Where does the camino start in Paris?

[Julio Rivera]

Hello:
I may start the camino in Paris next year but I do not know 1)where (what street) does the yellow arrows start? and what guide shall I use for France?

 

[mspath]

Julio Rivera,

One starting point is at the Tour St Jacques in Paris

Be sure to check out these earlier Forum threads for more about pilgrim sites in Paris, the camino in Paris and
Paris to SJPdP.

When on the parvis or place facing the Notre Dame cathedral below you underground lie Roman ruins and visible to your right across the Seine begins the medieval rue Saint Jacques which pilgrims followed to leave the city; walk it a bit and ponder history.

Take a deep breath, relax and just enjoy it! As an American who has lived more than 40 years in France both in Paris and Champagne even after all that time for me as Thomas Jefferson wrote “a walk about Paris will provide lessons in history, beauty, and in the point of life.”

In the truest sense, Ultreia!

 

[JabbaPapa]

The Tour Saint-Jacques, just north over the river from Notre-Dame, is the traditional gathering point for pilgrims starting in the northern parts of Paris, or travelling through Paris on their own longer Ways.

Then it depends whether you're going via Orléans or Chartres.

South from there on the Way to Orléans you take the Rue Saint-Jacques from Notre-Dame towards the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Jacques and so on.

The Way via Chartres can be a little more DIY for getting out of Paris, but it becomes more definite from Rambouillet. One option for the Chartres variant is to follow the Orléans route as far as Saint-Rémy lès Chevreuse, and then make your Way from there to Rambouillet, but there are ways to get there with less suburbia and more nature.

On my 1994 I actually left from close to the Place de la Bastille, towards the Tour Saint-Jacques, as I had lived near there at a friend's place over the 10-day/2 week period before starting. The first 20K from central Paris was on my old hike training route to Jouy-en-Josas, about half way to Saint-Rémy.

There may be no yellow arrows until you're well away from Paris, possibly not until you're rather close to Spain. In France, you mostly follow the FFR hiking route waymarkers (Fédération Française de Randonnée).

 

[gerardcarey]

The Tour St Jacques in Paris is indeed widely recognised as the place to start.
There used to be an office there where you could get a credential, and your first stamp.
In 2019 it was closed for extensive conservation work. All access blocked and I presumed the office closed. Hopefully open again now.

Tour Saint-Jacques - Paris tourist office

Tour Saint-Jacques - The Tour Saint-Jacques stands alone in the middle of a little garden of the same name. A tower in the flamboyant Gothic style,...

en.parisinfo.com

Regards
Gerard

 

[David and Theresa]

Camino signs in Paris

 

[mspath]

Here is much
additional info in French
including interactive maps and lists of etapes or stops regarding the Paris to SJPdP routes

Browsing these might be a great way to start planning your journey.

Check these useful forum topics for guides to the Tours route

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/the-tours-route.47/

and for the Vezelay route

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/forums/the-vézelay-route.48/

Forum member pudgypilgrim has studied/walked these routes. Do check her relevant posts for many invaluable comments/tips.

The Confraternity of Saint James
has published in English a guide for the Tours route.

https://www.csj.org.uk/product/pilgrim-guide-via-lemovicensis/

Perhaps you will find this 2013 blog in English by Carolus Peregrinator on the Chemin de Tours also helpful.

Happy planning, good luck and Bon chemin!

 

[Kathor1]

Camino signs in Paris

Actually, there are not many yellow arrows in Paris. But since 2020, there are now 69 bronze markers along the rue du Petit-Pont and the rue Saint-Jacques, the main boulevard when you leave the centre of Paris and go south. This is a long story. The City of Paris is not keen on painted yellow arrows and for a long time they were even reluctant to place Camino markers on the pavement. Members of various Camino association worked tirelessly over the years to change minds and had finally some success.

To @Julio Rivera: Walking from Paris is great. After all, I've done it myself. I just wonder whether you are aware of the fact that the infrastructure and the number of pilgrims of the way from Paris is quite different when compared to Spain. The most popular 'camino' in France is the one that starts in Le Puy which is far away from Paris.

Bronze markers in Paris:

 

[c0484]

Hello:
I may start the camino in Paris next year but I do not know 1)where (what street) does the yellow arrows start? and what guide shall I use for France?

The Tower of Saint James near Notre Dame Cathedral.

 

[kelleymac]

Camino signs in Paris

That is so teensy!

 

[JabbaPapa]

Here is much
additional info in French
including interactive maps and lists of etapes or stops regarding the Paris to SJPdP routes

Browsing these might be a great way to start planning your journey.

The maps are fine, but they're not much good for secondary or tertiary routes, that some might prefer.

There's actually a Paris > Chartres > Orléans > Loire river > Tours variant that I wish I'd known about back on my 1994 !!

Chartres to Orléans is still as DIY and devoid of specific pilgrim/hiker resources as the whole Paris Way was back in the 90s, but the hike along the Loire plus the glorious passage to and through Chartres would be an amazing combo.

 

[VNwalking]

Perhaps you will find this 2013 blog in English by Carolus Peregrinator on the Chemin de Tours also helpful.

I just spent the morning reading this excellent account. Thank you, Margaret!

 

[Scott Sweeney]

The Tour Saint-Jacques, just north over the river from Notre-Dame, is the traditional gathering point for pilgrims starting in the northern parts of Paris, or travelling through Paris on their own longer Ways.

Then it depends whether you're going via Orléans or Chartres.

South from there on the Way to Orléans you take the Rue Saint-Jacques from Notre-Dame towards the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Jacques and so on.

The Way via Chartres can be a little more DIY for getting out of Paris, but it becomes more definite from Rambouillet. One option for the Chartres variant is to follow the Orléans route as far as Saint-Rémy lès Chevreuse, and then make your Way from there to Rambouillet, but there are ways to get there with less suburbia and more nature.

On my 1994 I actually left from close to the Place de la Bastille, towards the Tour Saint-Jacques, as I had lived near there at a friend's place over the 10-day/2 week period before starting. The first 20K from central Paris was on my old hike training route to Jouy-en-Josas, about half way to Saint-Rémy.

There may be no yellow arrows until you're well away from Paris, possibly not until you're rather close to Spain. In France, you mostly follow the FFR hiking route waymarkers (Fédération Française de Randonnée).

Several years ago we got a really nice embossed stamp at Notre-Dame than on Saint-Jacque.

 

[VNwalking]

There's actually a Paris > Chartres > Orléans > Loire river > Tours variant that I wish I'd known about back on my 1994 !!

Tell me more! Choosing between Chartres and Orléans is not an easy decision.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Tell me more! Choosing between Chartres and Orléans is not an easy decision.

It's DIY, but basically you just head South East from Chartres, picking a route to avoid the main roads, and go village to village.

I guess you could carry on from Chartres to Châteadun, and make your way to Orléans from there ?

 

[mspath]

Check out this for Chartres to Orléans.

COMPOSTELLE - Chemin des Cathédrales CHARTRES - ORLEANS

Chemin de CHARTRES à ORLEANS permettant de: - faire une jonction entre les chemins de Paris à Tours via Chartres d'une part et Orléans d'autre part - réhabiliter le chemin Chartres à Vézelay - établir une jonction sur le chemin du Mont Saint Michel à Monte - Gargano

ignrando.fr

 

[VNwalking]

Wow, thank you both, @JabbaPapa and @mspath! Bookmarked.

 

[c0484]

It's DIY, but basically you just head South East from Chartres, picking a route to avoid the main roads, and go village to village.

I guess you could carry on from Chartres to Châteadun, and make your way to Orléans from there ?

I would start at the tower of Saint James

 

[JabbaPapa]

I would start at the tower of Saint James

I did, and would - - we're discussing how to start from Paris and then go to both Chartres and Orléans along the way.

 

[lovingkindness]

Several years ago we got a really nice embossed stamp at Notre-Dame than on Saint-Jacque.

So did I!

 

[Bill905]

After my most recent Camino in May of this year, I flew to Paris and met up with my wife. We visited Paris for several days. As we explored the city I was pleasantly surprised to see a few of the bronze street markers near Notre-Dame. In this photo, you can enlarge to see a bronze marker, a yellow arrow, and the towers of Notre-Dame in the background.