France is the section most walkers underestimate. It's long — around 850 km — and the infrastructure for pilgrims is limited compared to Italy. Pilgrim hostels are rare, waymarking is inconsistent in places, and English is less widely spoken than you might expect in rural areas. Come prepared and it's deeply rewarding; come underprepared and it can be tough.
The highlights are real, though: cathedral cities, the Champagne vineyards, the quiet Burgundy countryside, and the first sight of the Alps as you approach Lausanne.
Route Overview
Northern France (Calais → Reims)
~355 km · 14–16 stages · Flat, open countryside. The first section from Calais is the least scenic of the whole route — long straight roads through agricultural land. It improves significantly after Arras.
Champagne (Reims → Bar-sur-Aube)
~140 km · 6 stages · Reims Cathedral is one of the great highlights of the entire route. The vineyards of Champagne and the rolling hills south of the city are beautiful.
Langres Plateau & Franche-Comté (Bar-sur-Aube → Pontarlier)
~280 km · 11–12 stages · Quiet, rural France at its best — via Clairvaux, Langres and Besançon. Forests, river valleys and small towns. Less-visited but very pleasant walking.
Jura & Lac Léman (Pontarlier → Lausanne)
~75 km · 3 stages · The Jura plateau crossing before the dramatic descent to Lake Geneva. First views of the Alps. Lausanne is a beautiful city for a rest day.
Key Stages
Calais → Guînes
19 kmFirst steps on French soil. The route heads south from the ferry terminal through suburban Calais before reaching the more pleasant countryside around Guînes — a small town with accommodation options.
Arras stages
20–25 km eachArras is a beautiful Flemish city with a grand central square (Grande Place) and moving WWI memorials. A natural rest day stop. The route improves considerably from here southward.
Laon → Reims
45 km (2 stages)Approaching Reims is one of the great moments of the French section. Laon itself is a spectacular hilltop cathedral city worth exploring. Reims Cathedral — the coronation church of French kings — is unmissable.
Pontarlier → Lausanne
70 km (3 stages)The final French stages cross the Jura plateau — exposed and beautiful — before the Swiss border and the long descent to Lake Geneva. The view of Lausanne from above, with the Alps beyond, is one of the most memorable on the whole route.
Practical Information
🏨 Accommodation
Pilgrim hostels are very rare in France — primarily in churches and a few municipal centres. Budget for B&Bs and chambres d'hôtes (€50–90/night). Logis de France member hotels are reliable and well-priced in rural areas.
🗺️ Navigation
Waymarking is less consistent than England or Italy. Download offline GPX tracks before departure — Wikiloc and the official Via Francigena Association tracks are the most reliable. The Miam Miam Dodo guidebook covers France in detail.
💶 Budget
Budget for €60–90/day (accommodation + food). France is generally more expensive than Italy for accommodation. Restaurant lunch menus (formule) offer the best value — typically €14–18 for 2 courses.
🗣️ Language
English is limited in rural areas. Basic French goes a very long way — learn key pilgrim vocabulary. Google Translate offline mode is essential. Most accommodation owners are warm and patient with limited French speakers.