French Way (Camino Francés) ‧ Stage 24
French Way
On foot
33 stages
Information
About this stage
We will climb one of the highest peaks on this route, the Cruz de Ferro on Mount Irago, from where we will start a steep descent until we reach Ponferrada. We say goodbye to the vast and inhospitable Castilian plains to be greeted by the Bierzo mountains and their prolific vegetation, which will accompany us on one of the toughest stages for our legs.
Recommendation Pilgrim
Cyclists will find many dangerous points, such as descend to Riego de Ambrós. We recommend them do it through the national road as we explained in the itinerary. For inexperienced cyclists we recommend do all this stage to Molinesca through the national road LE-142. It happens the same to people with reduced mobility so we recommend the same that we recommend to cyclists. In both cases we recommend be careful.
Distance and elevation
Stage profile
Route
Itinerary
Km 0 ‧ Foncebadón
We walk through Foncebadón along its Calle Real. At the exit we leave the ruins of a sanctuary on our left and follow the track that turns to the right along a hillside; we gain altitude until we reach the LE-142 road, which we cross and continue on the left.
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Km 1,9 ‧ Cruz de Ferro
We walk along a path on the right side of the road.
Km 4,2 ‧ Manjarín
We continue along the path to the left of the road, which we later cross. We continue along another path to the right of the road and one kilometre further on we reach the highest point of the French Camino: 1,505 metres above sea level. Once past this point, we start to descend: the scenery of the Montes de León and the valley of El Bierzo is magnificent. Finally, we cross the LE-142 road again and face a steep descent along a stony track to El Acebo de San Miguel.
Km 11,2 ‧ El Acebo de San Miguel
We leave the LE-142 road and after a couple of kilometres we take a path on the left.
Km 14,5 ‧ Riego de Ambrós
At the exit we descend through a beautiful wooded stretch. Shortly afterwards we come across the LE-142 road; we follow it for 150 metres and take another dirt track on the right. We continue the descent, along dirt and stony paths. Before reaching Molinaseca we join the LE-142 road again; we leave the sanctuary of the Virgen de las Angustias on our right and enter the Old Town, crossing the Puente de los Peregrinos over the river Meruelo.
Km 19,1 ‧ Molinaseca
Cross Molinaseca along Calle Real and take the LE-142 road towards Ponferrada. A hundred metres ahead of the municipal hostel we take a road on the right. After about three kilometres we come to a fork in the road: we can reach Ponferrada by following the same road or by following the signposted path along a track to the left of the road. We, therefore, follow this track, first on asphalt, then on dirt.
Km 23,5 ‧ Campo
We continue through the streets of the outskirts of Ponferrada, go over the river Boeza by the Mascarón bridge and cross the railway line at the top. To reach the centre of Ponferrada we continue straight on, along the streets Cruz Miranda and Jardines, until we get to the Town Hall square.
Km 26,8 ‧ Ponferrada
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