Any advice/suggestions for a 10-day walk from St Jean?

[Ringo2009]

Hi All

I'm sure you are inundated with simlar questions but as a camino first timer I have a few outstanding questions, despite having just read the very informative forum threads. Essentially, my boyfriend and I (both 25) are thinking of doing a section of the Camino France this July. We have limited holiday time so we were thinking 10/11 days, including travelling to/from Ireland. We are both relatively fit but would, if we decide to go this summer, partake in some form of training in the interim. We have heard that starting at St Jean de Ports is a must, but of course this would mean not finishing in Santiago de Compostella. Would it defeat the purpose not to finish here and would travellers often do this? I have also heard that the last 100K isn't great so I would prefer to spend our limited time doing better parts of the walk. How far do you think we could get from St Jean in maybe 8/9 days (taking 1 or 2 days for travelling)? We will probably fly into Biaritz but we're not so sure how far we are liekly to get in 8/9 days and therefore trying to decide where to get a return flight from? Apoligies for all the questions, I'm just very exited and would love to get things organised for our trip.

Any advice at all is most welcome, with many thanks!

 

[KiwiNomad06]

Ringo,
Last year when I left SJPP I met three Canadians, and two of them only had ten days for walking. They had decided to walk as far as they could, and then depart the Camino from Burgos. In the end, they got reasonably close to Burgos, and then caught a bus the final stretch to make their onward connections.
Many, many Europeans walk the Camino in two/three week stretches during their vacations, then come back perhaps the following year, and continue from where they left off.

You can start anywhere, and if you look at Camino statistics collected in Santiago, you will find that people 'begin' all over the place. However, if you are reasonably fit, the climb from SJPP is spectacular on a good day.
Margaret

 

[Ringo2009]

Thanks for the advice/reassurance! Good to know that we won't be alone - also a good plan to pick a final possible destination ann if we cannot reach it by foot, taking bus is always an option. Hadn't thought about it like that.

Thanks again!

 

[Javier]

More or less this it would be a habitual route between the pilgrims. But depends of your physical form.-

1 day.- SJPP-Roncesvalles
2 day.- Roncesvalles-Zubiri or Larrasoaña
3 day.- Zubiri or Larrasoañña-Pamplona
4 day.- Pamplona-Puente la Reina
5 day.- Puente la Reina-Estella
6 day.- Estella-Los Arcos
7 day.- Los Arcos-Logroño
8 day.- Logroño-Najera
9 day.- Najera- Santo Domingo de la Calzada
10 day.-Santo Domingo de la Calzada- Belorado
etccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

Buen Camino from PAMPLONA.-

 

[sillydoll]

You could walk from St Palais to Pamplona in 7 days

You could walk from Lourdes to St Jean Pied de Port in 7 days and get a plane back from Biarritz

You could fly to A Coruna and walk the Camino Ingles to Santiago (5 days - which will earn you a Compostela) and then walk to Fistera (3 or 4 days - which will earn you another certificate!)

You could walk the Camino Aragones from Somport or Jaca to Pamplona in 8 days - one of the most stunning routes.

So many choices!!