 The
discovery of the sepulchre was a transcendental
event which bewildered and deeply moved
the inhabitants of Mediaeval Western
Europe. Since then, the Navarrese Pyrenees
have been an obligatory passing point
for thousands of pilgrims from Europe
on their way to Galicia to honour the
apostle.
This constant flow of people from all
kinds of social and geographical backgrounds
led to great cultural and artistic,
as well as economic wealth for Navarrese
villages over the centuries.
Churches, monasteries, chapels and hospitals,
many of which still stand today, were
built along the road and foreign artists
were employed in many cases. |
The
cultural and artistic beauty of
the Road to Santiago is only complemented
by the beauty of the nature spots
it crosses: thick beech and oak
woods, fields, ferns, mountains
and river sources constitute an
authentic paradise for nature
lovers. 
The Road from St. Jean-Pied-de-Port
heads towards the Pyrenees along
two different routes: 
- The High Road,
Napoleon's Road or the Road of
the Passes of Cize over the hills
of Lepoeder or Bentartea. It follows
the route of the old Roman, Bordeaux-Astorga
road, some sections of which are
still visible today and which
marked the communications structure
of the area. 