French way in the province of A Coruña

The French Way, the best known and busiest route of the Camino de Santiago, enters the province of A Coruña through the municipality of Melide, after leaving Lugo behind. At this point, pilgrims access one of the most emblematic areas of the itinerary, where the Jacobean tradition, architectural heritage and Galician hospitality merge.

Walking the last stretch of the French Way is an affordable and highly demanded experience among those who attend congresses in the capital of Galicia. There are multiple companies that have been carrying out this activity for years. Do Camino offers routes along the French Way from Sarria, including accommodation, luggage transfers and other services. Galician Roots is a local agency with a VIP focus, which proposes personalized programs. The Camino de Santiago Agency organizes outings with a support vehicle and selected accommodation. Santiaguea has closed packages for hikers, while Tee Travel, with more than 20 years of experience, transports all-inclusive groups.

For those attending a congress, the most common thing is to start the Camino de Santiago in its last sections. A very full day hike could start in O Pino, the last municipality before reaching Santiago. The route in this area is very well-kept: it is surrounded by eucalyptus and oak forests and the paths pass by numerous granaries and village houses. The tranquility of the surroundings transmits to the pilgrim the feeling of proximity to the goal, which is already glimpsed when the path enters the municipality of Santiago de Compostela through the Monte do Gozo, a place full of symbolism where pilgrims can contemplate the towers of the cathedral for the first time. From there, the descent leads directly to the historic center, a World Heritage Site, with the majestic Cathedral of Santiago as the goal and universal symbol of the pilgrimage.

If you decide to start further away, it is essential to know that to receive the compostela (the certificate of having completed the Camino) it is necessary to travel at least 100 kilometres on foot, that is, from the town of Sarria in Lugo. If you decide to carry out this option, the Jacobean Route passes through the historic crossroads that is Melide, with its Romanesque church of Santa María and the cruceiro de San Roque, considered the oldest in Galicia. Here it is essential to respond to strength with its famous octopus á feira in the local taverns.

The route advances towards Arzúa, a town with a long hospital tradition, famous for its cheese with protected designation of origin, which is one of the culinary symbols of Galicia. Arzúa also preserves churches such as that of Santiago and rural landscapes of great beauty, with villages, wooded corridors and green meadows that accompany the walker.