Camino Frances - First Three Nights

[SideWinder]

Good day to all! I am setting off on the Camino Frances in the middle of May. I have read recommendations to book my accommodations ahead for the first three nights, up to Pamplona. I plan to do a mixture of private rooms and shared accommodations along the route. While looking for a room for the first night, I found Espinal was the closest town with availability. No availability in Roncesvalles or Burguete. Espinal seems like a LONG WAY from St Jean Pied de Port, especially on the first day with all the uphill walking.

Appreciate insight from this group about the feasibility of making it to Espinal the first day for someone in good shape with a few months of incline training to prepare.

Also interested in tips about finding/booking accommodations ahead. Maybe I'm doing it wrong! I'm currently looking at booking.com.

Thank you!

Steve

 

[Bradypus]

Possible for someone who is fit and experienced at distance walking but it is a stretch. I could do it if I had to but it would not be my first choice. Is the albergue at Roncesvalles already fully booked for May?

 

[SideWinder]

Possible for someone who is fit and experienced at distance walking but it is a stretch. I could do it if I had to but it would not be my first choice. Is the albergue at Roncesvalles already fully booked for May?

Thanks for the feedback! Definitely not my first choice either.

I didn't see availability the day I checked but maybe my search parameters were incorrect. I plan to refine my search and keep looking.

 

[Bradypus]

I didn't see availability the day I checked but maybe my search parameters were incorrect. I plan to refine my search and keep looking.

The Roncesvalles albergue does not appear on booking.com. But they have their own reservation website: https://alberguederoncesvalles.com/en/book-your-bed/. Have you tried that?

 

[trecile]

Are you using Gronze to identify places to stay?

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

I would be quite surprised if the albergue in Roncesvalles were completely booked out.

 

[SideWinder]

The Roncesvalles albergue does not appear on booking.com. But they have their own reservation website: https://alberguederoncesvalles.com/en/book-your-bed/. Have you tried that?

Thank you for this! I was able to book a room. I'm sure my feet and legs will be much happier.

 

[SideWinder]

Are you using Gronze to identify places to stay?

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

I would be quite surprised if the albergue in Roncesvalles were completely booked out.

Indeed! I was able to book a room with the link Bradypus provided. Thank you!

 

[Simperegrina]

Thank you for this! I was able to book a room. I'm sure my feet and legs will be much happier.

Good! I thought it was odd when you said you couldn’t stay there in May

Yes, SJPP to Espinal would really be pushing it on day 1

 

[PeterStein]

Danke für die Rückmeldung! Definitiv auch nicht meine erste Wahl.

Ich habe am Tag meiner Überprüfung keine Verfügbarkeit gesehen, aber möglicherweise waren meine Suchparameter falsch. Ich habe vor, meine Suche zu verfeinern und weiter zu suchen.

Hallo, die Albergue Colegiata in Roncesvalles ist erst 5 Tage vorher reserierbar. Sie ist nicht bei Booking.com aufgeführt und hat eine eigene Webseite für die Reservierung. Unter https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/s/Ftp8pyUF6hA3kRqq5.


Liebe Grüße

 

[SideWinder]

Hallo, die Albergue Colegiata in Roncesvalles ist erst 5 Tage vorher reserierbar. Sie ist nicht bei Booking.com aufgeführt und hat eine eigene Webseite für die Reservierung. Unter https://www.google.com/travel/hotels/s/Ftp8pyUF6hA3kRqq5.


Liebe Grüße

Vielen Dank

 

[MichelleElynHogan]

The Valcarlos route is slightly less demanding. Valcarlos is about 10 km from SJPP. Fortunately, once on top, the path to Espinal is fairly flat.

 

[rickrun1223]

Inquire directly with the locations you are wanting to stay. Booking.com is not the best source.

 

[BernardK]

Someone the other day asked what was the best part of doing the camino. THE START. all the other parts are just what happens. and the finish is there. but the start is the start. The hopes and fears have been settled and off you go.. The finish to me is sad. in a way. It's done. it's over lets plan the next one..
I did Ferrous 100 marker non stop to SDC. in well under 24 hours. The start at 5 am It was me the darkness and the finish. Then it was over. Looking at starting Ferrol to SDC in one walk

 

[Dani7]

The Roncesvalles albergue does not appear on booking.com. But they have their own reservation website: https://alberguederoncesvalles.com/en/book-your-bed/. Have you tried that?

…and this is why members of this forum add so much value

 

[Margaret Faulkner]

Great to hear you found a solution that works for you. For others planning, we made Espinol the second night. Enjoyed the first night in Orrison where you are able to stop and enjoy a short Day 1, meet and share stories with others you will see along the way. Then walked on to Hostal Rural Haizea, Saroiberri, Espinal for Day 2. Day 3 we stopped at Hostel Bide Ederra, Larrasoana. Enjoyed each one, starting off early September over five years ago but still great memories of each place that helped us ease into the camino journey.

 

[Sminn]

Also for others looking, you can get a shuttle back down and then up the mountain the next day so you stay two nights in St Jean.

Passengers transport - Express Bourricot

www.expressbourricot.com

 

[Saint Mike II]

If you intend to walk the Napoleon track then pre-bookings at Orisson is definitely recommended. If you go via Valcarlos then as I recall you can’t pre-book. I do agree that the section from St Jean to Pamplona is the most difficult accommodation wise. Like other posters I do agree you reasonably can’t walk 35+ km on your first day. Sorry that this does not really help. Cheers

 

[Tincatinker]

The Albergue at Valcarlos accepts reservations.