French Way with a dog from Sarria in 6 stages

Stages

• day 1

  Arrival at Sarria

  You will start your French Way from the historic village of Sarria, in the province of Lugo. A place where you can enjoy your first day strolling through its streets, discovering its monuments, or relaxing at one of its terraces, enjoying a lively pilgrim atmosphere. Let yourself be filled with the thousands of sensations and emotions of nervousness and joy that you will experience as soon as you arrive. And then rest, tomorrow the adventure begins.
• day 2

  Stage 1. Sarria - Portomarín (23 km)

  Well, now it’s really time, let’s go for our first day as pilgrims! You will start your French Way by walking the first stage from Sarria to Portomarín, an easy and pilgrim-friendly route. You will cross rivers and forests, passing by small churches and villages, with plenty of places to stop and have a drink. Pilgrims say this is one of the most beautiful stages of the French route, so you’re lucky to begin here. As soon as you reach the banks of the Miño River, you will find the charming town of Portomarín, shining with its white houses and slate roofs. A stage finish that will steal your heart and holds a secret beneath the waters of the reservoir! Now, all that’s left is to relax and enjoy!
• day 3

  Stage 2. Portomarín - Palas de Rei (25 km)

  We leave Portomarín in the direction of Palas de Rei from the Church of San Nicolás and descend along the Rúa Compostela to the road, which we must cross to the right to continue along the hard shoulder of the road. We cross the river over a footbridge, turn right and enter a beautiful uphill path.

  We cross the road at the height of a factory and pass by a couple of farms before arriving at Toixibó, where we will be struck by a beautiful granary. We continue ascending to Gonzar, where we can make the first stop to regain strength.

  From here, the Way continues along a slope that climbs up to Castromaior with a final steep slope (about 600 metres). At this point it is worth taking a detour from the Camino to visit the Castro de Castromairor, a Celtic site that bears witness to the past of the Galician community.

  We leave Castromaior looking for the road, which we cross to go along a path for a kilometre and a half until we reach O Hospital do Alto da Cruz. We leave the village crossing a bridge over the road, we turn left onto an asphalted track that leads us to Ventas de Narón, with a very well preserved temple.

  We advance ascending until crowning the Ligonde mountain range, enjoying some stupendous panoramic views.

  We follow the path that descends to A Previsa and Os Lameiros, where we will find one of the most famous and unique crosses in Galicia, dating from 1679, from here the path turns off the road along a path on the left, following a steep ramp that leads us to Airexe to visit the church of Santiago, with Romanesque remains and sepulchre, a cruceiro and a rectory house.

  We continue down the path until we find a washhouse and arrive at the village of Portos, where some huge ants will welcome us. From here, we can leave the path for a moment to visit the Romanesque temple of Vilar de Donas, which houses several sarcophagi of Knights of the Order of Santiago.

  We follow the road and arrive at Lestedo, where on the right hand side we see its rectory, now converted into a rural house. The road continues without loss to A Brea and Alto del Rosario. If the day is clear we can see the Sacro peak, a mountain very close to Santiago de Compostela.

  Before arriving at Palas de Rei, we will cross the village of Rosario, which owes its name to the prayer of the walkers as thanks for the good luck during the journey. The last stretch of the stage we take a path on the left side of the road, we pass next to the Os Chacotes hostel and we enter Palas de Rei, ending our stage.

  To consider

  Those pilgrims who wish to visit the monastery of Vila de Donas, should deviate 2.3 km from the Camino. A neighbour has the keys and acts as a guide.

  Places of interest

  • Church of Santa María de Gonzar
  • Castro de Castromaior
  • Church of Santa María de Cortapezas - Castromaior
  • Monastery of Vilar de Donas
  • Double-sided cross - Os Lameiros
  • Church of San Tirso - Palas de Rei

  Typical dishes

  • Rustic bread from wood-fired oven
  • Galician octopus
  • Lacón with turnip tops
  • Arzúa-Ulloa D.O. Cheese
• day 4

  Stage 3. 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 5

  Stage 4. 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 6

  Stage 5. Arzúa - O Pedrouzo (20 km)

  This stage is a pleasant walk on flat and comfortable terrain, with plenty of bars and restaurants that will encourage you to take it easy. You will alternate between villages and pine and eucalyptus forests. Small towns like Salceda mark the halfway point of the stage, a perfect stop to recharge your batteries before the last kilometres of the stage.
• day 7

  Stage 6. O Pedrouzo - Santiago de Compostela (19 km)

  At last the last stage of your journey is here. As we said before, the sooner you start walking today the better, because the sooner you will get to Santiago de Compostela. Once you arrive at Monte do Gozo, you will discover that pleasant sensation when you first see the towers of the cathedral. A perfect panoramic view before savouring your last kilometres and making the triumphal entrance to the Plaza del Obradoiro.
• day 8

  End of the Camino

  After arriving... End of the Camino