The Camino de Santiago is the third most important Christian pilgrimage site, after Jerusalem and Rome. Beneath the foundations of Santiago de Compostela lie what are believed to be the remains of James the Great. As one of the twelve apostles and the first to be martyred, his tomb has drawn pilgrims seeking reflection, forgiveness and spiritual renewal for over a thousand years.

The historian Denise Péricard-Méa has written widely about the meaning of Santiago de Compostela and the devotion to St James since the late Middle Ages, in works such as Compostelle 813-2013 and Les routes de Compostelle.

St James has also become a point of connection between walkers. Associations such as the Confraternity of Saint James in the UK and similar organisations across Europe bring together people from all walks of life to share advice, walk together and support those setting out on the trail for the first time.

The time needed to complete the Camino de Santiago depends on the route you choose, your walking pace and your fitness. You do not have to walk it all at once. Walking from Le Puy-en-Velay or Arles to Santiago de Compostela takes around 75 days in total, but most people walk one section at a time.

Whether you walk for five days, a week, a fortnight or longer, Walks in France can organise your trip.

Depending on the route you choose, you will pass through some remarkable places. Here are a few highlights.

Le Puy-en-Velay

Le Puy-en-Velay is the starting point of the most popular route across France. It is often considered the European capital of the Camino de Santiago, largely because its bishop was the first French pilgrim to walk to Santiago, back in the 10th century. Before you set off, take time to visit the Notre-Dame Cathedral, the statue of Notre-Dame de France, the Chapel of Saint-Michel d'Aiguilhe, the cloister and the Hôtel-Dieu.

Conques

This small village on the Le Puy Way is one of the most beautiful in France. Its cobbled streets and half-timbered houses date from the medieval period. The Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, has a magnificent carved tympanum depicting the Last Judgement, a treasury, and stained-glass windows by Pierre Soulages.

Figeac

On the Le Puy Way, Figeac is the birthplace of Jean-François Champollion, the man who deciphered Egyptian hieroglyphs. The town has a lively medieval centre, the Champollion Museum of World Writing, the Place des Écritures with its reproduction of the Rosetta Stone, and the Place Carnot, known for its local produce market.

Cahors

Still on the Le Puy Way, Cahors is known for the Pont Valentré, a 14th-century fortified bridge and UNESCO World Heritage Site. The old town has fine half-timbered houses, a historic market square, and the Romanesque Cathedral of Saint-Étienne with its two great domes and remarkable cloister. The city also has 25 hidden gardens tucked away behind its streets.

Arles

The starting point of the Arles Way, this city in Provence is famous for its Roman amphitheatre, dating from the 1st century AD. The old town has charming streets, the remains of the Roman theatre, the Réattu Museum, the Van Gogh space, and the Abbaye de Montmajour nearby.

Toulouse

Known as the "Pink City", Toulouse sits on the Arles Way. Its highlights include the Capitole, the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, the Jacobins convent, and the elegant Hôtel d'Assézat in Renaissance style. Walk along the banks of the Garonne for a fine view of the city.

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

This classic Basque town is one of the essential stops on the Le Puy Way. Its cobbled streets, half-timbered houses and red shutters give it a distinctive character. It is classified among the most beautiful villages in France. Highlights include the citadel, local food shops, and the Porte Saint-Jacques, the symbolic gateway for pilgrims crossing into Spain.

Monte del Gozo, Spain

Five kilometres from Santiago de Compostela, on the Camino Francés, Monte del Gozo is the last viewpoint before the city. From here, you can see the spires of the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela for the first time.

The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela owes its fame to the apostle St James, one of the closest disciples of Jesus Christ, whose body was buried on the site where the city would later rise.

It was in the 9th century, during the period of Muslim rule in Spain, that the tomb was rediscovered. King Alfonso II of Asturias, quickly informed, travelled to the site. He would become the very first pilgrim to Santiago de Compostela, the first of many pilgrims.

The Botafumeiro

The Botafumeiro is one of the most famous sights in Santiago de Compostela. This silver-plated brass censer stands 1.60 metres tall and weighs 54 kilograms. It was made by the silversmith Losada in 1851 and was originally used to perfume the cathedral. It hangs from a cable beneath the transept.

During special liturgical celebrations and Holy Years, and at the daily pilgrim mass at midday, eight men (tiraboleiros) swing the Botafumeiro like a giant pendulum, pulling the rope at its lowest point and releasing it at its highest. It reaches a height of over 20 metres and swings across the full length of the transept, passing close to the ground at nearly 70 kilometres per hour, leaving a trail of smoke behind it.

The scallop shell that pilgrims brought back from the coast of Galicia was proof of their long journey. In the early days, pilgrims picked up shells on the beaches and carried them home. Since antiquity, shells had been worn as protection against misfortune and illness.

Over time, the shell became the symbol of the apostle and took the name of St James. Hung from a hat, a bag or a cloak, it became the emblem of Camino pilgrims, and of pilgrims everywhere. It served to distinguish them from other travellers, offered a form of protection, and entitled the bearer to drink from public fountains and ask for charity, as giving to a pilgrim bearing the shell was considered an obligation.

To this day, pilgrims hang a scallop shell from their rucksack or walking pole.

Several routes lead to the Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. Walkers can follow the Via Turonensis (from Tours), the Via Tolosana (from Arles), or the Via Podiensis (from Le Puy-en-Velay), the best-known route across France.

Along the Via Podiensis alone, 71 monuments and 7 sections of the trail are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a reflection of the extraordinary heritage along this route.

Among them are the Abbey Church of Sainte-Foy and the pilgrims' bridge over the Dourdou at Conques, the Pont Valentré and the cathedral at Cahors, the Hôtel-Dieu and the Notre-Dame Cathedral at Le Puy-en-Velay, and many more.