Roncesvalles · Pyrenean Navarra · Spain

Camino de Santiago francés Salida

pilgrimage trailmountain walkCaminogoogle verified

challenging

10/10

best: spring, summer, autumn

spiritual, dramatic, epic

A local would say...

Medieval pilgrims crossing these mountains in winter sometimes died before reaching the pass — locals built the abbey at Roncesvalles specifically to rescue them.

The opening section of the Camino Francés in Spain, which crosses over the Pyrenees from France to Roncesvalles, is also one of the most spectacular parts of the entire 800km Camino de Santiago. The Puerto de Ibañeta pass at 1057m marks the entry into Spain and the dramatic descent into Roncesvalles through beech forests, followed by the route down to Pamplona through rolling Navarrese hills and vine country.