That's correct. Getting to Roncesvalles from SJPDP (whether staying at Orissa or not) is probably physically the most demanding part of the Camino Frances. From Roncesvalles to Zubiri is practically all down hill, then from Zubiri to Pamplona is quite flat, so neither of those are...
Have you considered starting your Camino from Pamplona? That's what I did on my second Camino. My wife was with me and she didn't fancy the hike across the Pyrenees. We used the extra days to walk from Santiago onward to Fisterra and Muxia, which I hadn't walked before and that turned out to be...
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