Distance
900 km
Duration
40–45 days
Difficulty
ChallengingStart Point
Tours, Loire Valley
About This Route
The Voie de Tours (GR655) is one of the four great medieval pilgrimage roads from France. Beginning at the shrine of Saint Martin in Tours, it passes through Poitiers, Saintes and Bordeaux before reaching the Landes forest and converging with the Via Podiensis at Ostabat in the Basque country, from where pilgrims continue to Lourdes. A truly epic journey through the heart of France.
Route Stages
Tours → Poitiers
100 kmLoire vineyards; Romanesque churches at every village
Poitiers → Saintes
130 kmThrough Charente; magnificent Romanesque cathedral at Saintes
Saintes → Bordeaux
110 kmBordeaux wine country; UNESCO-listed city
Bordeaux → Dax
140 kmThrough the Landes pine forest; vast flat landscapes
Dax → Ostabat
100 kmEnter Basque country; the routes converge at Ostabat
Ostabat → Lourdes
130 kmVia Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and the Pyrenean foothills to Lourdes
Route Highlights
★Basilica of Saint Martin, Tours
★Saintes Romanesque cathedral
★Bordeaux UNESCO old town
★The dramatic meeting of pilgrimage routes at Ostabat
Pilgrim Tips
- 💡The Landes section (Bordeaux to Dax) is flat but very exposed in summer, start early each day
- 💡Many pilgrims prefer to do the final 300 km (from Bordeaux) as a standalone 2-week itinerary
- 💡Accommodation in the Landes forest is spaced out, always book ahead
Want a guided package on this route?
We offer guided pilgrimage packages for most routes, with accommodation, luggage transfer and an English-speaking leader.
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