Accom along the way

[JeanneA]

Hi, I have alot of questions, please be patient with me! If anyone has some good advice, it will be greatly appreciated! There will be three of us walking from SJ starting likely late May/ early June. Should we be looking at booking hostels / BBs/ a cheaper hotel along the way, or winging it each day? What is the best/ easiest way to do this? We want to do the Camino Frances and would like to know the best/ easiest way to get there...where to fly into (from Toronto), any trains/ buses/ taxies info...the easiest way to get there and how long it will take. Flying out of Toronto, we haven't decided where our destination should be to get to SJ first. A fourth person will be joining us for the last week of the camino...where should she fly to and how to get there?
Thanks! JeanneA

 

[Deleted member 397]

I wouldn't pre book accommodation as that will tie you to specific places on specific days-part of the attraction of the camino is to take the days as they come. Some days you may feel like walking shorter/further.Just don't get into the stupid rush for beds-getting up at 5am stopping at 11am. It's not necessary!

 

[colinPeter]

Jeanne
Although, if you are starting at SJPP on a definite date, you could book your first night at http://www.espritduchemin.org (you will see it recommended on this site). Also if you decide to break the "first stage" from SJPP into two days (SJPP to Ronscevalles is sometimes done in 2 stages, a search of the forum will give you some thoughts & reasons) , you could also book that in advance at http://www.refuge-orisson.com. Then as suggested, just go with what happens next.
Col

 

[JohnnieWalker]

Jeanne

I'll let others answer the transport from Canada question and also where you might be by the last week and how best for your friend to join you.

The two things we all worry about mainly is how to find our way and how to find a place to sleep each night.

On most of the routes and certainly on the Camino Frances not only is the route well waymarked but there will be other pilgrims around.

You want to stay in hostals/b&b's etc - I'd advise getting the Confraternity of St James's cheap and excellent guide to the Camino Frances. It is updated every year and contains information on hostals and hotels along the way - with telephone numbers. You may decide to phone ahead each evening to book a room when you decide how far you are going to walk the next day. If Spanish is a problem get the hostal you are staying in to phone ahead for you.

http://www.csj.org.uk/acatalog/The_CSJ_ ... in_23.html

 

[Arn]

Hi Jeanne...and welcome to the Forum!

All the above are good solid bits of info and will make your Camino enjoyable and a rewarding experience. You mentioned you will be traveling with several friends...may I offer a suggestion...plan a leisurely pace and enjoy the Camino without the necessity to make this town or that by a specific date. You didn't mention how many days you plan to be walking toward SDC and, that's key.

If you have no set arrival date...haven't booked a return flight...then you're going to have an enjoyable time. If you have booked a return...then be flexible enough to use ground transportation to get you to at least Sarria with ten days to spare. That will keep the days short and still allow enough time to complete the last 100km and receive your Compostela.


Buen Camino

Arn

 

[Karen Tilford]

Hi Jeanne & friends. I have made my arrangements, based on the excellent advice from forum members, and will be flying from Toronto to Paris. I arrive just after 10 am (Air Canada flight) then plan to get the Air France bus to the Orly airport to get a domestic flight to Biarritz (cost when I made the booking was all in $78 Cdn). From Biarritz I will be taking a taxi to the train station in Bayonne (because of time constraints but understand there is a local bus that goes from the airport to the train station) then getting the train to SJPP. All going smoothly, I will be in SJPP by 4:20 pm and check-into the L'Esprit du Chemin!!

I am leaving Toronto on April 27th along with Adriana who I have "met" on the forum. Two other Torontonians will be leaving on the 26th for Paris. All 3 of these women will be taking a train to Bayonne. So it seems you have some options, depending upon timing, pricing and availability, etc.

Happy planning!

 

[sillydoll]

You can pick up a Red Albergues leaflet at most pilgrim hostels along the way - they have phone/fax and email addresses of the private albergues in their chain. Private does not mean up-market and expensive - they are hostels and require a pilgrim passport (credential) and charge between 5 and 10 euro per person. You can book any of these ahead of time and have your bakcpack transported from one to the next if you so wish. Transport details at the top of the brochure.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Internet site for the Red Albergues:

http://www.redalberguessantiago.com/index.html

You can reserve most of them.

 

[diaz1350]

Hi Jeanne and welcome
I am pretty new too in the forum and aim to start my camino on 20 May. I have ordered a Forum badge and hope to get it soon. It will be a way of knowing other forum members along the camino. So hope to catch up with you sometime along the camino. I will not be walking too fast and will take one day at a time.
Regards Begonia

 

[Deleted member 12253]

Hi Jeanne and welcome
I am pretty new too in the forum and aim to start my camino on 20 May. I have ordered a Forum badge and hope to get it soon. It will be a way of knowing other forum members along the camino. So hope to catch up with you sometime along the camino. I will not be walking too fast and will take one day at a time.
Regards Begonia

On my 22 caminos never heard forum mentioned and never saw a forum badge