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It is indeed a stunning route. Given enough time, however, I would recommend adding a couple of days before Borce to start in Oloron Sainte Marie or further back in Auch. The French and Spanish sides are very different from each other but both are spectacular.It is a stunning route with spectacular scenery. If anyone planning on a walking a Camino prefers a more challenging start, they should hike the Aragones, preferably from the 'authentic'* starting place around Borce.
* Aimery Picaud listed the start of this walk in ± 1137 at Borce
I agree with that, it's a spectacular scenery. Personally, I hope to walk this camino in november. I go every summer (and every now and then the rest of the year) to the Pyreenes and almost always to the Aragon part (sometimes in the French side). For me, when anybody talk about these mountains, I always think in the central part of it (Aragón, Cataluña and the same area in France). There is where the highest mountains are and where I can feel the "alta montaña" emotions. I like very much the Navarra part but it's more about green hills and beautiful forests. Therefore, for me, it's really special beginning the Camino in Somport. Besides I love Jaca, and I recommend it to everybody.
On the other hand I understand as well the SJPD/Roncesvalles charmings. It is easier to arrive there if you come from Europe, the scenery is amazing and now the tradition is beginning there. But I hope more people decide to make the Aragonés.
I love the Camino Aragones (walked it several times) and part of its attraction (for me) IS the lower number of pilgrims. SY
Laurie, start in Oloron St. Marie or in Lourdes. the bus from Canfranc Estation goes to Oloron after a trip up to Somport.The way up to Somport from Oloron is well marked, but if the weather is bad you might have to take the road. There are beautiful places up the Valle de Aspe. But I liked best the camino from Somport to Jaca. I walked there in May 2012 and there were a few pilgrims on the roads. The albergues were not full anywhere. A lot of work had been done on the route probably for the holy year 2010. Where i expected to wade rivers, there were footbridges etc..Well, I am pretty much thinking I'm going to walk the Frances till Leon and then repeat the Salvador/Primitivo connection to Santiago (how can I resist with all these recent posts bombarding me with pictures and memories of those gorgeous routes???). I've been wanting to walk the Aragones for years, and this post got me thinking.
Can someone give me ideas about where to start? I like ascents, so I don't really want to start up at the top on the French border, but maybe getting a little further back (to Oloron Ste. Marie is one place that many people recommend) would be complicated.
So the question. If I land in Madrid, how would I get to a good starting point in France on the Aragones? Or does it just make more sense to go in and out of France and then figure out the Santiago-Paris connection?
Thanks guys -- usually I wait till the grey dreary days of winter to plan my camino, but this year seems to be different! Laurie
Hi Laurie
I am planning to walk this camino in november. I would take a train to Zaragoza from Madrid (AVE) and then a bus to Jaca (www.alosa.es) I prefer this option because there are few trains from Zaragoza to Canfranc and it takes a lot of time arriving there. Then I would take another bus from Jaca to Somport (http://www.jacetania.es/jacetaneas/opencms/site/web/portada/informacion_practica/). This bus has a stop in Canfranc where you can take another bus to Oloron (http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/Aquitaine/fr/Default.aspx), as Falcon269 has written.
Canfranc Estación:so it's quite impossible taking the train to Oloron
This should be good news as an alternative to those who are fed-up with crowds on the Camino Francés.The numbers are decreasing every year in Aragon, a record that probably can not be overcome until the arrival of the next Holy Year of 2021.
I am now thinking of altering my plans to fly into Toulouse, bus to Lourdes, then bus to SJPP and walk the Frances. I have been trying to researching a walking route from Lourdes - if anyone has a link or page or guide that would provide more specifics of this route I'd be very appreciative. From what I've learned its Lourdes to Oloron to Somport going along the Aragones route then you hitch onto the Frances in Puenta de la Reina. Is that correct? Sorry for my total ignorance
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