Weather in Pyrenees

[barlin]

Is it feasible and pleasant to cross the Pyrenes fron St Jaques Pied de Port to Pamplona in October? Has someone experience?

 

[Deleted member 67185]

Is it feasible and pleasant to cross the Pyrenes fron St Jaques Pied de Port to Pamplona in October? Has someone experience?

Hi, barlin, and a warm welcome to the Forum

I've twice crossed via the Napoleon Route in October. Beautiful fall weather.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Hi barlin...welcome to the forum. If weather becomes inclement, the pilgrim office in SJPdP will let you know, in which case the Valcarlos route will still get you on your way. It is lovely and has its own merits.

 

[lt56ny]

I walked it twice. First time weather was perfect. Second time I started in Le Puy. Got to SJPP and when I woke up it was a hard rain with strong winds. I knew I could not stay a second night at the albergue and ran up the street to Beilari and they had two beds for my friend and I. Went to Breakfast. The first albergue let us stay for a few hours and then headed up to Beilari and had a fantastic day. It was raining hard much of the day. The next morning was a beautiful, crisp autumn morning, perfect for walking. Met some pilgrims later on who walked that rainy morning and they said as they walked up the hill it was just more and more miserable. The steep walk down at the end of the day was super wet, muddy and pretty scary according to them.
You never know what you are going to wake up to. I may have bitten the bullet and walked if it was a different stage but I already knew that leaving St. Jean I didn't want to risk what could happen going into the mountains.

 

[lt56ny]

Hi barlin...welcome to the forum. If weather becomes inclement, the pilgrim office in SJPdP will let you know, in which case the Valcarlos route will still get you on your way. It is lovely and has its own merits.

I will be walking the Valcarlos route on October 29th. Wanted to try a different way and figure that the Napoleon route will probably be closed. Is the difficulty of the hill out of Valcarlos as tough as the hill out of SJPP. As I get older those hills get tougher. Thought about staying in the municipal in Valcarlos and the next day walking to Bizkarreta. But then again you never know where you will walk to until you start walking.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Walking the first day and staying in Valcarlos is not bad at all. The muni is very nice! The next day is more difficult as there is quite a bit of climbing, but nice views and I enjoyed the downhill section from the Ibaneta pass; it was so nice to see Roncevalles at the bottom and be finished for the day!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Is the difficulty of the hill out of Valcarlos as tough as the hill out of SJPP.

Look at this media page for a bigger chart and comments.

Elevation profiles of the tracks from St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncevalles

• Rick of Rick and Peg
• Feb 14, 2019
• 10
• sjpp to roncesvalles

If seen in a post click the chart to see a page with comments on the details.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

A great comparison, Rick, to see both routes lined up together.

 

[makingtrax]

14 klms straight up hill at 11% from varcarlos. I did it by bike on June 4 this year in 34dehree heat. Nearly killed me. But what doesn't kill you made me stronger. I'm now 2 days from Santiago on la plata route after over 2000klms around Spain and Portugal. Then onto muxia and back to Santander. Definitely sleep over at vacarlos.

 

[grayland]

The initial 7 km from SJPP to Orisson is very steep. It is then much more gradual with a long descent before Roncesvalles.

Valcarlos is the opposite with a gradual assent to Valcarlos then an increasing and steep climb before a shorter descent.

I have done both several times and would rate them fairly equal as far as difficulty. Actually, if you stop at Orisson...the second day is easier than the second day from Valcarlos.

The myth of "near death" difficulty on the Napoleon is alive and well. (Winter type weather on the Napoleon is another subject. Snow on the Valcarlos should be taken with great caution also.)

 

[barlin]

Walking the first day and staying in Valcarlos is not bad at all. The muni is very nice! The next day is more difficult as there is quite a bit of climbing, but nice views and I enjoyed the downhill section from the Ibaneta pass; it was so nice to see Roncevalles at the bottom and be finished for the day!

Thanks! With my 71y. I believe this is a good option!

 

[barlin]

Look at this media page for a bigger chart and comments.

Elevation profiles of the tracks from St. Jean Pied de Port to Roncevalles

• Rick of Rick and Peg
• Feb 14, 2019
• 10
• sjpp to roncesvalles

If seen in a post click the chart to see a page with comments on the details.

Good stuff this presentation!!!