Trip ID :

French Way - Section 6 - 6 Days/5 Nights - 101 km - From €390 -
From Leon to Ponferrada

This Walking Holiday explores the sixth section of the Camino Frances / French Way, the most traditional of all the pilgrims' ways to Santiago de Compostela and the best known internationally.

Start in Leon, one of the greatest cities in Spain and finish in Ponferrada, built by the Templars in the 12th century. The Camino de Santiago, or Way of Saint James, starts on the central high plateau, and traverses the untouched and eerie Leon Mountains.

Everyday, during the walk, you are guaranteed a high level of comfort and gastronomy. The Camino de Santiago is clearly marked with the “Scallop Shell” showing you the way. This walk can be physically demanding and requires a reasonable level of fitness. However, it’s a highly rewarding walk that includes numerous cultural highlights.

French Way - Section 6 - 6 Days/5 Nights - 101 km - From €390 -
From Leon to Ponferrada

Day 1 : Leon
Day 2 : Leon To Villadangos del Paramo (20km)
Day 3 : Villadangos del Paramo to Astorga (28km)
Day 4 : Astorga to Rabanal del Camino (20km)
Day 5 : Rabanal del Camino to Ponferrada (33km)
Day 6 : Ponferrada, end of the walking holiday

View Camino Frances in a larger map

DAY BY DAY

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DAY 1 - Coming to Leon You will be pre-booked in a traditional hotel in the heart of the town. The historic centre of Leon is well preserved and worth visiting. Over the course of time, Leon became the capital of the kingdom in the Middle Ages; a historic enclave on the pilgrim's road to Santiago de Compostela. Don't miss The Pulchra Leonina (the 'Sistine Chapel' of Spanish architecture) & the old "Hospital de San Marcos". Town: Shops, ATM, all facilities. DAY 2 - Leon To Villadangos del Paramo (5h45, 20km, +110m -50m) Leaving Leon, the urban area continues almost as far as Virgen del Camino (7km). From this point on, the route becomes more interesting as you follow the historical Camino along the Plateau of Leon. Town: Shops, ATM, all facilities. Meals: Half Board DAY 3 –Villadangos del Paramo to Astorga (6h30, 28km, +/-140m) You pass the famous "Puente de Orbigo" and leave behind the Plateau of Leon. The Leon Mountains can be seen up ahead and the end of this stage will bring you to Astorga, the capital of Maragateria. Not to miss in Astorga: Episcopal palace, the cathedral, and the city walls. Town: ATM, shops. Meals: Half Board

DAY 4 – Astorga to Rabanal del Camino (5h, 20km, +270m -20m) We are now deep in the region as we gradually make our way up to the first foothills of the Leon Mountains. This part of the countryside is characterised by broom, oak trees and conifer plantations. Town: Limited facilities. Meals: Half Board DAY 5 – Rabanal del Camino to Ponferrada (7h30, 33km, +250m -880m) One of the most rewarding days. Enjoy the beautiful broom and heather surroundings as you ascent to "Mount Irago". Witness the "Iron Cross" on the mountain pass before making your way downwards to the wealthy area of Bierzo. Note: Here we can split the day in two stages (24 km and 8 km). Accommodation is in a superb chalet hotel in Molinaseca. Town: Shops, ATM, all facilities. Meals: Breakfast DAY 6 – Ponferrada, end of the walking holiday After breakfast we bid you farewell Meal: Breakfast

WEATHER

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French Way - Section 6 - 6 Days/5 Nights - 101 km - From €390 -
From Leon to Ponferrada

FLY IN AND OUT

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It is best to fly to Santiago or Madrid.

1)    FLY IN

• To Madrid

With almost every companies :

- See the Spanish national company: www.iberia.com
- See the Spanish low-cost: www.spanair.com

• To Santiago

See with Ryanair, Iberia and Aer Lingus for flights from the UK :
- Ryanair : direct flights from Stansted, Nottingham East Midlands and Liverpool
- Aer Lingus : flights from Dublin.

Internal connections with Iberia and Spanair from: Frankfurt, Paris, Rome, Barcelona, Bilbao, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote, Madrid, Malaga, Palma, Seville, Tenerife and Valencia.

2)    FLY OUT

See above.

GETTING AROUND

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1)    GETTING THERE

•  From Madrid

By train :
- 4h30journey
- Several departures a day

• From Santiago

By bus :
- 4 hours journey
- Several departures a day

By train :
- 6 hours journey
- Several departures a day

2)    GETTING BACK

• To Santiago de Compostela

By bus :
- 3 hours journey
- 4 departures a day
- Timetable : 11.45, 15.45. 18.45, 20.45
- Book online : www.alsa.es

By train:
- 3 hours journey
- 2 departures a day
- See timetables and book online : www.renfe.com

• To Madrid

By train :
- 6 hours journey

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT FLIGHTS

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• see our Flight Search Map

• www.skyscanner.net

Searches most Airlines for best available connections and prices

• www.spanish-airport-guide.com

French Way - Section 6 - 6 Days/5 Nights - 101 km - From €390 -
From Leon to Ponferrada

HOTEL AND GUESTHOUSE GRADES – HOW WE CHOOSE YOUR ACCOMMODATION

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Our accommodation is selected based on a number of criteria, including location, comfort, services, price and character. We always try to book accommodation that is both on/near the Camino and also close to the historical quarter or centre of the town/city. This is facilitated by the fact that the Camino usually goes through the heart of each town and/or city.

In larger towns, which are usually at the beginning and end of each section, we book hotels of a 3* standard. In smaller towns/villages/hamlets in between the larger towns, we choose hotels or guesthouses of a 2* standard. However, there could be some exceptions to this rule, for example, in some small villages, our selection depends on local infrastructure and it may happen that the only possibility is a non-rated guesthouse. This does not mean it is not up to our standards only that it does not have an official classification, which is usually due to the rural and remote nature of parts of the Camino.

Given the reasons stated above, we do believe that a 2* hotel located in the historical centre is a better choice than a 3* hotel located in the outskirts of the town at a distance from the Camino. If our first choice is not available, we will use another accommodation of the same standard and price. If there is no such accommodation available, we may contact you to offer either an upgrade at a premium, or a downgrade with a refund, again based on local infrastructure in each area.

We are determined in our motto: to provide our customers with the best available on the Camino.

French Way - Section 6 - 6 Days/5 Nights - 101 km - From €390 -
From Leon to Ponferrada

French Way - Section 6 - 6 Days/5 Nights - 101 km - From €390 -
From Leon to Ponferrada

 

 

LIST OF PRICES AND OPTIONS

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	Base Price (€)	Double/Twin Room (pps)	Single Room	Solo Departure
	High Season Apr, May, Jun, Sep	510	631	631
	Mid Season Jul, Aug, Oct	460	564	564
	Low Season Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec	390	476	476

 

Options	Picnic Lunches	€50 (per person )	Includes all walking days
	Airport Transfer 2 - 8 people	€135 (per person)	Transport to Leon from Santander For information on transfers for more passengers or from other airports, please ask us.

 

 

	Extra nights (€) Pamplona / Santander / Ponferrada Leon / Bilbao / Santiago	Double/Twin Room (pps)	Single Room
	2* Hotel B&B	44	60
	3* Hotel B&B	65	95

Special rates for group of 6+

INCLUDED Luggage transferred from hotel to hotel Rooms en-suite Half Board during the hike Detailed Walking Notes Map Pilgrim passport

NOT INCLUDED Flights Insurance (recommended) Drinks Dinner first and last nights Transfer from/to airport

 

If you have any questions about prices, please consult our FAQ's or Contact us.