After the Paris bombings - taxi from Pamplona to St Jean still an option?

[Happy-walker-MN]

I'm so excited - I just booked our flights, leaving in less than three weeks! We are flying in to Pamplona. Since I believe the bus route to St Jean is not running at this time of year, and Corazon Puro seems to be closed now also, we were hoping to take a taxi from Pamplona to St Jean. Does anyone know if taxis across the border are affected by "closed borders"? I'm hoping it would at worst case mean a checkpoint, but a taxi would still be allowed through (and the taxi driver would still be willing to drive there?)?

Do I need to make a reservation in St Jean this time of year ? Part of me would like to have a reservation, but I also think that maybe until I know for certain that we can get to St Jean it would be better to wait in case we need to change our plans and start in Roncesvalle or Zubiri or someplace different. Given that it is going to be December and not the "busy" time, do you think we can just plan to arrive to St Jean and find something when we are there?

Thank you for any insight you can share on this.

 

[spursfan]

"Closed borders", I think tuned out to merely mean that France has the right to impose extra security checks - since as part of the Schengen agreement, it normally has no border controls with other Schegen countries such as Spain

I travelled back on the Eurostar from Marseille direct to St Pancras on Saturday - as planned, we had to get off the train at Lille and clear French security and UK border before returning to the train - but nothing else (the UK is outside Schengen)

I think the Spanish/French border will be open as normal - might be occasional spot checks but nothing more

 

[mspath]

In SJPdP the municipal albergue will be open for pilgrims at 55 rue de La Citadelle which is on the camino. The Pilgrim office at 39 rue de La Citadelle will also be open to provide you will a Credencial as well as local up to date weather/trail info. They can also find you accommodations if need be.

Buen camino!

 

[Mikel Olivares]

There is no problem of borders.
Just a little police surveillance

 

[SYates]

Yes, closed borders in the Schengen zone means 'just' border controls are re-instated. What you really should keep an eye on are closed albergues in winter, for an up to date list of open albergues see http://www.aprinca.com/alberguesinvierno/
Buen Camino! SY

PS And you do know that the 'high road' over the Pyrenees is closed during winter and you do have to go via Valcarlos?

 

[grayland]

Let us know your December experiences in SJPdP and the walk to Roncesvalles.
How are they enforcing the ban over the Napoleon route?
What weather did you encounter?

 

[Patch]

The last time they imposed border controls their were armed soldiers at the old border control check points who did occasional checks, that had little or no effect on traffic flow. I cant see it being any different at the moment but things could change very quickly and suggest you keep your ear to the ground.

 

[Happy-walker-MN]

Thank you all for the responses. I think we'll plan to (hope to) have a taxi from Pamplona to St Jean, but we'll be flexible if for some reason it doesn't work out. Based on that (and that it isn't busy season) we won't book for a night in St Jean - maybe we'll start walking the same day we get to St Jean (we're spending a night in Pamplona) or maybe we'll just find lodging that day. Grayland - I'll post a few updates along the way, We're planning to do the Valcarlos route so I won't be able to comment on the Napoleon route, but I can let you know what I hear/see in terms of enforcement of the closing, what weather we experience, etc.

 

[mountaingoat999]

Yes, closed borders in the Schengen zone means 'just' border controls are re-instated. What you really should keep an eye on are closed albergues in winter, for an up to date list of open albergues see http://www.aprinca.com/alberguesinvierno/
Buen Camino! SY

PS And you do know that the 'high road' over the Pyrenees is closed during winter and you do have to go via Valcarlos?

Re: Albergue list winter opening times

January 2015 ,will need to check the credencial for exact date.. arriving in Zubiri,finding the albergue which was open was full "yes full".. Maria who owns Albergue Zaldiko who is closed officially opened her albergue ,turned the heating on...

just browsing the list I noticed one albergues I know well listed there,which closes November...its hard to keep track of all the new albergues and other places opening.

 

[SYates]

@mountaingoat999 The list is actually maintained by volunteer hospitaleros that live on the Camino. Things can change and they are not always informed of said changes despite their best efforts, but such a list is better than not having any idea at all which places are open/closed. Buen Camino, SY

 

[naplesdon]

No secret being exposed here but several friend of mine who are retired military have been asked to spend time "observing" border activities.

 

[mountaingoat999]

No secret being exposed here but several friend of mine who are retired military have been asked to spend time "observing" border activities.

its a long border between Franch & Spain 656 kms

on your doorstep biarritzon
is
The 1st Marine Infantry Parachute Regiment French: 1er Régiment de Parachutistes .... Part of the French Army Special Forces Brigade (BFST),. The 1st RPIMa is based in Bayonne..

SJPP is home to many ex Military as well like everywhere else these days.
just for the public record

The french foreign legion do there winter mountain training in the Pyrenees ..further along and training places around areas I am keeping to myself..including mountain areas not served by roads, had the pleasure of doing my basic training there in the early 80's before warm clothing was invented.

being 30 years military retired lots of old hands tell stories...

when in reality everyone will be keeping a sharp eye open..
Franch ended national service completely in 2001 although this begain 4 or 5 years before in part so again many many ex service personal to add to the eyes open


for pilgrims arriving Sjpp crossing the border, business as always.
maybe unknown to many civilians the Spanish still have a very large Spanish legion (no longer open to foreigners)which is in part a large very highly trained rapid reaction forces, on land, sea and air...

and the Spanish/French military & police have years of experience around the Basque region of Franch/Spain.

so its safe as can be as it was last week for pilgrims and will be...

 

[Mikel Olivares]

In Spain, thank God, we have the Guardia Civil, police corps with military regulations, with a lot of years of anti-terrorism experience, whose mision is the surveillance and border protection
In Spain the Army is not used for these functions.

 

[grayland]

Snip

January 2015 ,will need to check the credencial for exact date.. arriving in Zubiri,finding the albergue which was open was full "yes full".. Maria who owns Albergue Zaldiko who is closed officially opened her albergue ,turned the heating on...SNIP...
.

I am not sure I understand exactly...
Are you saying the Albergue in Zubiri that was listed as open (albergue Rio Arga) is now telling you they are full in January? Which dates? Are there that many pilgrims walking in January?
....and another one in Zubiri has opened for January?

 

[mountaingoat999]

I am not sure I understand exactly...
Are you saying the Albergue in Zubiri that was listed as open (albergue Rio Arga) is now telling you they are full in January? Which dates? Are there that many pilgrims walking in January?
....and another one in Zubiri has opened for January?

Grayland (date 11th January) looking at my notes .. I wrote " rain from Roncesvalles ,six of us stayed in Zaldiko normally closed in winter, no hot water or heating,.that was resolved by the time we went to bed" next morning it was minus 3 cold with clear skies and sunshine

albergue Zubiri was closed as per normal that time of year...seeing as there were a few pilgrims with no place to stay, Maria who live near her albergue Zaldiko decided to open that day in question.for those left without a albergue to stay in....I was thinking about walking on anyway when I was told that the other albergue was full by the pilgrims who came up and stood next to me. I was talking to Maria's husband at the time on the corner by the little shop..

she opened her abegrue and I stopped ,we had dinner that evening...I have never known before a albergue so early on the CF to be full.......later on when I stayed again late March 23rd Maria informed me it was just that day they were full.

on the 7th 8th 9th & 13th January 2016 just from this forum are 4 people going(yourself, Forrest / Lukacs and me..I am meeting up on the 9th at Bayonne with non forum pilgrims..so who's knows how busy some days.hoping for few people myself.. you can get a few Koreans in Jan some days and other days no one.the most pilgrims I ever seen in a day in January was 15 ..once and only once

So its looking like there will be a few this January.(I will be bringing my tent "your be more than welcome to borrow it.)

that particular camino there was good amounts of snow along the camino in places starting from Belorado with a sprinkling..hope this helps..

01:50 am time for my snore box

 

[mountaingoat999]

Thank you all for the responses. I think we'll plan to (hope to) have a taxi from Pamplona to St Jean, but we'll be flexible if for some reason it doesn't work out. Based on that (and that it isn't busy season) we won't book for a night in St Jean - maybe we'll start walking the same day we get to St Jean (we're spending a night in Pamplona) or maybe we'll just find lodging that day. Grayland - I'll post a few updates along the way, We're planning to do the Valcarlos route so I won't be able to comment on the Napoleon route, but I can let you know what I hear/see in terms of enforcement of the closing, what weather we experience, etc.

Happy-Walker-MN
5 minutes or 350 m leaving SJPP from crossing the bridge your arrive at the Junction to either continue to go straight ahead onto the Napolean route or turn right as you will be doing onto the Valcarlos route.. on the wall opposite and on a post are signs....wonder if you remember to observe any other signage to say Napolean route closed to pilgrims. other than the usual warning and advice in the Pilgrim office in print on the wall and verbally..

A place I would of thought would have if any new signage for the winter months by now would be there at that junction

 

[grayland]

I did misunderstand. I did not catch you were talking about previous years.

I had thought you were saying that were talking about this year and that the albergue was already reporting completo for the date in January next year.

 

[navarro]

Let us know your December experiences in SJPdP and the walk to Roncesvalles.
How are they enforcing the ban over the Napoleon route?
What weather did you encounter?

Remember these route may be closed. Some months ago spanish and french police decided to close the camino from 01 Nov to o1 April. It is by the high number of incidents related with lost pilgrims and rescue in snow.
I think this weekend may snow in that area.

 

[grayland]

Remember these route may be closed. Some months ago spanish and french police decided to close the camino from 01 Nov to o1 April. It is by the high number of incidents related with lost pilgrims and rescue in snow.
I think this weekend may snow in that area.

Actually, only the Napoleon route is closed. The Valcarlos route is open.

 

[Happy-walker-MN]

To follow up with Graylands questions about what I encountered walking from St Jean in "winter" (Dec 8), altho it did not feel very much like winter today...
- no problems at all getting taxi from Pamplona, there was not even a stop or visible guarda/officers at the border
- the Pilgrim office tells you that the Napoleon Route is closed and has a handout with typed directions, but we refered to our guidebook map also when we had questions, as theirs is in English but a picture's worth a thousand words
- we met another pilgrim who was planning to walk the Napoleon route but after talking to the office decided he will do the Valcarlos route tomorrow instead, all the way to Roncesvalles. I don't know if he changed because he likes to follow rules or if he changed because they told him of penalties (if there are any?) if he tries the high route
- the road where the two routes split there is a sign (photo below)
- we walked the Valcarlos route and found it well marked. We did have some question of the direction by the shopping area before Arnegy- thr signs by the brige seem to point to a shrubby area that does not look like a well worn trail, but you cant see any other markers from that area. If you don't cross the bridge and head up to the right you see a small asphalt road. Once you are on the road / path it is painted for the camino, but you have to walk 300m before you see it. We chose the road routr for the last 4km into Valcarlos because it rained a little bit and I thought I had read other reporting mud problems. Another person at the albergue walked the pathway route and said it was not muddy.

Temperatures were very nice and warm- 10 deg C, i think (50-55 deg F), I walked in a short sleeve shirt and long pants, even in the light rain/mist, (altho I do tend to like to be slightly cooler when walking). We put on a light iacket when not walking.

We are loving the first day of our Camino, and we are so excited to fall into the rhythm of walking!