La Scandibérique de St Palais à St Jean Pied de Port
There is no doubt about the heritage dimension of this stage as the spirit of the Jacobean adventure hovers over the roads leading to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port: crosses, chapels, churches, hospitable villages steeped in memory, all indicators here demonstrate the strong tradition of welcoming pilgrims
At the gates of Saint-Palais, your first turns of the wheel will take you to Saint-Sauveur hill, where the stele of Gibraltar reveals the great heritage potential of this stage. Several historical routes to Santiago de Compostela converge here and, throughout the day, numerous witnesses to this timeless popular fervour for the long-distance journey will mark out the ascents and descents to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port: crosses, chapels, churches, ruins of hospices, an abundance of gîtes, villages steeped in memory. Add to this the increasing density of walkers and itinerant cyclists encountered, and there is no doubt that you are riding today on a major route. At the end of the stage, entering Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port by the Porte Saint-Jacques and walking down its cobbled alleyway may even give you a few shivers.
