. James' body was taken to Galicia by boat from Jerusalem and carried
inland to where Santiago de Compostela is now located. The pilgrimage is believed by
some to be one of three pilgrimages for which the sins of the pilgrim will be forgiven.
There are several routes that can be taken, the most popular being the French Way, which
begins in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in France.
The walk from the French border to Santiago de Compostela on the main routes of the French
Way takes about a month. Speed hikers can make it in as little as two weeks, but that
requires walking 40 km or more each day.
While most of the route is fairly gentle with only a few long ascents, some days can be
challenging. Over the past 20 years a great deal of effort has gone into improving the
walkers' route, and most of the route is now well marked, reasonably well surfaced, and
separated from the increasingly heavy traffic on Spanish highways. If one begins in France,
the route passes over two major mountain chains and several smaller ones.
One needs to be in reasonably good condition and to have good hiking boots. If you wish
to camp, you need to carry clothing and a sleeping bag in a comfortable backpack.
But you can stay in hostels for low cost.