The Camino de Santiago, with its most renowned route being the French Way, holds a profound place in Christian history, tracing back to the discovery of Saint James the Great’s remains in the 9th century. Legend has it that Saint James’s remains were transported by boat from Jerusalem to northern Spain, where he was buried in the land that would become Santiago de Compostela.The pilgrimage to his burial site became immensely popular during the Middle Ages, reaching its zenith in the 11th and 12th centuries. It was during this time that many of the routes, including the French Way, were established, and the infrastructure to support pilgrims, such as hospitals, hostels, and churches, was developed. The Camino de Santiago was more than a spiritual journey; it was a significant factor in the cultural and economic exchange between the Iberian Peninsula and the rest of Europe.However, the popularity of the pilgrimage waned with the onset of the Protestant Reformation and the political unrest in Europe. By the 20th century, the Camino de Santiago had largely fallen into obscurity, traversed only by a handful of pilgrims each year. It wasn’t until the late 20th century, spurred by the efforts of local and religious organizations, as well as the designation of the Camino as a European Cultural Route by the Council of Europe in 1987, that the Camino experienced a resurgence in popularity.Today, the Camino de Santiago attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims annually from across the globe, drawn by its rich history, spiritual significance, and the beauty of the Spanish landscape. The French Route, as the oldest and most traditional path, offers a direct link to the medieval pilgrims who first walked the way, making it a journey that transcends time, connecting the past with the present in a continuous thread of faith, culture, and human endurance.
