Cycling the Camino Frances: Last 200km from Ponferrada

Welcome to Spain! Arrive in the medieval town of Ponferrada and check into your hotel before venturing out to explore your surroundings. The start of the last 200 km of the Camino Frances or “French Way,” you’ll likely see a lot of bicigrinos, pilgrims who choose to cycle the Camino.

After a hearty breakfast, you’ll gear up and set out to begin the last 200 km of the French Way, considered one of the most challenging sections of the Camino. Be ready for the strenuous incline toward O Cebreiro, though there is the option to split the day into two where you can overnight in Villafranca del Bierzo.

Saying farewell to O Cebreiro, you’ll continue along the Camino through the mountains of Galicia, stopping as you like to take in the sweeping vistas of the rugged landscape. En route, stop at the Monasterio de Samos, one of the jewels of the French Way.
From here, pedal on to Sarria, the starting point for many pilgrims who choose to walk the Camino de Santiago. Sarria marks the beginning of the last 100 km of the French Way

Rest the legs today with a shorter ride as you share the path with walking pilgrims, passing by small woods, hamlets, and the rural Galician countryside. Finally, you will arrive in Portomarín, one of the most popular spots of the French Way for its underwater ruins of a medieval town it overlooks.

Most walking pilgrims will complete the section from Portomarín to Palas de Rei, but if you’re on a bike, you’ll have the pleasure of riding to Melide! This portion of the route will lead you through the Sierra de Ligonde, where you’ll get a chance to climb a series of hills and mountains. Once in Melide, be sure to try the traditional dish: pulpo a feira (octopus).

Leaving Melide behind, you’ll pedal alongside quiet wooded areas and quaint pastoral villages to Arzúa. Spend a little time here to taste the local cheese before completing the last leg of the French Way to arrive at your final destination of Santiago de Compostela.

Celebrate with strangers and friends alike in Praza do Obradoiro—where pilgrims commemorate the end of their expedition—and pick up your Compostelana (certificate of completing the pilgrimage).
Depending on your travel plans, other notable stops worth your time include the 18th-century chapel in Santa Irena (near the Atlantic coast), as well as the hamlets of A Rúa (south of O Cebreiro) and O Amenal (just east of Santiago de Compostela)

Take the morning to enjoy your last day in Santiago de Compostela before it’s time to check out and continue your journey home.