Camino De Santiago French Way: The Complete Route Planning
June 16, 2022
Spain
By guy yefet
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Are you planning to walk the Camino de Santiago french way? In this blog, you will find everything you need to know about the Camino Frances route.

Camino De Santiago French Way: Planning Your Camino Frances Route


Camino de Santiago French Way / Camino Frances / The Way of St. James are the most common names for the route out across northern Spain.


Camino de Santiago is a general name for several Christian pilgrimage routes that cross Europe and eventually reach the cathedral of the city of Santiago de Compostela in northwestern Spain.


According to Christian tradition, the remains of St. James (St. James in English or Santiago in Spanish), one of Jesus' apostles, are in place from 44 AD and constitute one of the three most important pilgrimage sites in the Christian world, along with Rome and Jerusalem.


Most of the routes that pass through France drain into one path in the Pyrenees, and from there merge into one central route known as the "French way", which joins many routes from different parts of the Iberian Peninsula.


The journey following Santiago has been going on for more than a thousand years but has been abandoned over time.


In the second half of the 20th century, the old route returned to consciousness and became a kind of modern "trek".

Camino De Santiago French Way


If in the 60s a few hundred pilgrims walked the Camino de Santiago route, in recent years the number approaches about 250,000 pilgrims a year, most of them do not walk the route for religious reasons but as leisure, when the route became especially popular with its UNESCO declaration as a World Heritage Site In 1993.


Along the Camino Frances route, you will cross small and picturesque towns in the northern parts of Spain (La Rioja, Castile and Leon, and Galicia), agricultural areas, orchards and vineyards, and also in large cities such as Pamplona, ​​Burgos, and Leon.


After reaching Santiago de Compostela, it is customary to continue walking west for the Camino de Santiago last 100 km to Finestra on the shores of the Atlantic Ocean, a place considered in times past, before the discovery of America, to end the world.

the road to santiago


the road to Santiago

There are several routes to walk to Santiago de Compostela.

Santiago de Compostela, the wonderful city is located in northwestern Spain in the province of Galicia, and the Camino de Santiago.

You can choose to walk the Camino Portugues that start in Portugal, the northern Camino (Camino del Norte) which runs along the Atlantic Ocean, and other Camino routes.


I chose to walk on the Camino de Santiago French Way (Camino Frances), and I will also write about it.

camino de santiago route planning
pilgrims on the camino

what is the camino Frances walk?

Camino Frances (The French way) is the most touristy and some people link it directly with the name: 'Camino de Santiago' or in short the 'Camino'.


It is also the most organized and accessible for the traveler in terms of road signs, water taps scattered along the route, accommodations, shops, souvenirs, and everything a traveler needs.


The Camino Frances starts in the town of Saint Jean Pied de Port in southwestern France at the foot of the Pyrenees.


The French Way Camino goes through four Spanish regions; Navarra, La Rioja, Castilla y León, and Galicia.


Most of the time you will find yourself walking on comfortable ground for a walk.

As you walk, and as the days go by, the landscape changes and it's an amazing walk.

Sunflower fields, huge winds, vineyards, rivers, streams, forests, and other sights will be revealed to you.

The route has lively traffic of people, especially on summer days. Pedestrians from around the world walk along with the Spanish pedestrians.

camino french way
Alto del Perdón - The iconic spot on the camino frances route


The age range on the Camino french way ranges from children walking with their parents to very old people.

The Camino Frances route is diverse for many reasons and has a lot to offer, it invites travelers to it from different backgrounds and different age groups.


Occasionally you will also find yourself walking alone, but this intercultural encounter will expose you to new worlds, and different perceptions of life.

The Camino is a great way to open up to the world.

In the Camino you visit Spain and other countries at the same time.

Not everyone comes to walk the Camino de Santiago from beginning to end.

Some walk the Camino for stages, they get to the Way whenever they have a chance and continue from where they left off.

In addition, some pilgrims choose not to walk certain sections of the way, they progress by bus or other means of transportation and continue to walk from where they came.


Other pilgrims choose to hike only in certain sections.

For example, some pilgrims walk only the last 100km on the Camino de Santiago to get the Compostela.

camino frances burgos
Burgos - 483km from Santiago

The Compostela

This is a certificate received by anyone who has walked at least the last 100 km to Santiago de Compostela, or cycling at least 200 km by bike.

That's why Sarria is a popular starting point on the French Way Camino because from Sarria it's the last 100 km to Santiago de Compostela.

The Compostela receive at the Pilgrims' Office in Santiago de Compostela.

Officials examine the pilgrims' passports and make sure the pilgrim steps or ride the required distance.

Then fill out simple forms, donate a few donations and get a certificate according to the reason given as the reason for the pilgrimage (religious, spiritual, or otherwise).

Santiago de Compostela


In the last 100 km of the Camino Frances, you can feel the multiplicity of people joining the walk.

Apart from walking the way, some choose to pedal their way to Santiago.

Pedalers need to cover at least 200 Km before Santiago to get the Compostela.

pilgrim Passport

This is a document that you will sign along the way.

You can do this in hostels, restaurants, and other places that offer a stamp.

The pilgrim passport will indicate that you are walking on Camino de Santiago.


This is the document you will present at the registration office in the city of Santiago de Compostela for the get the Compostela.

The stamps will indicate that you have walked the last 100 kilometers.


The various and quirky signatures you will collect along the way will be a wonderful reminder of the places you have visited and will be a personal keepsake from a special trip.


The Camino pilgrim passport will also buy you various discounts along the route, such as in museums, entrances to cathedrals, and more.

It will also allow you to stay in hostels designed for pilgrims, called Albergues.


You can buy the pilgrim passport camino for a token amount at the place where you will start walking.

I bought my pilgrim's passport in the French town of Saint-Jean-Pierre-de-Fort.


When you arrive in town, go to the Pilots Registration Office, where you can purchase the passport.

In addition, they will provide you with information about the road, give you a map that divides the route into days and more.

Camino pilgrim passport


Best time to walk the Camino Frances


I started walking the Camino de Santiago french way during covid on September 18, 2021.


I walked the Camino and enjoyed some significant advantages and small disadvantages that came following the covid situation in the Camino.


In general, the end of September is a designated time to walk the Camino Frances route as the hike is relatively less crowded than in the summer months of July and August.

This does not mean you will be alone for September but fewer pilgrims during this period especially towards the end of September and early October.

camino frances route planner


Camino Frances in September-October

Perfect weather at this time of year, comfortable temperatures for hiking, as we approach towards the end of October, at night the temperature drops significantly and in the early hours of the morning the temperature can be 3-4 degrees Celsius but during the day can reach 18 degrees Celsius.


There is a dramatic change between the early morning and the middle of the day so I sometimes preferred to start walking late in the morning to enjoy the comfortable weather.


walking the Camino de Santiago during covid help for small local businesses after hard times.

You will cross so many tiny villages that you will stay there  along the way that have been significantly economically damaged by the Covid situation, as without the Camino they have no livelihood.


During the Camino Frances in covid In most Albergues, the kitchen was closed and could not be used for some reason.

It is not clear to me why since we sleep in shared rooms, with shared showers but the kitchen itself is closed.


Anyway, the food in Spain is very cheap and delicious.

Not a big downside but something important to know.

camino de santiago stages
carmino frances route in October


Camino De Santiago During Covid: Albergues Occupancy

I walked the Camino Frances in September-October 2021 and the Albergues were only allowed to occupy 50 percent of the space occupancy.


This means that only half of the people can sleep in Albergue, which has created a shortage of beds especially in the small villages where there are only 2-3 Albergas and possible accommodation.

So booking in advance was something that is required to be sure you have a place to sleep at night.


Of course, this is not a mandatory but following the government’s decision to allow algebra to populate only 50 percent of the possible occupancy has resulted in the fact that although there are fewer actual pilgrims on the Camino Frances route, there is still a problem of accommodation.


However, it is not necessary to book the whole route and all the Camino way in advance, enough the day before or even that morning to call Albergue and book a bed for that evening.

* Do yourself a favor. Do not book all the nights on the Camino Frances in advance especially if you walk the Camino Frances solo, you will meet people on the way you may want to continue with them and once you book places in advance you will be limited.

last 100km of camino frances
sarria - last 100km of camino frances


Camino de Santiago length

how long is the french way camino?

The length of the Camino de Santiago French way, which is one of the Camino routes, is about 800 kilometers, and the amount of time it will take you to walk it depends of course on you.


One of the factors that influence the division of a walking route, if you do not plan to sleep outdoors, is the number of accommodations scattered along the way where you can stop and stay overnight.


Along the French way, there are many accommodations where you can stay, and this will allow you to play with the route according to your different needs and will give you flexibility in dividing the route according to days.


The average walking day will be about 25 kilometers. A day of walking less than 20 kilometers is considered a short walk for me and a day of over 28 kilometers is already a long day of walking.


camino santiago french way


Camino french way: The Amazing Race

The Amazing Race Santiago version.

Already in the first days of the Camino Frances walk, You can begin to understand the walk and the spirit of the walkers.

The general atmosphere is that we are in a race.

A race to make it and reach the coveted destination which is 'Santiago de Compostela'.


Many people walk the path for religious motives, voluntarily coming to the cathedral - the focus of the pilgrimage.

They go out to the destination and budget time for themselves to reach it.

It seems that part of this race, and the need to make it and get to Santiago, stems from the fact that these same people pause for a moment the race of their lives, take a vacation, and seek at this time to reach the destination.

They have a deadline. Their race has become the undeclared nature of the Camino walk.


Most of us probably have deadlines, but do we all need to run?

camino frances etapas


how many days to walk the Camino Frances?

Different Camino guides offer different options to divide the Camino French Way by days.


There is a Camino route that offers to get to Santiago in 30 days.


There is another that is divided into 34 days.


For those who are in a hurry, there is a route that offers to get to Santiago in 28 days.

Just to clear your ears, there is a day on this route where you walk forty kilometers and most of the other days are not easier.


Along the way, we also hear about people whose daily quota is forty km, and rumors also speak of those who come to walk the Camino to break records and finish the road as fast as possible.

I think this Camino walk should be budgeted for more than 30 days and even more than 34 days.


Many people don’t feel the camino way. They are blown away in the race.

camino de santiago french waye route planner


The Camino de Santiago has so much to offer!


It has lovely streams to sit next to, it has interesting people that are worth hearing their story and it has an abundance of art.

Many churches are scattered throughout and each one is a creation in itself.


My recommendation is to start walking the Camino Frances with no return date or at least with a broad time frame if you can.


Allow yourself to be swept away by the Camino way, let the Camino sweep you away.


When you are busy arriving, and having enough, you do not always see its true beauty.

Some people have a limited and short time frame to reach their destination - Santiago de Compostela.

That's fine, but it does not have to be this way.


There are such beautiful places to see along the way; Nature, small and large churches, paintings, sculptures, architecture, animals, people, everyone will be happy for your interest.


I suggest you take your time and walk the Camino slowly.

french way camino santiago
A beautiful resting place on the Camino Frances route


You come to travel and not to conquer destinations.

You do not have to flock together with everyone.

If you have a fixed time frame and you still want to get there and do the route, allow it for yourself.


Decide on a particular section that you feel like walking and forward.

What's more, you can always start from a point, progress at your own pace, and stop according to the time limit you set in advance.


The Camino de Santiago Frances route is inviting, accessible, and there are several places along the way where there is public transportation where you can make your way home.

I walked the Camino in such a different way, a calm, relaxed way that includes many stops during the day whether it is for coffee or beer or to eat something small and enjoy the moment.


Is not all about to get to Santiago de Compostela or Finisterre (Finisterre - the end of the world. Continue after arriving in Santiago).


The main goal is to enjoy the way, and if I enjoyed and didn’t get as far as Santiago it's fine, nothing will happen.


The Camino Way itself is more important than Santiago de Compostela.


If I want to get to Santiago and dedicate enough time to myself for the walk then I will come to Santiago de Compostela and see the city but in my time.

So before you book yourself a flight ticket back, think again.

camino de santiago french way distance
Camino de Santiago Frances route



is the Camino de Santiago difficult?

I have no experience with multiple walks. What is the difficulty level of the Camino walk? Will I finish the journey?


In my estimation, the average age of pilgrims in Camino de Santiago is 50, so it should not be too difficult.

There are physically more difficult stages, for example - the first two days.


In general, it is a trek with lots of villages to stop in and about a quarter of a million people walk in it a year.

So it is completely within the limits of the reasonable person's ability.


My recommendation is not to run or try to push yourself.


Walking too fast and not listening to the body can cause your body to crash.

walk at the pace dictated by the body, at the end, you will reach.

highest point on camino frances
Cruz de hierro - highest point on camino frances


Where to start walking the Camino French way?


Camino de Santiago French Way (Camino Francés) starts in the French town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and ends in the city of Santiago de Compostela in Spain.


Not everyone who walks the way starts it in Saint-Jean-Pierre de Port, some choose to start walking out of Spain.

One option is from Roncesvalles which is usually the end stop of the first day for those who started in Saint-Jean-de-Pais de Port, and the other from the city of Pamplona.

pamplona camino de santiago
Pamplona - one of the most beautiful city on the Camino


Let's get some order, There are three main places where pilgrims start walking the French way.


Camino Frances starting point:


Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (France) 770 km


Roncesvalles (Spain) 746km


Pamplona (Spain) 702 km


Of course, there are more options and you can start walking in any of the big cities further down the way in Spain or even from your home.

camino starting point in france
Saint-Jean-Pierre de Port: my Camino Frances starting point


Camino de Santiago french way accommodation

Where do you stay when walking the Camino de Santiago?


Those who choose to walk the Camino de Santiago sleep in special places for the pilgrims - Albergues.


In the context of the Camino, Albergue is a hostel intended solely for Pelegrinos.


Albergues are divided into two - Albergue municipal and private Albergue.


The advantage of the Camino Frances route (The French Way) is in the variety of accommodations that you can sleep along all the way.


The French Way Camino is the most famous and popular so there are lots of accommodations to sleep in especially when you travel in season (Camino Francés season lasts between early April and late October).

Camino de Santiago french way accommodation
Albergue on the Camino Frances


What is the difference between an Albergue municipal and a private Albergue?

In general, staying in both types of Albergues is very cheap, and only rarely will it cost more than 12 euros per person per night.

Some Albergues are run by volunteers (Hospitaleros).


As you advance towards Santiago de Compostela, "Albergue Donativo", appears.

These are Albergues that do not charge any money and it's "free" to stay, but ask the residents to pay as they see fit.

Note that "Donativo" does not mean "free".

Someone cleans the place, offers it, and takes care of serving you when you are there.

It would be rude to stay in these places without as little contribution as possible.


Albergue municipal - An Albergue that is usually larger with a large number of beds, you will not find private rooms in such Albergue, the rules between each Albergue municipal vary but as a rule, they are very direct when it comes to rules.


These Albergues have lights off between 22:00 and 22:30 they close the gate and can no longer be entered and as a result go to bed earlier.


As in the mornings, you are obliged to leave the Albergue until a certain hour and usually, it will be very early in the morning between 6-7 in the morning at most until 8 am you will have to leave the Albergue.


In terms of the essence of the Albergue municipal is that whoever chooses to walk the Camino is considered a pilgrim and does so one has to get up early and get up early the next morning to walk early.


Albergue municipal will usually be cheaper and provide fewer services than their private one, But sometimes it's just a matter of a few single euros averaging 3-4 euros difference.


It is not possible to book a place in advance at a municipal, not through booking or Application.


It is possible to call them and book a bed by phone, it is advisable to know Spanish because most of the people who run them speak Spanish so it is very helpful to know the language.


They write down your name for the purpose of booking the place without paying or taking a credit card for a deposit and will usually ask you to arrive by a certain time like 2-3 PM, if you do not manage to arrive by this time your place will be taken over by someone else.

alberge municipal camino de santiago
Albergue municipal in Roncesvalles


Many people choose to sleep only in Albergues municipal because for them this is how the Camino should be done.


I personally found the Albergue municipal to be less suitable for me because I felt I did not have the freedom I was looking for, they restrict me to rehearsal hours at night, turn off the light at 10pm and force me to get up early in the morning and leave the Albergue by the dark.


The most important thing to remember is that everyone has their own way and their own Camino, what is good for one person is not sure is good for someone else.


On the other hand, The Private Albergue is Usually also intended only for the pilgrims and the people who walk the Camino route, here too there are shared rooms and in some of the Albergues, there are also private rooms.


The big advantage of private Albergues is that there are no restrictions on return and departure times.


Almost every private Albergue owns a shared kitchen, bar, and restaurant with the daily menu of the pilgrims.


If you are tired and want to sleep a little more and decide to start the next day at 9 in the morning you can do it, you are not obliged to get up at 6 in the morning when it is still dark and go in the cold and dark.

Most of the private Albergues can be booked in advance through booking so it makes things easier.


For the most part, the price difference will not be so significant.


Especially with you traveling in a group of 3-4 people together as I traveled, many times it even pays more for us to book a private room for 3 people together than to sleep in a shared room with other people.


I started the Camino alone and met amazing people, and as the days went by we would split into rooms and sleep in private rooms the three of us or four of us and we would notice it was more cost-effective for us as it was the same price as we would sleep in an Albergue municipal with 20 people in the same room.


It's very important to sleep well when you are walking an average of 25 kilometers every day.

the french way camino Albergue


Some general facts about the Camino de Santiago Albergues:


* Breakfast will be served in private Albergues only, from 06:30 until 08:30.

Meals will include any version of the following ingredients: juice, jam, butter, any pastry, toast and coffee, and tea.

Usually, the cost is 3 euros per person.


* In most cases the Albergue Municipal will require you to leave by 8:00 am.


* In a large part of the places, especially in the Albergue Municipal, there are lights off between 22:00 and 22:30.

These are also the hours from which to keep quiet.


* Accommodation is almost always in shared halls (in private Albergue there will sometimes be a possibility for private rooms), and the showers and toilets are also shared.


* The shoes are left in the designated places outside the dormitories.


Which is better: Albergue municipal or private Albergue?

There is no unequivocal answer to this.

Every person experiences it differently.


Some people walk the Camino for different reasons and are very clear in their intentions and goals.

They want to sleep at 9 in the evening and get up at 5 in the morning to start walking and that's fine.


For me sleeping in private Albergues made the way more fun, free and relaxed way to walk the Camino.

No matter where you choose to sleep in the end, there is no right or wrong.


There is no one way to walk the Camino de Santiago.


You do not have to choose between the two and you can combine, experience the two things and decide for yourself where you prefer to stay to sleep, which is also one of the reasons I do not recommend booking accommodation in advance even before you start walking the Camino.


What really matters is the Camino way itself and not where you prefer to sleep.

albergues camino de santiago


Do you need to book accommodation in the Camino Frances in advance?

As mentioned, I walked the French Way Camino during the Covid and as I said, although there were fewer pilgrims on average per day, the Albergues can only accommodate 50 percent of their occupancy.


Therefore, this created problems in accommodation because if for the purpose of the example Albergue could accommodate 80 people together then now they can only accommodate 40 people, half the normal amount.


Some people want to be safe and pre-book all their accommodation for more than a month, I do not think it should be done.


If you are booking all the accommodations in advance its creates a very serious limitation especially if you walk the Camino solo, you will probably meet a lot of people on the way and if you connect with them

and want to travel together, whoever booked accommodation in advance for the whole Camino is limited and will have to sleep in the places he already booked.

accomodation camino de santiago route
many accommodations Options on the camino frances route


In my opinion, the best thing to do is that if you decide to book a place to stay, then don't book a bed for all the days of the Camino.


The first night is definitely desirable and recommended to book places and from there let Camino do his magic.


In the Camino De Santiago Frances, there are lots of accommodation options in their various villages and you do not have to sleep in the towns where the book or guide determines.


If you want to book an Albergue in advance, it is possible to book one day in advance and that is enough or even on the morning of that day, for me, it worked perfectly.


Every day I had a place to sleep and never found myself without a place to stay even though I did not book all the Camino route in advance.


Another important thing to know is that always in the Popular stages and towns that the guides say to sleep there, the number of the pilgrims will be higher and therefore you don't must to stay there, you can always choose to stay in town before or after, sometimes it is a threshold of 3-4 km from the "recommended" town in the book where everyone sleeps.


You should not walk the Camino de Santigo according to a certain Guide book.


Walking the Camino Frances according to how you choose to do it means that if you want to walk in someday only 10 kilometers you can do it if another day you want to continue walking 40 km a day (yes some people do this) so you can choose to go further and since you have not booked the accommodation in advance, you will have the freedom to choose each day how many you want and are willing to go.

camino frances albergues
plaza cathedral - best albergue in pamplona


camino de santiago pilgrimage

Who walks the Camino De Santiago?


Everyone walks the Camino de Santiago.


The pilgrims on the camino are people from all over the world walk the Camino de Santiago and that's what's beautiful.

You will meet so many different people from different places in the world and from other cultures who come especially to do this special way.

By the time I walked the French way, Camino, at the end of September, I saw fewer people with families as the summer and vacation period was over.


Plus, not everyone can leave everything in their life and go for a whole month, not everyone has that time so many choose to walk certain sections of a week, ten days, or 2 weeks.

french way camino walk


What kind of people will you meet at the Camino French Way route?

I have noticed that a lot of people who choose to go all the way at once are People who are retired and have the time it takes to go all the way.

So do not be surprised if you see people in their 70s and even 80s walking the Camino with you all the way.


Every person who chooses to walk the Camino is special.

Making the decision to walk over 800 km that you do an average of 25 miles each day is no mean feat.


Each for his own reasons decides to walk the Camino and meet intriguing people, young and old alike, couples traveling together, people traveling alone, people who started the Camino alone like me, and met

people along the way who became one family.


If there is a place to meet the most interesting people from all over the world, Camino de Santiago and especially the French way is the perfect place for it.

camino de santiago rench way walk


Do you need to know Spanish on the French Way camino?


It's highly recommended to know Spanish!


Before you start to walk the Camino de Santiago, try to increase your vocabulary in Spanish as much as possible because few, if any, residents know English (the closer you get to Santiago, the rarer you will find residents who can communicate with you in English).


A nice app that can help you learn Spanish is Duolingo and also through the BBC website.


In addition, I recommend writing on a page a few sentences that you think you will need throughout the Camino in Spanish in case you forget what you have learned.

camino santiago walk



Walking the camino solo

can i walk the camino alone?


You're crazy! Do you want to walk over 800 km alone?


I've traveled the world solo already, slept in a tent alone, did some solo hiking before but the Camino de Santiago is something else, something different.


Camino de Santiago It's a cultural experience for everyone.


If I had to wait on every trip of mine for a friend to come with me or for someone to join me I probably would never travel and hike in my life, sometimes you just have to take yourself and travel solo.

camino de santiago solo


3 important things to know for those who decide to walk the Camino Frances solo:


*You are never alone


*You will have complete freedom of choice, if you want to stop in some town you can stop there if you want to continue walking, you are not dependent on anyone else, if you want to rest one day in a big city you can do it.


*The ability to open up to other people is significantly greater when you are traveling solo than when traveling with a group of friends from home.


The Camino Frances route has shown me once again how much power and freedom there is when traveling solo.


On my second day in the charming town of Zubiri, I met a Fernando who is originally from Peru and living in Spain in Galicia for 10 years.


I finished my second day and sat in the garden of the Albergue.


We both drank a beer together and we start to chat and from that moment somehow it turned out that we walked all the Camino Francés together without planning.


You will see the same people every day so all of them become like one big family and it is very easy to get to know people.


Those people you meet will become an integral part of your journey.


In the end, the decision to travel alone was a great idea because the people I met made for me the Camino.


Don't worry about walking the Camino alone.

Sometimes you will just want to be alone with yourself.

walking camino de santiago solo



Is the camino safe to walk alone?


Absolutely yes.


This area of Spain is one of the safest places I have visited.

There is no real danger in walking the Camino solo.


The only thing I can tell you is to keep your valuable equipment close to you, especially when you are sleeping with so many different people in one room.


Beyond that, the Camino de Santiago French Way are very safe for solo travel.

camino de santiago spain


camino de santiago cost

How much does it cost to walk the Camino Frances?


An average day on the Camino Frances will cost you around 25-30 euros.


Of course, it depends on you and your expenses.

You can only eat in cafes and restaurants, and you can buy the groceries for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.


Buying in supermarkets should be accompanied by getting organized in buying things, carrying them (does not have to be a heavy burden), and if we are talking about dinners then also their cooking, or not.

Cooking and eating dinners in hostels can very quickly become an experience in itself, hikers meeting at the end of the day, cooking, and eating together. Cooking groups are also formed for them.

Cooking and buying groceries can lower costs, but one can certainly diversify.


What's more, eating at restaurants scattered along the way is not an expensive business.

The area where the Camino Francés passes allows you to travel at cheap costs.

camino de santiago food
Typical Breakfast on the camino frances route


Examples of things I bought along the French Way Camino:


Coffee and pastries: between 2-3 euros


Coffee and chorus: 3.20 euros


Beer: 1.30 euros


Wine glass: 1.50 euros (I also bought it for one euro)


Tortilla de Patatas during the walk: 4 euros.


Accommodation: between 7-15 euros per night for pilgrim passport holders.


Menu del dia - pilgrims menu

Many of the accommodations and restaurants along the way offers Menu de Pellegrino.


Scattered along the Santiago Way are restaurants and bars that offer a kind of "business meals" that include water, wine, bread, first course, main course, and dessert at a price of about 10-12 euros.

For the pilgrim, this is usually a particularly lucrative deal.


The first course will be soup or salad, and the main course will be meat with carbs as a side dish.

The dessert will usually be fruit or ice cream.

pilgrim menu camino


Camino de Santiago for vegetarians

The vegetarian and vegan pilgrims will be required to negotiate with the owners of the place to tailor the menu for them.


They will usually get an enlarged salad and a portion of pasta instead of the regular menu.


Restaurant owners are flexible and want to help, so there will almost always be a way to fill even the croaking belly of those who avoid animal foods.

Knowledge of the Spanish language will greatly improve the chances of getting a meal that suits you.


So how much is an average daily cost in the Camino?

I had days where the daily expense was 25 euros and other days it would jump and reach 35-40 euros a day.


Depending on the stops you make along the way, the number of beers or wine you drink and because it's so cheap, there were days I found myself going over the average daily budget but it was worth it to me.


After all, you know yourself, how much you spend or how much you want to spend.

camino de santiago food


Final Thoughts about the Camino de Santiago french way

There are lots of guides online and lots of information about the Camino de Santiago, especially on the French way.


I'm a little different from most of the pilgrims who come to walk the Camino de Santiago Frances Route, because I would get up late, I would make a lot of stops on the way, and sometimes even arrive late to the next town.


I wanted to exhaust these amazing places and experience them in the most relaxed and fun way possible.


You should walk the Camino de Santiago exactly how you want and that's the most important thing.


Always remember it's your Camino and only yours!


There is not only one way or right way to walk the Camino de Santiago.

If you want to get up at 9 in the morning and start walking at 11 in the morning (yes people do that) then do it!


The biggest tip I can give you is don't run!

The Lazy pilgrims of the camino frances


This is your way, your choices, do not be in a race, do not seek to get fast, enjoy the way, enjoy Spain, the locals, the small stops along the way, take advantage of every stop, take pictures and experience the small and beautiful places along the Camino route.


Eventually, the Camino route will end and you will not want to get to the end believe me.


At first, you will be so far from Santiago de Compostela and as time goes by at some point you will realize that you are already very close to the end and you will not want to end this wonderful journey.


There is a powerful and inspiring sentence that in one of the stops we stopped a local Spanish guy who was volunteering and handing out free food and drink to the pilgrims and he said such a sentence that I took with me throughout the Camino:


"If you want to arrive fast, walk alone

If you want to arrive far, walk together"

camino frances distance
i started walking the camino solo and we became Family


Hope this Camino Frances route planner has given you some orders and will help you plan your Camino in the best way possible.


Jealous of anyone who chooses to walk the Camino de Santiago route because it is a once-in-a-lifetime experience.


Thanks for reading my Camino de Santiago French Way planning guide!

Buen camino!

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