Saint Jean Pied de Port

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is where most pilgrims begin the Camino Francés. The name translates as Saint John at the Foot of the Pass, and the town sits precisely at the base of the Pyrenean pass that pilgrims must cross into Spain. It is a beautiful Basque town with pink-rendered stone houses lining the Rue de la Citadelle, and on most mornings the street is alive with pilgrims adjusting packs, buying last-minute supplies, and quietly gearing themselves up for what lies ahead.

The Pilgrim Office on Rue de la Citadelle is the first port of call. Here you collect your credential (pilgrim passport) if you do not already have one, and staff will advise on route conditions, weather over the Pyrenees, and whether the high Napoleon Route is open. They take the welfare of pilgrims seriously, and the conversation here often sets the tone for how pilgrims approach the journey ahead.

The town is worth exploring before you leave. The citadel above the town offers views over the valley and the mountains beyond. The old town gate, the Porte Saint-Jacques, is itself a UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the symbolic starting arches of the Camino. Many pilgrims stay a night before setting off, attend the evening pilgrim blessing at the church, and find themselves already changed by the atmosphere of the place.