In 1949, the frontier between Belgium and France was reopened.
In France, the priest Henry Branthomme, responsible for pilgrimages in the diocese of Le Mans and passionately interested in art and travel, organised at that time the first post-war pilgrimage. On his return, he published "Pilgrims, just like our fathers" ("Pèlerins comme nos pères"), a collection of people's thoughts and feelings about this pilgrimage. In 1951, he formed a little group to walk up and down the Camino Francès and study the conditions for reviving the Santiago tradition.
Then, the cultural activities of the "Société Française des Amis de Saint-Jacques et du Centre d’Etudes Compostellanes" (French Society of the Friends of St. James and of the Centre of Compostella Studies), founded in 1950, brought the former pilgrimage into the spotlight by listing the traces of devotion to St. James or the passage of pilgrims across France in the form of an inventory, publications or exhibitions.
Later on, local authorities also took an interest in the subject, seeing in it a vector of local economic development and social cohesion.
In Spain, during the 1960's, tourism became a means of economic development and of opening up to the world. Cultural heritage and traditions then represented an argument for promoting the destination. Thus, in 1962, the Spanish St. James' Way was declared a "historico-artistic ensemble" and became part of the country's economic development policy.
The jubilee year of 1965 saw the first consecration of this renewal. The French Society of the Friends of St. James inspired expeditions which set off from several points in France. It set up a first exhibition, held in the prestigious setting of the National Archives. Then it set up exhibitions around France : Cadillac (1967), Soulac (1975), Parthenay (1976), Paris (1982).
In the 1970's, the French Society of the Friends of St. James and the National Long-distance Footpaths Committee collaborated to enable the Puy en Velay itinerary to be made into a footpath. From then on, imperceptibly, the whole Compostela phenomenon moved out of the world of learned art and history scholars and a few pioneers drawn by the distant horizons of the Way, and into the wider public sphere. In 1978, the publication of "Priez pour nous à Compostelle" (Pray for us in Compostela) by Barret and Gurand enjoyed great success and popularised the Santiago pilgrimage.
In 1986, Spain joined the grouping of democratic countries by becoming a member of the European Community. The issue then arose of its economic and cultural integration. At the same time, the French Regions were doted with new powers : development of their area and their economy, and the promotion of regional identities. They then embarked on co-operation with Spain, Italy and other Mediterranean countries, and the unifying heritage of the Santiago Ways provided the opportunity for collaboration.
On 23rd October 1987, the Council of Europe inaugurated its programme relating to European cultural itineraries, helping a sense of belonging and of shared citizenship to take root. It solemnly proclaimed the Santiago de Compostela Ways to be a "European Cultural itinerary".
From then on, local authorities began to organise themselves in order to work together : the Midi-Pyrénées, Aquitaine and Languedoc-Roussillon regions and some communes united to found the ACIR Compostelle on 25th July 1990.
At present, 305 paths in Europe are called "of "or "towards" "Santiago (St. James)". More than 130 nationalities are represented on the Ways. The existence of more than 135 associations in 28 countries demonstrates the world-wide appeal of the St. James phenomenon.
