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In the Middle Ages, the bishops issued pilgrims with a certificate which allowed them to travel ...

This document served them as a "pass" on the roads because at that time the controls were frequent for pedestrians. This allowed them to be exempt from certain transit taxes and to find hospitality more easily in the lodgings.

Today it is still an accreditation card , which is also called a “ pilgrim's notebook ”, on which accommodation managers, tourist offices, town halls, churches, shops or even the gendarmerie can affix. a stamp attesting to your passage through the various stages. On arrival, the pilgrim will be able, thanks to this document, to justify all the progress made and thus obtain in Santiago his pilgrim's diploma, the famous “ Compostela ”.

Due to the limited number of huts (generally only forty), it is often necessary, for long-distance pilgrims, to buy back a credential along the way. Otherwise, you can always staple a loose leaf to provide additional stamps ... The main thing is to always keep the original credential on you, because it is sometimes required to access certain accommodations.

In France and especially in Spain, it is often compulsory to access municipal or association hostels because it is much cheaper than private hostels. You can get it for 5 to 10 euros on the internet or from the many French jacquaires associations or even from certain dioceses.

The credential is a document similar to the credential, except that it is issued by a representative of the Church after an interview, but it is not necessary to be a Christian to request it.

You understood it before preparing your backpack, you must first get the famous sesame.