In the 9th century, a star appeared to the hermit Pelagius... It indicated the location of the remains of the body of the apostle Saint-Jacques the Elder. The pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela was born.In the footsteps of the pilgrims
You'll love !
- hiking these ancestral paths
- discovering places full of history
- sharing moments and encounters
- walking stage by stage
Three pilgrim routes cross the Cœur de Béarn :
- The Vézelay route (GR654) passing through Sault-de-Navailles, Sallespisse, Orthez and Lanneplaà
- The Puy-en-Velay route (GR65) passing through Castillon d’Arthez, Arthez-de-Béarn, Argagnon, Maslacq and Sauvelade
- The Arles route (GR653) passing through Lacommande.
The road of… discovery
Take the Compostela pilgrim route to discover villages and stopping places in the Cœur de Béarn.
In Orthez, stroll through the old town, from the Moncade Castle to the Pont-Vieux. Since the 11th century, it has been the essential bridge for pilgrims en route to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port. Like them, push the door of 14 rue de l'Horloge and enter the Hôtel de la Lune dating from the 15th century and now a pilgrim stopover.
At Arthez-de-Béarn, an important stop on the Le-Puy-en-Velay route, take the circuit of the 3 chapels. As it name suggests, it connects three Romanesque chapels, between plains and hillsides, including the chapel of Caubin.
The church at Sauvelade, built in 1286, is distinguished by its dome, unique in Béarn, its font and support in Campan marble; its slate roof overloonking the bell tower.
Lacommande served as an overnight stop for the pilgrims to Compostelle. This hospital complex is one of the rare examples of a commanderie still in existence with the church of St Blaise ans its former hospital.
