Vézelay (Via Lemovicensis)

The Way of Vézelay (Vía Lemovicensis) starts from the basilica of Vézelay in Burgundy, France to the Pyrenees. A historic route through the center of France to Santiago.

Organize your Vézelay (Via Lemovicensis)

Origin

Vézelay

Destination

Ostabat

Distance

870 km

Days

35

Difficulty

Media

General Description of Vézelay (Via Lemovicensis)

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.

Connections of Vézelay (Via Lemovicensis)

Viae Turonensis
Distance: 913 km
Days: 38
Difficulty: Media

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.

Stages of this variant:

Etapa 1
Stage 1: The City of Wood
36.00 km 12.00h Media
Etapa 2
Stage 2: The Village of Bois - Étampes
22.40 km 7.47h Alta
Etapa 3
Stage 3: Étampes - Angerville
25.00 km 8.33h Baja
Etapa 4
Stage 4: Artenay - Angerville
29.00 km 9.67h Alta
Etapa 5
Stage 5: Artenuy-Orléans
19.00 km 6.33h Baja
(31) 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 Vézelay (Via Lemovicensis)

Etapa 1: Vézelay to Saint-Germain-des-Bois (Nièvre)

22.00 km 7.33h Media

Description:

Leaving beautiful San Sebastián, this stage enters the Guipuzcoan coast. The route is a continuous rise and fall through hills and cliffs, with spectacular views of the sea. It's a day of great beauty...

Etapa 2: Saint-Germain-des-Bois (Nièvre) to Champlemy

22.00 km 7.33h Media

Description:

This stage continues along the Guipuzcoa coast, on a route that combines interior sections with spectacular views of the sea. It is a beautiful day that crosses the txakoli vineyards and charming vill...

Etapa 3: Champlemy to La Charité-sur-Loire

24.00 km 8.00h Alta 80m

Description:

This stage leaves the coast to venture into the mountains of Vizcaya. The route is a continuous up and down through a landscape of forests and farmhouses. It's a day of great beauty and physical deman...

Origen: Champlemy

Destino: La Charité-sur-Loire

Etapa 4: La Charité-sur-Loire to Baugy

25.00 km 8.33h Alta 80m

Description:

This stage continues through the mountains of Vizcaya, on a route of great beauty and demand. The path crosses the Urdaibai Biosphere Reserve, a natural environment of great value. Arrival in Gernika-...

Origen: La Charité-sur-Loire

Destino: Baugy

Etapa 5: Baugy to Bourges

21.00 km 7.00h Alta 40m

Description:

This stage is an on-going rise and fall through the hills preceding Bilbao. It's a demanding but beautiful day. The route goes through a rural and solitary landscape that contrasts with the approachin...

Origen: Baugy

Destino: Bourges

Etapa 6: Bourges to Chârost

11.00 km 3.67h Media 40m

Description:

This stage is an enjoyable ride that brings the pilgrim to the great city of Bilbao. The route is a gentle descent through the Asua valley. Arrival in Bilbao, with its impressive Guggenheim Museum, ol...

Origen: Bourges

Destino: Chârost

Featured Towns of Vézelay (Via Lemovicensis)

Explore the key towns and cities of this route.

Millenary History of the Camino de Santiago: Origins and Evolution Vézelay (Via Lemovicensis)

Discover the origins and evolution of Vézelay (Via Lemovicensis)

The Way of Lemovicensis, popularly known as the Via Francigena, is one of the four historic Jacobean routes in France, a path that originates at the spiritual heart of Burgundy and traverses deep and rural France on its long journey to the Pyrenees. Its history is linked to devotion to one of the most fascinating and revered saints in Christendom, Mary Magdalene, and to the powerful abbey that claimed to guard her relics, becoming one of the world's most important starting points for medieval pilgrims.

The origin of the route lies on Vézelay's "eternal hill". In the 11th century, Benedictine monks from the Abbey of Vézelay announced that they possessed the body of Saint Mary Magdalene, brought from the Holy Land. This claim in a time of fervent religiosity transformed the abbey into an international pilgrimage center. Kings, nobles, and people from all over Europe came to Vézelay, a place so sacred that sermons were preached on both the Second and Third Crusades. For many of these pilgrims, after venerating Magdalena, the logical next step was to continue their journey to the other great center of Western Christendom: Santiago's tomb in Compostela.

Thus, the Way of Lemovicensis was born, taking its name from the Limousin region (Lemosín in French) and its capital, Limoges, a crucial milestone on the route. From Vézelay, the route heads southwest and is characterized by dividing soon into two major branches that advance parallel for hundreds of kilometers before reuniting. The northern branch passes through the city of Bourges with its spectacular Gothic cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The southern branch passes through Nevers.

Both branches traverse the heart of France, a land of forests, hills, and meadows. They arrive at the Limousin region, where the city of Limoges, famous throughout Europe for its exquisite medieval enamels and the tomb of Saint Martial, its evangelist apostle, offered pilgrims an important urban center to rest and regain strength. The route continues southward, delving into the beautiful Périgord region known for its gastronomy and rich heritage. The city of Périgueux with its singular Saint-Front Cathedral, featuring Byzantine-inspired cupolas and also a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the context of the Caminos de Santiago in France, is another major gem on the route.

After almost 900 kilometers of travel, the Way of Lemovicensis reaches the foothills of the Pyrenees in French Basque Country. At the famous crossroads of Gibraltar near Ostabat, pilgrims from Vézelay met those coming by the Via Turonensis and the Via Podiensis. Together, they faced the final stretch to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, the entrance to Spain via Roncesvalles.

The modern revival (designated as GR 654) of this route has revitalized a path that offers a more solitary and contemplative pilgrimage experience than other French routes. It is a journey through "deep France," rural and timeless France, an itinerary that allows pilgrims to connect with monastic history, Romanesque and Gothic art, and serene landscapes in the heart of the country, following the trail of a millennia-old devotion.

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