Essential Camino Frances Facts
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 week long sections, should you not have the time to do it all at once.
The Way-marking 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, check out video below.
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.
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 biking, you need to bike at least 200km, so many people begin their cycling pilgrimage in Leon.
