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Each albergue is different, so consult Gronze or Wise Pilgrim for specific closure dates.
Yes, sorry! November it is..
Excellent to know…I will be sure to seek out the Canfranc albergue. The station looks fantastic and I am happy to see renewed interest in the Somport pass. Can’t wait to be there myself!Hopefully that Confranc albergue remains open past the end of October, especially since my wife and I are scheduled as the hospitaleros there in November!
As for weather, October should be lovely and cool, but not snowy. Then again, it’s impossible to accurately predict the weather. I think you’ll be fine walking then.
Thank you for posting the beautiful photos, @pinkwadingbird.
I walked the Aragones from Oloron Ste Marie as my second camino. It was well worth doing, but quite challenging to get to from Canada: flight to CDG, bus to Orly (five hours total time needed for the airport change), flight to Pau, wait for the once an hour bus into town, next train to Oloron Ste Marie. I could have flown from CDG, but the flight from Orly was cheaper. Between when I booked my flight and when I travelled, the free bus to Orly was sold by Air France and so I had to figure it out after landing. The albergue in Oloron Ste Marie was closed, for some silly reason (can't remember why; it may just have been the weekend). And I arrived in the midst of a major storm: no electricity in Oloron Ste Marie, so everything was closed, nowhere to get a meal, and rain bucketing down. In lieu of an albergue, I had booked private accommodation for the night, breakfast included. But the first day's walk was extremely challenging and I finally had to hitch a ride to Sarrance, where I was told that I did not have a booking. I had copies of the emails from the hospitalero who booked me and a monk who had contacted me, so I was given a bed for the night, although neither hospitalero nor monk was there when I arrived. I enjoyed the walk from there up to Somport: easier than the Napoleon and absent the crowds. From there on, it was fairly easy going and San Juan de la Pena was worth any possible challenge. I hope to see it again some day. But I would never recommend this route for a first camino, unless for someone who was an experienced mountain walker, with good rain gear. I knew in advance, from my research, that the Valee d'Aspe has frequent major storms. Still, whatever access route I take, I shall certainly walk the Aragones again. I knew of the buses available to the albergue at the pass, but I wanted to walk up to Somport. It was an adventure.
Brilliant! Its one of my secret ambitions! I shall be 83 on 20 July, 2 weeks away. Done some walking in my time including Camino since 2003! Am ex forces and ex mountain rescue so still retain some vestiges of knowledge and capability
However, I would still like to do that route in the easiest of stages and endurance levels. Tent or tarp for "caught out" situations? I have a Laser Comp I which has seen some rough weather! I have good gear but would possibly buy a GPS and appropriate map. The CANFRANC station appeals to me. 
Should be.
) I’m hoping to walk this again this October once I’m finished with the Frances.
Wow…consider my appetite wetted. Thank you for the beautiful photos!
In case of confusion, please note that Canfranc and Canfranc Estacion are two different places: Canfranc, a small pueblo is 3 or 4km downstream from the bigger town of the same name which has the glorious station building (as well as services and a rail connection from Zaragoza).Nice to know there’s now an albergue in Canfranc. (It’d be wonderful if it was inside the beautiful old train station!
I didn't have a GPS or even a phone at that time: just Part 2 of the Confraternity of St James Guide to the Camino d'Arles: Toulouse to Puente la Reina, which I followed from Oloron Ste Marie. But a good map, either a paper map or on a phone, would have been useful.
John, my main suggestion with albergues would be to plan a day or two ahead. Some places are cutting back on the number of people they'll take to comply with social distancing. There aren't a huge number of options along this route except for maybe in Jaca. This area is also very popular with day hikers on weekends.
Thanks for reminding me about the snow. My first CF, which I planned as a 2 day hike on the Napoleon, turned into a 1 day march on the ValCarlos due to snow on the mountain, following the thoughtful advice from the SJPdP pilgrim office. My second was over the Napoleon in great weather. But I had forgotten the unpredictable weather and the extra clothing needed to pack just in case.
There were a few places where I had to guess what direction to go, the worst part was getting out of Oloron.
Hi,
Hi Kathy, my name is Linda Fantillo and am planning to walk the Somport Pass and onward from Urdos. I have booked my flight for May 15th, leaving Canada for Paris and then Biarritz - overnighting there and then the bus/train to Oloron St. Marie,- overnighting there ( re jet lag) and early morning bus from Oloron to Urdos and start walking. Have you made definite plans? Would love to hear how your planning is going. Cheers, Linda.I’m planning to walk the Somport Pass in May. My second Camino was from Lourdes to SJPdP to SdC. How well marked is the way from the Somport Pass? I’m having a hard time finding guidebooks. Would I start in Lourdes - if so, where do you turn off for the Somport Pass? Also, if anyone is currrently walking that route, what is the availability of albergues at the moment? Do you plan to go to Puenta de la Reina or to Pamplona? And why? Sorry, lots of questions, but that Camino bug is biting again HARD!!
The day I went up the Somport pass (July) was one of my best Camino days - If it was wet or in bad weather it could have been the worst day. It would be treacherous and slippery underfoot and I wouldn't have seen the spectacular landscape. I suggest the wearing of long pants as I got 12 ticks - I think from the long grass after the summit??
Would love to hear of your experience as I am scheduled as a hospitalaria in Canfranc in April.Hopefully that Confranc albergue remains open past the end of October, especially since my wife and I are scheduled as the hospitaleros there in November!
As for weather, October should be lovely and cool, but not snowy. Then again, it’s impossible to accurately predict the weather. I think you’ll be fine walking then.
