On the road to Compostela : from Motz to Saint Genix sur Guiers

In Savoie, its 58km route traverses some varied landscapes following the Rhône to St Genix sur Guiers. Although Santiago de Compostela is still over 1700km away, you can still experience this thousand year old pilgrimage route and you will meet very many pilgrims from Switzerland, Germany and the countries of Eastern Europe. We invite you to follow this thousans year old route, redolent of spirituality.

Description

The routes of Santiago de Compostela in France are listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The Via Gebenensis comes from Geneva to go to Le Puy en Velay and Santiago de Compostela in Galicia (in Spain).
Between Yenne and Saint-Maurice de Rotherens, you will have to climb 600m into a forest before finally enjoy the amazing panoramic view on the plain of Rhône. What a nice comfort after such sport !. Once you have crossed the region of Yenne, you come in Val Guiers region in which you can see many churches and chapels: in Saint-Maurice-de-Rotherens, the sculpted wooden cross of a pilgrim and the Chapel of Pigneux in Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers. Pilgrimage is a time when you can discover the patrimony

The legend of the scallop
During a wedding feast, a noble knight fell into the ocean with his horse just as the boat carrying the body of Saint James passed by. Immediately the sea became calm and the knight and his horse emerged from the water, covered in scallop shells, known in French as shells of Saint James - coquilles Saint-Jacques.

The symbol of pilgrimage
In the Middle Ages, the shells were sold in the square in front of Santiago Cathedral. The pilgrims carried them home as proof of their journey.

Environnements

• In the country
• Forest location

Itinéraire

• Distance 58km
• Distance Modéré
• Type d'itinéraire Aller simple
• Dénivelé positif 626m
• Dénivelé négatif 626m
• Itinéraire balisé Oui
• Précision balisage On the voie du Puy-en-Velay, the yellow shell on the blue background guides you from Geneva to Santiago de Compostela.
• Passage délicat A variant enables people to step away from the dangerous cliffs of Mont Tournier in winter period. This lesser "wild" variant offers a more open landscape than the forest circuit going through the summit of Mont Tournier and enables to discover the countryside of Yenne and its surroundings.
• Nature du terrain Stone, Ground, Hard coating (tar, cement, flooring), Grit
• Altitude moyenne n/c
• Altitude maximum 877m

Période d'ouverture

Throughout the year : open daily.

Localisation

Animaux

Animaux acceptés : Oui

Thèmes

• Tips : The pilgrim guide is available in the Val Guiers Tourist Office in Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers.