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THE FRENCH WAY TO
SANTIAGO IN GALICIA
O Cebreiro to Santiago de
Compostela
 After leaving Villafranca del Bierzo, the
traveller is in Galicia. When they had left Piedrafita Pass behind, the pilgrims
considered themselves to be at the gates of their destination. Shortly after leaving the
pass behind, the traveller reaches
O'Cebreiro where he finds a series of pallozas -primitive living quarters like
the one found in the castros, the fortified villages of the Celts- as well as a
beautiful pre-romanesque church of the 9c and 10c.
The same road that brought the traveller to this point follows the Pilgrims' Way
through Liñares, Hospital da Condesa and Padornelo as far as El Alto do Poio,
 Fonfría del Camino, Biduedo and
Triacastela are the last stops along the eleventh stage of the Codex of
Calixtus. The next one began at the
Monastery of Samos, one of the most famous cultural centres at the start of the
Middle Ages.
Sarria, with a fortress in ruins above, has a main street -Calle Mayor- full of
reminders of the Way, The Church of Santiago -Romanesque and Gothic-, the Hospital of
San Antonio and the Convent of the Mercedarians are the most outstanding features among
the traces left by the pilgrimages. The Churches of
Barbadelo and Paradela (both Romanesque) also deserve a visit before one reaches
Portomarín. The (also Romanesque) churches of San Pedro and San Nicolás as well
as a pazo, a
 Galician country house, are the most important
buildings of this otustanding stopping place on the Pilgrims' Way to Santiago.
From here it is advisable to take the C-535 as far as the regional road leading to Lugo.
After another 10 km (6 mi.), the C-547 branches off to the left and takes the traveller
directly to
Santiago. 15 km further along, there is Palas do Rei, which is full of
splendid Romanesque buildings and is the end of the 12th and last stage in the Codex. At
Melide a visit should include the Church of Santa María, the church of the
former Hospital of Sancti Spiritus and the portal of the Church of San Pedro.
Arzúa is the next important village. It also has a former hospital next to the
Church of La Magdalena. Lavacolla, the site of today's airport, is mentioned in
Picaud's Guide as the Lavamentula where the pilgrims used to clean themselves before
entering the city of the apostle
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