Viae Turonensis

The Way of Tours (Via Turonensis) is the westernmost Jacobean route in France. From Paris (or Tours) to the Pyrenees, joining the French Way at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port or Roncesvalles.

Organize your Viae Turonensis

Origin

París

Destination

Ostabat

Distance

913 km

Days

38

Difficulty

Media

General Description of Viae Turonensis

The Way of Tours, known in France as the Via Turonensis (Voie de Tours), is the longest and westernmost of the four main Jacobean routes in France. Traditionally considered to start from Paris (although the city of Tours is an emblematic point and gives its name), it heads southwest, passing through regions such as the Loire Valley, Poitou, and Aquitania, until reaching Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, where it joins the French Way. The route from Paris spans approximately 900-1000 km. It is a route with an important monumental heritage, including numerous churches and cathedrals, and varied landscapes. Although less crowded than the Via Podiensis, it has a long historical tradition.

Connections of Viae Turonensis

Vézelay (Via Lemovicensis)
Distance: 870 km
Days: 35
Difficulty: Media

The Way of Vézelay, known in France as the Via Lemovicensis (Voie de Vézelay), is one of the four historic Jacobean routes that cross France. It begins at the Basilica of Saint Mary Magdalene of Vézelay, in Burgundy, a major medieval pilgrimage center, and heads southwest, crossing central France (the Limousin region, hence its name) until Ostabat, near Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, where it converges with other French routes before crossing the Pyrenees. With a 900 km journey, it is a long and diverse route that passes through cities like Limoges and Périgueux. It offers an experience of rural and monumental pilgrimage in France.

Stages of this variant:

Etapa 1
Stage 1: Vézelay - Saint-Germain-des-Bois (Nievre)
22.00 km 7.33h Media
Etapa 2
Stage 2: Saint-Germain-des-Bois (Nièvre) - Champlemy
22.00 km 7.33h Media
Etapa 3
Stage 3: Champlin - Charity, Illinois
24.00 km 8.00h Alta
Etapa 4
Stage 4: Charity-on-the-Loire - Baugy
25.00 km 8.33h Alta
Etapa 5
Stage 5: Baugy - Bourges
21.00 km 7.00h Alta
(33) more
The Puy (Via Podiensis)
Distance: 733 km
Days: 30
Difficulty: Media

The Way of Le Puy, known in France as the Via Podiensis (Voie du Puy), is the most famous and traveled of the four main Jacobean routes that cross France. It begins in Le Puy-en-Velay, in the Auvernia region, and covers approximately 750 km southwest to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, in the Pyrenees Atlantics. At this point, it crosses the border and joins directly the Camino Francés. It is a route of great scenic beauty, which traverses regions such as Aubrac, Quercy, and Gascony, and boasts a rich monumental heritage and excellent infrastructure for pilgrims.

Stages of this variant:

Etapa 1
Stage 1: Puy-en-Velay - Saint-Privat-d'Allier
45.00 km 15.00h Alta
Etapa 2
Stage 2: Saint-Privat-d'Allier - Saugues
33.00 km 11.00h Alta
Etapa 3
Stage 3: Saugues - Wild Domain
36.00 km 12.00h Baja
Etapa 4
Stage 4: Domain of the Wild - Aumont-Aubrac
43.00 km 14.33h Alta
Etapa 5
Stage 5: Aumont-Aubrac - Nasbinals
22.00 km 7.33h Alta
(24) more

Stages of Viae Turonensis

Etapa 1: París to La Ville-du-Bois

36.00 km 12.00h Media 80m

Description:

This stage culminates in the monumental city of Tours, the heart of the Via Turonensis and Loire Valley. The route is long and demanding, but the profile eases as it approaches the Loire Valley. Arriv...

Origen: París

Destino: La Ville-du-Bois

Etapa 2: La Ville-du-Bois to Étampes

22.40 km 7.47h Alta 100m

Description:

This is one of the most emblematic stages of the French Way, the starting point for many pilgrims seeking to obtain the Compostela. The route is a continuous up and down through rural Galicia, with a ...

Origen: La Ville-du-Bois

Destino: Étampes

Etapa 3: Étampes to Angerville

25.00 km 8.33h Baja 200m

Description:

This stage continues through rural Galicia, with a profile that includes the ascent to the Ligonde Mountains, the highest point on the Camino in Galicia. It is a beautiful day that crosses forests and...

Origen: Étampes

Destino: Angerville

Etapa 4: Angerville to Artenay

29.00 km 9.67h Alta 170m

Description:

This is one of the longest stages at the end of the Camino Francés, an authentic nightmare with continuous ups and downs. The path traverses a beautiful landscape, with forests, rivers, and villages. ...

Origen: Angerville

Destino: Artenay

Etapa 5: Artenay to Orleans

19.00 km 6.33h Baja 90m

Description:

The penultimate stage of the Camino Francés. The route is smoother than before, a pleasant stroll through eucalyptus forests and meadows. Emotion grows as you approach Santiago. It's a day to enjoy th...

Origen: Artenay

Destino: Orleans

Etapa 6: Orleans to Beaugency

20.00 km 6.67h Media 30m

Description:

The last stage. Emotion is the protagonist of this journey. The path crosses the last forests before arriving at Monte do Gozo, from where you see the cathedral of Santiago for the first time. The ent...

Origen: Orleans

Destino: Beaugency

Featured Towns of Viae Turonensis

Explore the key towns and cities of this route.

Millenary History of the Camino de Santiago: Origins and Evolution Viae Turonensis

Discover the origins and evolution of Viae Turonensis

The Via Turonensis, or the Way of Tours, is the westernmost, longest, and most regal of the four major pilgrimage routes to Santiago that cross France. Described in the Codex Calixtino of the 12th century, its history is deeply linked to two of the greatest centers of power and spirituality in medieval France: the capital city, Paris, and the devotional capital, Tours. It was the route of French kings and northern pilgrims, a long and monumental journey through the heart of French history.

The symbolic starting point of the route is the Tower of Santiago (Tour Saint-Jacques) in Paris. As the capital of the kingdom, Paris was an attraction that drew people from all walks of life, including pilgrims coming from northern France, Flanders, and England. From here, the route heads south, but its name, "Turonensis", does not come from Paris, but from its next major milestone: the city of Tours. During the High Middle Ages, Tours was one of the most important pilgrimage centers in Christendom, much earlier in popularity than Santiago. It housed the tomb of Saint Martin of Tours (died in 397), a saint whose fame was immense throughout Europe. For many pilgrims, the journey to Santiago was, in reality, an extension of their pilgrimage to Saint Martin. The Via Turonensis was, above all, the route to Tours.

After leaving Paris, the route passes through cities of great historical resonance such as Orleans, liberated by Joan of Arc, and ventures into the Loire Valley, a region of pleasant landscapes and unparalleled monumental wealth. After the obligatory stop at the Basilica of Saint Martin of Tours, the route continues south, passing through another important pilgrimage center, Poitiers, where relics of Saint Hilary were venerated. The route traverses the rich region of Aquitania, passing through Saintes, with its church of Saint Eutropius, and the great port city and wine-producing town of Bordeaux.

Unlike other French routes that are more mountainous, most of the Via Turonensis follows a relatively flat terrain, making it a less physically demanding option, although its length, over 900 kilometers, posed a challenge of endurance. It largely followed the route of ancient Roman roads, making it a principal means of communication, not just for pilgrims but also for travelers, armies, and merchants.

After crossing the vast forest of the Landes of Gascony, the pilgrim arrived at the Pyrenees. The Via Turonensis converged with those of Le Puy and Vézelay at Ostabat, to reach finally Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the last French village before facing the legendary Roncesvalles pass and joining the Navarro route, which is already the beginning of the great Camino Francés in Spain.

Although it is less traveled today than the Via Podiensis (Way of Le Puy), its revival as a long-distance hiking trail, GR®655, has revitalized this historical itinerary. Today, to walk it is an immersion in French history, a journey that connects the capital with the city of devotion, passing by the tombs of some of the most revered saints in Christendom and traversing landscapes that are the heart of French culture.

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