The Pilgrim's Ultimate Dream: The French Way

Every year, nearly half of all pilgrims choose to embark on the Camino Francés, a route listed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO that now attracts countless modern travelers. UNESCO specifically pointed out: "The most complete pilgrimage infrastructure since the Middle Ages is preserved here." From sanctuaries to Romanesque churches, from shell markers to pilgrim passports, this route uses living tradition to tell you why 800 years later, it is still the most moving choice to the Holy City. 1. The Gate of Faith Above the Clouds O Cebreiro is always shrouded in mist in the early morning. This small village at an altitude of 1,300 meters is the first stop for pilgrims entering Galicia. Pallozas, ancient circular houses made of stone, are scattered on the hillside, with roofs covered with thick thatch, as if time has stopped here. 2. Two roads, one choice Descending from Ocebrero, pilgrims face their first choice at Triacastela: the straight route, which passes through quiet villages, oak forests and pastures along the way, with occasional shepherds slowly driving their flocks. Detour: Turn south toward the monastery of Samos, a sixth-century ancient complex hidden in a valley surrounded by mountains. In the early morning sunshine, the monks' chanting echoed in the corridors, and the shadows of the thousand-year-old cypress trees were cast on the stone walls, as if whispering the weight of history. 3. Underwater Memory Portomarín is a town that has been "reborn". In the 1960s, the entire old city was submerged under water due to the construction of a reservoir. Only a few churches were carefully dismantled, and the stones were numbered and rebuilt on a new site. 4. Knights and Pilgrims The name Palas de Rei translates to ‘King’s Palaces’ and legend has it that it was inspired by a royal palace that was built here in antiquity. Today, this bustling town is an important stopover for pilgrims and includes the remains of the 12th-century Romanesque portico of the church of San Tirso. 5. A pilgrimage on the tip of your tongue The pilgrims’ pace slows down between Melide and Arzúa – the food here is enough to make you forget your fatigue. 6. The final trek Next to the ancient stone bridge of Santa Irene, the 17th century "holy spring" still flows today. It is said that its clear water can cure stubborn skin diseases. Continue on to A Lavacolla, a place whose name is a stark reminder of the medieval tradition of pilgrims bathing here to purify themselves. When the hills of O Monte do Gozo appear on the horizon, it means the holy city is within reach - this is where pilgrims first saw the spire of Santiago Cathedral, where medieval pilgrims would kneel and weep, and where modern travelers would raise their mobile phones to take pictures. Some say that the real magic of the pilgrimage lies not in reaching the end, but in the unexpected encounters along the way - sharing bread with an old German man at dusk in Samos; listening to locals playing guitar and singing folk songs at night in Portomarin; being awakened by the church bells in the early morning in Melide... These fragments are pieced together to form unique memories, and make this thousand-year-old road a "must-go" in everyone's life.