Voie Littorale

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: La Pointe de Grave (ferry terminal) → Bayonne (Sainte-Marie Cathedral)
• Length: 337.9 km
• Elevation gain:↗ 649 m / ↘ 646 m — the flattest section of the Camino de Santiago in France
• Duration: 12–15 days (16 combined daily stages)
• Signposts: European scallop on a blue background; in some sections, shared with GR 8 and the Sentier du Littoral
• Connection: Three marked trails begin in Bayonne — Camino del Norte (Coast/Irún), Camino de Baztán (Pamplona), Chemin de la Nive (Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port)
• Character: Two weeks of ocean, dunes, lakes, and pine forests—flat, quiet, sunny, with a thin mosquito net over the bed

Overview

The Voie Littorale is the only Camino de Santiago that begins on the water: Kilometer 0.0 is located at the ferry terminal of the Pointe de Grave, where the ship from Royan docks—just as the boats of the English and Breton sea pilgrims did a thousand years ago. From there, the trail runs 337.9 kilometers down the Côte d'Argent, with entire 649 meters of elevation gain along the way: the sea on the right, the belt of dunes alongside it, with pine forests and lakes behind—including France’s largest freshwater lake—then all the way around the Bassin d’Arcachon through the “Little Amazon” of the Leyre Delta and across the Landes to Bayonne. Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites line the route: the excavated basilica at Soulac, the bell tower at Mimizan, and the cathedral at the end of the route.

It’s a route for people who want peace and quiet and the sound of the surf—and who can plan for it: The accommodations are spread far apart; between Seignosse and Hossegor, they’re few and far between; on the firebreaks of the Landes, there’s neither shade nor water fountains; and walking on sand is tougher than climbing any hill. On the other hand, the terrain isn’t demanding, the ferry costs five euros, and at the end of the journey you’ll find yourself standing before a cathedral where three doors open at the same time: the coast to Irún, the Baztán Valley to Pamplona, and the Nive Valley to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. From Bayonne, it’s still 876 kilometers to Santiago—no matter which route you take.

Other Names

This path has three names, and all three tell a story. Voie du Littoral is what the associations, the départements and the trail signs call it — the coastal way. Voie de Soulac is what it is called after its historic gathering point, the pilgrimage town with the excavated basilica. And Voie des Anglais is what it is called because British pilgrims in the Middle Ages landed by ship in Soulac and traveled southward beyond the belt of dunes; according to tradition, Breton maritime pilgrims followed suit starting around the 10th century. There are two points of confusion worth avoiding: The Camino del Norte is not this path — it only takes over in Bayonne. And when a source cites “412 kilometers,” it’s counting from Soulac to Hendaye; the Voie Littorale from Pointe de Grave to Bayonne measures 337.9 kilometers.

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

This route is for you if you want to spend two weeks walking by the sea without the terrain posing any challenges: 337.9 kilometers with 649 meters of elevation gain—just under two meters of elevation gain per kilometer; no other Camino de Santiago in France has less. From the first day to the last, you’ll hear the sound of the surf, walk along lakes and oyster harbors, through nature reserves, and past three UNESCO World Heritage Sites. And it really is quiet: A pilgrim who walked the route in June 2023 specifically described it as more secluded than the neighboring routes—and the signage is good.

To be honest, though, it's not for you if you're expecting a Spanish network of hostels. There are pilgrim lodgings, municipal gîtes, and campgrounds with pilgrim rates, but they're spread far apart, and between Seignosse and Hossegor almost nothing is left but expensive hotels—you plan around those gaps in advance, not while you’re on the road. The daily distances range from 8.8 to 33.8 kilometers; on the marked Le-Porge loop between Lacanau and Arès, the distance totals 43 kilometers, and large sections run along firebreaks without a single meter of shade. If you need a church every five kilometers, you’re in the wrong place: Between the highlights lie long, very monotonous hours in the forest—exactly the kind of silence that determines whether you choose this trail or not.

Route & Landscape

You'll start at the Pointe de Grave, at the northern tip of the Médoc, right by the ferry terminal — and after just under nine kilometers, you'll find yourself in front of the Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-la-Fin-des-Terres in Soulac, which had been buried in the sand for a century and a half. After that, the trail follows the same pattern for a long time: the sea on the right, dunes alongside it, and pine trees and lakes behind them. You pass through Montalivet and Hourtin, walking along the western shore of the Lac d'Hourtin-Carcans along — at 56.67 square kilometers, France’s largest purely inland lake, dammed by the shifting dunes themselves — and across the “roller-coaster landscape” of the vegetated dunes near Lacanau.

At Arès the path reaches the Bassin d'Arcachon and turns east: It circles the lagoon, passing through the oyster-farming towns of Andernos and Taussat, crosses the Domaine de Certes nature reserve, and crosses at Le Teich the Leyre Delta, known here as “la petite Amazonie”—Cap Ferret and the Dune du Pilat remain on the other side (the dune is worth a quick train trip from Biganos). From Sanguinet, beneath whose lake lies the Gallo-Roman city of Losa, you are in the Landes: 10,000 square kilometers of planted maritime pine, punctuated by Mimizan with its UNESCO-listed bell tower, the solitary Contis lighthouse, and the wild river landscape of the Courant d'Huchet. Through the abandoned harbors Vieux-Boucau and Capbreton you'll reach the Adour — and Bayonne, where three marked trails continue from there at the same time.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

The organizing associations do not publish daily stages, but rather sections—nine in the Gironde, eleven in the Landes. Here they are: 16 daily stages in one go; the route database estimates 12 to 15 days, and a pilgrim’s account from June 2023 covered the stretch from Royan to Bayonne in twelve. Both are true: Those who are in shape can combine the short sections, while those with time to spare can break up the long ones. Technically, nothing is challenging—there are no climbs worthy of the name. The challenges lie elsewhere: the sand under your feet, the sun-baked firebreaks with no shade, the distances ranging from 8.8 to 33.8 kilometers, and the water—water fountains are rarer on this route than on any in Spain, so carry more than you’re used to.

1. La Pointe de Grave → Soulac-sur-Mer — 8.8 km — A short start right from the ferry dock: across the railroad crossing, past the Maison de Grave (circa 1850); at km 6.5, the GR 8 crosses, then through deciduous forest along the bike path to the Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Fin-des-Terres. If you take the early ferry, you can continue on to Montalivet (30.6 km).
2. Soulac-sur-Mer → Montalivet — 21.8 km — Along the Vélodyssée, following the coastline the entire way: Pointe de la Négade, Plage Amélie, past Gurp and the Euronat naturist center (pilgrim discount with Credencial), all the way to the beachfront in Vendays-Montalivet. Side trip to Grayan-et-l'Hôpital to see the Chapel of St. John.
3. Montalivet → Hourtin-Plage / Contaut — 19.6 km — First 6.7 km on a bike path, then sandy forest trails; along the way, a memorial stele for an Allied bomber crew that crashed here in March 1944, followed by the Petit Mont forest hut and the Étang de Contaut.
4. Contaut → Carcans-Maubuisson (Bombannes) — 22.1 km — Along the western shore of Lac d'Hourtin-Carcans, through the Réserve Nationale des Dunes et Marais d'Hourtin (2,100 ha, managed by the ONF; camping prohibited), and finally along the lakeside path to the beach resort of Maubuisson.
5. Carcans-Maubuisson → Lacanau-Océan — 15.7 km — The shortest full stage, featuring sandy paths and bike trails through old, forested dunes and young, planted dunes: a “hilly landscape that feels like a roller coaster.” Side trip (+2.5 km) to the Étang de Cousseau Nature Reserve, 610 ha, accessible only on foot or by bike.
6. Lacanau-Océan → Le Porge — 23.9 km — Forest trails, then the Canal des Étangs (dug in 1864 to drain the region); Le Porge lost its first church to the dunes before 1662. If you skip the marked Le Porge loop, you’ll head directly to Arès (38.6 km instead of 43.2 km).
7. Le Porge → Arès — 19.3 km — Passing the Réserve Naturelle des Prés Salés on the way to the port of Arès. Here, the trail reaches the Bassin d'Arcachon — and turns east instead of heading toward Cap Ferret.
8. Arès → Audenge — 22.0 km — The most beautiful coastal stage: at low tide, parts of the route run along the beach, past the oyster ports of Andernos (Romanesque Church of Saint-Éloi) and Taussat, through the swimming pools of Lanton, and through the large Domaine de Certes nature reserve with its historic dikes and locks.
9. Audenge → Le Teich (Pont de Lamothe) — 14.7 km — A short route, but it takes in the historic heart of the town: Port des Tuiles, the Prieuré de Comprian (1085/1097, Altar of St. James), the Biganos forest harbor with its striped huts, then the Leyre Delta—“la petite Amazonie”—marked three times. In Le Teich: Statue of St. James in Saint-André, Fontaine Saint-Jean (17th century).
10. Le Teich → Sanguinet — 22.0 km — Transition into the Landes region along very open forest and firebreak trails — very little shade; be sure to bring sun protection. Passing the Cazaux-Sanguinet military base, through the Cantaranne Green Corridor (8.5 km) to Lake Sanguinet, beneath which lies the Gallo-Roman town of Losa.
11. Sanguinet → Parentis-en-Born — 17.6 km — First full Landes stage between the Grands Lacs; Parentis was already listed in Higounet’s medieval hospital register.
12. Parentis-en-Born → Mimizan-Bourg — 24.4 km — Via Saint-Paul-en-Born (also listed in the Hospitalliste) to Mimizan. The destination is the clocher-porche, a UNESCO site, featuring a portal dating from around 1220 and one of the earliest depictions of St. James in France; the route via the tower is 3.1 km longer.
13. Mimizan-Bourg → Lit-et-Mixe — 27.2 km — Via Bias (church swallowed up by the dunes in 1743) and Contis, home to the only lighthouse on the Landes coast; both Contis and “Lit” are also listed in the medieval hospital register.
14. Lit-et-Mixe → Moliets-et-Maâ — 33.8 km — The queen stage and by far the longest. Through Vielle-Saint-Girons (once marked by four Sauveté pillars) and Léon; the route ends at the Réserve naturelle du Courant d'Huchet. If you don’t want to walk the entire stretch in one go, split it up in Léon.
15. Moliets-et-Maâ → Seignosse-le-Penon — 24.6 km — Via Vieux-Boucau/Port d'Albret, which lost its harbor when the mouth of the Adour River was relocated to Bayonne in 1578. Note: Accommodations in Seignosse and Hossegor are the bottleneck of the entire route—expensive hotels and vacation resorts, but little else.
16. Seignosse-le-Penon → Bayonne — 32.0 km — Via Capbreton (Hospital of St. John, chapel 1511–1539, bell from 1483), Ondres (“mandatory stop” in the 16th century), and Tarnos (Saint-Vincent Church, 12th century) to the Adour River and into the old town of Bayonne. Destination: the Cathédrale Sainte-Marie, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998, with a pilgrim reception area inside. The route can be easily divided into Capbreton (6.3 km) and Tarnos (18.7 km).

Two variations are worth mentioning: Between Lacanau and Arès, the Le-Porge loop is the marked route (43.2 km instead of 38.6 km as a direct route), and before Mimizan, the 3.1-km-longer detour takes you past the UNESCO bell tower—this detour is the reason you’re here. The 33.8-km “king stage” can be split in Léon; that brings the total to 17 days.

Erected in 1128, abandoned in 1757, re-marked in 2005

This route is not mentioned in the Codex Calixtinus—the famous 12th-century pilgrim’s guide lists only four routes through France, all of which are inland. But while the Codex remained silent, the route took shape: 1085 the Priory of Comprian on the Bassin d'Arcachon is documented, featuring an altar dedicated to St. James, whose significance local historians attribute to “the needs of the pilgrims”; 1128 the lords of Lesparre founded the hospital of La Grayanès, which the Knights Hospitaller expanded into the fourth commandery of their Order in all of France. And in 1951, the historian Charles Higounet listed the medieval chain of hospitals along the coast verbatim—“La Grayanez, Parentis, Saint-Paul-en-Born, Contis, Lit, Cap-Breton”: Five of these six names are now stage towns. The Codex did not know the way. The Knights of St. John knew it exactly.

Then the enemy came, and he came slowly: Sand. Beginning in the 14th century, the dunes began moving inland, successively engulfing the priory at Pointe de Grave, the churches of Le Porge, Lacanau, and Bias—and finally the sanctuary itself: by 1737, the Basilica of Soulac was an island in the sand; by 1744, the doors and windows could no longer be opened, 1757 it is impassable, and the residents rebuild their village two kilometers inland. For over a hundred years, only the bell tower has risen above the dune—a church named “Our Lady of the End of the Earth,” taken very literally. This path has never inspired a pilgrim’s diary. It has something better: 1908 Abbé Bertruc excavated graves near the pilgrimage chapel of Sainte-Hélène-de-l'Estang and found three pierced scallop shells inside—worn by the deceased—along with a belt buckle featuring a scallop shell motif. No text. One grave.

The revival came in waves: In 1849, Cardinal Donnet had the basilica excavated, 1860 mass was celebrated in it once again. The forest through which you’ll be walking for two weeks today is actually younger than the railroad—the law of June 19, 1857, required every municipality in the Landes region to carry out reforestation, resulting in approximately 10,000 square kilometers of maritime pine, the largest man-made forest in Western Europe. In 1986, the sponsoring association was founded in Aquitaine; in 1998, Soulac, Mimizan, and Bayonne were added to the UNESCO World Heritage List; and on October 2, 2005 the Landes section was ceremonially inaugurated—150 kilometers, 21 municipalities. The fact that the prefecture imposes restricted access zones in the summer—since 32,000 hectares have burned in the Gironde since 2022—is part of the honest reality of this planted paradise: the path that the sand couldn’t destroy now watches out for the fire.

Highlights Along the Way

• The ferry across the Gironde estuary — Your journey begins on the water: from Royan, it takes about 30 minutes to reach Le Verdon/Pointe de Grave; in 2026, pedestrians will pay five euros (three in the off-season). Medieval pilgrims did the same, only starting from Talmont-sur-Gironde. Kilometer 0.0 is located at the pier.
• Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-la-Fin-des-Terres, Soulac — a 12th-century Romanesque pilgrimage church built above the legendary oratory of Saint Veronica, who is said to have landed here with a drop of the Virgin’s breast milk (archaeology politely remains silent on this matter). What is documented is even more astonishing: an island in the sand in 1737, inaccessible in 1757, with only the tower visible for a hundred years, excavated in 1849 on the orders of Cardinal Donnet, and Mass celebrated there again in 1860. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1998.
• Grayan-et-l'Hôpital — The place name is proof of this: founded in 1128, it was expanded by the Knights Hospitaller into the fourth commandery of their Order in France. What remains is the Chapel of Saint-Jean-Baptiste—and the name.
• Sainte-Hélène-de-l'Estang — Between Hourtin and Carcans lies the most compelling evidence along the route: In 1908, Abbé Bertruc found three pierced scallop shells and a belt buckle with a scallop shell motif in graves near the pilgrimage chapel. Not a diary—a grave.
• Lac d'Hourtin-Carcans and the Reserves — A 56.67-square-kilometer lake, 18 kilometers long, formed when the dunes dammed up the coastal rivers; also included are the Réserve des Dunes et Marais d'Hourtin (2,100 ha) and the Étang de Cousseau, which is accessible only on foot.
• Comprian and the Leyre Delta — the priory dating from 1085, featuring an altar dedicated to St. James and the burial site of the first Captal de Buch (will dated March 20, 1300), followed by the three-marked crossing through “la petite Amazonie”; In Le Teich, the tourist office stamps your passport with the town’s coat of arms; the church houses a 17th-century statue of St. James.
• The Bell Tower of Mimizan — By 1898–99, only the tower of the priory remained standing, because its portal, dating from around 1220, was too valuable to be demolished: The Adoration of the Magi, the Wise and Foolish Virgins—and one of the earliest depictions of St. James in France, along with 26 square meters of wall paintings dating from 1460–1490. UNESCO World Heritage Site.
• Two Ports Without a River and the Destination — The mouth of the Adour River shifted for centuries until Louis de Foix fixed its course near Bayonne in 1578: Capbreton (Hospital of the Knights of St. John, bell from 1483) and Vieux-Boucau lost their harbors, while Bayonne gained its own—and with it, the Sainte-Marie Cathedral, a UNESCO World Heritage site, where the Friends of St. James welcome pilgrims and stamp their pilgrim passports from April through October.

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

The natural access route comes from the north and ends at the water: Anyone who Via Turonensis will face a choice in Saintes—head inland via Bordeaux, or go down to Royan and onto the ferry. Medieval pilgrims had exactly the same choice and crossed over from Talmont-sur-Gironde. The coastal route from Charente-Maritime (from Nantes and La Rochelle) also joins here; the local associations maintain their lists of lodging options all the way to Soulac.

Most people travel there directly—and the starting point actually has its own train station: The TER’s Médoc line departs from Bordeaux to the terminal station at Pointe-de-Grave, with connections to the ferry as scheduled. Along the way, Soulac, Biganos-Facture, Mimizan, and Bayonne make it easy to join the route; the Pointe-de-Grave–Arès (~190 km) and Sanguinet–Bayonne (~160 km) segments can both be completed as standalone one-week pilgrimages.

Continue the pilgrimage?

In Bayonne, this path ends at a cathedral where three doors open at once—all three marked, all three leading from the Nive. The first is the Camino del Norte: via Bidart and Saint-Jean-de-Luz to Hendaye and Irún (first stage: 28.9 km), then along the Basque and Cantabrian coasts—you stay by the sea, you stay on flat terrain, you just change countries. The second is the Camino de Baztán: 109.4 kilometers in six stages through the Baztán Valley to Pamplona, the shortest route from the Atlantic coast to the Camino Francés, on the trail past the old pilgrims' hospice in Urdax. The third, the Chemin de la Nive, takes you via Cambo to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, where the French routes converge. From Bayonne, it’s another 876 kilometers to Santiago—about 38 days of walking—no matter which route you take.

And a fourth route leads back instead of onward: In Soulac, the Chemin d'Amadour, 500 kilometers on the GR 81 across the southwest to Rocamadour — along the route that, according to legend, was taken by Amadour, the husband of Saint Veronica of Soulac.

Preparation & Practical Information

The best times are May, June, September, and October — not because of the weather, but because of tourism: In July and August, the Côte d’Argent is fully booked, prices double, and the risk of wildfires is so real that the prefecture imposes restricted zones; the organizing association posts these notices at the very top of its homepage during the summer. After the fires of 2022 (32,000 hectares in the Gironde alone), this is no mere formality. And be sure to pack mosquito repellent—even the medieval pilgrim’s guide warned of “giant flies” along this coast.

The trail is marked with the European scallop on a blue background — very good in the Gironde, but faded in some places in the Landes, especially around Hossegor: Download the GPS track. Run in sections GR 8, Sentier du Littoral and the Way of St. James, which follows the same route (and is even marked three times over between Audenge and Le Teich)—don’t let that confuse you. Water is the real challenge: On the forest sections, there’s neither shade nor water fountains; in some places, the faucets have even been removed. Carry more than you’re used to from Spain.

As on all routes along the Way of St. James, you'll need a Pilgrim's Pass (Credencial) — In French pilgrim lodgings, it’s a requirement for check-in, not a souvenir. You can get it from the St. James associations (including at the pilgrim reception desk at Bayonne Cathedral, April through October) or online for about 10 to 15 euros; Order it in advance so you’ll have it in time for the start of your journey—it’s also required to obtain the Compostela in Santiago. And plan your accommodations ahead of time: The associations maintain up-to-date lists of accommodations, but the hostels change, and calling two to three days in advance isn’t just a courtesy here—it’s a necessity; the easiest way to plan is directly in the Camino Ninja app, where you can put together your stages and schedule suitable accommodations right away.

What the journey will cost you

Expect 35 to 55 euros per day — and the Voie Littorale tends to be on the higher end of this standard French range, not because of pilgrim rates, but because of the vacation resorts. The affordable side: stopover lodgings (gîtes d’étape) for 17 to 20 euros; the Landes list ranges from 10 to 50 euros and includes several donation-based accommodations; campgrounds offer pilgrim rates (Sanguinet: starting at 9.90 euros), and in Bayonne, a bed at the Maison Diocésaine costs 18 to 26 euros. The more expensive stretch is Seignosse–Hossegor–Capbreton, where individual nights can easily exceed 60 euros. For the entire route, this means: about 450 to 800 euros if you stick to gîtes and campsites, 800 to 1,200 euros with chambres d’hôtes and a hot dinner—plus the ferry (5 euros), credencial (10–15 euros), and travel to and from the starting point. All prices are current as of August 2026.

Getting There

The starting point is at the tip of a peninsula—and yet it has its own train station: The Médoc Line of the TER runs from Bordeaux to Pointe-de-Grave, with stops in Soulac and Le Verdon, and a scheduled connection to the ferry to Royan. From German-speaking countries, you can fly to Bordeaux-Mérignac or come by TGV. The best option for those coming from the north: take the train to Royan, then the ferry—and then your journey begins on the water, just as it always has historically.

The ending is even simpler: Bayonne lies on the Paris–Hendaye TGV line, with direct trains to Bordeaux, Paris, and Toulouse, and a connection via Irún to San Sebastián; the Biarritz-Pays Basque Airport is ten kilometers away. Those continuing their pilgrimage don’t need a schedule—all three connecting routes start at the Nive River.

• How to get to Pointe de Grave: TER Médoc line from Bordeaux to the terminal station at Pointe-de-Grave (stops include Soulac and Le Verdon), with a connection to the ferry. Bordeaux-Mérignac Airport (~100 km). From the north: Train to Royan, ferry ~30 min. (€5/€3).
• Return trip from Bayonne: Paris–Bordeaux–Hendaye TGV line; Biarritz-Pays Basque Airport ~10 km; Bus 816 to Hendaye, buses to Pamplona, train to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.
• Intermediate entry: Soulac (its own train station, right next to the basilica); Biganos-Facture cuts the distance in half (TER Bordeaux–Arcachon, still ~165 km); Mimizan and Capbreton/Hossegor for a final week in the Landes region (~105 km from Mimizan).