TRAVELOGUE ‘BUS HIKING ON THE CAMINO FRANCÉS’

Day 1: Olten - Geneva - Grenoble - Avignon - Arles - Narbonne 

Our journey began early on Sunday morning. Shortly after Geneva, in Les Cruseilles, we stopped to walk over the famous old wooden bridge, which used to be used by cars, lorries and coaches. In Aix les Bains, we marvelled at the largest lake in France. Avignon and Arles were other well-known towns we drove past. During this long journey in the car, we had time to think about why we wanted to go on this pilgrimage. Is it curiosity? Is it personal reasons? Do I want to process something? Do I just want to hike? We arrived in Narbonne in the evening and enjoyed dinner together, where we were able to get to know each other better. 

Day 2: Narbonne - St. Jean Pied de Port - Roncesvalles - Pamplona - (Zariquiegui - Alto del Perdon) - (Church of Santa Maria de Eunate - Obanos) - Puente la Reina

On the 2nd day, we traveled a bit further by coach and passed by wonderful cities like Carcassonne, Toulouse, Tarbes, or Pau. The Pyrenees soon became our constant companions, and we often drove along the famous Canal du Midi. Our tour guide Carlo had a lot to tell us about the Camino de Santiago, so time passed quickly on the coach. The approximately 800 km long pilgrimage route (Camino Frances) starts in the middle of the town, at the church. On the ground and on the house walls, we saw the first signs of pilgrims, the scallop shell. Through the Spanish Jacob's Portal, the path then leads out of the town. We were spared this first strenuous hike over the Pyrenees (1430 m high) because Carlo had selected the beautiful and not so strenuous sections for us to hike. So, we crossed the Pyrenees in beautiful weather by coach and then visited a beautiful monastery complex in Roncesvalles. Past Pamplona, we drove to Zariquiegue. Now we could lace up our hiking boots and pack our backpacks. Our first hike first took us through the village and beautiful flat meadows, but then it went uphill to the pass of Alto Perdon. Once at the top, we had a great view. From there, we were picked up by the coach and taken to the beautiful Church of Santa Maria de Eunate. In the evening sun, we visited this octagonal church with open arcades all around. From the church, we could hike another nice stretch almost to the hotel in Puente la Reina. During dinner, we could enjoy the area with a fine wine. (Hiking 6 km)

Day 3: Puente la Reina - (Maneru - Cirauqui) - Estella - (Los Arcos - Sansol) - Torres del Rio - Logrono

The day began with a stroll across the famous Puente de la Reina (Bridge of the Queen), which also gave the town its name. It was beautiful to observe the clear reflections in the river. We could still enjoy the area by coach until Maneru, where we then prepared our hiking equipment for the approximately 2.5-hour hike. In addition to the beautiful nature trail, vineyards, harvested grain fields, and unusual flowers and shrubs often tempted us to take out our cameras. We also saw the blue sloe berries on large bushes, from which the fine Pacharan liqueur is made, which we enjoyed as an aperitif or nightcap on our journey. In Estella, we visited the Romanesque church of San Pedro de la Rua with its many beautiful colored stained glass windows, as well as the church of Los Arcos with its impressive gold-adorned altar. After the church visits, we embarked on today's final hiking stage before settling into our rooms in Logrono. During a city tour, we got to know our accommodation. The cathedral with its twin towers shone in the warm light of the evening sun. We rounded off the fine dinner at the hotel, of course, with a fine wine from the Rioja region. (Hiking 14 km)

Day 4: Logrono - Navarette - (Ciruena - Santo Domingo de la Calzada) - Villafranca - (Valbuena - San Juan de Ortega) - Santo Domingo de Silos

After a short drive, we visited another special church in Navarette. Then we hiked for about 1 hour from Ciruena to Santo Domingo de la Calzada. I particularly remember the legend of the miracle of the chickens from this town; as a reminder, a rooster and a hen now live in a cage in the church. After another hiking stage, the coach journey then took us away from the pilgrimage route into a side valley. In Santo Domingo de Silos, another highlight of this trip awaited us. At the Benedictine monastery, we were able to attend the evening Mass. The entire Mass was sung by the monks and was very impressive and solemn. With this Gregorian chant, these Benedictine monks became world-famous. (Hiking 14.4 km)

Day 5: Santo Domingo de Silos - Burgos - (San Bol - Hontanas) - Leon

Our chauffeur Christian drove safely through winding and rocky terrain, accompanied by a beautiful sunrise. In Burgos, we were met by Mercedes Gutirez, a local guide who showed us the beautiful cathedral. We spent our lunch break individually in this beautiful and modern city. Around the main square, there were many small restaurants inviting us to linger. After this break, it was time to get ready for hiking and tackle the approximately 10 km long path. A special section of the pilgrimage awaited us, the highland plateau Meseta. Fields in gentle brown-yellow, farmland, no villages - hardly any houses - for kilometers, always the same image. Silence - time to think: There is no path. The path is made by walking - do I persevere or do I give up.... These emotions also have a place and need to be processed. With these thoughts, we could also reflect during the coach journey to Leon. We got to know the town of Leon better during a city tour. After dinner, we ended this impressive day with coffee and good conversations. (Hiking 10 km)

Day 6: Leon - Puente de Orbigo - Astorga - (Foncebadon - Cruz de Ferro - Manjarin - El Acebo) - Molinaseca

Today, we traveled from Leon to Orbigo, to the special bridge with many different-sized arches, which we could admire during a short walk over it. The next stop was the city of Astorga, which became rich due to gold mining. Very impressive were the cathedral and next to it the bishop's seat, both built by Antoni Gaudi. From Foncebadon, it was time to lace up our hiking boots again and put on our hiking backpacks, which were a bit heavier today. Each fellow pilgrim had a stone in their backpack. We steadily ascended in the bright sunshine, up to 1500m high. Everyone could walk at their own pace, alone, in pairs, or in a group. We already knew that this stone in the backpack could be laid down at the Iron Cross at the top. This laying down is meant as a symbol of handing over worries and burdens. It was a very impressive moment. At this place, everyone could enjoy the peace and allow emotions. After a sweet break, the hike continued - now with a lighter backpack. At the hermit Tomaso's (a follower of the Templars), there was a short break before we marched on almost to the village of El Acebo. Afterwards, we could enjoy a great view during our snack break, to which Christian drove us. After dinner at the hotel in Molinaseca, we ended the evening with games and fun. We laughed a lot and enjoyed the evening together before going to sleep. (Hiking 13.2 km)

Day 7: Molinaseca - Ponferrada - Villafranca del Bierzo - Vega del Valcarce - (La Faba - La Laguna - O Cebreiro) - (Alto do Poio - Filloval) - Samos

We drove shortly to Ponferrada. In the morning light, the imposing Templar castle shone above us, where we received some information. Since the pilgrimage often followed the road, Christian drove us to Vega del Valcarce to a restaurant with various small shops. There, we could buy local products such as wine, liqueur, cheese, sausage, fruits, chestnuts, and delicious pastries for our loved ones back home. We were able to ride in the coach until La Faba. As the most challenging hiking stage lay ahead of us, we were reminded again to bring enough drinks. It was always uphill, and we had to take small breaks. We were rewarded with great views of the mountains; mist and sunshine alternated, enchanting us with a mystical atmosphere. It was quite exhausting, but these experiences are part of the pilgrimage. At the Galician border stone, we could relax a bit and look back proudly on our journey. We took a beautiful group photo there, and Christian brought us a sweet snack. That gave us strength for the remaining part of the journey.

At the top of the pass of O Cebreiro (1300 m), we could strengthen and rest with a fine Galician cabbage and potato soup. The coach took us to the highest point. Going downhill, it was now easier to walk, much easier than the ascent before. We could ride in the coach for the last stretch to the hotel in Samos. At the abundant dinner with at least 10 starters, 10 main courses, and also 10 desserts to choose from, we could recover a bit from the longest hiking stage (over 18 km). (Hiking 18.1 km)

Day 8: Samos - (Sarria - Peruscallo) - Portomarin - (Vilar de Donas - Leboreiro - Melide) - (Monte do Gozo - Santiago de Compostela)

Our hike today began in Sarria, where the pilgrimage path led us across the "Bridge of Hope" and through beautiful forests with old trees. In a small church along our way, we sang the song "Dona nobis" together, which fit well with the atmosphere in the church as well as with our group. Portomarin is a special town. Due to the construction of the dam, the entire town had to be dismantled stone by stone and rebuilt higher up. We continued to Melide, where we had our lunch break. The town is well-known for its delicious squid specialties. Now, we were getting closer and closer to the climax of our pilgrimage: arrival at the Cathedral in Santiago de Compostela. Our chauffeur took us to Monte de Gozo or "Mount of Joy." This place is called so because pilgrims are delighted every time they see the Cathedral from there for the first time. We also enjoyed this view very much, but then it was time for the final sprint. Together, we wanted to walk and experience this last stretch through the city. It was a truly special moment because we knew that there was only 1.5 hours left until the end of the pilgrimage. The arrival at the square in front of the Baroque Cathedral was unique. The evening sun shone warmly on the church, making it glow golden. It was very quiet. Impressive!! Many pilgrims from different countries were there. Everyone enjoyed this moment in their own way. For me, it was an incredibly beautiful experience with many emotions. After arriving at the hotel, we could relax and enjoy a delicious dinner to end the evening. (Hiking 17.2 km)

Day 9: Stay in Santiago de Compostela

Today, we spent the day in Santiago de Compostela and enjoyed an informative tour with Carlo. The highlight of the day, however, was the pilgrim mass at the Church of Saint Francis of Assisi. This mass was very impressive and emotional. So many people, from so many countries, coming together in a large church to celebrate a mass and be united. After the mass, our group met at Point 0 in Praza do Obradoiro in front of the Cathedral. Together, we could reflect on the journey we had undertaken together. Our tour guide Carlo gave each of us a beautiful scallop shell as a reminder of this wonderful time. We spent the afternoon exploring this beautiful city individually. Our travel program also included a Spanish dinner at a small Bodeguilla with local specialties such as squid or delicious vegetables. (Hiking 9 km)

Day 10: Santiago de Compostela - Carnota - Fisterra - Santiago de Compostela

As we departed from Santiago to Fisterra, it rained for the first time on our journey, but we still enjoyed the drive along the coast to the westernmost point of Europe. At the beach of Fisterra, we collected shells, but none were as significant as our scallop shell. The view from the lighthouse over the Atlantic was impressive. This used to be the end of the world before Columbus discovered the land of America. Before returning to the hotel, Carlo showed us a very special church in an outer district of Santiago de Compostela. (Hiking 6 km)

Day 11: Santiago de Compostela - Llanes - Bilbao

Today marked the beginning of our journey back home. Over the next 3 days, we gradually made our way homeward. But even on the way back, there was plenty to experience; the drive along the Atlantic coast was beautiful and varied. We stopped in Llanes for our lunch break before continuing to Bilbao. Bilbao is a modern city with a large football stadium. However, the city became famous for the renowned Guggenheim Museum. For dinner that evening, we dined in the city center at a small restaurant. With various appetizers, main courses, and desserts to choose from, everyone could create their own menu.

Day 12: Bilbao - Lourdes

In Bilbao, we bid farewell to our tour guide Carlo. Thank you for all your efforts. You took us on a wonderful pilgrimage and gave us many beautiful moments. You selected the most beautiful routes and places for us and took care of us so well throughout the entire journey and in all situations. We all hope to see you again! We continued our journey towards San Sebastian - Biarritz - Pau to Lourdes. We reached our hotel by midday. There, we enjoyed a delicious lunch before embarking on a tour of Lourdes with Christian. After this insightful tour, we were able to explore the Grotto, the churches, and other important sites in Lourdes on our own. We also wanted to collect the Lourdes water, known for its purifying effects, from the park. In the evening, we experienced the highlight of our trip, participating in the Torchlight Procession in the Holy District. Once again, it was a very moving moment, this procession through the park illuminated by candlelight. Many people from different nations were present and sang in their own languages, making this Mass a beautiful experience.

Day 13: Lourdes - Toulouse - Avignon - Lyon - Geneva - Olten

After a good breakfast, we travelled from Lourdes to Tarpes - Toulouse - Carcassonne towards the Mediterranean. Our chauffeur took us via Avignon - Lyon to Geneva. Gabi Born was waiting for us there and drove us home to Olten.

A great journey is over. I experienced many wonderful conversations and encounters on this trip and felt a great willingness to help. We were a great group! For me, it was a good way to get to know this pilgrimage.