Accomodation in St. Jean

[pohodnica]

Hi! Can anybody recommend a nice a accommodation in St. Jean. I prefer a single room for the first day. Also I will be really grateful for advic. I need a transfer from Pamplona and St. Jean. I am thinking transfer from aeroport to St. Jean. Van, taxi... I am limited by time.
Best regards,
Tatjana

 

[Deleted member 73526]

Search brings up this thread about transport to SJPP:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/2019-bus-pamplona-to-saint-jean.60103/

That thread was most recently updated yesterday - Depending on the date of your arrival in Pamplona, you might be better advised to skip SJPP and start your Camino from Roncesvalles or Pamplona.

 

[trecile]

I liked Gite Bidean. The have private rooms and dorms, and offer an optional communal dinner.

Gîte BIDEAN, Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, Francia

Gîte BIDEAN se encuentra en Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port y ofrece alojamiento con salón de uso común y wifi gratis a 11 km de Iglesia de Baigorry y a 40 km de...

www.booking.com

 

[mspath]

In late autumn/winter I always stayed in the municipal albergue, 55 Rue de la Citadelle; few other pilgrims traveled at that time.
Walking through the red door was the start of each new adventure.

 

[pohodnica]

Search brings up this thread about transport to SJPP:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/2019-bus-pamplona-to-saint-jean.60103/

That thread was most recently updated yesterday - Depending on the date of your arrival in Pamplona, you might be better advised to skip SJPP and start your Camino from Roncesvalles or Pamplona.

Hi! Can anybody recommend a nice a accommodation in St. Jean. I prefer a single room for the first day. Also I will be really grateful for advic. I need a transfer from Pamplona and St. Jean. I am thinking transfer from aeroport to St. Jean. Van, taxi... I am limited by time.
Best regards,
Tatjana

Thank you for advice, but I want to start in St. Jean. About transfer, I mean name of a agency who organized transfer?

 

[Kanga]

@pohodnica as you probably know, St Jean is 74 kilometres from Pamplona along minor roads. People usually travel from Pamplona to St Jean by bus, as shown in the thread posted by @Raggy - see the end of the thread for up to date information. The company that run the buses is Conda, but as the thread explains they are not currently running that route because of restrictions due to the pandemic, and also because there have not been any passengers to take.

The forum does have a section here where you can post a thread to see if there is anyone who wants to share a taxi with you. You will have to nominate the date and time of your arrival in Pamplona.

Baggage services normally run between St Jean and further along the camino and they may also have transport services, but until things start to run more normally it is hard to know. Try contacting Jacotrans for information about when they will resume service.

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

The bus line PLM used to have a twice weekly Pamplona-Valcarlos-Pekotxeta service. Substitute Arneguy, France for that last village as they would be touching if not for the small river forming the border. You could then walk the Valcarlos route in reverse to SJPdP if legal.

I think the service is still active but the PLM website has been superceded by https://jimenezmovilidad.es/pamplona-logrono-madrid/ (a co-owner of PLM) and I don't see the service listed. I think that is because of a website development screwup.

 

[Scott Fraser]

Hi! Can anybody recommend a nice a accommodation in St. Jean. I prefer a single room for the first day. Also I will be really grateful for advic. I need a transfer from Pamplona and St. Jean. I am thinking transfer from aeroport to St. Jean. Van, taxi... I am limited by time.
Best regards,
Tatjana

Try Gîte Izaxulo — comfortable private rooms (plus dorms) and a very welcoming, helpful owner. I’ve stayed there twice.

 

[josephmcclain]

I wouldn’t miss staying at Beilari in Saint-Jean. One of the most remarkable experiences along the Camino and simply an amazing way to start.

 

[BROWNCOUNTYBOB]

My wife and I had a private room at Central Hotel in St Jean in 2019. It had a small balcony that overlooked the river and views of the mountains in the background. Incredibly nice! We have reservations to stay there again Sept 16. It is a bit pricey, (115 euros for private room and private bath) but worth the superb customer service, comfort and views. They also have a marvelous restaurant.

One thing to check wherever you stay - can you drop off your backpacks if you arrive before standard opening time? In 2017, the place we were staying did not open until 3 pm, so we had to carry our backpacks around St Jean for 3+ hours until our Gite opened.

The backpack transport service from St Jean to Roncesvalles is Express Bourricot, not Jacotrans. Jacotrans provides services from Roncesvalles all the way to Santiago. I already have booked and prepaid backpack transport services for Express Bourricot the first day and Jacotrans the rest of the trip. Each has sent me hangtags we'll place on our backpacks then we'll leave our backpacks in the lobby each morning. No hassle with filling out daily envelopes and fumbling for change. Bob

 

[Grousedoctor]

As you can see from the above posts, there are a number of very good accommodations in SJPP. Having stayed there twice, let me recommend both the Gite Bidean and the Gite Utreia. Both offer single rooms and excellent, friendly service. Our communal dinner at the Bidean on our last Camino was excellent.

 

[Vince Rollason]

Hi! Can anybody recommend a nice a accommodation in St. Jean. I prefer a single room for the first day. Also I will be really grateful for advic. I need a transfer from Pamplona and St. Jean. I am thinking transfer from aeroport to St. Jean. Van, taxi... I am limited by time.
Best regards,
Tatjana

Hi Tatjana
The last time I stayed in St. Jean I used airbnb. I stayed at 42 Rue de la Citadelle a small apartment directly across the street from the Pilgrim's Office. I stayed for 2 nights. It cost about 50 euros a night but it was dead central, comfortable and an ideal treat before setting off for weeks in alberques.
Buen Camino
Vince

 

[trecile]

I wouldn’t miss staying at Beilari in Saint-Jean. One of the most remarkable experiences along the Camino and simply an amazing way to start.

But they don't have private rooms as @pohodnica requested.

 

[Cleigh]

Has anyone stayed at Gite Makila? We are booked for two nights mid August.

 

[trecile]

Has anyone stayed at Gite Makila? We are booked for two nights mid August.

I haven't, but tried to book there in the past based on highly positive recommendations from Forum members. Enter "Makila" into the search and you should find them.

 

[domigee]

Hi! Can anybody recommend a nice a accommodation in St. Jean. I prefer a single room for the first day.
Best regards,
Tatjana

Hotel Itzalpea is nice. Right at the entrance of the town.

 

[Anniesantiago]

I love Gite Makila. Perhaps a little less expensive and less fancy would be Gite Compostelle.

 

[Kathar1na]

The bus line PLM used to have a twice weekly Pamplona-Valcarlos-Pekotxeta service. Substitute Arneguy, France for that last village as they would be touching if not for the small river forming the border. You could then walk the Valcarlos route in reverse to SJPdP if legal.

I think the service is still active but the PLM website has been superceded by https://jimenezmovilidad.es/pamplona-logrono-madrid/ (a co-owner of PLM) and I don't see the service listed. I think that is because of a website development screwup.

There's been a change in the concession holders for the bus lines in Navarra. Current situation:

Bus service on the line Pamplona to Saint Jean Pied de Port will start on 21 June 2021. Daily.

Bus service on the line Pamplona to Roncesvalles is daily except Sundays and public holidays.

Pamplona-Roncesvalles is served by Artieda.
Pamplona-SJPP is served by Conda/Alsa.

Link to the bus companies starting from Pamplona: http://www.estaciondeautobusesdepamplona.com/Rutas.aspx.html