Walking St Jean to Somport/Pau

[SafariGirl]

Hello All,
I’m currently walking the ‘Camino Retorno’ from Santiago to St Jean and, when I get to France, I want to walk The Arles Way (also in reverse).
So this means I will need to walk from St Jean to Somport/Pau.

Does anyone know of a good or established route to follow for this please?

I’m aware that I could take the Camino Aragonés at Puente la Reine but I don’t want to do this because doing the PLaR to SJPP part is very important to me.

Many thanks
Michele

 

[jsalt]

Hi Michele, there's the GR78 from St Jean Pied de Port to Oloron Ste Marie.
http://vppyr.free.fr/pages_piemont_sud/vpp_piemont_sud.htm
Jill

 

[SafariGirl]

Hi Michele, there's the GR78 from St Jean Pied de Port to Oloron Ste Marie.
http://vppyr.free.fr/pages_piemont_sud/vpp_piemont_sud.htm
Jill

Thanks Gill

 

[SafariGirl]

Thanks Gill

Sorry...Jill!

 

[caminka]

what @jsalt said. long-distance paths in france are marked both ways with their red-white waymarkes so following the path shouldn't pose problems. but the little blue squares with stylised scallop shells point only in one direction, of course.
this is the stages part of the vppyr site @jsalt posted: http://vppyr.free.fr/vpp-index-etapes.php

another link: http://www.chemins-compostelle.com/itineraires/8/la-voie-des-piemonts. if you click on the map, it opens in a larger window and you can click on various towns to see their info.
accommodation part of this site: http://www.chemins-compostelle.com/hebergeur/?voie=8

another map with more choice of pilgrim accommodation: http://www.webcompostella.com/routes/voie-du-piemont/

 

[SafariGirl]

what @jsalt said. long-distance paths in france are marked both ways with their red-white waymarkes so following the path shouldn't pose problems. but the little blue squares with stylised scallop shells point only in one direction, of course.
this is the stages part of the vppyr site @jsalt posted: http://vppyr.free.fr/vpp-index-etapes.php

another link: http://www.chemins-compostelle.com/itineraires/8/la-voie-des-piemonts. if you click on the map, it opens in a larger window and you can click on various towns to see their info.
accommodation part of this site: http://www.chemins-compostelle.com/hebergeur/?voie=8

another map with more choice of pilgrim accommodation: http://www.webcompostella.com/routes/voie-du-piemont/

Wonderful Caminka. Thanks very much! Michele

 

[hel&scott]

As above, markings on the French routes are placed so you can see them from either direction, making returning trips much easier. They also usually mark a cross to indicate that this is not the road you should follow. Having done a few routes in reverse I understand how difficult it is if the essential signpost you are looking for is on the backside of the tree in front of you

 

[SafariGirl]

As above, markings on the French routes are placed so you can see them from either direction, making returning trips much easier. They also usually mark a cross to indicate that this is not the road you should follow. Having done a few routes in reverse I understand how difficult it is if the essential signpost you are looking for is on the backside of the tree in front of you

This is so true hel&scott! Each time I get out my WisePilgrim on-line map to confirm the way I tell myself “I won’t be able to do this beyond Spain”, so good to hear about the markings in France

 

[jsalt]

Does anyone know of a good or established route to follow for this please?

I will be 7 months behind you! But I will probably take the Aragones route.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/santiago-to-rome.51831/
There may be some useful info in the above thread that is relevant for you.
Bon chemin!
Jill

 

[SafariGirl]

I will be 7 months behind you! But I will probably take the Aragones route.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/santiago-to-rome.51831/
There may be some useful info in the above thread that is relevant for you.
Bon chemin!
Jill

Thanks Jill...and Buen Camino!

 

[StephenChad]

Take the GR10 from SJPDP to Lescun. Then take the Pyrenean High Route for two days to Somport, staying overnight at Refuge Arlet.
Or continue on the GR10 for one day after Lescun to Etsaut in the Aspe valley, where you meet the Somport Oloron trail.

 

[caminka]

Take the GR10 from SJPDP to Lescun. Then take the Pyrenean High Route for two days to Somport, staying overnight at Refuge Arlet.
Or continue on the GR10 for one day after Lescun to Etsaut in the Aspe valley, where you meet the Somport Oloron trail.

GR10 is a mountain route that mainly goes up and down from a valley to a ridge. I don't know that part (only the one from sjpp to irun) but it can be quite challenging. do the research. there is a spectacular stretch from borce/etsuat onwards, called chemin de la mature, a 19C route hacked out of the sheer rock wall. if you continue from there you will eventually arrive at réfuge d'ayous with its wonderful reflection of pic d'ayous in its lake. then descend the valley on another santiago route (voie d'ossau) to meet voie du piemont pyreneen in arudy.
search for ossau on this forum and see these threads:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/lourdes-to-somport.19058/#post-141704
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/day-two-asson-arudy.33360/#post-299663
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/day-three-arudy-laruns.33401/#post-300260
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/day-four-laruns-to-gabas.33470/#post-301086
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...llego-the-going-gets-tough.33574/#post-302309 (the upper part is the parallel valley)

pyrenean high route is also an option but bear in mind that this is a mountain route following the ridges and full mountain and weather precautions are necessary.

 

[StephenChad]

You can also go directly from Somport to the refuge d'Ayous and the Ossau valley in one day via the Col des Moines.
Yes, as @caminka points out the Pyrenean High route is a mountain route and does not always have waymarks though the section from Lescun to Somport is well travelled as it also forms a part of the popular Camille Way circuit.
http://www.lasendadecamille.com/

 

[SafariGirl]

Take the GR10 from SJPDP to Lescun. Then take the Pyrenean High Route for two days to Somport, staying overnight at Refuge Arlet.
Or continue on the GR10 for one day after Lescun to Etsaut in the Aspe valley, where you meet the Somport Oloron trail.

Thank you for this suggestion Stephen

 

[SafariGirl]

GR10 is a mountain route that mainly goes up and down from a valley to a ridge. I don't know that part (only the one from sjpp to irun) but it can be quite challenging. do the research. there is a spectacular stretch from borce/etsuat onwards, called chemin de la mature, a 19C route hacked out of the sheer rock wall. if you continue from there you will eventually arrive at réfuge d'ayous with its wonderful reflection of pic d'ayous in its lake. then descend the valley on another santiago route (voie d'ossau) to meet voie du piemont pyreneen in arudy.
search for ossau on this forum and see these threads:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/lourdes-to-somport.19058/#post-141704
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/day-two-asson-arudy.33360/#post-299663
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/day-three-arudy-laruns.33401/#post-300260
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/day-four-laruns-to-gabas.33470/#post-301086
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...llego-the-going-gets-tough.33574/#post-302309 (the upper part is the parallel valley)

pyrenean high route is also an option but bear in mind that this is a mountain route following the ridges and full mountain and weather precautions are necessary.

Thank you for the caution caminka and also for the link, it’s much appreciated and I’ll be sure to do my research

 

[SafariGirl]

You can also go directly from Somport to the refuge d'Ayous and the Ossau valley in one day via the Col des Moines.
Yes, as @caminka points out the Pyrenean High route is a mountain route and does not always have waymarks though the section from Lescun to Somport is well travelled as it also forms a part of the popular Camille Way circuit.
http://www.lasendadecamille.com/

Many thanks Stephen

 

[caminka]

You can also go directly from Somport to the refuge d'Ayous and the Ossau valley in one day via the Col des Moines.

that is a beautiful option! the waymarking is a bit scarce, although the path(s) are well-worn. you would be following voie d'ossau to a fork on the descent from col des moines. the road to the summer ghost village of astun is easy. after the last building a creek comes down the slope. you follow the right (east) slope of that creek, first it's a jeep track/road then a path (with one a bit dodgy section) all the way to the lake of escalar. contour the lake on the right then ascend to col de moines. descend the main path into a valley of a bigger creek and a fork. voie d'ossau forks right down the valley and sticks to the main valley all the way to lac de bious artigues. I recommend to fork left up to a saddle then descend to réfuge d'ayous and from there descend the well-waymarked gr10 to lac de bious artigues. then descend the road to gabas.
see my wikiloc track: https://es.wikiloc.com/rutas-senderismo/camino2012-105-refuge-dayous-canfranc-21750406

 

[SafariGirl]

that is a beautiful option! the waymarking is a bit scarce, although the path(s) are well-worn. you would be following voie d'ossau to a fork on the descent from col des moines. the road to the summer ghost village of astun is easy. after the last building a creek comes down the slope. you follow the right (east) slope of that creek, first it's a jeep track/road then a path (with one a bit dodgy section) all the way to the lake of escalar. contour the lake on the right then ascend to col de moines. descend the main path into a valley of a bigger creek and a fork. voie d'ossau forks right down the valley and sticks to the main valley all the way to lac de bious artigues. I recommend to fork left up to a saddle then descend to réfuge d'ayous and from there descend the well-waymarked gr10 to lac de bious artigues. then descend the road to gabas.
see my wikiloc track: https://es.wikiloc.com/rutas-senderismo/camino2012-105-refuge-dayous-canfranc-21750406

Thank you Caminka! Your detailed guidance notes are great and I really appreciate you taking the trouble to include them in your reply.
All the best
Michele

 

[caminka]

Thank you Caminka! Your detailed guidance notes are great and I really appreciate you taking the trouble to include them in your reply.
All the best
Michele

sure, not a problem at all. when you decide which route you will take, we can help you with probably even more detailed notes.

 

[SafariGirl]

sure, not a problem at all. when you decide which route you will take, we can help you with probably even more detailed notes.