Pilgrim Office Hours (September)

[benjaminb14]

Just wondering about the office hours for September?
I am arriving in St Jean at 7.30pm the 9th of September and am worried this will not be enough time to find a bed & get my pilgrim passport. I have been told you can pick up a passport in Roncesvalles but am concerned that this whole process in St Jean. will feel too rushed. I am staying at Orisson the next evening so I am hoping that I'll have a decent amount of time the next morning to get my passport (if the office is closed the previous night) and see some of St Jean before I head off for the 2.5 - 3 hour walk to Orisson. My main concern is finding a bed/dinner for the evening in St Jean.
This time seems to be the earliest train arrival I can find for the 9th of September!


Ben.

 

[mspath]

Ben,

Relax; you will have enough time in the evening. In Saint-Jean the pilgrim office of the Amis du Chemin de Saint Jacques at 39 rue de la Citadelle usually stays open for the arrival of the last train. Their telephone is 05 59 37 05 09. In season the pilgrim office is open from 7h30 to 12h30 and then from 13h30 to 22h. Their telephone is 05 59 37 05 09; you might telephone them from Bayonne to say that you are on the way.

They provide pilgrims with a Credential and on site lodging assistance. Their volunteers help run the municipal albergue at 55 rue de la Citadelle which is a fine place to stay, but they do NOT take reservations. If that albergue is full they will help you find other pilgrim lodgings . They keep an up to the minute list of available space throughout the SJPdP area.

Buen Camino,

Margaret Meredith

 

[mralisn]

Hi Ben!

Wow, your time is right around the corner! This will be an incredible journey for you.

I did a quick search above typing in "pilgrims office hours". The first thread came and I think it answers your questions. I'm being lazy this morning and didn't want to re-write.

The thread started on 27 July by Donal1, "Suggestions of accommodations in SJPdP..."

Either scroll down on the forum page of try this:

http://www.caminodesantiago.me/comm...-opening-hours-of-passport.19594/#post-146052

If this doesn't help, please let me know.

Buen Camino,
Simeon

 

[benjaminb14]

Margaret & Simeon, thankyou both very much for your help. I've been scanning this forum for over a year now and can see it is such a brilliant community of people that are always happy to share and help each other out (no matter how many times the same question has been asked). Warms the heart!
Can't wait to be walking in less than a month!

Buen Camino,

BB.

 

[nreyn12]

I recently saw on another thread that the Pilgrim's Office in SJPP now does take advance reservations for their refuge/hostel. Here is the link: http://www.aubergedupelerin.com/fr/reservation/

In any event, I would highly recommend an advance reservation on September 9. September has become really busy. Without a reservation you could end up sleeping in the old school house! An interesting experience...

L'Esprit du Chemin lists accommodation options on their website: http://www.espritduchemin.org/en/reservations
Click on 'other possibilities to stay' in the yellow box, right hand side of the page. You could also ask to get on a waiting list with L'Esprit - they regularly have cancellations.

If you're coming in on the train, everyone else will be headed to the pilgrim's office, too. It will be busy, but the volunteers are used to dealing with trainloads of pilgrims at a time. If you don't want to wait to get through the queue when you arrive, book another place in advance, go check in first, then return to the Pilgrim's Office later or the next morning. And take your time and enjoy the process - it's all part of the wonderful experience and the beginning of your Camino journey!

 

[mspath]

Nancy the Auberge du Pelerin is NOT the refuge of the Pilgrim's Office in SJPdP but a private albergue at 25, rue de la Citadelle. The municipal albergue at 55, rue de la Citadelle does NOT take reservations and is run by the Pilgrim Office of the Amis du Chemin de Saint Jacques at 39 rue de la Citadelle .

Margaret Meredith

 

[Canucks]

Is there a need to stop at the pilgrims office at SJPdP before leaving if we already have our credencials mailed to us prior to departure?
We can get our first stamp from our hotel that night, I assume.
Counting down to sept 18 start!!!

 

[mralisn]

Hello,

I arrived near 19:30 last summer in SJPdP and wanted to eat dinner at the alburgue, so I skipped the office. Like you, I already had my pilgrim's passport in hand. I tried to go to the office after dinner clean-up, but they were closed. As you mention, my lodging for the night was my first stamp.

The next morning I simply started my walk. I did the same thing in '10 when I walked the Camino Norte. In '05, I was really glad I was able to visit the office.

Going to the office in SJ is something special. If possible, I would go there if your first time. A great introduction to the experience and full of information especially if unsure about weather. Extremely welcoming and supportive.

May you have an incredible time during your journey.

Those arrows will get you where you need to be.

Buen Camino

 

[nreyn12]

Nancy the Auberge du Pelerin is NOT the refuge of the Pilgrim's Office in SJPdP but a private albergue at 25, rue de la Citadelle.

Oh goodness, thanks for the clarification, Margaret Meridith! My mistake. I had taken what someone else had written on another thread without checking it out myself. (Never a good idea!) In any event, there are plenty of options for reserving in advance.

I second mralisn's statement - visiting the Pilgrim's Office in SJPP is all part of the experience. And they will have some important information to give you about crossing from SJPP to Roncesvalles.

Have a fantastic journey!

 

[sysilia_t]

I always love all the positive comments in this forum Will start from St Jean at Sept 12, hope to see you around Ben!

Hugs from Indonesia

 

[benjaminb14]

Those arrows will get you where you need to be.

So true to me right now, you have no idea!
Quite a beautiful thing to read, thankyou.


Ben