Closer to Rome than Santiago

[BrianLCrabtree]

I start Aug 9, 2024 from Arles on the Tolosana. I know the path from Arles goes both west and east, but didn’t realize until I visited the Les Alyscamps today that Arles is closer to Rome than to Santiago.

 

[Jarrad]

Arles is a great little city with a lot of ancient Roman influence. The Roman theater and arena is worth the visit, as is the Barbegal aqueduct. There are remains of a Roman circus (race track). I loved the Roman history museum. The Alyscamps is a large Roman necropolis that I did not visit, but I'm told is quite impressive. Two years ago after a local trek, I rented a car and drove around the area for a week, mostly to look at the Roman ruins and eat my way around southern France. If you will be back in the area and have the time, I highly recommend both.

Also, I attended Mass with a number of pilgrims starting the Camino at the Church of St. Trophime and explored the Romanesque church and associated cloisters -- spectacular. It's designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

[Jarrad]

One other note: I see you start tomorrow, but if you happen to start at St. Trophime and you are able to access the cloister, then you can see a very old reference to the Camino. The northern gallery of the cloister was built in the early- to mid-1100's with carvings on the capitals of the columns. One of them shows Christ encountering the disciples at Emaus, but portrayed as pilgrims on the Way to Santiago de Compostela. The capitals to the left and right of the Compostela column can also be moving for pilgrims, as they speak to humanity, suffering, faith, and redemption with images of Saints Stephen, Paul (who participated in the first deacon's martyrdom before he became an Apostle), and Thomas.

 

[JabbaPapa]

That is the Camino that passes by my home, and the Camino I have used to walk from home to both Santiago and Rome. I'm much closer than that to Rome, being next to the Italian border. The distances are a bit off BTW.

The old route through there actually stretches between Cádiz and Rome ; and parts of the French Piémont Way as well as parts of the Catalan Way are on that route as well.