French Way in short stages

Stages

• day 1

  Arrival at Sarria

  We leave Triacastela and on our way to Sarria we are presented with two well signposted options: Samos or San Xil? Both options are of great interest, so the decision is yours.

  Stage Triacastela - Sarria via San Xil (17.9 km)

  After crossing the avenue Camino José Cela we take the detour on the right, which takes us to a local road towards San Xil. After passing A Balsa, along a steep slope we arrive at the Fonte dos Lameiros, with a large shell.

  We continue up an asphalted track to San Xil, where we find a vending machine. We continue by road to the vicinity of the top of Riocabo, where we leave the asphalt to enjoy the most beautiful stretch of the stage. Lush forests of chestnut, oak and birch trees escort us down to the small village of Montán.

  We continue down to Fontearcuda and cross the road to take a path that avoids the long detour of the road. We cross a river and continue along a path that comes back to the road. The centenary forests give way to green meadows, a landscape that we will see until Furela, where we can regain strength in the bar at the roadside.

  We leave behind the village of Furela and enter, at last, the municipality of Sarria. We arrive at Pintín, where there is also a bar and a restaurant. We continue close to the road and we enter a wooded stretch that leads us to the public hostel of Calvor.

  After passing Aguiada, Airexe and San Mamede do Camiño we start to see Sarria in the distance. We continue the last stretch through small slides, we pass by a campsite and we arrive at Sarria.

  Stage Triacastela - Sarria through Samos (25 km)

  At the fork we turn left towards Samos. In this variant we will have to be guided by the arrows, since we will not see cairns. We leave following the road until we reach San Cristovo do Real, where we can see the pazo of Lusío and the Casa Forte. We continue past the village of Renche, walking through a beautiful natural environment on the banks of the river Oribio. We arrive at Lastres and Freituxe, from where we go up to the parish of San Martiño, with a Romanesque church.

  At the exit of San Martiño we cross the road through a tunnel and go straight down to Samos, enjoying an impressive panoramic view over the monastery. The spectacular Benedictine monastery of Samos is one of the oldest in Spain. It was founded in the 6th century and has 1500 years of almost uninterrupted monastic life. There are guided tours and you can get your credential stamped.

  After the usual visit, we leave Samos by road and arrive at Teiguín, where we cross the road to take a track that goes up by hand. From here the path alternates paths with asphalted tracks and enters the small villages of Gorolfe, Veiga and Sivil. In the latter, we cross the river Sarria over a medieval bridge with a chapel.

  We arrive at the concello of Sarria through the village of Perros, where we see a manor house. We cross the road to get to Aguiada, where we connect with the variant by San Xil and we do the last 4 kilometres to Sarria, our end of the stage.

  To consider

  The stage through San Xil is 6.6 kilometres shorter and crosses one of the most beautiful valleys of the French Way. If we decide to do this stage, it is advisable to leave with enough water and food, as we will not find many services where we can stock up.

  On the other hand, the Samos stage is a little longer and goes through spectacular oak and chestnut forests on the banks of the river Oribio. Undoubtedly the most interesting part of the stage is the visit to the Benedictine Monastery of Samos, one of the most impressive monuments in Galicia.

  Although it is a difficult decision, whichever path we take, we are sure to get it right.

  Places of interest

  • Church of San Cristovo do Real - Por Samos
  • Benedictine Monastery of Samos - Around Samos
  • Church of San Esteban - By San Xil
  • Church of San Salvador - Sarria

  Typical dishes

  • Porco Celta
  • Octopus á Feira
  • Galician Veal
  • Fried Milk
  • Roscones
  • Filloas of milk or blood
• day 2

  Stage 1. Sarria - Morgade (12 km)

  In this first stage of your French Way from Sarria in short stages runs through paths, rural roads full of life and small villages with few inhabitants. If you need to withdraw money, we recommend you to do it in Sarria, as you won’t find cash machines until you get to Portomarín. At the exit of Sarria, you will cross the Pequeno river by the medieval bridge of Áspera. After a three-kilometre walk you will reach the beautiful church of Santiago de Barbadelo, where it will be worthwhile to make a stop on the Way. The journey continues through small villages surrounded by fields until we reach Morgade, where we will find the main landmark of the stage: the milestone that marks the 100 kilometres to Santiago, one of the most photographed of the whole Camino de Santiago.
• day 3

  Stage 2. Morgade - Portomarín (9 km)

  Shortly after starting this second stage you will reach Ferreiros, another small village with a Romanesque church dedicated to Santa María. Today’s route continues through rural landscapes full of small villages until we reach Portomarín, which appears as an oasis with its slate roofs and white painted houses. Portomarín, a village born at the foot of the river Miño, is a place as beautiful as it is peculiar. It is a village that had to be relocated from its original site to a higher point in the valley, due to the construction of the Belesar reservoir on the river Miño, which caused the flooding of the old site of the village. If you have a day with good lighting, you will be able to see the remains of the old Portomarín at the bottom of the river. In this small and busy village you will have the opportunity to enjoy the local gastronomy, relax and rest.
• day 4

  Stage 3. Portomarín - Ventas de Narón (11 km)

  In this third stage you will leave Portomarín towards Ventas de Narón. Unlike the previous stages, in this section there are fewer people, so it is advisable to leave well stocked with enough water and food. Although it is an easy route, you will find some considerable slopes, so take it easy. It is worth taking a detour from the route of the Camino to visit the prehistoric site of Castromaior, which is well signposted. In Ventas de Narón, you can visit the small chapel of A Madalena, guarded at the entrance by a wooden door carved with the cross and the pilgrim’s shell.
• day 5

  Stage 4. Ventas de Narón - Palas de Rei (11 km)

  The Way leaves Ventas de Narón passing through tiny villages until you reach Lameiros, where you can stop to look at a 17th century cruceiro (stone cross). The route continues through a completely rural setting, passing through the villages of Ligonde and Airexe, where you can admire its rectory house and its Romanesque church dedicated to Santiago. When you arrive at the village of Portos, friendly ants will welcome you and invite you to rest. Just outside this place you will have the possibility to visit the interesting monastery of Vilar de Donas, one of the most amazing temples in the area. To get there, you have to take a 2.3 km detour from the Camino, but we assure you that the visit will be well worth it. Back on the Camino, only 4 kilometres separate you from the end of the stage, Palas de Rei, a small Jacobean village that has all the services you need to rest.
• day 6

  Stage 5. Palas de Rei - Melide (15 km)

  It is a stage of progressive slopes with little difficulty. The first kilometres of the day run through a beautiful and shady corridor surrounded by trees. When you reach Ponte Campaña, you will cross the bridge over the river Pambre and take the wooded path through small villages. The Way will take you to the village of Leboreiro, in the municipality of Melide. At this point you will be struck by a large circular basket made of intertwined sticks and covered with straw; it is the cabazo of Leboreiro and we encourage you to ask a neighbour about its use. Behind the cabazo is the Romanesque church of Santa Maria, which you can also visit. After crossing the bridge over the river Furelos and walking a few more kilometres, you will enter Melide, the capital of Galician octopus. You are in Galicia and here good food is a religion, so you can’t leave without tasting this delicacy in one of its many pulperías.
• day 7

  Stage 6. Melide - Arzúa (14 km)

  Today you will say goodbye to Melide with a short stage ahead, although with some moderate elevation. However, we assure you that the effort will be worth it as you find yourself surrounded by extraordinary Atlantic forests. And if the weather is on your side, you can't forget your swimsuit. Upon arriving at Ribadiso de Abaixo, you will have the opportunity to swim in the river and enjoy the beautiful landscape and the magical environment that accompanies this small village. Once in Arzúa, you will have all the services to stock up and rest. Ah! And you can't leave without trying the typical cheese that bears the name: Denomination of Origin Arzúa-Ulloa; accompanied by other typical products from the area.
• day 8

  Stage 7. Arzúa - Salceda (10 km)

  Today will be a pleasant walk along forest tracks and paths surrounded by pastures. As in previous days, you will pass through tiny villages sustained mainly by agriculture and livestock. Along your walk you will find an abundance of bars and establishments where you can rest your legs and refresh yourself. Once in Salceda, you can relax and enjoy a wonderful afternoon in your accommodation or you can go out and explore the surrounding area.
• day 9

  Stage 8. Salceda - O Pedrouzo (9 km)

  The nine kilometres that separate Salceda from O Pedrouzo have no major complications except for the odd road junction where it is advisable to take extreme caution. Restaurant services are present throughout the route, with bars every few kilometres. The most interesting points of this stage are the chapel and the fountain of Santa Irene. A spring very popular with pilgrims, known as the Fountain of Eternal Youth. According to legend, anyone who washes with its water will always stay young. So you know, just in case. After passing Santa Irene, you only have a few kilometres to go until you reach the end of the stage in Pedrouzo, where you will find all the services you need: supermarkets, laundrettes and cash dispensers.
• day 10

  Stage 9. O Pedrouzo - Lavacolla (10 km)

  The penultimate stage of your French Way runs through pine and eucalyptus forests, very close to Santiago de Compostela airport. The rural atmosphere of previous days is giving way to a much more urbanized environment, a sign that Santiago de Compostela is getting closer and closer. The small village of Lavacolla appears in the Codex Calixtinus as the place where pilgrims washed their private parts before entering Santiago de Compostela, hence its name. Fortunately this practice is no longer done. We recommend resting and going to bed early to start the walk first thing in the morning and make the most of the day in Santiago de Compostela. I’m sure you’ll appreciate it!
• day 11

  Stage 10. Lavacolla - Santiago de Compostela (10 km)

  Last day as pilgrims! You will start ascending until you reach San Marcos, where the broadcasting centre of the Galician Television is located, until you reach one of the most exciting places of the French route, the Monte do Gozo, named after the feeling of joy that all pilgrims experience when they first glimpse the towers of the Cathedral. A perfect panoramic view before savouring your last kilometres and making the triumphal entrance to the Plaza del Obradoiro. You are in Santiago! Feel happy and proud to have completed your French Way from Sarria in short stages. Now we just need to pick up the Compostela certificate and enjoy an incredible day getting to know the Galician capital.
• day 12

  End of the Camino

  After arriving... End of the Camino