(The Way of St. James)
The devil's stone can be found on the climb to La Faba, on the French Way

The Devil's Stone: A Modern-Day Legend? (Given the stone's peculiar nature, one might be inclined to say, certainly!)

Legend has it that in the Middle Ages, a little devil would lurk here, waiting to deter pilgrims from continuing their journey to Santiago...

Heading towards O'Cebreiro, before the village of LA FABA - You have left Villafranca behind - From the village of Las Herrerias, the climb begins in earnest. First on the road, then the winding path becomes a bit stony, and turns into a dirt track. The place lives up to its reputation...
In an uphill section, a canopy of trees will shield you from the sun or rain. Keep a sharp eye out, and look carefully at the ground: the devil's stone is there, embedded, a little to the left of the path (about 60 or 80 cm in "diameter"). As it's almost flush with the ground, it's often hidden by fallen leaves...

Legend tells us that in the Middle Ages, a little devil would lurk here, waiting to deter pilgrims from continuing their journey to Santiago... One day, Saint James had enough and turned him into stone.

The ultimate humiliation: from now until the end of time, every pilgrim will have the opportunity to trample on him! Don't miss out!

Another explanation (found on our old forum), given by one of the villagers, is that this "devil's stone", although its history has gradually been lost over the generations, was given this nickname because rumor has it that Charlemagne placed his hand on it when he passed this way (that's the big mark), and in this stone is preserved a trace of the evil he left behind during his "purification"... At least, that's the local rumor! Nobody, except its author... knows how long this stone has been here. A few years... a few decades... a few centuries... but it doesn't matter, the story is so beautiful..

(Thanks to Jean-Claude A. for telling us this legend)

The engraved stone is of an oval shape, fairly flat, and ranges in size from 50 to 80 centimeters (20 to 31 inches)