French Way by bike from Roncesvalles

Roncesvalles has historically been considered the first stop on the Iberian Peninsula for pilgrims on the Way of St. James. Located in a beautiful enclave at the foot of the port of Ibañeza, it was also a passageway for Celts, barbarians, Goths and even King Charlemagne. Home of deeds, battles and songs. A village that is a living memory of the passage and tradition of the Way of St. James, and that since the Middle Ages has given refuge and rest to countless pilgrims and personalities.

If you have decided to start your French Way by bike from here, you can enjoy a wonderful day strolling through its cobbled streets and visiting its most emblematic buildings, such as the Royal Collegiate Church of Santa María, the Chapel of San Agustín or the Chapel of the Holy Spirit. A fairytale setting that preserves the purest Jacobean essence!

Your first day as a bicigrino/a starts from the border of Navarre and France, a route that although it runs along the national road N-135 does not have much traffic. Up to the town of Zubiri you will have some small steep slopes, but always with a downward trend. After passing this village, the terrain becomes flatter and flatter and the road is in perfect condition.

If you want to do the route following the original signposting, you must take into account that the route is hard and requires a lot of technique. It is also quite busy with pilgrims on foot, so you should take extreme precautions.

Pamplona is a city that still preserves its medieval defensive walls, in fact, this walled complex has been declared a National Monument. Inside, the Cathedral of Santa Maria is perhaps its most dazzling artistic building, a Gothic jewel hidden behind a neoclassical façade. After strolling through its historic streets and visiting countless monuments, you should try the famous local cuisine, in the form of pintxos (tapas). And if you happen to be in the city in the second week of July, get ready to experience the great festival of San Fermines!

The 44 km of this stage are characterized by a continuous ascent from Pamplona to the Alto del Perdón, the highest point of the day. At this point you can see one of the most photographed monuments of the French Way and enjoy spectacular views.

After the obligatory stop, it’s time to go down a steep slope until you reach Uterga, where the profile will become much smoother until you reach the end of the stage, Estella, where you will enjoy a quiet day of rest.

Estella (Lizarra) is a town bathed by the river Ega that has its origins in the convergence of the culture of the Way of St. James and the Jewish quarter. Curious is its salt water spring, considered to have therapeutic properties. Once you have rested, we invite you to lose yourself in the narrow streets of its historical area and discover its magnificent monuments such as the Palace of the Kings of Navarre or the Church of San Pedro de la Rúa.

Today you will leave the region of Navarra to enter La Rioja, internationally known for its rich wines. You have 49 km ahead of you cycling along quiet tracks surrounded by fields and some more complicated sections, especially the 10 km that separate the towns of Torres del Rio de Viana.

The first stop of the day will be the Wine Fountain of Iratxe, a landmark on this Jacobean route. From Azqueta the road gets steeper and narrower, so don’t hesitate to get off the bike if you need to. And as every effort has its reward, you will reach another of the most iconic fountains of the route, the Fuente de los Moros.

After arriving at Los Arcos, the path runs along a well-surfaced track to Torres del Río, where the most complicated section of the day begins. Continuous ups and downs and sudden changes of terrain make it a real ordeal. Patience and courage.

From Viana, there are only a few kilometres left to reach the longed-for finish line. The environment becomes much more industrial, so be extra cautious and watch out for traffic. Once in Logroño, you will have all the services you need to rest and enjoy the attractions of this exciting city.

You’re in luck! Today’s stage is easy and with a good road surface, perfect for cyclists. Something you’ll be grateful for as fatigue is sure to start to build up.

The route starts with the departure from Logroño along a slightly uphill bike path that takes you to the La Grajera reservoir, with great views of Logroño in the background. The route continues without difficulty on tracks, also ascending. With 20 kilometres behind you, you will continue ascending through vineyards and fields until you reach Navarrete, which appears at the top of a hill. After reaching the top of the Alto de San Antón, the route continues to the charming village of Nájera, entering the town through its industrial area.

We leave Nájera on a tarmac road. You have ahead of you a pleasant walk through fields with a very gentle profile that passes through several villages where you will find services before reaching the end of the stage, Santo Domingo de la Calzada.

Today’s day increases its difficulty due to the increase in mileage and the fact that it runs through one of the most powerful ramps of the whole route, putting your technique to the test. In addition, it is possible that the fatigue of the previous days is taking its toll, so take it easy and do not obsess about arriving.
After crossing the bridge you will say goodbye to Santo Domingo de la Calzada, and you can continue directly along the road to Burgos or take a path parallel to it. The path becomes steeper and steeper until Grañón, and descends steeply on a gravel track, crossing the border between La Rioja and Castilla y León.

After crossing the border, the gravel track will take you to Redecilla del Camino, where you will take the national road to Castildelgado. At this point you can follow the yellow arrows or take the national road that leads directly to Villamayor del Río.

From here, you will head towards the Montes de Oca along a path parallel to the road. When you get to Villafranca we recommend taking the original path, a beautiful route that crosses the mountain. On reaching the top of the Pedraja, it is time to descend to San Juan de Ortega and Agés. From Agés the path becomes a pleasant walk along the local road and leads you to Atapuerca. Now all that remains is to cross the Sierra de Atapuerca and save the last kilometers to your long-awaited end of the stage, Burgos.

We know what you’re thinking – 86 kilometres! Don’t worry, there’s an explanation. In this stage you will cross the entire region of Tierra de Campos to enter Palencia. You will say goodbye to the slopes to give way to a completely flat and monotonous terrain. Despite this, the landscape is one of the best known of all the French Way; a straight line route flanked by golden cereal fields. Therefore, the effort of this stage will not be so much physical, but mental.

The itinerary runs along well-surfaced tracks between crop fields and asphalted country roads, without extremely steep climbs. Before arriving in Burgos you will pass through villages of great importance on the Jacobean route such as Hornillos del Camino, Castrojeriz or Frómista, where you will find all the necessary services to stock up and rest.

This stage is especially hard in the summer months, as it has large stretches with hardly any services or shade, so it is advisable to leave well protected from the sun.

Today’s stage follows yesterday’s dynamic. A section of very easy profile that you will ride mostly on asphalted tracks. You will leave behind the region of Tierra de Campos to enter the province of León, covering long distances without towns, so we recommend you to leave with plenty of water and food.

The most complicated part of the stage you will find at the entrance of León, through streets with a lot of traffic where it is advisable to be extremely careful and pay attention to the signs.

We start the route with a rather ugly and tedious stretch as it is the exit of León, full of residential and industrial areas with a lot of traffic. To get to Hospital de Órbigo you can follow the traditional route following the course of the national road or take the alternative, a little longer but away from traffic.

After crossing the impressive bridge of Hospital de Órbigo, the road again gives you two options: road or countryside. The second option takes you to the Cruz de Toribio, from where you will have spectacular panoramic views of the area.

The entrance to Astorga is quite easy, and less tedious than the exit from León. The only complication will be crossing the railway tracks, pilgrims on foot will cross over a pedestrian footbridge, while cyclists can follow the national road and avoid having to carry the bike up the stairs.

The years of cultural crossroads, from its pre-Roman and Roman beginnings to its medieval and later splendour, have made Astorga one of the most important points of artistic and cultural interest in our country. This small city has a large number of monuments that are a must to visit, among others, the rich legacy of Roman times, the Cathedral of Santa Maria, the Episcopal Palace (Gaudi’s Palace), the Museum of the Roads, the modernist building Casa Granell, and countless churches, monasteries and museums.

This day has a much higher difficulty than the previous ones, but you will be rewarded with spectacular landscapes and panoramic views. Today you will say goodbye to the Maragatería and head for the capital of the Bierzo region, Ponferrada. The LE-142 road will accompany you throughout the stage, with the footpath running parallel to it. Some sections of the road are quite dangerous so we recommend that you ignore the signs and follow the road.

The path gradually climbs up to Rabanal del Camino, where we recommend a stop to regain strength before starting the climb to one of the great landmarks of the French Way, the Cruz de Ferro. The pilgrim ritual here is to deposit a stone that we have brought from our place of origin or we have taken in the place where we started the route.

After this short stop on the Camino, you will continue your route, starting a long descent of 18 kilometres to Molinaseca. Although there are cyclists who follow the pedestrian path, we recommend you to do this section by road. Some trails are narrow, stony, steep and often run along the edge of ravines… It has it all! After passing the Acebo we will continue descending steep slopes until we reach Molinaseca, where we can stop for lunch and rest.

We say goodbye to Molinaseca following the road or the parallel path until we get to Ponferrada and finish the stage.

We hope you had a good rest yesterday because today’s day is a tough one, especially in its final stretch.

We set off from Ponferrada following the same indications as the pilgrims on foot, as the route is perfectly cyclable. We will cross the green valley of El Bierzo through regional roads, dirt tracks and paths. If you prefer, you can also go by road taking the LE-713 to Villafranca del Bierzo, where you can make a stop, and then take the N-VI and the NA-006 to Las Herrerías.

From the Herrerías it’s time to climb up the sprockets because the big part of the day begins. No reward without effort! This will undoubtedly be the hardest ascent of the whole route, so it’s lucky you got the first day. You should pay attention, as there are different signs for pedestrians and cyclists, although if you are experienced you can go the original way.
We recommend you to do the route on asphalt, first taking the CV-125 until you reach the Laguna de Castilla and then go the last 900 meters uphill on an asphalt road until you reach the unique village of O Cebreiro.

O Cebreiro is a place of incalculable ethnographic, natural and cultural value. It has several restored examples of the traditional palloza, a characteristic construction of the mountains of Lugo in which livestock and families shared a house. In addition, it is essential to visit the church of Santa María la Real de O Cebreiro, the oldest church on the Jacobean route, in pre-Romanesque style from the 9th century, still in operation. During your stay in O Cebreiro, you will live a magical Celtic experience and disconnection, which will recharge your batteries to continue with what will surely be one of the best memories of your Camino.

You will start the stage saying goodbye with sadness to the beautiful village of O Cebreiro. Today two mountain passes await you, the Alto de San Roque, where you will find a monumental statue of a pilgrim fighting against the wind, and the Alto del Poio, which will give you spectacular views of the region. The route can be done following the road or by the original path.

After crowning the two mountains it is time to descend. A steep descent will force you to use your brakes until you reach Triacastela, a good place to take a break and have a drink. From Triacastela you have two options, continue the original route through San Xil, much more mountainous; or take the variant of Samos, a highly recommended option if you want to visit the spectacular monastery of Samos.

Both roads converge near Sarria, the second big village of the day, where you can stop for lunch and which has all the services. From here, the last 20 km run on local roads through beautiful hilly and wooded landscapes. During this stretch you will find plenty of places to rest and refresh yourself. The final stretch of the day runs through a spectacular descent that takes you to Portomarín, one of the most beautiful villages of the whole route.

Today’s day begins with a steep climb that will serve as a warm-up. Arriving at Ventas de Narón, a descent begins to Palas de Rei, a village that has all the services and is the perfect place for the first stop of the day.

You will continue the route to Melide, in the province of A Coruña. This section has many climbs and descents, which will make you feel the accumulated fatigue of the stage. When you reach Melide, the great reward of the day awaits you. You are in the capital of Galician octopus, there is no better place on the French Way to taste this delicacy. So take a seat in one of their pulperías and enjoy!

With a full belly we are sure that you will face the last 15 km of the day with a new spirit. This section runs through forests and corredoiras with some steep slopes. When we arrive at Ribadiso de Abaixo the path starts to steepen strongly until it becomes a quite powerful ramp. This last effort will take you to the end of the stage, Arzúa, land of one of the best cheeses in Galicia.

Last day as a bicigrino/a cycling the French Way from Roncesvalles! We recommend you to get up early to arrive early to Santiago de Compostela and make the most of the day in the city. This last stretch is the easiest of the entire route, and is marked by the presence of more urbanized areas as you approach the Galician capital.

After riding around the vicinity of Santiago airport, the last climb of the route will be in San Marcos, the broadcasting centre of the Galician television. When you arrive at Monte do Gozo, we invite you to stop and contemplate the views, we assure you that you will understand the reason for the name of this place. Santiago is getting closer and closer!

You are in Santiago! Feel happy and proud to have completed the French Way by bike from Roncesvalles. Now we just need to pick up the Compostela certificate and enjoy an incredible day getting to know the Galician capital.

Congratulations! You have completed your French Way by bike from Roncesvalles. This last day you are in charge, you can go back home or enjoy one more day in Santiago resting your legs after so much pedaling. And how beautiful is Compostela.

Did you know that all roads end in Finisterre? If you have been left with the desire to pedal and you have a few more days, we encourage you to complete the 90 kilometres separating Santiago from Finisterre. The most magical and spiritual route that hides real treasures such as Ponte Maceira, one of the most beautiful villages in Spain or the extraordinary sunset of the Finisterre lighthouse.