Cycle the Camino Frances from Roncesvalles to Santiago

Stage 1 of 3

746.6km

17 days

Comfort

Moderate plus

Popular time

may

Starting from

2510

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Good Time
Off/Low Season
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The most iconic route the Camino Frances has a variety of terrain, hilly, flat and never boring!

Overall

Distance:

24.6 min | 49.8km average | 70.5 max

Ascent:

329.9 min |907.9m average | 1547.3 max

Cardio:

3   4.9   5

Follow the Camino Preview Map Trip 1031

Starting in Roncesvalles, cycling the full French Way will bring you to the most stunning places of the Camino. Passing some of the most important regions of Spain will teach you a lot about Spanish culture. This trip is amazing for the cyclist who loves to see different landscapes. It’s also the best way to see many picturesque towns along your way.

Our cycling packages are not suitable for novice bike riders – your bike will come presented in a box which you need to be able to assemble yourself. You will also need to be familiar with fixing a flat tyre / loose chain. The cycling tour packages are aimed at experienced riders.

Gastronomy camino frances

Wine and Gastronomy

Passing through La Rioja allows you to taste the most famous Spanish wine. So take some time to make a detour and go around to visit wineries and try some of the Rioja wine paired with traditional Spanish dishes. From Basque cuisine to seafood-heavy Galician fare by the end of your trip, there's little better way to experience the Camino than to taste it!

Landscapes

Diversity of Landscapes

Enjoy crossing green hills and the speed of the slope as you navigate Galicia’s many undulating hills. Let the Spanish sun warm you along the Castilian Plateau, a relatively flat section where you can take a break and rest your legs. Enjoy the sunset on a vineyard in the breathtaking La Rioja region. And let your bike lead the journey to ever more stunning scenery.

Pamplona

Amazing Cities

Going from Roncesvalles to Santiago you are passing some of the most beautiful cities in Spain. Start in Pamplona, famous for its bull fighting, then go to Burgos. This city is well known for the Cathedral of Santa Maria, a UNESCO World heritage site. Then, enjoy your time in Leon and Astorga, which are very strong cultural cities in Spain. Finally arrive in Santiago de Compostela and take your time to fully explore the city known for attracting pilgrims for centuries.

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RONCESVALLES

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

Starting from € 2510
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Services

Included in this package

Specially Hand-Picked Accommodations

Bed & Breakfast

Luggage Transfers from Hotel to Hotel

Mountain Bike (or E-bike on request for an extra cost)

Bike Breakdown Insurance

Repair Kit

24/7 On-Call Support

Our Holiday or Pilgrim Pack

Add-On

Premium Accommodation

Airport Pick-Up

Additional Nights

Dinners

Day Tours to Local Sites of Interest

Not included: Flights/trains, Insurance, Drinks/Lunch

Itinerary

Day

1

km

RONCESVALLES

With its collegiate church, old monastery and the impressive chapel of Santiago, Roncesvalles has a strong link to the Camino de Santiago. It is also one of the major spots of all the routes heading to the tomb of St James in the city of Santiago as this is where all pilgrims travelling via the French Way gather to to start their journey to Santiago de Compostela. Set at the foothills of the Pyrenees, this peaceful place seems to exist because of, and for, the pilgrims travelling on the Camino.

Day

2

42.8 km

RONCESVALLES PAMPLONA

Leaving the Pyrenees behind us, we head towards Pamplona through the undulating terrain of the Basque Country via woodlands and hilly cultivated lands. One section of this route today ascends an elevation of nearly 500m. This can be tough going but is ultimately very rewarding when you arrive in Pamplona.

Day

3

44.5 km

PAMPLONA ESTELLA

As soon as we leave Pamplona, we notice a drastic change in landscape: sunflowers and cereal fields surround us as we pass el Alto del Perdon (an elevation of 750m) before heading down to Puente de la Reina, where the French and Aragonese Ways to the city of Santiago meet. The second half of the day sees another change in landscapes as red earth crop fields fall away and charming villages and vineyards begin to appear.

Day

4

50.2 km

ESTELLA LOGRONO

Today is another beautiful day, travelling through vineyards and red earth crop fields. We also pass by a few famous landmarks of the Camino de Santiago such as the Monasterio of Irache and its bodega, and the steep climb up to Villamayor de Monjardin. Shade also decreases as we get closer and closer to Logrono, capital city of the well-known wine producing region of La Rioja.

Day

5

50 km

LOGRONO SANTO DOMINGO DE LA CALZADA

Yet another great cycling day along red earth tracks and through the countryside of La Rioja. As the day goes on, we notice vines start to disappear and are replaced by more cereal fields as we approach Santo Domingo de la Calzada. This day can be seen as challenging as there are many ups and downs all day long and little shade.

Day

6

70.5 km

SANTO DOMINGO DE LA CALZADA BURGOS

The day is spent walking through hilly crop fields, crossing a few quiet villages before getting back to civilisation in the city of Burgos. This can be a demanding day as the length is challenging and there are a number of steep gradients to tackle – but the final destination in Burgos is well worth it!

Day

7

65.9 km

BURGOS FROMISTA

All day long, you will notice the influence of the Camino de Santiago as there is not a single village we cross that does not have obvious references to it. Cycle your way gently through the countryside and enjoy the sunshine and fields of flowers lining your way to Fromista.

Day

8

58 km

FROMISTA SAHAGUN

During this stage, we have a good understanding of the popular meaning ‘Castilla es ancha’ (Castilla is wide). Crop fields give patches of beautiful colour to the agricultural landscape all year round. The first half of the day is mainly flat and it gets a bit more undulating on the second half to Sahagun.

Day

9

55.2 km

SAHAGUN LEON

Today we cycle through the colourful Castilian Meseta or plateau. The landscape here seems endless as we pass over the flat terrain of the area, affording great views over the surrounding agricultural area. We finish the day in the vibrant city of Leon, a fantastic city to head out in and enjoy some of the local food and wine.

Day

10

52.6 km

LEON ASTORGA

This is probably one of the flattest cycling days of the entire Camino Frances, but as we are on a high plateau, it still offers some great views and you will see Astorga down in the valley long before reaching it! In Astorga, take some time to visit the Episcopal palace, the cathedral, and the old city walls.

Day

11

51.3 km

ASTORGA PONFERRADA

The last day of this section is definitely the most difficult but also the most rewarding one! We can enjoy spectacular views as we climb up to 1,500m above sea level to reach the famous Cruz del Hierro (the Iron Cross). The natural scenery and towns with rich history make this the best way to finish the section, before reaching Ponferrada: a city with a lively, and very pretty, mediaeval centre.

Day

12

24.6 km

PONFERRADA VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO

Today you will cross the region of Bierzo, a sunken plain nestled within a ring of mountains. It is a fertile land, with an agreeable climate that allows the cultivation of many types of fruit and vegetables. In Villafranca, don’t miss the garden of the ‘Iglesia de Santiago’.

If you would like to cycle at a more relaxed pace, we can arrange to split this section into two days, with a stop over in La Portela de Valcarce overnight.

Day

13

28.4 km

VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO O CEBREIRO

Prepare for a challenging day with an ascent of 1000m. You will pass through the narrow valley of the river Valcace before tackling the ascent of O Cebreiro. Situated between the ranges of Los Ancares and La Sierra do Courel, this stage involves a steep climb in the course of only a few kilometres.

Day

14

39.2 km

O CEBREIRO SARRIA

As we continue across the undulating terrain of the Galician mountains, the route offers more stunning sights and historical buildings. Finally, we reach Sarria, where pilgrims travelling from all over and by any means get to know each other! While in Sarria, it is definitely worth having a look at the town’s main religious sites, Convento de la Magdalena and Iglesia Santa Marina de Sarria.

Day

15

61 km

SARRIA MELIDE

This penultimate day starts with an ascent up through oak woods, passing the Romanesque Church of Barbedelo before cycling over the Belesar Dam in Portomarin. Continuing on the Camino to Melide is not too difficult – despite the typical Galician rolling hills meaning a lot of ups and downs along the way!

Day

16

52.5 km

MELIDE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

This is probably the most exciting day of cycling along the whole Camino as today we finally reach Santiago de Compostela! Before that, we will have to traverse the now-usual rolling hills of Galicia. The most exhilarating part of today will probably be on reaching El Monte de Gozo (Mount of Joy), where you can see the city’s magnificent cathedral in the distance for the first time, before arriving into Santiago de Compostela shortly afterwards!

Day

17

km

SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA

After breakfast, we bid you farewell.
If you wish to stay in the area, we recommend that you:
– Take your time and visit the magnificent historic centre of Santiago.
– Continue with us along the wild Camino Fisterra (Finisterre Way), and stay overnight at the hotel in the lighthouse!
– Or take a bus to Fisterra to visit the unspoilt sandy coves and beaches of the west coast. With very few tourists, you are guaranteed a very special experience. Buses depart from Santiago Bus Station at 9am and 10am. Buses return to Santiago at 4:45pm and 7pm. The journey takes 3 hours.

How to Get There

Getting to Roncesvalles, Spain

Roncesvalles is in Spain but it is best to fly into Biarritz in the south of France as Roncesvalles is on the Spanish-French border.

Fly into Biarritz, France

Fly into Biarritz, France

A number of airlines from Ireland, the UK and across European capital cities – including Ryanair, EasyJet, and Air France (via Orly) – fly into Biarritz Airport. Bayonne-Anglet-Biarritz Airport is located just 3km from Biarritz. However, it is a much better option to go to the train station in the city of Bayonne (not Biarritz), just a few kilometres further away. Take the train from Biarritz Airport to Bayonne train station. The journey takes around 15 minutes and will cost around €5. The bus stop to the train in Bayonne is in front of the airport terminal. From there, there are direct trains from Bayonne to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port (this journey lasts approximately 1 hour). You can then take a taxi to Roncesvalles (around 10 minutes).

    Fly from Santiago de Compostela, Spain

    Shuttle buses from Santiago city centre to the airport depart every 20 minutes.

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      The most iconic route the Camino Frances has a variety of terrain, hilly, flat and never boring!
      January Off season
      February Off season
      March Off season
      April Good time
      July Good time
      August Good time
      October Good time
      November Off season
      December Off season