Stages of the Via Francigena

My 101 stages along the Via Francigena

The Via Francigena is one of the most important long-distance pilgrimage routes in Europe that passes through five countries – the United Kingdom, France, Switzerland, Italy, and Vatican City – starting at Canterbury Cathedral, where the zero-kilometre marker is located, and ending at St Peter’s Square in Rome.

Why start from Canterbury?

In 990, Archbishop Sigeric of Canterbury travelled to Rome to receive the archiepiscopal pallium from Pope John XV. On his return, he recorded seventy-nine stages, covering about 1,600 km in his diary; this is now known as the Itinerary of Sigeric, kept at the British Library in London, and it is the oldest record of the route.

The modern route

The current route is different from the original because some towns no longer exist or the roads have become too busy. In 2001, the European Association of the Via Francigena (EAVF) defined the modern route, comprising 105 stages and spanning approximately 2,200 km from Canterbury to Rome. While staying true to the original, the route emphasizes natural beauty and the safety of pilgrims, using secondary roads when necessary.

For detailed information, official maps with elevation profiles, and technical data on the stages, I recommend visiting the EAVF website at www.viefrancigene.org.

How to customize your route

While following the official stages, every pilgrim can modify the route to suit their needs: shortening or lengthening stages based on their overall fitness, weather conditions, how far they feel like walking each day, or the availability and type of accommodation—whether pilgrim hostels or more upscale places. It’s best to book accommodation at least one or two days in advance, especially on the international sections, as accommodations are not as plentiful as on the Camino de Santiago.

Don’t forget to bring your pilgrim’s credential: this document certifies your journey on the Via Francigena and grants access to dedicated facilities. By collecting stamps along the way, you can receive the Testimonium in Rome, at St. Peter’s Square, which is awarded to those who can prove they’ve walked at least the final 100 km.

You can request the pilgrim’s credential online through the European Association of the Via Francigena (EAVF) website on this dedicated page, or pick it up at designated points along the route listed on the official website.

Map of my stages

The table shows the distance in kilometres for each stage, and clicking on a row will reveal the destination on the map. I slightly deviated from the original route, following part of Sigeric’s historic route only between Blessonville and Marac, during my stay at the home of the president of the French Via Francigena Association (FFVF).

In Italy, stage 68A is marked in red because it’s not part of the official Via Francigena and isn’t included in the total distance. Since I live near the route, I took a small detour to walk home so I could say I completed the journey from Canterbury to my house.

The three stages that require extra planning are:

• Stage 2: boarding the ferry at Dover; make sure the service is running.
• Stage 54: the opening of the Great St. Bernard Pass; check this depending on winter snowfall.
• Stage 60: crossing the River Po, with boat service available by reservation, depending on water levels. Alternatively, you will need to cross the bridge before Piacenza, which adds about five kilometers to the route.

My journey along the Via Francigena in numbers