Via Domitia

At a Glance

• Start / Finish: Piacenza → Arles
• Length: 778.7 km
• Elevation gain: ↗ 13,405 m / ↘ 13,448 m
• Duration: approx. 28–35 days
• Marking: GR 653D in France · local markings in sections in Italy
• Highest point: Col de Montgenèvre (1,850 m)
• Difficulty: moderate to challenging
• Best time to visit: June through September for crossing the Alps; in Provence, also spring and fall
• Connection: Via Tolosana from Arles

Overview

The Via Domitia serves as the major link between Italy and the French routes to Santiago de Compostela. It stretches 778.7 km from Piacenza across the Po Valley, straight through Piedmont to Turin, up through the Susa Valley, over the Col de Montgenèvre (1,850 m) — and on the other side of the Alps, through the Durance Valley and down through Haute-Provence to Arles on the Rhône.

Its name says it all: The Roman Via Domitia, constructed beginning in 118 B.C., was the oldest Roman road in Gaul and connected Italy to Spain via southern France. The French long-distance hiking trail GR 653D deliberately follows this ancient route—pilgrims walking here travel along a transportation corridor that is over 2,100 years old, in some places literally on Roman pavement.

The Via Domitia is not for pilgrims seeking the lively hostel life of the Spanish routes. It is a quiet, challenging, and scenically spectacular route: the Po Valley, vineyard-covered hills, the High Alps, and Provençal light—all in a single month of pilgrimage.

Other Names

In French, the trail is called Via Domitia; the official name of the long-distance hiking trail for the French section is GR 653D. In Italy, there is occasional mention of the Via Domitia That's the story. All the names can be traced back to the ancient Via Domitia—named after the Roman consul Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus, who had the road built.

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

The Via Domitia is ideal for you if you already have experience with pilgrimages or trekking and are looking for a route that offers a true Alpine adventure. You’ll experience three completely different worlds along a single route: the tranquil Po Valley, a high-Alpine pass crossing with fortified towns like Briançon—and, to top it all off, Provence with its lavender fields, ochre cliffs, and Roman ruins. History lovers will be hard-pressed to find a route richer in history.

The Via Domitia probably isn't for you if you're expecting a well-developed pilgrim infrastructure. There are hardly any hostels in the Spanish sense, you rarely meet other pilgrims, and you'll have to plan the stages yourself. Montgenèvre is located at 1,850 m — Before June and after October, you can expect snow. And in the height of summer, the Po Valley and Provence can get sweltering.

Route & Landscape

Italy (Piacenza → Montgenèvre, approx. 345 km): And Piacenza, where the Via Francigena and the Via Postumia intersect, the trail begins in the vast Po Valley. Passing through Tortona and the wine-growing hills of Monferrato, you’ll reach Turin, the elegant Savoyard royal seat at the foot of the Alps. Then things get serious: The Susa Valley leads you—past the spectacular castle perched on a rocky outcrop Feast of St. Michael and the Roman Arch of Augustus in Susa — steadily uphill to the Col de Montgenèvre at 1,850 m, one of the oldest Alpine passes in Europe.

France (Montgenèvre → Arles, approx. 434 km): On the French side, there is Briançon, the highest city in France with its Vauban fortress. The GR 653D now follows the Durance River: across Dawn and the turquoise one Serre-Ponçon Lake to Gap, then through increasingly Mediterranean scenery to Sisteron with its citadel overlooking the Durance Gorge. Through the hills around Forcalquier, the Luberon with Applied and via Cavaillon, you'll reach Saint-Rémy-de-Provence with the excavations at Glanum — and finally Arles, the Roman town at the gateway to the Camargue.

Stages, Terrain & Difficulty

At 778.7 km and with about 13,400 meters of elevation gain, the Via Domitia is a full-fledged long-distance trail. Most daily stages range from 20 to 28 km. Only the beginning is flat: From Turin onward, the trail climbs steadily, and the section between the Susa Valley and Sisteron is truly mountainous terrain. The trail is roughly divided into five sections:

1. Piacenza → Turin (approx. 235 km, 8–10 days) — Po Valley, Tortona, the wine-growing hills of Piedmont; flat to rolling
2. Turin → Montgenèvre (approx. 110 km, 4–5 days) — Susa Valley, Sacra di San Michele, steady climb to 1,850 m
3. Montgenèvre → Sisteron (approx. 190 km, 7–8 days) — Briançon, Durance Valley, Serre-Ponçon, Gap; alpine landscape
4. Sisteron → Cavaillon (approx. 155 km, 5–6 days) — Forcalquier, Luberon, Apt; the Provençal hills
5. Cavaillon → Arles (approx. 90 km, 3 days) — Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, Alpilles, Rhône Valley

On the oldest Roman road in Gaul

When the Roman consul Gnaeus Domitius Ahenobarbus had the Via Domitia built in 118 B.C., it was the very first Roman road on Gallic soil. Its purpose: to connect Italy with the new provinces in Spain. For centuries, the traffic of a world empire—legions, merchants, and later pilgrims—flowed across the Montgenèvre Pass, through the Durance Valley, and across the plains of southern France.

This history is everywhere along the route. In Susa stands the Arch of Augustus, dating from 8 B.C.; near Saint-Rémy-de-Provence, the excavations of the Roman city of Glanum lie right along the route; and in Arles, one of the best-preserved amphitheaters of antiquity welcomes you. The GR 653D was deliberately routed along the ancient path — In several places, you'll walk on sections of original cobblestone pavement and pass Roman milestones.

For pilgrims on the Way of St. James, this corridor served as the natural route from Lombardy and Piedmont to Arles in the Middle Ages, where the Via Tolosana begins. Today’s route brings this historical logic back to life: a path that connects two worlds—and never feels arbitrary.

Highlights Along the Way

• Piacenza — The Cathedral and Piazza Cavalli; the intersection of Via Francigena and Via Postumia
• Monferrato — The Wine Hills of Piedmont, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• Turin — Mole Antonelliana, the Savoy Residences, the Shroud of Turin
• Feast of St. Michael — An iconic monastery in Piedmont, spectacularly perched above the Susa Valley
• Remove — Roman Arch of Augustus and remains of the ancient road
• Col de Montgenèvre (1,850 m) — Crossing the Alps in the Footsteps of the Romans
• Briançon — France's highest city, Vauban fortress (UNESCO)
• Serre-Ponçon Lake — a turquoise-colored reservoir in the Durance Valley
• Sisteron — A citadel high above the Durance Gorge, the “Gateway to Provence”
• Luberon & Apt — Lavender fields, ochre cliffs, Provençal mountain villages
• Saint-Rémy-de-Provence — Excavations at Glanum, Van Gogh Sites
• Arles — Roman Amphitheater (UNESCO), Gateway to the Camargue

How Pilgrims Find Their Way onto This Path

Piacenza is one of the great crossroads of the Italian pilgrimage network. The Via Francigena (Italy) — the historic pilgrimage route from Canterbury to Rome — runs from the Great St. Bernard Pass via Pavia right through Piacenza: if you are walking it and want to head for Santiago instead of Rome, this is where you turn west onto the Via Domitia. The Via Postumia (Trieste → Genoa) also crosses Piacenza — switching over from it is just as seamless.

If you start right away, you can easily reach Piacenza by train—it takes about 45 minutes from Milan. Some pilgrims also shorten the route by starting in Turin to begin their crossing of the Alps: from there, it’s about 545 km to Arles.

Continue the pilgrimage?

Arles is not an endpoint but a junction: this is where the Via Tolosana (Route d'Arles, GR 653) begins, the southernmost of France's four historic routes to Santiago. It leads via Montpellier, Toulouse, and Auch to the Col du Somport in the Pyrenees. From there, the Camino Aragonés takes over as far as Puente la Reina, where it merges into the Camino Francés — and with it the final 700 km or so to Santiago de Compostela.

Anyone who walks the entire route from Piacenza to Santiago will have covered about 2,400 km by the end—one of the longest continuous pilgrimage routes in Europe, stretching from the Po Valley to Galicia.

Preparation & Practical Information

The Montgenèvre Pass determines the time frame: The pass is reliably snow-free only from June through October. The best overall time for the entire route is therefore June or September—when the pass is open, and neither the Po Valley nor Provence is yet (or no longer) sweltering. Those who hike only the Provençal section can also set out in the spring or late fall.

The lodging infrastructure is the most challenging part of planning the trip. In Italy, you’ll mostly stay in B&Bs, monasteries, and small hotels; in France, gîtes d’étape and a few scattered pilgrim hostels are available. Between Briançon and Sisteron, options are few and far between — Be sure to make a reservation in advance here. The easiest way to do this is directly in the Camino Ninja app, where you can plan your stages and book suitable accommodations at the same time.

As on all French routes of the Camino de Santiago, you'll need a Pilgrim's Pass (Credencial), so you can stay at pilgrim hostels and—if you continue on to Santiago—receive the Compostela at the end of your journey. It’s best to order it online in advance so that you’ll have it in time for the start of your trip.

What the journey will cost you

Plan on a daily budget of 45–65 € per person. In Italy, B&Bs typically cost 45–60 € per night; in France, gîtes d'étape cost 15–25 €, often with affordable half-board (35–45 €). The Alpine section tends to be more expensive due to the limited selection, as does Provence in the summer. Those who consistently stay in basic accommodations and do their own grocery shopping can get by on 45–55 € per day (as of August 2026).

Getting There

To Piacenza The best way to get there is via Milan: From there, regional and Intercity trains take about 45 minutes to reach Piacenza. Milan itself is easily accessible from Germany, Austria, and Switzerland via EuroCity (via the Gotthard or Brenner Passes) or by plane (Malpensa, Linate, Bergamo).

Returning from Arles, trains via Avignon or Marseille connect you to the TGV network — to Paris, Lyon, or Barcelona. The nearest airports are Marseille-Provence (about 75 km) and Montpellier (about 100 km). And if you are not heading home at all, simply stay on the trail: the Via Tolosana sets off from Arles toward the Pyrenees.

• Piacenza Train Station: Direct trains from Milan, Bologna, and Turin
• Arles Train Station: Trains to Marseille, Nîmes, Montpellier, Paris
• Airports: Milan (MXP/LIN/BGY) for the outbound flight, Marseille-Provence (MRS) for the return flight