2015 Lourdes to Somport

[Anthony Rocco]

I would like the most up-to-date information about walking from Lourdes to Somport to join the Camino Aragonese.

Is there a starting point in Lourdes?
Is there a clearly marked route?
How difficult is the walk?
How many days/stages are usual?
Are there places to stay, and if so, are reservations needed in advance?
Is early September a good season to start?
Is this a well-traveled route?

 

[Arn]

Check out this link:

Pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Is there a starting point in Lourdes?
Is there a clearly marked route?
How difficult is the walk?
How many days/stages are usual?
Are there places to stay, and if so, are reservations needed in advance?
Is early September a good season to start?
Is this a well-traveled route?

The red and white balises will lead you out of town along the south side of the river valley.
The route is marked with the same markers as all the GR routes in France. They are clear, but occasionally sparse. Take a guide.
The walk is not bad. There are dangerous stretches along the highway until heading up the mountain to Somport. The climb across the Pyrenees is as steep as any on the Camino.
It is typically four days to Oloron, and 2 to 3 days to Somport.
It is always advisable to call ahead in France. It is rare for gites to fill, but owners do not hang around waiting for pilgrims!!
September is a fantastic month for the walk.
The route is not well-traveled, but there will be other pilgrims.

 

[AJ]

I would like the most up-to-date information about walking from Lourdes to Somport to join the Camino Aragonese.

Is there a starting point in Lourdes?
Is there a clearly marked route?
How difficult is the walk?
How many days/stages are usual?
Are there places to stay, and if so, are reservations needed in advance?
Is early September a good season to start?
Is this a well-traveled route?

I walked Lourdes to Oloron last year and Oloron to Somport in 2012.

I used the Lepere guide for Lourdes to Oloron and the CSJ guide for Oloron to Somport.
The route is waymarked through Lourdes all the way.
From Oloron part of the route is considered dangerous by some. The choice being between narrow road and narrow track with steep drop to river. One of the German guides suggests taking a bus. I took the road and had no problems.
I took 2 days to Oloron (one was 37km) and 3 from Oloron to Jaca.
There are gites/hostals/pilgrim refuges. I made no bookings in advance and had no problems.
It is not particularly well travelled. Between Lourdes and Oloron I met no other pilgrims. Oloron to Jaca I met one.

 

[Charl]

I have KML (GPS) files of the route if you're interested. Also look at this conversation I had with a gentleman who'd walked that route, more or less. I was however asking about the route via Portalet, but it's the same up to Laruns I think. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/lourdes-jaca-via-portalet.29374/. This information is what I'm basing our camino starting in late April on. Search for the member Caminka, she's posted a lot about this route. Here is a link to her accommodation list for this area: http://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/...ation VOIE PIEMONT PYRENEEN + VOIE OSSEAU.pdf.