Stage 6. Estella – Los Arcos (21.3 km)

The 21 kilometres that separate this stage from Estella to Los Arcos are demanding, with continuous ascents and descents that require a lot of effort and patience from the pilgrim. In summer the stretch between Villamayor de Monjardín and the end of the stage can become heavy, as there are hardly any shady places and it requires a lot of hydration. But on the other hand, we will enjoy a spectacular landscape, with elements of great Jacobean tradition such as the famous Wine Fountain of Irache or the church of San Andrés de Villamayor, one of the most impressive on the French Route in Navarre.

This stage is part of the French Way. Would you like to walk it 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.

Just after leaving Estella you reach one of the great landmarks of the Camino: the Bodegas Irache and its Fuente del Vino, where two taps flow, one with water and one with wine. After the ritual, you climb through Azqueta —where the beloved Pablito has spent years handing out walking sticks to pilgrims— and Villamayor de Monjardín, through farmland, up to Los Arcos and its imposing church of Santa María.