Roncesvalles Means Charlemagne, Roland, and Sancho the Strong

Thursday, June 2, 2016
Day 2
Valcarlos to Roncesvalles

In Roncesvalles, history comes alive. This is where Roland, of the famous Song of Roland, fought his last battle for Charlemagne and died. Here too 7’2″ King Sancho “the Strong” of Navarre, who battled  to expel  the  Moors from Southern Spain, is buried. It’s a tiny town but packed with history.

I woke up this morning with a swollen arm, a legacy of my cancer surgery (lymphadema). That means no more weight (backpack) on my shoulder for a while. I also doubt I could have made the steep climb up the mountain. So we rode a taxi in comfort from Valcarlos to Roncesvalles and spent the day exploring the town.

Steps Today: 11,242

There are some additional photos at June 2, 2016: Valcarlos to Roncesvalles.

Author: Camino for Boomers

I am the owner and editor of Bayou City Press in Houston, Texas. As a Foreign Service Officer, I lived and traveled all over the world for 33 years. My new book is "Savoring the Camino de Santiago: It's the Pilgrimage, Not the Hike." View all posts by Camino for Boomers