In 2025, good news on the roads!

Inflation, violence, climate change: throughout the past year, the news has revealed its share of disasters. Alas, we would like to weigh up the many initiatives that contribute to making the world a better place… and to marking our lives with small (or big) joys!

This is why, at Pilgrimthe “It works!” section. » regularly echoes these actions: innovating to limit the ecological footprint, helping families affected by disability, reviving a forgotten village, etc. Some media, such as NewSmile (in Belgium) and the Positive mediafounded at the end of confinement, also focus on the beautiful and good things happening on our planet.

This Positive mediawhich brings together more than 12 million subscribers in France and abroad, has just published the 2025-2026 edition of 1,000 pieces of good news to see the world differently : “1,000 proofs that no, everything is not ruined, and above all that yes, everything is still possible,” declares Hugues de Rosny, its founder.

This collection, which selects inspiring stories, remarkable exploits and original initiatives, addresses many areas: sport, environment, culture, society, science.

And what about on the roads? What if we took stock of the good news that flourished there in 2025?

1. Record attendance and new routes: the paths have never been so lively in 2025

The first good news is that there are always more pilgrims on the paths. A survey of accommodation providers reveals that Chemin Urbain V has almost doubled its attendance. On the paths of Mont-Saint-Michel, the number of miquelot notebooks sold increased by 27% compared to 2024. The path of Saint Guilhem received more than 3,500 pilgrims.

“As for the paths of Saint Martin,” adds Christophe Delaunay, president of Via Sancti Martini Pays de la Loirewe were in contact with around 500 pilgrims who had very diverse plans, on sections between stopover towns (for example between Vichy and Lyon, Paris and Reims) or on long journeys (for example between Utrecht and Zaragoza via Tours). » And the young Via ligeria this year counted 186 pilgrims, coming from all over France.

On the paths of Saint-Jacques, a record attendance was also recorded in 2025: for the first time the barrier of half a million pilgrims was crossed who, upon their arrival in Compostela, removed their Compostela : 530,987 according to statistics from the Pilgrims Office, in Compostela; and this figure does not take into account the thousands of pilgrims who walked a portion of the path, in different countries, without arriving at the city of the apostle.

Also note, on April 24, 2025, the opening of the Chemin de Saint Robert, which connects the chapel of Turlande (Cantal) to La Chaise-Dieu (Haute-Loire). As well as the birth of the first pilgrimage on a national scale to Mont-Saint-Michel: from May 8 to 11, 2025, for summer Saint-Michel, 500 pilgrims from the four corners of France connected, in three and a half days, Saint-Malo to Mont-Saint-Michel.

2. Inclusion and solidarity: in 2025, the pilgrimage routes will open to all

Novelty also rhymes with solidarity. In July 2025, the Compostelle 2000 association began a fifth “Pélé PMR”, this time departing from Paris: objective of Compostelle in 2028! And the Seuil association, which takes young people in difficulty on the paths to promote their reintegration into society, has recorded “120 smiles (those of the 60 young people and their companions) and 3,000 days of walking”.

Another adventure that commands admiration: the young Philippine Francart who, with her father Cyprien, reached Compostela from Paris last summer, completing sections of 300 kilometers each year; or, in total, 2200 kilometers. Neither her Down syndrome nor her heart disease stopped her… And she well deserved her decoration of “Pilgrim of the Year” which was awarded to her on November 21, 2025, at Forum 104!

3. Ecology: more sustainable paths for eco-pilgrims

In 2025, ecological initiatives are not left out. Let us cite, for example, an action by the Association of Vendée des Chemins de Saint-Jacques, inspired by a Spanish example: planting fruit trees along the path. “In addition to our ecological concern,” explains André Casseron, president of the association, “we thought of the pilgrims: they will be able to grab some fruit! »

As for the “Window on the Landscape” program, an artistic adventure which consists of creating works of art-refuge on the paths of Saint-Jacques, it can be proud of two new works of art: one in Haute-Savoie, the other in the heart of the Pilat Regional Natural Park.

4. Jubilees and canonizations: 2025, an exceptional spiritual year

2025, year of hope: what news could we rejoice more? Around 30 million pilgrims traveled to Rome to make their jubilee journey. Among them, we will cite Félix, Thomas, Frédéric and Vincent, who linked Rennes to the capital of Christianity by bike; as well as the relay of four teams over 2,100 kilometers, departing from Nantes, organized by Les Haltes péleres en Loire-Atlantique and Via Ligeria.

Another jubilee: that of Sainte-Anne d’Auray, the largest pilgrimage in Brittany which celebrated its 400th anniversary. Apart from the great pardon, from July 24 to 27, 2025, the troménie of Saint Anne left its mark: from March 7 to July 25, 2025, the tour of the diocese of Vannes was carried out by a carriage pulled by a draft horse, carrying a statue of Saint Anne.

As for the canonizations of Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati (who had been named “patron of sportsmen” by Saint John Paul II), they will not fail to attract many pilgrims to Assisi and Turin: as openers, two Belgian brothers, Paul and Bastien Van den Hove, cycled last summer to Assisi, guided by a faith that could move mountains!

5. Birthdays and distinctions: those who bring the paths to life and shine

Furthermore, several anniversaries were celebrated on the paths: the 75th anniversary of the French Society of Friends of Saint-Jacques; 10 years of the encyclical Laudato si’worthily commemorated by pilgrims, notably by the Laudato Si’ Movement which has designed a digital “Advent Pilgrimage”; also 10 years of welcoming French-speaking pilgrims to Santiago de Compostela, organized by the Webcompostella association.

Finally, let us rejoice, with their recipients, at the distinctions awarded last year. The Elías Valiña Prize was awarded to the Breton Association of Friends of Santiago de Compostela, “for its work on the pilgrimage routes to Galicia from Brittany and through the development of the 1,500 kilometers of paths that cross it”, and to the San Antón Foundation “for having preserved the spirit of hospitality of the Way from Burgos”. And the site chemincompostelle.over-blog.com awarded the title of “Personality of the Year” to Joao Gonçalves, an outstanding marker.

6. Human adventures and transformed destinies: these beautiful stories that illuminated the paths in 2025

2025 was rich in beautiful stories, some of which we relayed in our columns: Charles and Pauline Gosseau, the first couple of pilgrims to complete the M of Mary on foot in one go (2,250 km in five months); the spiritual experience lived during the Vendée Globe by Fabrice Amedeo (which he called “my twilight of eternity”), praying to Our Lady of Rocamadour, whose statue had been placed on his boat; the change of life of Anaïs de Kernadec, who decided to live on a sailboat after her pilgrimage to Mont-Saint-Michel; the tour of the 305 French towns bearing the name of Saint Martin by the American Ann Sieben… or 14,203 kilometers on foot!

We cannot list all of these adventures, and many others have remained in the shadows, but there are many who have brightened the paths. Likewise, we will not keep records (the longest path traveled, the pilgrim who has completed the Camino de Santiago the most times, etc.), because the paths are not challenging areas.

However, we would like to salute the longevity of the initiative of Ferdinand Soler who, on a personal basis, brings together former and future pilgrims every last Friday of the month around a drink in a Parisian brasserie. On December 26, 2025, the guests raised their glasses to the 255th “Pilgrim Pot”!

Good luck for 2027!

“The world is full of beautiful stories… You just need to know how to spot them! », recalls the team of Positive media. This is what we strive to do Pilgrimparticularly in the section of our site dedicated to paths that carry meaning and generate enthusiasm.

We will continue on this momentum during the year which has just begun, and which will end with a highly anticipated event: the opening of the holy door of the basilica of Santiago de Compostela, which will inaugurate the Jacobean jubilee year of 2027. In the meantime, have a good trip on the paths of the new year!