Voie de Garonne

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: Toulouse (Basilica of Saint-Sernin) → Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges
• Length: 129.2 km
• Elevation gain: ↗ 1,393 m / ↘ 1,022 m — the flat Garonne Valley, hills starting at Martres-Tolosane, a final climb to the upper town
• Duration: 5–6 days (6 stages)
• Waymarking: Red-and-white GR markers for the GR 861 (“Via Garona”), Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle sign; reliably marked
• Access route: The Via Tolosana (Voie d’Arles, GR 653) runs right past the Basilica of Saint-Sernin in Toulouse; also, the northeastern section of the GR 653 (Voie Conques–Toulouse) from the Via Podiensis
• Connection: In Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges, it joins the Voie du Piémont Pyrénéen (GR 78); continuing via Oloron-Sainte-Marie and the Somport Pass onto the Camino Aragonés and the Camino Francés
• Character: The Young River Trail (2017) follows an ancient route—six UNESCO monuments, few pilgrims, small inns, and a railroad line running almost the entire way alongside it

Overview

The Voie de Garonne is not a path to a destination, but a path between two paths: In Toulouse the Via Tolosana ends in Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges This is where the Voie du Piémont begins—the organizing association, ACSJO, calls it, literally,“un trait d’union”, a link between two Routes of St. James. In between lie 129.2 kilometers along the Garonne, walking upstream from 140 to 515 meters: You start at the basilica Saint-Sernin, one of the largest surviving Romanesque churches in Europe, which the pilgrim’s guide of the Codex Calixtinus explicitly recommended visiting around 1135 — and ends on a cliff overlooking the Comminges, in a village with 242 residents that was once a Roman city of 30,000.

On the Road: The Battlefield of Muret (September 12, 1213), the fortified cathedral of Rieux-Volvestre, the Roman villa at Chiragan, a cloister that stands half in Saint-Gaudens and half in New York—and Six UNESCO monuments along 129 kilometers—one every 21 kilometers on average. As a marked trail, this route is new, 2017 Opened as GR 861 “Via Garona”; the route it follows is an ancient one, along which Pyrenean marble was transported to Toulouse for centuries. And it offers a luxury that no other Way of St. James provides: The Toulouse–Tarbes train line runs almost the entire way alongside you—if you’re having a bad day, you can hop off for three euros.

1135 in the Codex, 1213 according to Muret, marked in 2017

The pilgrim's guide in the Codex Calixtinus (c. 1135) mentions Toulouse twice: as a stop on the southernmost of the four major routes—via“Saint-Gilles, Montpellier, Toulouse, and the Somport” — and as the tomb of the city's patron saint, Saturninus, to whom the faithful"a huge basilica" would have built. You'll start right at this basilica. And now, let's be honest: Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges is not mentioned in the Codex. Not a word. The pilgrim’s guide directs its readers from Toulouse straight to Somport; the Comminges region is not mentioned in Book V—there is no record anywhere of a medieval route from Toulouse to Saint-Bertrand. This route, established in 2017, follows a very ancient path. To state this honestly is what makes for a more compelling story.

Because the traces of James on the shore are genuine and have been dated: 1257 Toulouse handed over its hospital at the bridgehead, the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques, to the Confrérie de Saint Jacques, “afin de faciliter l’accueil des pèlerins”. Cazères had its own “hôpital de Saint-Jacques” along with the “confrérie de Monsieur Saint-Jacques”—the alley leading to the pilgrims’ lodgings was called“Caminot des morts”, and the apostle is still celebrated there every July 25. And Saint-Bertrand himself provides proof of his pilgrimage: Hanging above the cathedral's portal is a stuffed Crocodile. Legend has it that Saint Bertrand killed it with his crosier; the more down-to-earth explanation is better—it is likely a votive offering from a 14th-century pilgrim to the Holy Land. Whoever offers a sincere explanation for the crocodile proves themselves a true pilgrim.

Muret lies in between. On the September 12, 1213 It was there that Pedro II of Aragon fell—the same king who, just 14 months earlier, had won the greatest battle of the Reconquista at Las Navas de Tolosa and had been known as “el Católico” ever since. He came to the aid of the Counts of Toulouse, underestimated Simon de Montfort, and died in a field 25 kilometers south of Toulouse; after that, Occitania became French. In 1841, at the same location Clément Ader the birthplace of the man whose steam-powered aircraft was the first to take off in 1890—a place where one future ended and another began. And in 2017, the FFRandonnée Haute-Garonne, in partnership with the department, put an end to the long hiatus: Topoguide on June 8, an inaugural hike from July 1 to 7—and ever since, the old marble and freight route has once again been marked by red-and-white posts.

Other Names

Locally, this trail is called Via Garona — that's what it says on every signpost and in the Haute-Garonne department's topographic guide. In the French long-distance hiking trail network, it is numbered GR 861, among the pilgrimage associations and in our route database, it is listed as Voie de Garonne. A quick note on the distance: The officially advertised approximately 170 kilometers of the Via Garona follow a different route—the GR trail includes loops and high-altitude paths as part of its tourist route, while our track measurement follows the Garonne more directly, resulting in a distance of 129.2 kilometers. In accommodation directories, you’ll also come across the simple description Chemin de Compostelle Toulouse–Saint-Bertrand.

Who It's Ideal For—and Who It's Not So Ideal For

This itinerary is for you if you have limited time but a keen interest: five or six days—and a dozen centuries. A Roman villa, Romanesque basilicas, a cathedral with walls three meters thick, a battlefield that shaped the history of Occitania, and, at the end, a former episcopal city that has shrunk to the size of a village. It’s also arguably the most train-friendly Way of St. James in France: Almost every stop along the way has a station on the Toulouse–Tarbes line, so you can break it up into weekends and still end up having walked the entire route eventually. And it’s secluded—a hiking guide by FFRandonnée calls it “still little-traveled,” and you’ll definitely notice that.

To be honest, though, this isn’t the right route for you if you’re looking for the hostel culture of the major Caminos—you won’t find that here. Between Toulouse and Carbonne—that is, for the first day and a half—accommodations are scarce; after that, they’re available regularly but on a small scale: municipal gîtes with just a few beds, chambres d’hôtes, and, at the end of the route, a presbytery with exactly seven beds. It won’t work without a reservation—you plan around such gaps in advance, not while you’re on the road. It’s also not for you if you want to hike through mountain panoramas rather than just look at them: Starting in Saint-Gaudens, you’ll have the Pyrenees as a backdrop, but not under your feet. And the first few kilometers out of the Toulouse metropolitan area are paved—it gets beautiful past Muret.

Route & Landscape

You'll start right in the heart of Toulouse, at the basilica Saint-Sernin, walk down toward the Garonne — past the Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques and the Pont Neuf, which, despite its name, is the oldest bridge in the city—and then always upstream toward the southwest. The first few kilometers take you through the metropolitan area via Portet-sur-Garonne according to Muret, where the Louge flows into the Garonne: riverside paths, riparian forest, gravel banks, with a road running between them. Beyond that, the landscape becomes rural — Noé, Carbonne, the old episcopal city Rieux-Volvestre, then Cazères, the former river port. Up to this point, the path is virtually flat, the valley is wide, the villages are made of red brick, and the river flows slowly.

From Martres-Tolosane The scenery changes: The path frequently leaves the riverbank, climbs up terraces and into oak and chestnut forests, and the Garonne becomes narrower and faster-flowing. Behind Saint-Martory With its bridge dating from 1727, the route crosses the hills near Labarthe-Inard — the Cistercian ruins Bonnefont within reach — according to Saint-Gaudens, and from there on, you have the Pyrenees ahead of you, while the river winds its way down from the mountains toward you. The final stretch across Gourdan-Polignan and Valcabrère ends with the only serious climb along the entire route: up to the cathedral of Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges at 515 meters. Total: 1,393 meters of ascent, 1,022 meters of descent—a net elevation gain of about 370 meters over 129 kilometers.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

Six stages are the natural rhythm — Daily average of about 21.5 kilometers; technically easy throughout, with a single real climb right at the end. The kilometer figures are approximate and based on the route along the river; if you want to take it easier, break the route up at the intermediate towns of Noé, Martres-Tolosane, Labarthe-Inard, or Gourdan-Polignan and turn it into eight shorter days. And this trail is more forgiving than any other: Almost every stop along the way is on the Toulouse–Tarbes rail line—a bad day doesn’t end here in a taxi, but on the regional train. You just have to be careful in wet conditions, when the clay descents past Martres-Tolosane get slippery.

1. Toulouse → Muret — approx. 21 km — City limits on the banks of the Garonne via Portet-sur-Garonne, flat, with some sections paved with asphalt. The destination is the town where the Battle of 1213 took place—home to the 12th-century Église Saint-Jacques and the birthplace of Clément Ader.
2. Muret → Carbonne — approx. 26 km — the longest leg: via Noé Through the wide, flat Garonne Valley, along field and riverside paths. A good place to break up the route on shorter days: Noé.
3. Carbonne → Cazères — approx. 19 km — via Rieux-Volvestre, the old episcopal city (1317–1801) with its fortified cathedral: walls three meters thick, loopholes, and a 43-meter-tall brick tower. First, gentle hills, then the former river port of Cazères.
4. Cazères → Saint-Martory — approx. 21 km — via Martres-Tolosane featuring the ruins of the Roman villa Chiragan and the tomb of Saint Vidian; the second half follows forest trails and hills to the bridge built in 1727.
5. Saint-Martory → Saint-Gaudens — about 20 km — hilly, over Labarthe-Inard, the Cistercian ruins Bonnefont within reach. From here on, the Pyrenees will be on the horizon as you travel.
6. Saint-Gaudens → Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges — approx. 22 km — via Gourdan-Polignan and Valcabrère Passing the Basilica of Saint-Just, then the only real final climb of the route: up to the cathedral at 515 meters.

Over the course of eight days, you’ll split Stages 2, 4, 5, and 6 among the stopover towns of Noé, Martres-Tolosane, Labarthe-Inard, and Gourdan-Polignan. If you’re doing the trail as a series of weekend hikes, use the train stations at Muret, Carbonne, Cazères, Martres-Tolosane, Boussens, and Saint-Gaudens—boarding and exiting cost just a few euros here.

Highlights Along the Way

• Basilique Saint-Sernin, Toulouse — Your starting point: one of the largest surviving Romanesque churches in Europe, with a 115-meter nave, a 65-meter tower, and 128 relics; consecrated by Pope Urban II on May 24, 1096, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998 — and described in the Codex Calixtinus around 1135 as a “giant basilica.”
• Hôtel-Dieu Saint-Jacques, Toulouse — the pilgrims’ hospital at the bridgehead, transferred to the Confrérie de Saint Jacques in 1257 “to care for the pilgrims.” Listed by UNESCO since 1998.
• Pont Neuf, Toulouse — despite its name, the oldest bridge in the city: the first pier was built in 1544, it opened to traffic in 1632, and it was not officially inaugurated until October 19, 1659, by Louis XIV — 220 meters long, with seven arches of varying heights.
• Muret — The battlefield of September 12, 1213, where Pedro II of Aragon fell; the 12th-century Église Saint-Jacques with its octagonal brick tower; the birthplace of aviation pioneer Clément Ader (1841).
• Rieux-Volvestre — Cathedral of a temporary bishopric (elevated to cathedral status in 1317 by Pope John XXII; reverted to parish church in 1801): Walls up to three meters thick in places, loopholes, a 43-meter tower in the Toulouse style—a church built as a fortress.
• Martres-Tolosane — the reliquary of Saint Vidian, which is carried through the town on Trinity Sunday amid a reenactment of a battle against the Saracens; early Christian marble sarcophagi from the 6th century — and the site of the Roman Villa Chiragan, whose approximately 300 sculptures are now on display at the Musée Saint-Raymond in Toulouse.
• Abbaye de Bonnefont — A Cistercian abbey founded in 1136, demolished after the Revolution: Half of its cloister now stands in a park in Saint-Gaudens, and the other half is at the Cloisters Museum in New York. You walk past one end of a story whose other end lies on the Hudson.
• Collégiale Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Gaudens — the largest Romanesque church in the Comminges region, with a 45-meter tower, 36 bells, and Aubusson tapestries. The church is named after a shepherd boy who was beheaded around 475 and, according to legend, ran into the church holding his own head in his hands—Pope Clement V confirmed the place name in 1309.
• Basilique Saint-Just de Valcabrère — 11th/12th century, consecrated in 1200, built entirely from Roman spolia from the city of Lugdunum Convenarum, with four statuary columns at the portal. Listed by UNESCO since 1998.
• Sainte-Marie Cathedral, Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges — Foundation stone laid in 1307 by Pope Clement V; 66 choir stalls (consecrated on Christmas Eve 1535), a Renaissance organ with 2,621 pipes, the tomb of Saint Bertrand—and above the portal, the stuffed crocodile, an ex-voto from a 14th-century pilgrim. The town below: once Lugdunum Convenarum with 30,000 Romans, today 242 residents.

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

The classic feeder route is the Via Tolosana (Voie d’Arles, GR 653): It comes from Arles via Saint-Gilles and Montpellier and runs right through the center of Toulouse—right past the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, where the Voie de Garonne begins. If you want to turn off there instead of continuing straight west toward the foot of the Pyrenees, simply switch routes; this isn’t a detour, but a second route to the same destination, since both trails meet again in Oloron-Sainte-Marie. The second feeder trail is the northeastern branch of the GR 653, the Voie Conques–Toulouse, about the pilgrim from the Via Podiensis come across.

If you're traveling without a connecting route, simply take a train or flight to Toulouse: Blagnac Airport and Matabiau Station are both located within the city limits; it takes about twenty minutes to walk from the station to the basilica. You can get your pilgrim's passport from the organizing association ACSJO, which operates a drop-in center right in Saint-Sernin daily from April through October between 3:00 and 6:00 p.m. And for those who prefer to take the route in smaller sections, you can hop on at the train stations in Muret, Carbonne, Cazères, or Saint-Gaudens—this route has more stops along the way than any other.

Continue the pilgrimage?

This trail does not end in Saint-Bertrand-de-Comminges; it is handed off: Here, the Voie du Piémont Pyrénéen (GR 78) and takes you westward at the foot of the Pyrenees—via Lourdes to Oloron-Sainte-Marie, where it meets the Via Tolosana meets. From there, the historic route leads through the Vallée d’Aspe over the Col du Somport (1,632 m) to Spain and in six stages along the Camino Aragonés to Puente la Reina, where the Camino Francés follows—exactly the route that the Codex Calixtinus described around 1135 for the pilgrims from Toulouse.

The alternative stays on the French side longer: the GR 78 until it ends in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port follow the instructions and go to the Camino Francés Get on board. Both options end in Santiago—the first is the historically documented one, the second is the more comfortable one.

Preparation & Practical Information

The best time is Spring. The trail has no mountain passes and no snow, so it’s accessible year-round—but the Garonne Valley gets hot and has little shade in midsummer, especially on the flat stretches along the riverbank during the first few days; March through June and September through October are ideal. As for gear, all you need is what you’d take on any French summer trail: lightweight hiking boots, rain gear—hiking poles are only really helpful on the clay descents past Martres-Tolosane.

The trail is marked with the classic red-and-white GR bar, reliable and well-maintained from Toulouse to Saint-Bertrand. The real planning challenge is finding a place to sleep: Between Toulouse and Carbonne, options are scarce; from Carbonne onward, you’ll find affordable lodging on a regular basis—municipal gîtes, Accueil Pèlerin, campgrounds—but “regularly” doesn’t mean “plenty.” The Halte Pèlerins In the presbytery of Saint-Bertrand, there is exactly seven beds and is open only from April 15 to November 1. Make a reservation—and make it early — and keep this in mind: The Toulouse–Tarbes train line runs alongside the route almost the entire way, and a regional ticket costs just a few euros.

As on all routes along the Way of St. James, you'll need a Pilgrim's Passport (Credencial) — Issued here by the ACSJO association at the Basilica of Saint-Sernin (April through October, daily from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.). It’s best to order it online in advance so you’ll have it in time for the start of your journey. And plan your daily stages in advance, because on this route, it’s the reserved bed that matters, not your physical condition—the easiest way to do this is right in the Camino Ninja app, where you can put together your stages and plan suitable accommodations at the same time.

What the journey will cost you

Expect 35 to 55 € per day (As of August 2026). A bed in a French “gîte d’étape” costs €17 to €20, occasionally less—the municipal gîte in Rieux-Volvestre is €15—and at the destination, the “Halte Pèlerins” is located in the presbytery of Saint-Bertrand 25 € per person, including breakfast, cash or check—they don’t accept cards there. Chambres d’hôtes are significantly more expensive (75 € per room plus 25 € for dinner are documented on this route), and the French rule of thumb—“comptez 50 € par jour”—applies here as well. For six days, that means, depending on the style, 250 to 350 € No travel required. You can save money on food: The stops along the route are established small towns with supermarkets and bakeries—not isolated hamlets with no amenities.

Getting Here

Toulouse is the most convenient starting point a Camino de Santiago could have: Blagnac Airport is served by flights from throughout the German-speaking world and is a half-hour tram ride from the city center; the train station Toulouse-Matabiau can be reached via Paris or—with fewer transfers and a more scenic route—via Barcelona and Narbonne. From the train station to the Basilica of Saint-Sernin, it’s about a twenty-minute walk through the old town. If you take the Via Tolosana When he arrives, he doesn't even have to make his way here—he just walks right in.

The return trip is just as easy: From your destination, it's about five kilometers down to the train station Montréjeau–Gourdan-Polignan on the Toulouse–Tarbes line, from there back to Toulouse or onward toward Pau and Bayonne. This same line is the reason why this route can be broken down so easily: it stops at almost every stop along the way.

• Getting to the starting line: Toulouse-Blagnac Airport (direct flights from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland), Toulouse-Matabiau Train Station (via Paris or Barcelona/Narbonne); about a 20-minute walk to the Basilica of Saint-Sernin.
• Return trip from Saint-Bertrand: About 5 km to the Montréjeau–Gourdan-Polignan train station, on the Toulouse–Tarbes/Pau line; the trip to Toulouse takes a little over an hour and a half.
• Intermediate entry: Train stations in Muret, Carbonne, Cazères, Martres-Tolosane, Boussens, and Saint-Gaudens (liO regional fare; sample prices: Cazères–Muret €3, Boussens–Toulouse €5).