A gîte designed for pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela

The Chemin de Compostelle was born in 44 AD by the apostle James the Greater. Two of his disciples removed his body and placed it in a boat, which ran aground on the coast of Galicia in north-eastern Spain. The queen of the time offered her palace to house the body of Saint James.

In 813 the Way was rediscovered and the whole of Christendom at the time headed for Compostela also known as «the Field of Stars» . The Middle Ages saw the heyday of the Way, before being forgotten during the Age of Enlightenment, the Wars of Religion and the French Revolution; only to regain its full importance in the 1980s thanks to Jacquaires associations.

All along the Route, there are chapels, abbeys, refuges, gîtes, sometimes «donativo», welcoming pilgrims and providing them with accommodation, food and even medical care when providence provides.

The spirit of solidarity, sharing, respect and welcoming oneself and others reigns on the Way.

In 1998 «les Chemins de Compostelle en France» was included on the Unesco World Heritage list.

The logo of the Compostela pilgrimage is the stylised yellow shell on a blue background, representing European universality.

The credencial is the obligatory and essential «passport» for pilgrims wishing to find a welcome (especially in Spain) and to have «la Compostella»: the final document of arrival at Santiago de Compostela and the beginning of a new Life for everyone...

After walking the Chemin de Compostelle du Puy en Velay à Santiago in 2007, I decided to change my life and devote it to the Way by taking over the gîte du Chemin vers l'Etoile in 2009.

Since then, over the last 17 years, I have welcomed more than 80,000 pilgrims from all over the world, who have come to walk this thousand-year-old route in a spirit of genuine exchange and sharing.

In October 2019, I took up my pilgrim's staff again to immerse myself and recharge my batteries in the spirit of the Way, so that I can welcome you even better.

Once again this year the Chemin vers l'Etoile is opening its doors to you, pilgrims, randonneurs or holidaymakers; alone, in groups or as a family for one night or more, in dormitories or private boxes for 2 or 4 people.