Highlights
- Boulonnais countryside
- Licques Abbey
- Forest paths
Stage conditions
| Section | France |
|---|---|
| Water on route | Moderate |
| Shade | Full |
Practical notes
Getting there and away
Neither end has a railway station. Guînes is served by Imag'in/SITAC buses 6 and 13 to Calais station, so it is easy to reach the start from Calais in the morning. Licques has no public transport that we could confirm; the Pays d'Opale tourist material describes the route through the Forêt de Guînes, Hermelinghen and Alembon to the village but gives no bus. If you need to leave from Licques, ask at the mairie or your host about a lift or taxi, or walk on to Wisques, six kilometres from Saint-Omer station.
What the season does
April to October in the stage data, and the stage is fully shaded through the Forêt de Guînes, so it is comfortable even in high summer. The beech and fir woodland is at its best in May and again in October colour. From the second half of September the hunting season is open in Pas-de-Calais and the forest sees battues, mostly at weekends, until the end of February; that is the one seasonal reason to prefer a weekday here in autumn. Spring and autumn rain makes the forest tracks muddy and slow.
Safety on this stage
The stage data notes limited services between towns; the walking itself is gentle. The Pays d'Opale describes climbing sections through the Boulonnais foothills rather than anything steep. The LightFoot guide shows the route crossing the TGV line near Guînes, so use the bridge, never the tracks. In the forest during hunting season respect any 'chasse en cours' sign, wear something bright and stay on the waymarked track. Between villages you are on small D-roads: walk on the left facing traffic. There is no cliff, water or mountain hazard on this stage.
Water and food
Water is moderate. Fill up in Guînes: after the town there is a picnic table in the Forêt de Guînes and another near Hermelinghen, but no fountains, and Hermelinghen and Alembon are farming hamlets rather than shopping villages. Licques is small but has a producers' shop, Au Terroir de Licques, noted by Pèlerinages de France for regional food, and the campsites at the village edge have their own bars. Plan on carrying a full day's water from Guînes.
Where pilgrims sleep
Our directory lists two campsites at Licques, Camping des Pommiers des Trois Pays and Camping l'Orée des Caps (Le Canchy), both of which the LightFoot guide notes also let chalets or caravans. Pilgrim-specific beds are thin here: ask at the Licques mairie or check the FFVF 'Hébergements et Services' booklet, updated each January, which lists homestays and gîtes village by village. If Licques is full, Wisques and its two abbeys are the next reliable stop, a long day further on.
Sources: Mairie de Guînes — Mobilité (Imag'in / SITAC buses) · Pays d'Opale — Via Francigena · LightFoot Guide to the Via Francigena, Canterbury to Besançon (PDF, 2014 edition) · Pèlerinages de France — Renseignements pratiques Via Francigena · Le Montagnard — Calendrier chasse France 2025-2026 · FFRandonnée — Via Francigena 'Hébergements et Services'
Common questions
How long is the Guînes to Licques stage?
It is 20.0 km (12.4 mi) and takes about 5.5 hours of walking, from Guînes to Licques.
How hard is Guînes to Licques?
It is rated easy with 180 m of ascent and 160 m of descent over mixed terrain.
Is there water on the Guînes to Licques stage?
There is a moderate amount of water along this stage — carry enough between resupply points.
How do I get to Guînes and away from Licques?
Neither end has a railway station. Guînes is served by Imag'in/SITAC buses 6 and 13 to Calais station, so it is easy to reach the start from Calais in the morning. Licques has no public transport that we could confirm; the Pays d'Opale tourist material describes the route through the Forêt de Guînes, Hermelinghen and Alembon to the village but gives no bus.
Where do pilgrims sleep in Licques?
Our directory lists two campsites at Licques, Camping des Pommiers des Trois Pays and Camping l'Orée des Caps (Le Canchy), both of which the LightFoot guide notes also let chalets or caravans. Pilgrim-specific beds are thin here: ask at the Licques mairie or check the FFVF 'Hébergements et Services' booklet, updated each January, which lists homestays and gîtes village by village. If Licques is full, Wisques and its two abbeys are the next reliable stop, a long day further on.
Walk this stage
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