Which route in Oct? Route Napoleón or Valcarlos?

[Julia Mumford]

I am torn.

It looks like the Orisson will be closed when I start my Camino late October this year. I really want to attend the Pilgrim Mass in Roncevalles so I have a few choices.

Option #1 - Walk the Valcarlos Route, and stay overnight in Valcarlos. (Will I regret not walking the beautiful mountains?)
Option #2 - Stay overnight in St Jean, and start walking early, but go over the Pyrenees. (seriously considering this)
Option #3 - Be on a mission and walk faster than usual (not really an option).

Background: I am fairly fit. I have walked the Pyrenees last year (we stopped at the Orisson), but it was June, so very different weather. (I assume!)

What do you think?

 

[Bradypus]

I have walked both routes. If I were ever to walk from Saint Jean again I would take the Route Napoleon any time up to its official closing - always provided the weather and forecast were favourable. The Valcarlos route is pleasant enough but lacks the grandeur of the higher route. Not much of a time saver either. The vast majority of people walk the whole stage to Roncesvalles: very few stop at Orisson. I find it hard to understand how the impression has got around that breaking the journey there is so vital. After walking the Valcarlos route I arrived in Roncesvalles to find a queue of a hundred or more people waiting to book in - almost all of whom had walked over the top and still beat me to it!

 

[Julia Mumford]

After walking the Valcarlos route I arrived in Roncesvalles to find a queue of a hundred or more people waiting to book in

The Orisson have a tradition of everyone introducing themselves during the pilgrim meal. Like a round robin. I loved this at it broke the ice and we made friends for life on that first day.

Also, because we were ahead of everyone else who were starting out at St Jean we didn’t have the worry about beds/queues when we reached Roncevalles. I was also walking in the light, rather than the dark, and there was no chance of missing the pilgrim mass.

In my view, these are great reasons to break up that first day.

But... I’m tempted to do the same as everyone else and walk the full route. Um... decisions to make!

 

[DanielaR]

Last October 15th I started my camino walk in SJPP at 8:15am and travelled via the Route Napoleon. I made it to Roncevalles with lots of time before the mass so you should be fine. The pilgrim's office will tell you which route is best depending for the weather.

Buen Camino!
Daniela

I am torn.

It looks like the Orisson will be closed when I start my Camino late October this year. I really want to attend the Pilgrim Mass in Roncevalles so I have a few choices.

Option #1 - Walk the Valcarlos Route, and stay overnight in Valcarlos. (Will I regret not walking the beautiful mountains?)
Option #2 - Stay overnight in St Jean, and start walking early, but go over the Pyrenees. (seriously considering this)
Option #3 - Be on a mission and walk faster than usual (not really an option).

Background: I am fairly fit. I have walked the Pyrenees last year (we stopped at the Orisson), but it was June, so very different weather. (I assume!)

What do you think?

 

[domigee]

The Orisson have a tradition of everyone introducing themselves during the pilgrim meal. Like a round robin. I loved this at it broke the ice and we made friends for life on that first day.
!

I think other albergues - in St Jean - may do this 'introduction', l'Esprit du Chemin used to do it. It's now called Beilari (please someone correct me if I am wrong!) and I bet they still do it...?
Otherwise I am with @Bradypus on this. I had a bed booked in Orisson on my 1st Camino because after reading this forum I seriously doubted my ability to walk to Roncesvalles in one go. In fact, I arrived much too early and therefore cancelled my booking.

I have not walked the Valcarlos route so can't advise but... even in mid-July there can be NO view whatsoever on the 'Napoleon' route... Depends on the weather and it can change for one day to the next.

 

[Bradypus]

@domigee Beilari do indeed have a special get-acquainted session before the evening meal. Because of a back injury I had the pleasure of it four nights in a row, and once again last year. An excellent place to start a Camino.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I have loved walking the Valcarlos route two times. There is much variety along the way, and does include some high mountain views leading up to the Ibaneta pass. I wasn't willing to walk the Napoleon on my first day trudging up, up, up, to possibly encounter fog after all that work, like many do. Staying in V assured me of arriving early enough to secure a bed in Roncevalles in good time. It was a win, win for me!

 

[nycwalking]

I have done both. Go over Pyrennes. Just too beautiful to miss. Start early if you can not stop at Orrisson to make pilgrim's mass in Roncesvalles.
Buen camino.

 

[Deleted member 39850]

I am torn.

It looks like the Orisson will be closed when I start my Camino late October this year. I really want to attend the Pilgrim Mass in Roncevalles so I have a few choices.

Option #1 - Walk the Valcarlos Route, and stay overnight in Valcarlos. (Will I regret not walking the beautiful mountains?)
Option #2 - Stay overnight in St Jean, and start walking early, but go over the Pyrenees. (seriously considering this)
Option #3 - Be on a mission and walk faster than usual (not really an option).

Background: I am fairly fit. I have walked the Pyrenees last year (we stopped at the Orisson), but it was June, so very different weather. (I assume!)

What do you think?

I was one of only two people who walked the Valcarlos route on the day I departed SJPDP. I am very fit, but what I wanted was to see a less populated landscape and avoid brutal heat. The difference in height is 35-45 meters (depending on the guidebook). The village of Luzaide/Valcarlos was charming, welcoming, and a lovely place to have our lunch. The walk through the woods was beautiful, and I still saw the monument to Rolande, and the gorgeous descent into Roncesvalles (which may have been the happiest sight in my life to that point). I also saw mountain goats on the faces of the mountains opposite me, and just thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed the day. I recommend it.

Ultreia!

 

[Camino Chrissy]

I was one of only two people who walked the Valcarlos route on the day I departed SJPDP. I am very fit, but what I wanted was to see a less populated landscape and avoid brutal heat. The difference in height is 35-45 meters (depending on the guidebook). The village of Luzaide/Valcarlos was charming, welcoming, and a lovely place to have our lunch. The walk through the woods was beautiful, and I still saw the monument to Rolande, and the gorgeous descent into Roncesvalles (which may have been the happiest sight in my life to that point). I also saw mountain goats on the faces of the mountains opposite me, and just thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed the day. I recommend it.

Ultreia!

My thoughts and experience exactly! You said it so well!

 

[ranthr]

I have walked the Napoleon route three times in spring and autumn and only once I could see the virgin on the top or any other view on the walk. So next time I would take the Valcarlos route unless the weather is exstremely good. Whatever you choose, visit the chapel on the Valcarlos route before taking the path down to Roncesvalles. Much better than taking the direct path down to Roncesvalles from the Napoleon route.

 

[camino-david]

Many people who stop at Orrisson do so because of number of reasons. It can be lack of confidence in ability to walk all the way to Roncesvalles, age, or simply they want to stop at Orisson. I stayed 2 nights at Beilari and a night at Orrisson because I wanted to, and because my age was 79. I am very happy I did both, and the weather could not have been better for both days. After Roncevalles it poured with rain for 3 days. Next time I would walk the Valcarlos route, for the experience. There are no rules saying where one should stay - your Camino is yours and you walk as you wish.

 

[HedaP]

Have walked both routes. Staying first time at Orisson and second time at Valcarlos. Enjoyed both. Well that’s not quite true as had bad weather from Orisson that at the time I didn’t enjoy but it actually was a memorable experience and I’m glad I did it. Just don’t want to repeat it. Next time, if there is a next time, I would start from Roncesvalles.