Hi! I'm Dani :) I start in 2 days! And I have a question!

[danigondacamino]

Hello all, I have been reading some threads here and there as I (kind of) prepare for my first Camino, the French Way.

I start in 2 days from SJPP.

I see a lot of people asking many questions in preparation for their walk.

To be honest, I feel unprepared and I also feel like that is perfect for me.

I am a reasonably fit 29 year old woman who walks most days. However, I have been travelling through Europe for the last month having a rather indulgent time and I would say my body is not really how I expected her to be before starting the Camino! Haha!

I have had some anxiety about this...and today after a big journal session, I decided its all perfect! It's the medicine I need!

But one thing I have come across a lot in the threads is about accomodation and booking in advance.

I don't have a desire to do this. I'd like to have my phone off as much as possible and walk the walk old school.

But tonight as I was reading through the threads about accomodation booking out, I thought I best check in SJPP if there would be some accomodation available for the next 2 nights. Bookings.com says there is nothing left.

I'm wondering if this is really the case? Or would there be places who are not advertising that I could walk into?

I'm curious if there are people who have recently walked the Camino the French way and did so without pre-booking accomodation. Do you think it will be okay over August and September?

Thank you for taking the time to read this and any advice you have to share.

Dani

 

[trecile]

Booking.com does not have access to all available beds/rooms, so don't worry that they show no availability. The municipal hostel in SJPdP does not accept reservations at all, and there is another in town that only accepts them a day ahead. You can find these accommodations in Gronze.com.

Camino Francés | Gronze.com

El Camino Francés es el Camino de Santiago en el que confluyen la mayoría de las vías medievales de peregrinación europeas, siendo por tanto el camino de mayor relevancia histórica y el más seguido por los peregrinos. Su punto de inicio, hoy en día, tanto puede considerarse Roncesvalles como...

www.gronze.com

 

[SabsP]

Hi and welcome here on this forum!

This website gives you decent information. Also for those places not on a bookingsite.

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port - Roncesvalles (Ruta de Napoleón) | Camino Francés | Gronze.com

Primera etapa del Camino Francés, dura y espectacular como ninguna otra. Por su itinerario principal, conocido como Ruta de Napoleón, cruzamos los Pirineos a través de los Puertos de Cize, ascendiendo desde los 172 metros de altitud de Saint Jean Pied de Port hasta los 1.430 del collado de...

www.gronze.com

All the best!

 

[alexwalker]

Hello all, I have been reading some threads here and there as I (kind of) prepare for my first Camino, the French Way.

I start in 2 days from SJPP.

I see a lot of people asking many questions in preparation for their walk.

To be honest, I feel unprepared and I also feel like that is perfect for me.

I am a reasonably fit 29 year old woman who walks most days. However, I have been travelling through Europe for the last month having a rather indulgent time and I would say my body is not really how I expected her to be before starting the Camino! Haha!

I have had some anxiety about this...and today after a big journal session, I decided its all perfect! It's the medicine I need!

But one thing I have come across a lot in the threads is about accomodation and booking in advance.

I don't have a desire to do this. I'd like to have my phone off as much as possible and walk the walk old school.

But tonight as I was reading through the threads about accomodation booking out, I thought I best check in SJPP if there would be some accomodation available for the next 2 nights. Bookings.com says there is nothing left.

I'm wondering if this is really the case? Or would there be places who are not advertising that I could walk into?

I'm curious if there are people who have recently walked the Camino the French way and did so without pre-booking accomodation. Do you think it will be okay over August and September?

Thank you for taking ( the time to read this and any advice you have to share.

Dani

Download the Wise Pilgrim app for Camino Frances. (there are others too, but that app is the best IMHO). If you want to reserve a bed, do it directly. No booking site has ALL beds available to them.

Welcome to the Forum and Buen Camino: Have no fear: It is MUCH easier than you think.

 

[C clearly]

Welcome to the forum!

Certain cities along the Camino have many visitors during the summer - especially on weekends - so reservable rooms may be few in number. That could apply to St Jean Pied de Port. Others have given you some good information above to help with that.

The system of albergues tends not to be very busy along the route in August until you reach Sarria. (That information seems to be easily missed amidst all the posts about unavailability mainly of private rooms at certain choke points.) By Sarria, you will be quite familiar with how things work and can decide what approach will work best for you. Staying "off stage" may be all you need to do.

 

[trecile]

The system of albergues tends not to be very busy along the route in August until you reach Sarria.

And @danigondacamino won't reach Sarria until September, so most of the summer pilgrims and groups should be gone.

 

[Kiwi-family]

The system of albergues tends not to be very busy along the route in August until you reach Sarria. (That information seems to be easily missed amidst all the posts about unavailability mainly of private rooms at certain choke points.)

Are you sure? I don't mean that in a derogatory way, just that I was planning a camino for May-July next year, but other factors have me needing to consider an August start instead. My only objection to walking then was that albergues would be full of Europeans who have holidays at that time. I would be delighted to be told I have that wrong!

 

[C clearly]

Are you sure?

Pretty sure. @trecile has posted a number of times with statistics, so perhaps she'll answer here soon. It is worth looking at this thread, as a starting point. The "crowds" and generalizations about them can be very misleading. From what I've heard, an August start on the eastern end of the Camino Frances would be good, from the perspective of pilgrim numbers. Heat is another issue entirely.

On the Norte, the situation could be different as it is more of a holiday destination.

 

[dougfitz]

Are you sure? I don't mean that in a derogatory way, just that I was planning a camino for May-July next year, but other factors have me needing to consider an August start instead. My only objection to walking then was that albergues would be full of Europeans who have holidays at that time. I would be delighted to be told I have that wrong!

I did some PQD calculations on this recently, and presented the results of the simple analysis here. While it only deals with departures from SJPP and Sarria, it is clear that for most of the CF, the peak of departures from SJPP is in May, which should mean that up to Sarria, there should be accommodation available, even if finding it is still a problem. After Sarria, August appears to be the busiest departure month.

*PQD - pretty quick and dirty

 

[Marbe2]

Booking.com predominantly shows private rooms in private establishments. So if one asks for twin beds in one room, it may show no availability. But there may be two beds available in a room for eight persons. Private, single room accommodations will likely be difficult to find if there is already no availability on booking. However, common room accommodations should be easier to find. Hopefully you can arrive early enough in the day to get settled somewhere.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Pretty sure. @trecile has posted a number of times with statistics, so perhaps she'll answer here soon. It is worth looking at this thread, as a starting point. The "crowds" and generalizations about them can be very misleading. From what I've heard, an August start on the eastern end of the Camino Frances would be good, from the perspective of pilgrim numbers. Heat is another issue entirely.

On the Norte, the situation could be different as it is more of a holiday destination.

Thank you. Heat was originally an objection, but then I decided I actually don't mind walking when it's hot and it does not get hot on the Frances in the same way it does further south. I would not start the Via de la Plata in August! The advantage of heat is that clothes dry quickly.

 

[donalomahony]

Hello all, I have been reading some threads here and there as I (kind of) prepare for my first Camino, the French Way.

I start in 2 days from SJPP.

I see a lot of people asking many questions in preparation for their walk.

To be honest, I feel unprepared and I also feel like that is perfect for me.

I am a reasonably fit 29 year old woman who walks most days. However, I have been travelling through Europe for the last month having a rather indulgent time and I would say my body is not really how I expected her to be before starting the Camino! Haha!

I have had some anxiety about this...and today after a big journal session, I decided its all perfect! It's the medicine I need!

But one thing I have come across a lot in the threads is about accomodation and booking in advance.

I don't have a desire to do this. I'd like to have my phone off as much as possible and walk the walk old school.

But tonight as I was reading through the threads about accomodation booking out, I thought I best check in SJPP if there would be some accomodation available for the next 2 nights. Bookings.com says there is nothing left.

I'm wondering if this is really the case? Or would there be places who are not advertising that I could walk into?

I'm curious if there are people who have recently walked the Camino the French way and did so without pre-booking accomodation. Do you think it will be okay over August and September?

Thank you for taking the time to read this and any advice you have to share.

Dani

Hi Dani, you will be fine... lots of great advice coming in above... Buen Camino

 

[OzAnnie]

Hi Dani
Good question. Many newbies will be similarly ‘put off’ by what they think is non availability of accommodation on booking . Com etc sites. Most of the those on ‘spain holiday dates’ will more than likely be ahead of you (if you are starting in SJPdP) .. The other sites listed above are very helpful and Gronze.com is a great standby -it lists places enroute that many pilgrims use and gives indicative pricing for same. (Not exact all the time but is kept updated ). It also shows whether accom is dorm type or private etc. Drill down into each and get direct contact information where possible, and try to deal directly with the accommodation. Using ‘WhatsApp’ for contact is a good app for doing this in spain.

Buen camino.

 

[Roland49]

I start in 2 days from SJPP.

I see a lot of people asking many questions in preparation for their walk.

To be honest, I feel unprepared and I also feel like that is perfect for me.

I am a reasonably fit 29 year old woman who walks most days. However, I have been travelling through Europe for the last month having a rather indulgent time and I would say my body is not really how I expected her to be before starting the Camino! Haha!

I have had some anxiety about this...and today after a big journal session, I decided its all perfect! It's the medicine I need!

I walked the CF in 2019 and the CP just 4 weeks ago (18. - 28.07.) and on both walks I just did book ahead one single accomodation, just to be sure, that I will stay in this special Albergue.

Especially on the CF there is no need to book ahead, if you are open to any type of Albergue.
2019 I was turned away on two occasions and I walked literally to the next door to get a bed for the night.
It's part of the "adventure" not to know, where you will rest on the evening.

HTH
Roland

 

[David Tallan]

Hi Dani,

Most of the best advice has already been given. I will just tack on two bits about Gronze.com, recommended several times above.
1. Don't be put off by the fact that it is exclusively in Spanish. The Spanish tends to be simple and repetitive so if you have any interest in Spanish you will soon figure out what everything means. If you don't, you can use your Chrome browser to translate for you automatically. (Safari may do so, too. I don't have an iPhone to check.)

2. Pages for stages automatically open on the "Albergues" tab. But do check out the "Al Loro" tab for each stage to for handy tips.

 

[donalomahony]

Thanks David for the "Al Loro" tip. I had never clicked on it before. Very useful.

Dani, i hope you are enjoying SJPP!