Camino de Santiago in Pictures: Saint Jean Pied de Port to Burgos (Part 1)

Originating as a pilgrimage to the burial site of St. James in Galicia in the 9th century, Camino de Santiago has evolved into a journey of self-discovery, spirituality, adventure, culture and history. Approximately 300,000 people from all across the globe trek through the Camino each year. The Camino de Santiago has earned UNESCO’s World Heritage status for “Outstanding Universal Value.”

Camino Francés or the French Way that begins in the Pyrenean village of Saint Jean Pied de Port in France and ends in Santiago in Galicia, Spain, is the most popular and widely traveled of all the Camino routes. In Part 1 of my photo essay, I cover story and images from my walk on Camino Francés from Saint Jean to the city of Burgos in Castile and León, Spain. I will be presenting stories and images from the remainder of my walk to Santiago in subsequent postings.

All photos in this article were taken by the author except where noted. They represent photos from the author’s four walks on the Camino, the most recent one being in the spring of 2022.

The route of Camino Francés

Camino Francés begins in St. Jean in France and travels 500 miles west to Santiago. The phase of walk I cover in this essay was from St. Jean westwards to Burgos as highlighted in yellow. Source: Courtesy of Google Maps.

St. Jean Pied de Port: Gateway to Camino Francés

The Basque town of St. Jean Pied de Port in the Pyrenees foothills in France is the starting point of Camino Francés.

St. Jean is classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France

Sunset over the Nive River at St. Jean.

With its cobblestone streets, its old bridges crossing the Nive river and the Pyrenees stretching across the horizon, St. Jean Pied de Port has been classified as one of the most beautiful villages in France. The scallop is a symbol of the Camino de Santiago: all walking trails lead to the final destination of the tomb of Saint James. Masses for pilgrims are held every evening at Église Notre-Dame-du-Bout-du-Pont Church as a blessing for a safe journey to come.

Down the Pyrenees Valley en route Valcarlos

Through the valley of Lasse, France

Lasse’s picturesque beauty has made it a popular holiday destination.

Valcarlos: the epic town of the ‘Song of Roland’

Valcarlos: An important stop-over for Charlemagne, the King of France, during his campaign in Spain in 778 AD. The name Valcarlos or the Valley of Carlos (Spanish for Charles) is derived from Charlemagne’s name, Charles the Great.

Charlemagne would have been playing chess in the Valcarlos valley when he heard his nephew and general Roland’s oliphant announcing impending danger as the events are told in the French epic ‘Song of Roland’.

Wildflowers, Camino markers and beech forests serve as a welcoming backdrop to an arduous and short-of-breath climb to Roncesvalles

Yellow wildflowers are a common scene in the Pyrenees in early spring (L). The scallop and the yellow arrow serve as pointers to Santiago throughout the hike (R).

Beech trees (above) abound and offer much needed relief from the heat as the climbs gets tougher.

Roncesvalles stands at the crossroads of history, legends and witchcraft

Charlemagne’s nephew and general Roland was reportedly killed in the Battle of Roncesvalles, fought here at the Ibañeta Pass. The old Roman road from Bordeaux to Astorga also ran through this Pass. This was also a setting for the Peninsular War of 1813.

Memorial for Roland at the Ibañeta Pass. The great French epic ‘Song of Roland’ (‘La Chanson de Roland’) centers around Roland’s heroism.

Monument celebrating the 12th centenary of the Battle of Roncesvalles (L). This Silo of Charlemagne (R) was supposedly built by the French monarch himself for the burial of Roland and others who fell in the Battle of Roncesvalles.

Starting as an ancient hospital for pilgrims, the Royal Collegiate Church of Roncesvalles is now a beloved landmark in the journey to Santiago de Compostela.

The Sorginaritzaga Forest (L) on the way out of Roncesvalles had several covens in the past. Nine lives were sacrificed at the stake here. A White Cross was built at the entrance to the forest to ward off bad omens (R).

Burguete a “street town” that Hemingway celebrated in ‘The Sun Also Rises’

Hemingway vacationed in Burguete and went trout fishing in the nearby Irati river.

The austere and simple facade of a Burguete stone cottage

The unspoiled beauty around Burguete earned awe and admiration from Hemingway

Finding relief in Zubiri

A two-arched medieval bridge over Arga river in Zubiri. Many pilgrims dip in this river for its supposedly healing properties. The bridge is also called “Rabies Bridge” stemming from the belief that if animals walked around the pillars three times, they would be cured of rabies.

Pamplona is more than just the Running of the Bulls

A visit to the Museum of Navarre could be an enriching experience in learning about the art and history of Navarre from pre-historic times to the present day. A Roman artifact (L) and a portrait of the Marquis of San Adrián by Francisco Goya (R).

Hemingway still looms large in Pamplona. In front of Café Iruña which the author frequented and turned into a meeting point for the main characters of ‘The Sun Also Rises.’ (Photo: S. Ghorpade)

Summiting Alto del Perdon (Mountain of Forgiveness) where “the path of the wind crosses with the stars”

Named after the Lady of Forgiveness, the summit (2.5K feet elevation) offers an outstanding panoramic view. The sculpture is a tribute to the pilgrims.

A hard descent from the summit but a rewarding view

A pebble filled path could make the descent from Alto del Perdon unpleasant for many (L). But the effort is rewarded with great views (R).

Passage through Puenta la Reina where the paths of Camino Aragonés and Camino Francés converge

The 11th century bridge over the river Arga was built by Queen Doña Mayor for pilgrims to cross over the river. The town owes its foundation to the bridge and is literally named after the bridge meaning the ‘Queen’s Bridge’.

Moorish influenced Romanesque facade of the 12th century Church of Santiago El Mayor at Puenta la Reina

Avant-garde art and museums add a new dimension to Estella’s medieval heritage

Roman, Gothic and Moorish influenced Church of San Pedro de la Rúa. Built in the 12th century it is the oldest church in Estella.

The works of Gustavo Maeztu give spectators a flavor of the avant-garde dimension of his work, along with his use of daring and bold color palette. Photos taken at the Gustavo Maeztu Museum in Estella.

Estella’s Jewish community played a prominent role in its commercial and cultural life until the Spanish Inquisition. One can imagine Jewish business establishments once surrounding the street above.

Camino runs through the heart of Los Arcos, once a disputed land among various stakeholders

The center of Estella providing a popular congregation for the pilgrims (L). The 12th century Church of Santa María, one of the largest in Navarre, has acquired wide architectural influences including Romanesque, Renaissance, and Baroque over time (R).

Logroño, the capital of La Rioja, provides a pleasant break to pilgrims with its culinary options, wine choices, churches and artwork

Crowd lining up for tapas at Calle del Laurel in Logroño (L). Pulperia’s Galician style octopus is widely popular (M). Rioja wines are a perfect complement to the local cuisine (R).

“The Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew” by José de Ribera (1615-1616). A replica of the painting is displayed at the Museo de La Rioja, Logroño. Courtesy of the Directorate of Culture, La Rioja.

Built in the 12th Century, Church of San Bartolomé is the oldest church in Logroño. The iconography of the façade includes episodes from the saint’s life.

The angel rescuing St. Peter in chains by Juan A. Espinosa, 1651. Source: Museo de La Rioja. Logroño

Walking across La Rioja, the birthplace of the Spanish language

An elderly pilgrim makes her way out of Logrono (L). Town of Navarette in the foreground (R).

The facade of the Church of Santa Maria de la Asuncion, Navarette, (L). Inside, the baroque-styled altar is classified as one of the world’s largest (R).

A Navarette street where time seems to stand still

Once a battleground between the Moors and the Franks, Nájera left behind a cultural legacy

Near Nájera, it was in this vineyards-filled area called Poyo de Roldan that the legendary battle between Roland and the Moorish giant Ferragut was fought during Charlemagne’s campaign in Spain in 778 AD.

Santa María la Real Monastery, a Nájera icon (above). Peter the Venerable commissioned the first Latin translation of the Koran in Nájera in 1142.

From Nájera to San Domingo de Calzada, pastures, vineyards, wheat fields and vast open spaces help to put pilgrims in a reflective mood

“…But to have been this once, completely, even if only once: to have been at one with the earth, seems beyond undoing.” (Rainer Maria Rilke, Duino Elegies)

A church, a pilgrims hospital and a bridge: Santo Domingo de Calzada bears the legacy of the 11th century Saint

The St. Domingo Cathedral is built on the village church the Saint had originally built (L). Hostel for the pilgrims St. Domingo had constructed (M). The Saint also built a bridge over the river Oja to facilitate the pilgrims’ passage (R).

Grañón — the last village in La Rioja before the Camino enters the province of Burgos — offers a tranquil vibe

Church of Saint John the Baptist (L). A pilgrim walks along a forlorn street in this Jacobean village (R).

Murals in Belorado, a small village in Castile and Leon, celebrate women and local tradition

Artist at work by Lula Goce (L). Mural by unknown artist (R).

Mural celebrating traditional lacework of local women by the Polish artist NeSpoon.

Mural celebrating the journey of pilgrims by local artist Angel Orozco in Belorado (L). Migratory grey herons themed mural by Madrid-based street artist Taquen in Agés, a frontier village in Castile and Leon. (R).

Treading through Atapuerca where human ancestors lived a million years ago

Atapuerca is the most important site for paleontology in all of Europe. Located just 20 kilometers north east of Burgos, it has been declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.

A chance encounter with the Cave Hermitage of Tosantos

Chapel at the Cave Hermitage of Tosantos honoring La Ermita who lived in seclusion here and cared for the pilgrims.

Orbaneja Riopico: an unpretentious village offers a picture of simplicity against the backdrop of the bustling metropolis of Burgos

Iris plant on the roadside in full bloom on the left. Shrine of La Inmaculada on the right.

Flanked by the Duero and Arlanza rivers and situated right in the middle of Pilgrims Road to Santiago de Compostela, Burgos is a city of medieval splendor

Arco de Santa Maria was the most elaborate of 12 medieval arched doorways to the old city of Burgos

Burgos Cathedral, a UNESCO heritage site, has one of the finest expressions of Gothic art. Construction of the cathedral began in 1221 and lasted until 1567. The facade of the cathedral (L). Inside the cathedral (R).

Rodrigo Diaz famously known as El Cid, the legendary medieval Castilian Knight and warlord, is buried in the Cathedral along with his wife Jimena Diaz.

An aerial view of the cathedral and the surrounding area.

Ultreya: The journey continues

Stay tuned for my upcoming postings on the Camino.