Stage 1. Saint Jean Pied de Port – Roncesvalles (24 km)

We start the French Way with a stage that goes from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles and an important decision to cross the Franco-Spanish border. From Saint Jean Pied de Port there are two options to get to Roncesvalles. We can follow in the footsteps of Napoleon Bonaparte and reach 1,430 meters of altitude, enjoying spectacular panoramic views or opt for the most comfortable and lightweight option that passes through the beautiful town of Valcarlos.

Today's journey ends in the beautiful town of Roncesvalles, a mythical and legendary place that has seen millions of pilgrims pass over the centuries and also the starting point of the French Way for the less daring.

Would you like to walk this stage with your accommodation already booked? These organised trips include it: French Way from Roncesvalles to Santiago de Compostela and French Way from Roncesvalles to Logroño.

Roncesvalles is little more than its monumental complex in the middle of the Pyrenean forest, and that's exactly its charm: the Gothic Collegiate Church, the silence of the beech trees and a pilgrim atmosphere unlike any other. The pilgrims' mass and blessing are almost a must, and dinner at its hostel is well known among those who pass through.