I want to share my story of the first 200 km on the Camino Frances with you, but let me start with the fascinating history of this centuries-old pilgrimage. The Camino de Santiago is one of the oldest and most important pilgrimages in Europe, with roots dating back to the 9th century. The route emerged after the discovery of the tomb of the Apostle James in Santiago de Compostela in 812 AD. In 1492, the Camino was officially proclaimed by Pope Alexander VI as one of the “three great pilgrimages of Christianity,” along with the pilgrimage to the Holy Land (Jerusalem) and the Via Francigena to Rome.
The Camino Francés, as the route from France is called, originated in the first half of the 11th century and became the main pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela. This 780-kilometer route runs from Saint Jean Pied de Port in France to Santiago de Compostela and remains the most popular of all Camino routes. In 2023, no fewer than 219,500 pilgrims (49.7% of all pilgrims) walked the Camino Francés.
Saint Jean Pied de Port: where it all begins
Saint Jean Pied de Port (literally “Saint John at the foot of the pass”) is located in the French Basque Country in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques and is the former capital of Lower Navarre. This picturesque medieval village at the foot of the Pyrenees is considered the official starting point of the Camino Francés. The town is beautifully situated on the Nive River, just 8 kilometers from the Spanish border, and was included in the association of the Most Beautiful Villages of France in 2016.
In Saint Jean Pied de Port, the four French pilgrimage routes to Santiago de Compostela converge: those from Tours, Vézelay, Piedmont, and Puy-en-Velay. For pilgrims who want to experience the complete Camino Francés, this is THE place to begin their pilgrimage. The pilgrim office in the town is open from 07:30 to 12:00 and from 13:30 to 20:00, where you can get your pilgrim passport and receive your first stamp.
My Camino Frances journey: the first 9 of 35 days
September 3, 2016 – my adventure finally began! I was standing in Saint Jean Pied de Port, backpack on, ready to walk the first 200 km of the Camino Frances. This was it: the start of the original French Route of this iconic pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela.
The complete Camino Frances stretches 780 km – and yes, it’s the oldest and busiest camino in Spain! But you know what? That turned out to be one of the best parts of my 35-day adventure. As I’m writing this, I’ve already conquered the first 200 km and been on the road for 10 days. A solid chunk done, but still plenty of adventure ahead!
Every single day brought new adventures and breathtaking views that filled me with joy. I was so grateful I’d made this decision – to walk this incredible path. The landscape transformed slowly before my eyes, the people around me became close friends, and I found myself part of a group all heading toward the same destination: Santiago de Compostela.
What a journey it’s been so far! I’m absolutely loving this pilgrim life!
My Camino Frances
Day 1 – Saint Jean Pied de Port to Roncevalles, 25km
Wow, what a way to start! The first stage from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Roncevalles is absolutely stunning – but I won’t sugarcoat it: it’s tough! Right from the get-go, you’re crossing the Pyrenees with about 1400 meters of elevation gain over 25 kilometers.
This is definitely one of the hardest days on the entire Camino Frances. Those Pyrenees don’t mess around! But here’s the thing – it’s also one of the most beautiful walks you’ll ever do. I’d trained at home, walking about 500 km before starting the Camino, but honestly? Preparing for mountains in flat Holland is… challenging, to say the least.
That first evening, I joined other soon-to-be pilgrims for the pilgrim dinner. The hostel owner gave us the full rundown – what to do, what not to do, where to grab amazing local cheese, and the all-important reminder to bring enough water. He was so enthusiastic and inspiring that I was completely pumped to start the next day… even though I’d originally planned to spend an extra day in Saint Jean Pied de Port!
Next morning, I met Clair and Jean Marcel outside – a lovely French couple. Jean Marcel took one look at me and my gear, adjusted my walking poles and backpack, gave an approving nod, and just like that, we were off together on our Camino Frances adventure!
We started early – before 7 AM, heading up into those mountains. I’d honestly never used walking poles before, but wow, they made such a difference! The pace Clair and Jean Marcel set felt just right for me. That first stretch to Orizon went along the paved road – pretty steep, but I loved following my first Camino companions. By the time we reached Orizon, the sun was up and the day truly began.
We had a coffee there, I had an espresso that basically reset my energy levels. Suddenly I was ready to tackle whatever the day would throw at me!
“The hardest part is still ahead,” they warned me, two passes to conquer. As we climbed higher into the mountains, the views opened up spectacularly. The wind was strong, but honestly? It felt amazing in the warm sun. The scenery was breathtaking! And every pilgrim we passed was dealing with the same challenge…
Just trying to survive this epic first day 🙂 And loving every minute of it!
After conquering the first pass, we came across the farmer our hostel owner had mentioned, the one with the amazing local cheese! Clair bought cheese and bread, I had my banana and a muesli bar.
Everything tasted incredible! There’s something about mountain air and physical effort that makes food taste like heaven.
The descent went smoothly – we took it slow and careful since the path was covered in loose stones. What an incredible day I’d had with Clair and Jean Marcel! But here’s the bittersweet part: they were taking a different route, the Del Norte. They’d wanted to experience this spectacular first day through the Pyrenees with me, but our paths would diverge after this.
I learned so much from them on that first day! It was hard knowing I wouldn’t see them again during my camino.
But you know what they say: ‘you meet exactly who you need to meet’ and that couldn’t have been more true in this moment!
Also read my packinglist for pilgrims
Day 2 – Roncevalles to Larrasoana 27.3 km
Day two began solo for me. I’d slept well in the massive albergue in Roncesvalles, huge place, maybe even a bit overwhelming, but spotlessly clean and well-organized. Fun fact: it’s run by Dutch volunteers!
This second day was absolutely magical! When I first started walking, I could feel my backpack pressing on my hips and lower back. But you know what? Once I got into my rhythm and lost myself in the stunning surroundings, those pressure points just… disappeared. I was too happy, too absorbed in where I was and what I was doing. And thankfully, I never had issues with it again!
The tiny villages I passed through were enchanting, and the views in the Pyrenees foothills were spectacular. I had the most wonderful lunch in a small village along the way, and I felt genuinely privileged to be living this experience!
Day 3 – Larrasoana to Cizur Minor 20.1 km
Started this day with two other pilgrims I’d met at dinner in Larrasoana. But soon I felt the need to pick up the pace, so I moved ahead on my own. The walking poles were working like magic – giving me that extra push forward, making each step faster and easier.
I wandered through gorgeous Spanish villages, still surrounded by those beautiful mountains and forests. Picture this: the sunrise behind you in the morning, slowly illuminating the world ahead… It was pure magic on the Camino Frances.
I munched on an apple I’d bought the day before, sitting by the roadside just before Trinidad de Arre, with my socks hanging out to dry in the warm sun.
It was hot, which I absolutely love, and my day was perfect! After this break, Pamplona was just over an hour away. But then it hit me: I’m not a tourist right now. I sat in a park for a while, thinking it over.
And then I made my decision: no sightseeing for me. I was a pilgrim now. This was my Camino de Santiago.
I kept walking and ended up in the tiny village of Cizur Minor, staying at an albergue run by the Order of Malta. They had this beautiful old church… and that evening, the German host treated us to an impromptu concert, playing American songs on his guitar. What a perfect end to the day! 🙂
Fast forward to 2021 when I walked another section of the Camino Frances (this time in cold weather). I started in Pamplona and walked to Burgos. Sadly, I discovered the hostel I’d stayed in was abandoned – the church locked up, the building across the street neglected. Such a shame! It had been such a special place!
Day 4 – Cizur Minor to Puente La Reina 17 km
After Cizur Minor, the camino went downhill. The path was rocky, but since I had some issues with my shins, I was more than happy to be walking downward. The day before, I’d massaged my shins and soaked my feet in cold water with salt and vinegar. This is good for hardening the soles of your feet and preventing blisters.
I needed to slow down a bit, take more time to appreciate my surroundings. After a while, the path started climbing again. We headed up to 771 meters altitude, toward the pilgrim monument. When I reached the top, I immediately recognized it from photos I’d seen during my preparation. I hadn’t expected to be there already and was pleasantly surprised. Apparently, I hadn’t looked at my guidebook enough because it was clearly mentioned there!
I was just walking the camino… It gave me plenty of signs and arrows, so I didn’t need to keep checking. I was simply enjoying the road to the fullest… The road called the Camino Frances!
Pilgrimage Monument – Camino Frances
This was also the first time I really walked with my trekking poles. I ended up using them for the entire Camino de Santiago and can truly recommend them. Especially with all the elevation gain on the Camino Frances and because you’re doing a multi-day hiking trip with luggage, it’s a must if you ask me.
That ancient road, the Camino Frances, so many people had walked here before me…
And they still walked it every day. I loved being part of this journey and being part of this community. I was meeting more and more pilgrims and we greeted each other: Buen Camino!
Day after day I encountered the same pilgrims, and in the evenings we sat at the same pilgrim dinners. We increasingly felt like a community in the Spanish world. I loved it and it felt amazing!
And what made this day absolutely perfect… I found a hostel just after the village, going up the mountain… And that hostel had a swimming pool! I had a wonderful afternoon, and with the high temperatures we were still experiencing, this was so nice.
I’d already covered half of the first 200 km of the Camino Frances!
Are you walking the Camino Frances in warm or cold weather?
Day 5 – Puente La Reina to Estella 24 km
Once again, I started another amazing day on the Camino Frances. It was very hot again, so I left early – starting at 6 AM. Around 11 o’clock I ran into the Canadian couple I’d met in Larrasoana, and I asked them to take a photo of me. I wanted a nice picture of this landscape… doing a headstand! 🙂
In the next village I found some bread and sandwich filling and took it with me to enjoy somewhere else. Just sitting by the roadside in the Spanish landscape, absolutely wonderful! My feet were quite warm in my shoes, and at every break I took my shoes off. And also changing my socks to keep my feet dry. I wanted to reach Estella before the hottest part of the day and just enjoy exploring the place.
I went to the Anfas hostel. This hostel was partly run by people with disabilities. I thought it was a great way to provide meaningful daily activities, which is why I chose this hostel.
In the evening, there was a short tour of the city of Estella. It lasted a bit too long, but I found it really interesting to hear everything!
Day 6 – Estella to Torres Del Rio 29.5 km
Every day I woke up around 5 AM and tried to sleep until 6 so I could start walking around 6:30. It’s still a bit dark then but also nice and fresh. That headlamp that everyone can’t miss on the camino – I barely used it, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness instead. Of course, I didn’t want to miss arrows and signs because it was too dark, so starting even earlier wasn’t for me. I walk pretty fast anyway, and I’m not much later than others arriving at my destination.
Starting early in the day on the Camino Frances
Then you see light in the darkness!
Today most pilgrims stopped in the wonderful little town of Los Arcos. I had my lunch there, it was only 11:30 AM, and I visited the beautiful centuries-old church there. And of course got a beautiful stamp for my pilgrim passport.
Torres was still about 2 hours of walking away, and I felt I could still do it! It was a long, boring road, but that meant I could really keep up a good pace. No stones to trip over, no distractions along the side except house-high haystacks. Just good walking!
And when I finally arrived in Torres Del Rio, the first hostel I entered had a swimming pool! What a wonderful surprise! And I also ran into the Canadian couple again here, great company!
Day 7 – Torres Del Rio to Logrono 20.5km
On this 7th day, I walked into a new Spanish region: La Rioja. This region is famous for its wine! The views were once again spectacular! Walking alongside the vast vineyards, don’t you want this too?
The temperature was still warm, I loved it! I walked toward Logroño and just before that, I met the famous Maria. She gives stamps for your pilgrim passport, and I knew her from my preparations. She’d been visited by a Dutch TV program I watched before I started this journey.
Of course, I had to get a stamp here!
Logroño is also a very nice city to wander around in. I had a delicious pizza there and saw the famous game of goose laid out life-size in stones. Of course, there were a few influences from the pilgrimage incorporated into it!
I was getting pretty close to the first 200 km of the Camino Frances!
Day 8 – Logroño to Najera 30.7 km
Reality check time – it was finally getting tougher for me. My little toe started hurting, with a blister right on the tip. Plus another one under the callus on my heel. Not ideal, but I pushed through! I changed into dry socks at every break – took longer breaks this day in Navarrete and Ventosa, where I finished off my pizza from Logrono 🙂
The final 10 km felt okay, but once I examined my toe properly in the shower… yeah, definitely a blister. A fellow pilgrim lent me a needle and I popped it. Spent the rest of the day in flip-flops and had dinner with Phil that evening. Phil’s from Seattle – first spotted him in Torres Del Rio, then kept running into him on the trail. Today he saw me sitting with two other pilgrims and joined our table. Good times!
Day 9 – Najera to Santo Domingo de la Calzada 20.6 km
My poor little toe was not happy with me. Swollen and painful. I was poking at it when Sandra, a British woman from South Africa, spotted me struggling. She came to my rescue with a Compeed blister plaster – total lifesaver! I kept it on as long as possible. (Do you also get blisters easily? Learn from my mistakes!)
Here’s the thing though: once you’re walking and your foot settles into your shoe, you can still knock out the kilometers. And honestly? It was just one blister. Stop complaining, right? I saw people walking around with their feet completely wrapped in tape like mummies!
Had the pilgrim dinner with Phil again, same hostel, another great evening!
What incredible views, day after day! Every single morning I woke up feeling blessed to be here, to walk this path, to live this experience!
Nine days in… I’d walked the first 200 km of the Camino Frances! The first chapter of my pilgrimage complete!
Some days I walked alone, lost in my thoughts. Other days I walked with fellow pilgrims, sharing stories and laughter. Every day was beautiful. I was absolutely soaking up this freedom, this pilgrim life!
The magic of the Camino de Santiago
Here’s something cool: the word ‘pilgrim’ comes from the Latin ‘peregrinus’, meaning ‘stranger’ or ‘someone from elsewhere’. Back in medieval times, people walked to Santiago de Compostela for all sorts of reasons. Some went out of deep devotion. But many were actually forced to do it as legal punishment for crimes! There were even professional pilgrims who got paid to walk the route for people who couldn’t or didn’t want to go themselves. Wild, right?
These days, people walk the Camino Frances for countless reasons: the physical challenge, spiritual searching, personal growth, or simply to immerse themselves in nature and culture. Pilgrims come from every walk of life, students, retirees, and everything in between. Get this: 51% of pilgrims are women and 49% men. About 19% are over 60, the biggest group (55%) is between 30-60 years old, and 27% are under 30.
The beautiful thing about the Camino? It brings together people from every corner of the world. Medieval pilgrims took home a scallop shell as their souvenir. Even today, that shell remains the universal symbol of the pilgrimage.
Practical tips for your first 200km of the Camino Frances
Preparing from home
Want to walk the Camino Frances? Good preparation is key! I walked about 500 km at home before starting my pilgrimage, but let me tell you, preparing for the Pyrenees in flat Netherlands is nearly impossible. If you can, train on hills and elevation. Your legs will thank you!
Gear that actually makes a difference
Walking poles: Seriously, get trekking poles! Especially for all those elevation gains on the Camino Frances. When you’re hiking multiple days with a backpack, they’re game-changers.
Good shoes: Non-negotiable for those long distances. Break them in BEFORE you go!
Pilgrim passport: You can get this at the pilgrim office in Saint Jean Pied de Port. Don’t forget, you’ll need it for your stamps along the way!
Where you’ll sleep
You’ll stay in albergues (pilgrim hostels) specifically for Camino walkers. Some are run by volunteers, others are private businesses. Remember that big albergue in Roncesvalles I mentioned? That’s run by Dutch volunteers – always nice to hear a familiar language when you’re far from home!
Read more about the albergues and the camino
The best part: the people
Honestly, one of the most amazing aspects of the Camino Frances is the incredible international community you meet along the way. Every evening at the pilgrim dinner, you’re sitting with people from all over the world, different languages, different backgrounds, all walking toward the same destination: Santiago de Compostela. Want to know how easy it is to make friends on the camino? I’ll share a post about this later.
Why the Camino Francés is perfect for first-timers
From the 10th century onwards, the Camino Francés became the main pilgrimage route of medieval Europe. In 1987, the Camino (encompassing various routes in Spain, France, and Portugal) was named the first Cultural Route of the Council of Europe. Since 2013, it attracts over 200,000 pilgrims annually, with yearly growth exceeding 10 percent.
If you’ve never walked the Camino before, the Camino Francés is THE route to start with. It’s the most social of all the pilgrim routes, you’re guaranteed to meet fellow pilgrims and quite possibly make lifelong friends. The infrastructure is excellent with plenty of albergues, and the route is perfectly marked (seriously, you’d have to try really hard to get lost!). Whether you start in Saint Jean Pied de Port for the full experience or begin in Sarria for the final 100 kilometers, the Camino Frances offers everyone an unforgettable journey to Santiago de Compostela.
Want to walk a camino but nervous about starting alone? I organize pilgrimage trips where we walk the last 200 km to Santiago in small groups (max 8 people). Check it out and see if it’s for you! Questions? Just shoot me an email.
If this story inspired you, please share it with someone who needs to hear it! 🙂
Do you want to read more about this great adventure?
- Walking from 200K to 400K on the Camino Frances
- Walking from 400K to 600K on the Camino Frances
- Reaching my Goal!! Santiago de Compestella – Camino Frances