Camino de Santiago by bicycle – Bicigrino.com
Choosing the right starting point is one of the first important decisions to enjoy the Camino:
here goes our cyclotourist approach, with the respect and flexibility that the Camino deserves.
Most of them started the journey from the door of their homes, advancing for weeks until they reached Compostela.
Today, the reality of the Camino de Santiago by bicycle is quite different. Very few cyclists can afford
force us to carefully organize and choose the starting point of our Camino.
The modern bicigrino: new motivations, same spirit
In recent years, the profile of those who embark on the Camino by bike has also changed.
More and more agnostics and non-believers are approaching this experience for a variety of reasons:
the sporting challenge, long-distance cycling, personal research or simply the pleasure of traveling by bicycle for
several days in a row.
Regardless of the reason, the Camino keeps its essence intact. What changes is the way to walk it.
And here arises the big question for every bicigrino:
Where do I start my Camino de Santiago by bicycle?
The French Way: the best entry point for the bicigrino
For a first cycling experience, the French Way remains the most logical and recommended option.
- It is the best signposted road.
- With reasonable distances between towns.
- With a greater number of lodges, hostels and services.
- And with a perfect balance of scenery, history and cyclability.
In addition, it is the busiest, which translates into safety, companionship and ease
to solve any mechanical or logistical unforeseen event.
Saint Jean Pied de Port – Roncesvalles: a stage not to be underestimated
From the bicigrino’s point of view, the stage that connects Saint Jean Pied de Port with Roncesvalles
deserves a special comment.
This is not a “problematic” stage, nor is it a mistake to start here. On the contrary: it is an imposing, beautiful and very symbolic
climb, a real gateway to the Camino de Santiago.
However, it is a stage that should not be underestimated. The steep accumulated slope (over 1,000 meters), coupled with the
length and the possible weight of the saddlebags, makes it a demanding day, especially for those facing their first Camino by bicycle
.
Our Bicigrino advice: consider it as a single stage, without rushing, without adding unnecessary kilometers
and assuming that it will be a long, intense and memorable day.
For many bicigrinos, experiencing this climb calmly and respectfully becomes one of the most powerful memories of the entire Camino.
Do you do the whole Camino or divide it by sections?
The complete French Way is about 800 kilometers. Doing it all at once means having more than a month,
something unusual nowadays.
For this reason, many bicigrinos choose to divide the Camino into several sections carried out in different years, an option
perfectly valid and increasingly common:
- Roncesvalles – Burgos
- Burgos – León
- León – Santiago
This approach allows you to enjoy the Camino more calmly, to adapt the stages to your physical level and to fit the trip into your real life.
There is not only one Camino… not by bicycle either.
Although the French Way is the best known, it is by no means the only option for cycling the Camino de Santiago.
- North Road
- Camino Primitivo
- Vía de la Plata
- Sanabrés Road
- Portuguese Way
- Levante Road
- Catalan Way
- Basque Way of the Interior
Each one has its own character, its level of demand and its best time of the year to cycle.
Planning: key to enjoying the Camino by bicycle
Once the route is chosen, one of the most important parts of the bicigrino experience begins:
planning.
When cycling, planning the stages well is fundamental, especially if we have a limited number of days.
It is not a matter of planning everything to the millimeter, but of knowing:
- Reasonable distances
- Accumulated slopes
- Places to sleep
- Alternatives in case of fatigue or bad weather
Good planning is the basis for arriving in Santiago unhurried, stress-free and with a smile on your face.
