San Xil

San Xil is a small locality in the province of Lugo, Galicia, on the Camino Frances on the high ridge of the San Xil pass, which gives its name to the southern route alternative between Triacastela and Sarria. The pass at San Xil is the high point of the southern route, at a somewhat lower altitude than O Cebreiro but with a similarly exposed, open character.

The surrounding terrain is the open mountain ridge of the Galician interior, with heather, gorse, and the occasional oak on the exposed slopes. The views from the San Xil ridge extend over multiple Galician mountain valleys on clear days.

For pilgrims choosing the southern route from Triacastela, San Xil is the defining pass crossing of this alternative, its open ridge character providing a different atmospheric experience from the main Frances route via Samos.