The Camino: Saint James' Way and the Pyrenees

Dyscover the first stage of the St. James' pilgrimage route (El Camino) from the medieval village of St-Jean-Pied-de-Port, in France, to Roncesvalles in Spain. You'll have the chance to admire the beautiful area of the Pyrenees mountain range, home to impressive peaks and lush woodlands. You can enjoy walking through the mountain meadows admiring the beauty of the landscape and you will feel like a pioneer surrounded by horses, goats, sheep and other animals. It is an place of passage, a crossroads. From prehistoric times, as the megalithic constructions tell us, to the time of the Romans and of course to the present day. It is a border zone between Spain and France. You can feel the spirit of the Camino all along the tour. Many pilgrims can be seen on their way to their destination in Santiago de Compostela located 780km away: this shows how beliefs and spirituality can really take you so far! In Roncesvalles it is possible to have lunch with them in one of the local restaurants and hear their stories.

1. St-Jean-Pied-du-Port, a village in the French Pyrenees that dates back to the 12th century as a commercial, military, and religious crossroads. Churches, two historical bridges, and a pristine river add to the city's medieval atmosphere. 2. El Valle de Aezkoa located in the mountains where is possible to admire the arqueological remains of the 1st horse shepherds from 3000 years ago. Today horses live at the mountains and is easy to find them grazing peacefully. It is one of my favourites places in the Basque Pyrenees. 3. Roncesvalles is located at the top of the valley. It is the first stop on the way in Spain. Since the 8th century pilgrims have passed through here on their way to Santiago. Here it is possible to visit some fantastic buildings such as: La Capilla de Sancti spiritus SVIII, La Iglesia de los peregrinos sXIII, or La Capilla de San Agustín SXIV. Inside the chapel of San Agustin is the tomb of King Sancho VII of Navarra.