Make the way to Compostela: 5 tips to make his pilgrimage

Find the essential tips to know to explore the paths of Santiago de Compostela serenely and succeed this iconic pilgrimage.

The pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela is one of the “three great pilgrimages of Christianity” with those of Jerusalem and Rome . The faithful have taken the paths of Compostela for centuries to gather on the tomb of James of Zebedee, one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ.

Perform Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle hike with the agency La Pèlerine , it is to reach the hundreds of thousands of walkers who survey every year 1,500 kilometers of mythical paths. In order to avoid anguish, disappointment and waste of time, Wanderlix listed 5 tips to know absolutely before entering this exceptional journey. Lock your bag and wash your boots, it's gone!

1. Well choose its route

The place of departure

The most famous route of Santiago de Compostela is undoubtedly the Camino Francés. This path connects the French commune of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (Pyrenees-Atlantiques) to Santiago de Compostela. Depending on your point of departure, you will be able to precede this common route through different routes across French territory. The main four are:

• La Via Turonensis: departure from the Saint-Jacques tower Paris.
• La Via Lemovicensis: departure from Limoges.
• La Via Podiensis: departure from Puy-en-Velay.
• La Via Tolosane: departure fromArles.

Travellers

Men, women, young and less young, sporting or not: everyone is able to make the way to Compostela. That being said, certain people will go faster than others, or will experience the fatigue generated by the tens of kilometers of daily walking.

The knowledge of the abilities and needs of each participant is therefore essential to make the pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela in good conditions. For example, children or older persons will need longer and more frequent breaks and increased comfort during night breaks.

The desired duration of the pilgrimage

The route of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle is about 800 kilometers. By walking on average 25 kilometers a day, you will need a little more than thirty days to reach the tomb of Jacques de Zebedee. This is not all: you have an average of 30 to 40 additional days of walking on average to browse the four main French tracks to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.

Did you know? The average speed of a pilgrim in France is slightly lower than in Spain . This is explained by the most significant denial of the French sections, particularly in the Pyrenees sector. Of course, you can shorten the overall difficulty by advancing on the track. The train is undoubtedly the best option available to you to do this. Take advantage of the many railway stations that track the pilgrimage routes to save time and save your strength!

The essential villages

The paths of Santiago de Compostela in France are part of an exceptional historical and cultural heritage. 71 monuments and 7 sections of GR 65 for a total of 160 kilometres are also listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Camino Francès (Spanish party) was registered in UNESCO in its entirety in 1993. Among the most beautiful "jacquary cities" crossed by these mythical routes, namely Saint-Côme-d’Olt or Estaing, in the Aveyron, and the villages of Lauzerte and Auvillar, prides of the Tarn-et-Garonne.

We also find the village Rocamadour In the Lot. The pilgrims come to worship the "Black Virgin" or to gather on the tomb of Saint Amadour. Another wonder on the track: Conques, in the Aveyron, ranked in the “Best Villages of France”. On site, pilgrims will be able to visit the Abbey of Sainte-Foy-de-Conques, which has one of the best preserved relic treasures of the Middle Ages.

Motivations

What can motivate hundreds of thousands of walkers to make the pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela every year? From a religious point of view, attacking these hundreds of kilometers included an expiatory aspect. Make penance, so. The religious dimension of this Catholic pilgrimage can be doubled by special internal reasons: to pay tribute to a missing person, to face a psychological challenge or to celebrate a given event.

Many pilgrims simply enjoy walking alone or, on the contrary, in groups. Some want to face a particularly demanding sporting challenge by running long distances or by minimizing the number of steps.

Whatever the reason for your departure, and even if you find no priori, this experience belongs only to you. Quite often, you will be surprised to get a lasting inner well-being and a great serenity.

2. Do not neglect the preparation

The pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela is a physical and mental act of endurance that requires special preparation. On the physical side, walking training is essential. Not only to improve your performance but especially to know exactly your abilities during a hike!

Several months before departure, organize walks at regular intervals by gradually increasing length, duration and loads transported. A healthy diet and good sleep habits are essential, upstream, to carry out this fabulous pedal odyssey... and rally your goal in the best conditions without hurting you.

On the mental side, try to condition your mind on this extraordinary adventure by accurately listing your motivations. For example, you can write and connect them frequently to increase your determination. Prayers, meditation, walks in nature... In every way he prepares this feat as psychological as well as physical. Finally, on a purely practical level, leave nothing to chance: to make the pilgrimage of Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle in all peace, choose precisely the date of departure and estimate the date of arrival.

Make the necessary formalities and bookings in advance: travel insurance, train tickets, accommodation, catering... Governing is planning, especially in high season!

3. Well choose equipment

The material adapted to make the way to Compostela is substantially the same as that of a classic hike. The shoes are the most important element of your Pilgrim panoplia. Be sure to carefully select the appropriate model for your morphology. Prefer high, waterproof and robust boots for a winter pilgrimage and opt for a lighter pair in the summer.

The volume and type of clothing carried depends of course on the predictive duration of your journey. A simple rule prevails during a hike: weight is the enemy, so make sure to adapt your outfit to the season. In the summer, there is no need to get rid of heavy parkas, wool sweaters or thermal stickers. However, keep a waterproof jacket under the elbow in case of storm. Finally, a breathable head cover and good sunglasses are useful in all seasons.

Select a light but powerful tent if you are considering daily bivouacs. It must be spacious enough to ensure optimal comfort, whether you travel solo or several. Prive a comfortable and padded bag at the shoulder or lower back.

It should ideally be provided with the following elements: a complete emergency kit with dressings and sun cream, a Swiss knife, one or more gourdes, a reserve of energyly dense food in case of fringals. One last tip: test your material before the J day, it could avoid many trouble!

4. Go to the right period

If it is possible to make the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela all year round, the experience is very different depending on the season chosen. Summer is the period that is most frequented, partly because of summer leave. Temperatures often exceed 30°C and storms are more frequent. Advantage? It is possible to travel lighter than in winter and to walk longer as sunshine is maximum.

In contrast, winter is the quietest season to make the pilgrimage, due to increased difficulty. Besides the capricious weather, the night falls very fast, the bag is much heavier and many places of accommodation or restoration are closed.

The ideal season, in fact, does not exist and depends on your aspirations, practical possibilities and general abilities. If we had to give you advice, we would suggest you leave in the spring or fall. The conditions are almost as favourable as in the summer while attendance remains reasonable.

5. Anticipate his return

The return is almost as important as the pilgrimage of Santiago de Compostela himself. Yet this part of the experience is too often overlooked by hikers. First, it is imperative to anticipate the necessary reservations for your return long before departure: the means of transport envisaged for example.

Once you return home, before you go back to your daily life, plan a few days to get back from this enriching adventure, but how relentless. You may experience the need to give you moments of cocooning: good invigorating meals, calm moments in the interior, hugs or simply siestes to gogo.

In any event, avoid too brutally reintegrating the stress of your existence after a pilgrimage that normally is totally devoid of it. To digest this wonderful experience at best, make it simple: surround yourself things and people who do you good... then move away from the rest!