Pilgrims trails

The Great Historical Trails

For those of you who love nature, history and religion and whether you are going on a spiritual quest, for personal reasons just for the challenge, these itineraries are designed for you.

The Way of St. James ( Spain)

Waymarked Trail GR 654 – 1 700 km departing from Vézelay

As early as the 11th century, the relics of Saint Mary-Magdalene attracted large crowds to Vézelay, which subsequently became one of the four main gathering spots in France for pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Compostela.  Two different routes were used, one via Bourges, the other via Nevers, both of which meet at Gargilesse.  The Vézelay Way has been on the UNESCO World Heritage list since 1998, as are the three others which exist in France.

The Assisi Trail (Italy)

Waymarked Trail – 1500 km departing from Vézelay

This trail, which opened in 2005, links Vézelay, where the first Franciscan monastery was established in France in the 13th century, to Assisi, birthplace of St. Francis, founder of the Franciscan order.