Hi @bkkboy
Yes there are. Have a look at the Gronze website which under Arles Way shows accommdoation on the various stages from Oloron including prices. If you open Gronze in chrome you can translate into English. But even without that you can see the name, price, beds etc. And the map of the stage shows the location.
And here is the gronze link for information on the Aragones.
Pau is the closest major town. Airports are Pau, Tarbes and Biarritz. Olorons-Ste-Marie is kick-off town but..... fix accommodation. Sarrance is 1st stop, and has options. 2nd night can be tricky.
I crossed the Somport Pass about a week ago. I started the Camino d’Arles in Toulouse about two weeks ago. I stayed at the pilgrim alberbue in Oloron-Sainte-Marie. Clean and comfortable. Eat at the Bar du Pont near the Cathedral. Then I walked to Sarrance and stayed at the monastery. Next day to Urdos which is 12 kms.down from the Somport Pass. Nice albergue here, attentive Hospitalero and good eating option in bar next door. Next day I walked up to Somport, 12kms. and took 5 hours. Everything closed at the top so continued to Canfranc pueblo where there is a fab. Albergue. Was really thirsty at the top as all my water was gone and no drinks available so bring plenty of water. The weather was good last week, I was in shorts at Somport. Check weather before you leave Urdos as in rain I’m sure it would be a miserable experience!
We flew to Toulouse, trained to Lourdes, then started our walk there, turning south at Oleron, a delightful city. We stayed at the Monastery in Sarrance, one of our many camino memories. We started early, arrived at 1pm, they had us join the lunch thinking we were moving on. We were so delighted by those who were at the monastery that we stayed till the next day. The crossing at Somport stunned us. Unlike on the Frances, you are well below the peaks, which were still snow covered in August. Be sure to take time in Jaca, a jewel. I recommend NOT walking up to San Juan de la Pena. It's a grind, as others told us. We wisely took the morning bus with the workers, visiting this special historical site, then walked down.
Early May is a great time to walk, but if there is still snow on the pass or if has been very wet, you could always take the bus from Borce or Urdos up and over Somport.
I will be walking from Lourdes to Somport then on to Logrono from next week.
Those pictures look inviting...Early May is a great time to walk, but if there is still snow on the pass or if has been very wet, you could always take the bus from Borce or Urdos up and over Somport.
Gronze lists Borce to Somport as the toughest stage of the Arles/Aragonês with good reason I think! I took a bus yesterday morning from Canfranc Ectacion to Urdos with just a day pack and hiked back. I found it stunningly beautiful but exhausting, ankle deep in autumn leaves coming up through the forest, an elevation gain of something like 800 metres over 13km. I thought, never again!!
But I'm a glutton for punishment. Maybe I'll do it again tomorrow..
