Camino de Santiago (The French Way)

Thinking of walking the Camino de Santiago? There is so much information on this life-changing pilgrimage that sometimes it is difficult to know where to start. 

Luckily it is Macs Adventure to the rescue! Simply download our Free 21-page Camino guide from the link below to read on your phone, tablet or good old printed page.  

Download your Free Camino Guide

Macs Adventure has been running self guided pilgrimages on the Camino de Santiago since 2008.  As soon as we walked the Camino, we knew that there was something completely unique about the route and were excited to share it with the rest of the world. 

From humble beginnings, we now send over 2000 Pilgrims every year on the Way, each of them finding their own adventure on this spiritual route. We wanted to provide the freedom to choose your route, itinerary and travel companions and to take the Camino at your own pace. 

We know how daunting it can be, setting off on an adventure of this scale and we quickly realised how important it was to have amazing partners on the ground in Spain to deal with any issues that you might come across.  We are proud to say that our Spanish team are outstanding and should you have the slightest issue, they will fall over themselves to help you out. 

We offer a tried and tested Camino experience that gets you in comfortable, friendly overnight accommodation in local B&Bs and guesthouses. We transfer your bags to lighten your load so you can concentrate on simply putting one foot in front of the other and enjoying the unique culture, food and architecture of this less-travelled part of Spain. No hostels, no shared dorms, no heavy bags on your back, no rushing along to secure your bed for the night.  You can book with confidence that we have it all covered for you. 

We want to showcase our expertise, by giving you all the resources you will ever need.  In the planning stage, we have free guides, comprehensive videos and a host of staff with their own Compostela certificate, waiting to answer your questions. On the route, we use high-quality digital mapping as well as the best maps and guidebooks to make sure you find your way.  

We love the Camino and our main aim is to make sure that you do too.  

Length - The Camino stretches right across the north of Spain. It starts in France, in St Jean Pied de Port, and leads pilgrims all the way to Santiago de Compostela, 791km to the west. We have split it down into weeklong sections, should you not have the time to do it all at once. If you want to see which section would be the best for you, check out our blog - Which Stage of the Camino de Santiago Should I Walk?

The Waymarking is amazing - Even on the lesser known of the Camino treks, the way is marked by the scallop shell symbol and painted yellow arrows. Just when you think you haven't seen a symbol for a while, a little dab of yellow paint on a rock or tree will assure you that you are still walking the Camino de Santiago. 

Toughest Section - The first day has attained legendary status for its difficulty, but in truth, it is not too bad. Walking over the Pyrenees from France to Spain is an amazing experience, rewarding you with outstanding views and a real sense of achievement. For more information, see our blog post - The First Day From St Jean to Roncesvalles. 

Weather - With it being such a long trip, it is hard to generalise about the weather on the Camino Frances. Generally, the north of Spain is cooler and does attract more rain than the south, so we would suggest always having light waterproofs in your daypack. Galicia, in particular, owes its verdant green to the amount of rain. You can keep an eye on the weather by using Accuweather's dedicated Spain page. 

The Camino de Santiago has many names - It can be The Way of St James, Camino Frances, The French Way or simply The Way. It can also be St James' Path, St James' Trail, Chemin de St Jacques or El Camino. Whichever name you wish to call it, it is still the same glorious pilgrimage across Spain. Camino de Santiago - Whats in a Name?

To get your Compostela, you need to walk at least 100km - This means that many people start their trip from Sarria, almost exactly 100km from Santiago de Compostela. If you are cycling, you need to cycle at least 200km, so many people begin their cycling pilgrimage in Leon. 

Mass in Santiago de Compostela. Whether you have walked any of the Camino routes for religious reasons or not, going to the pilgrims mass in Santiago Cathedral is still a powerful and moving experience.  There are two masses every day, one at 1200 and one at 1930. Get there early as they do get very busy!

The Pilgrims Menu. A great food tip is to look for places serving a Menu del Dia or Pilgrims Menu. These 3-course meals, with wine and water, only cost around €10-15 and are great value. However, in cities like Logroño or San Sebastian, it is definitely worth forgoing the Menu del Dia and eating with the locals. 

Don't worry about packed lunches. On the Camino Francés, there are bars, restaurants and shops at regular intervals, so there will always be somewhere for you to eat on the route. Most of these places will also be happy to stamp your Pilgrims Passport and wish you a 'Buen Camino'.

Prepare for a wait in Santiago. If you go straight to the Pilgrims Office in Santiago to get your Compostela certificate, be prepared for a long wait.  Queues can be up to 2 hours long, so we would recommend either packing some comfortable shoes to change into, or go back the next morning when it is quieter. 

Learn a little of the language. While you will get by without speaking the language, the locals will really appreciate it if you try. Even learning the pleasantries is a great start. For extra credit, try learning a few Galician words or if you are starting the Camino del Norte, learn a few words of Basque. 

Probably one of the most daunting prospects of planning any trip is finding the right places to stay! However, Macs Adventure takes this out of your hands when you book one of our Camino packages and book all your accommodation in advance for you, leaving you free to enjoy the walk! Here is what to expect from your accommodations on the way! 

Variety - you can expect to be staying in a large variety of different types of accommodations on any of our Camino routes. This ranges from small family-run B&B's or "pensiones", to "casa rurales" which are refurbished country cottages,  to slightly larger hotels in the bigger cities and towns. Sometimes the smaller accomodations may be called "hostales" but please don't worry - this is not the typical bunk room you may expect in a hostel. You will always have your own private room and bathroom. We always aim to book you into the most personal and charming options available so that your experience is an authentic one. Staying in a variety of accommodation like this is all part of the experience, but it is important to keep this in mind to manage your expectations, as if you stay in a slightly fancier place one night, it may not always be the same the next night! 

Air-Con? - generally, the smaller accommodations we use do not offer air-conditioning as they are in older buildings and of a more traditional style. Most of the time there will be some sort of fan in the room to cool you down during the hotter summer months!

Breakfasts - again, the types of breakfast on offer at your accommodation vary hugely. One morning, you may find a true feast presented to you with everything from fresh pastries and bread to cooked eggs. Other mornings, you may find the selection slightly more limited with just bread and cheese on offer. Generally, when you have a long walking day ahead of you it's best not to fill up too much anyway, but you will soon become accustomed to the pilgrim way of life! 

Upgrades - you may be surprised to learn that there are actually some very luxurious upgrade options available along the Camino which you may be tempted to upgrade to for a night or two! If this sounds like your idea of bliss, you may want even want to consider our Camino in Style tour which includes the finest boutique hotels and country manor houses (pazos). Otherwise, speak to us about perhaps upgrading for a couple of nights to one of the famous Paradores, a range of state-owned hotels which are usually very luxurious and housed in old historical buildings. There are Paradors in several locations across the Camino routes.