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How busy is the Francés now - April 25th?

Christopher Hegan

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Francés 2014, 2016, 2021. Norte 2018
Planning to start at St Jean 7th or 8th May. Historical info on traffic and albergué activity in previous years seems inconsistent. Probably influenced by Holy Year, etc. How busy was it today?
 
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The number of compostelas issued today. No other statistics are available. The Pilgrim Office keeps track of the number of pilgrims who stop by, but seems to disclose the data the following year aggregated by week.
 
The number of compostelas issued today. No other statistics are available. The Pilgrim Office keeps track of the number of pilgrims who stop by, but seems to disclose the data the following year aggregated by week.
Thanks Ivar. Just to be clear, is the Compostela the certificate issues at Santiago or the Credencial? I'm assuming the former, since credenciales can be issued in so many places.
 
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Just remember that pilgrims who walk from SJPP early in any one month will, on average, arrive some time the following month. That is, if they do walk the entire Camino Francés without shortcuts.:rolleyes: These people will appear in the Santiago statistics for the month of their arrival.
You'll have to be prepared for a substantial number of people walking from Sarria onwards. SJPP departures have become increasingly popular, but numbers are not comparable to the last 100 km walkers.:cool:
 
I'm on the Francés at the moment (Estella) and there are lots of people around. I can't quantify "lots" but at times there seems to be a steady stream. Like vehicles downstream from traffic lights, I think it's often where a group has left an albergue or lunch stop at the same time. Not overwhelming though and if you stop for a coffee and let the wave pass by you can have a more tranquil walk. We're going very slowly so the wave is usually passing us by!
 
Hi Christopher. Follow this link for some charts I did to estimate how busy the route is in different places at different times of year. These are based on 2013 figures, but the pattern in 2014 was very similar. These don't estimate actual numbers of pilgrims as the available data aren't detailed enough. However they show how busy individual towns are relative to other parts of the route and other times of year.
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...e-the-busy-periods-on-the-camino-frances.114/
 
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Looking at that chart (which you can't make interactive on a Mac) it would seem that just now (26 April) is about the busiest time in the year to start from SJPdP/Roncevaux.
True?
 
Looking at that chart (which you can't make interactive on a Mac) it would seem that just now (26 April) is about the busiest time in the year to start from SJPdP/Roncevaux.
True?
Yes, from now and throughout May. However when these pilgrims get into Galicia the peak period on that stretch won't even have started.

I didn't realise these charts don't work on a Mac. I'll add a warning when I finally get round to posting the updated figures. They just need tidied up.
 
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The daily average number of pilgrims receiving compostelas this month is 584. The total will be around 18,000 by April 30.
 
I'm in naverette now... it is not as busy as last autumn but I struggled to get a bed in zubiri and in logrono last night I had to stay in a hotel... but took the last room after walking around town for almost an hour. I'm surprised by this. Everywhere else has been easy.

Have a great camino!
 
@LesBrass Another forum member is in Naverette today and has mentioned how busy Logrono was last night. I believe the private albergues were renting out their bunks to non-pilgrims.Whether this is right or wrong, all albergues were full by 11pm in Logrono which is very unusual.
 
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I were on primitivo just a week ago. I saw another piligrims just in alberque but not on camino. Which is not what I like to be honest. But however Ruta frances is way too loaded even in april.
 
Planning to start at St Jean 7th or 8th May. Historical info on traffic and albergué activity in previous years seems inconsistent. Probably influenced by Holy Year, etc. How busy was it today?
Roncevalles was full a couple of days ago.....so guess that could be classed as busy......we arrived late and were lucky enough to get the last three beds on third floor......heaven
 
I'm in naverette now... it is not as busy as last autumn but I struggled to get a bed in zubiri and in logrono last night I had to stay in a hotel... but took the last room after walking around town for almost an hour. I'm surprised by this. Everywhere else has been easy.

Have a great camino!
Hola, peregrina,

That's because Fridays & Saturdays are party time especially in Logrono as I was told by English ex-pat in 2011. I was struggling to get a private room too at that time. Nothing helped because every bed in the city was taken well in advance. Municipal albergue was packed also and staff there sent me to parrochial donativo refugio which was even better equiped, especially the bathrooms, than muni (although sleeping on mats on the floor) and with cena comunitaria. I can compare the two because in 2009 I've slept in muni.

I think the only recipe is to avoid coming into bigger towns during weekends...

Ultreia!
 
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there are lots of people around
There are TONS of pilgrims out there right now.
It's interesting to read the different measures - somewhere between "lots" and "tons", which probably tells enough for most purposes! However thanks to @tyrrek we have some great charts to pore over while we wait for our starting dates, whenever they are.
 
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I live on the camino, right in the middle. There are TONS of pilgrims out there right now.
So true. Using an average of 70kg a person, and 584 pilgrims a day, that would be about 40 tonnes of pilgrims arriving in Santiago each day. Even if only 40% of those are starting so that they pass Rebekah's, that is still over 15 tonnes of pilgrims passing by.:rolleyes:
 
Or just 10 americans :)
Cruel! Actually the average adult weight of North Americans is about 80 kg, or about 12 to the tonne. The average in Spain, and Europe generally is about 70 kg, and I am assuming they will predominate on the camino. I suppose that I could have been more precise, and done my earlier calculation based on the frequency distribution by nationality, but the approach I used seemed to satisfy the task of demonstrating Rebekah was at least in the ball park when she referred to TONS!:p
 
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Cruel! Actually the average adult weight of North Americans is about 80 kg, or about 12 to the tonne. The average in Spain, and Europe generally is about 70 kg, and I am assuming they will predominate on the camino. I suppose that I could have been more precise, and done my earlier calculation based on the frequency distribution by nationality, but the approach I used seemed to satisfy the task of demonstrating Rebekah was at least in the ball park when she referred to TONS!:p

I was purposely cruel so that you could reply with more stats :)
 
I just met a Camino friend at the Bayonne Gare. It is "crawling" with pilgrims. The bus to SJPdP was loaded completely in a matter of minutes and there were still people arriving to catch the next bus.
 
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So true. Using an average of 70kg a person, and 584 pilgrims a day, that would be about 40 tonnes of pilgrims arriving in Santiago each day. Even if only 40% of those are starting so that they pass Rebekah's, that is still over 15 tonnes of pilgrims passing by.:rolleyes:
dougfitz, is it possible that you're leading up to a Newtonian moment?
 
So... Going in June is going to be a crawl? I blame the TV programmes & The Way! :) that's what sent me on my first Camino! However as I stay in hostels, I'm always late on the trail and don't seem to find it crowded at all. That was last year! Hopefully I'll be equally lucky this year!
 
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OK, here we go. In American a Ton is 2000 lbs / pounds (the pound seems to be a comparable standard measure both sides of the pond (unlike the gallon)). In the UK a Ton is 2240 lb/pounds. In Europe, and other Napolionic code countries a Tonne is 1000 Kilogrammes or 2,200 lb/pounds.
In a past life trading in rice these things were important. Now, unless, and even if, it's landing on my head the subtle differences in weight causes me little concern. Though if our American amigos are being measured in short Tons or long Tons, they may wish to express a preference, their impact on the Camino is no different to that of any other pilgrim :cool:.
 
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Though if our American amigos are being measured in short Tons or long Tons, they may wish to express a preference, their impact on the Camino is no different to that of any other pilgrim :cool:.
But what about their impact on Santiago? Following on from Doug’s calculation, 15 tonnes of American’s makes up a lot of mass, which in turn gives them more inertia, …...and since they are already in motion, they have a greater tendency to do so. (See Newton’s First Law of Motion). Therefore, 15 tonnes of Americans (as opposed to, say 5 tonnes of Aussies), moving at a constant velocity in a straight line are harder to stop once they reach Santiago. It only takes a few tonnes of beer to stop the Aussies.
 
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[...]Therefore, 15 tonnes of Americans (as opposed to, say 5 tonnes of Aussies), moving at a constant velocity in a straight line are harder to stop once they reach Santiago. It only takes a few tonnes of beer to stop the Aussies.
I fear to think what will happen in Santiago town, when such masses descend from Monte do Gozo:eek:
 
So... Going in June is going to be a crawl? I blame the TV programmes & The Way! :) that's what sent me on my first Camino! However as I stay in hostels, I'm always late on the trail and don't seem to find it crowded at all. That was last year! Hopefully I'll be equally lucky this year!
Kate, you make it sound like you are expecting it to be like some crowded city street. Albeit I did not walk as late a June, I cannot imagine that. There was a fairly constant stream of pilgrims leaving Sarria when I was there in 2010, and some family groups occupied the width of the road, but there was generally never a problem passing them, or letting them pass me. After that first day, things quickly calmed down very quickly as people spread out more. It didn't take long.
 
But what about their impact on Santiago? Following on from Doug’s calculation, 15 tonnes of American’s makes up a lot of mass, which in turn gives them more inertia, …...and since they are already in motion, they have a greater tendency to do so. (See Newton’s First Law of Motion). Therefore, 15 tonnes of Americans (as opposed to, say 5 tonnes of Aussies), moving at a constant velocity in a straight line are harder to stop once they reach Santiago. It only takes a few tonnes of beer to stop the Aussies.

If we are going to calculate pilgrims by the gross we should use stones as a weight measure.

We could then adopt two standards; one pre Cruz de Ferro and one post Cruz de Ferro.
 
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Would be interesting to have a chip or tag on the credential or on a pilgrim's wrist, and insist that you pass it over a chip reader at say the main cathedral, or first albergue in each town, wherever, then it would be a more accurate count of how many are on (and have left) the Camino. Just my expensive idea....I know it's not really feasible.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
But what about their impact on Santiago? Following on from Doug’s calculation, 15 tonnes of American’s makes up a lot of mass, which in turn gives them more inertia, …...and since they are already in motion, they have a greater tendency to do so. (See Newton’s First Law of Motion). Therefore, 15 tonnes of Americans (as opposed to, say 5 tonnes of Aussies), moving at a constant velocity in a straight line are harder to stop once they reach Santiago. It only takes a few tonnes of beer to stop the Aussies.

There will be perturbations in the rotation of the earth about its axis.

Earthquakes, volcanos, floods (due to the tonnes of beer consumed), and pestilence (bed bugs) will follow.

Edit: no, it wasn't an earthquake ... thats just the albergue resonating to infrasonic reverberations of someone snoring.
 
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Planning to start at St Jean 7th or 8th May. Historical info on traffic and albergué activity in previous years seems inconsistent. Probably influenced by Holy Year, etc. How busy was it today?

Just walked from SJPP to Estella returning to Dublin yesterday. Good no of peligrinos without being crowded. Late in evening some places in SJPP full as was large Pamplona hostel (Jesus y Maria) last Sat night. (8pm). Perfect walking weather. Other than that loads of space and plenty of fellow travellers. Looking forward to my next etape :)
 
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No room in villamayor de monjardin 4 pm today....some are sleeping at the back of sports hall...
it is a bank holiday weekend so may get worse.
 
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I found this entire dialog extremely entertaining and at times, gut-bustingly funny. My observations regard the number of pilgrims coming to Santiago along the most popular route, the Camino Frances (St. Jean PdP to Santiago) issued are:
  1. Spaniards account for about half of all pilgrims requesting Compostelas. The Pilgrim Office reports consistently support this fact. Sometimes it dips-slightly below 50 percent, some months slightly higher. But overall, I believe this is a reliable figure.
  2. "Most" Spaniards list their starting point as Sarria. Again, the periodic stats support this conjecture.
  3. If you look at this from a broad view, it "suggests" that the preceding approximately 664 kilometers of the Camino Frances will absorb about half the total number of pilgrims requesting Compostelas, again, expressed on a monthly average. The other, "statistical" half of the final issue number typically starts at Sarria, 111 kilometers from the Cathedral.
Stated another way, things should be manageable until reaching Sarria this year. After that, you are wise to have made reservations in advance for a private albergue or hostal.

I use www.booking.com. It has worked very well for me on three Caminos (both the Frances and the Portuguese routes). However, when you use any online reservation service, be mindful of whether the property states it is ON the Camino, or how many Km OFF the actual path it is. I have had the unpleasant experience to have booked a nice place to stay for one night, only to discover, once I reached the center of the destination town, that the reserved room was 4 Km off the Camino, in a perpendicular direction. The good news was that they offered to pick me up from the center of town and drop me off there the next day. The bad news is that this was a hassle after walking 26 km in the cold rain.

Over the past three years, I have seen an increasing number of reservable rooms in private albergues, hostals, and hotels, being snapped up by groups. Some groups are from formal travel agencies who sell package tours, including "mochila" service. Other groups are led by experienced Camino veterans. Last year, I had to deal with groups from US colleges / universities who were on a "cultural experience" course that included walking the last 111 Km into Santiago. These groups seemed to range from 6-7 pilgrims to upwards or 15 or more.

I am NOT passing judgement on this practice. As a hostal or private albergue owner it makes good business sense to have to turn people away, as opposed to have to scrape and plead for customers. But in either event, they consume hostal and private albergue rooms in much larger "bites" than the onesies that the individual pilgrim (such as myself) might consume. It is simply a complication to be aware of, and to adapt and overcome in response to.

I hope this helps.
 

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