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camino aragones questions...

kahu

New Member
Greetings,

I am planning to walk the Camino Aragones at the end of March and was just hopeing for some tips. Weather and terraine wise are hiking boots needed? I ended up walking in Crocs and carrying my boots on the Frances, so if I can get away with shoes this time too would be great!Can I expect rain? I realise it is only 7 days but I'm wanting to walk a few days more, if I take the detours recommended in the Aragones postings would that add more days? I would rather this than end up back on the camino Highway or have to start further back in France. Any other tips much appreciated!

Arohanui, with love, Kahu
 
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After reading throught the posts again, perhaps starting at Oloron Ste Marie would be an option. Is the track easy to follow here,and albergues marked clearly etc?? Also where would the closest airport for flying in from the UK be? Thank you! I love this forum! Very helpful K
 
Kahu,
Like all the Long-distance walks in France also from Oloron-Ste.Marie you find the red/white signs till over the Somport Pas.
The closest airport is at Pau, but I do not know they fly on that airport from UK.
In the other thread about the Camino Aragones I posted a list of our walk last June with our stops. The albergues are not clearly marked. You need a guide for the addresses.
Happy planning!
Jan Brilleman
 
Join our full-service guided tour and let us convert you into a Pampered Pilgrim!
Hello Kahu,
have you waterproofed your walking boots yet? I do advise you to do it. If you plan to walk over Somport Pass (stunningly beautiful!), there's a good possibility you will have to brave snow and freezing cold. Just before starting you might consult weather reports at http://www.elcaminodigital.es/ingles/index.php.
The nearest refugio is in Canfranc Pueblo (if you ignore the one on the Pass and in Candanchu that are packed with skiers at that time of the year) and then in Villanua, but the latter is not very comfortable and seems to be always full of schoolchildren. If you manage as far as Jaca in one day but are totally knackered at the end of it, I can give you a good tip for a comfy night: a hotel O Boira in the centre offers splendid rooms at that time of the year at ca. 40 euro. But be prepared for communication problems: I've never been able to use English on this stretch of the Camino in any more significant way. Buen Camino!
 
Last year I did some research from freinds who walked from France. This is how they flew from the UK.

RyanAir: http://www.ryanair.com/ Stansted to Pau:
Going Out (Web fare) Taxes, Fees & Charges: 1.79 GBP plus 25.20 GBP

09:50 Depart London Stansted (STN)
12:45 Arrive Pau Pyrenees (PUF)

Coming back: Wed, 17 Oct 07 Flight 2357 1.79 GBP

13:10 Depart Pau Pyrenees (PUF)
14:00 Arrive London Stansted (STN)


Coming Back (Web fare) Taxes, Fees & Charges: 1.79 GBP plus 17.06 GBP

Total Cost of Flight 45.84 GBP
 
Thank you so much for your replies, all valuable info! I've decided to walk form Pau now, as i figure if I fly in there may as well begin there too. Any suggestions on where to pick up a credencial in Pau?
In gratitude, Kahu.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Kahu might find it easiest to get a credencial by post from his/her local pilgrims' association-- the only thing I could find for Pau was information that the local group receives pilgrims at the
Bibliothèque de Culture Religieuse (4 Av Edouard VII) on the first Thursday of each month between 3.00 pm and 6.00 pm. The e-mail contact point from the site http://www.aucoeurduchemin.org might provide something more concrete.
 
Hi Jan,

I am having trouble finding your post that you mentioned that outlined your stops etc.. any tips on how to find it?

thanks, Kahu
 
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Hi, Kahu,

Jan's answer is in a post entitled "Starting the Camino Aragones in France." If you go to the Camino Aragones section, I think you'll see it. But I've pasted in Jan's stages for you here. I hope to walk this way in September, so I'll look forward to hearing from you about it!

Here's the text of Jan's earlier post:

Below the route we walked from Lourdes in France to Puente la Reina in Spain in June 2007 via the Somport Pas:

First our stages:
day 1: from Lourdes to Asson, 24 km, 7 hours incl. rest, Asson has
pilgrim accommodation.
day 2: from Asson to Arudy, 19 km, 6:45 hours, Arudy has B&B facilities
and camp site.
day 3: from Arudy to Oloron-Ste.Marie, 23 km, 7:45 hours, O.S.M. has
pilgrim accommodation.
day 4: from Oloron-Ste.Marie to Sarrance, 21 km, 8 hours, Sarrance has a
monastery, phone in advance!
day 5: from Sarrance to Borce: 22 km, 6:45 hours, Borce has pilgrim
accommodation.
day 6: from Borce to Canfranc Estacion, 25 km, 9 hours, Canfranc Est
has privat refugio.
day 7: from Canfranc Estacion to Jaca: 25 km, 6:30 hours, Jaca has
refugio.
day 8: from Jaca to Arres, 25 km, 7:45 hours, Arres has refugio.
day 9: from Arres to Ruesta, 28 km, 8 hours, Ruesta has refugio.
day 10: from Ruesta to Sanguesa, 22 km, 6:45 hours, Sanguesa has
refugio.
day 11: from Sanguesa to Izco: 18 km, 5:30 hours, Izco has refugio.
day 12: from Izco to Tiébas: 23 km, 6:15 hours, Tiébas has refugio.
day 13: from Tiébas to Puente la Reina: 18 km, 5:30 hours, Puente la
Reina has refugio.

We camped two times, in Lourdes (lot of camp sites) and Arudy (camping municipal, no facilities, only a water point!!, so free) All the other places I thought to camp, we did not do so because the camp sites were too far from town or at the wrong side. Our advice:
do not take your camp gear with you!!:)

The signs to follow along the route in France are sometimes very confusing: signs with
'voie de Piemont' (yellow, arrow-like posts), GR signs (red and white paint), shells are thrown together. You have to know your directions, carefully seek your way, especially when walking in woods. One time, after Oloron Ste. Marie we came in a wood, where they were exploring, we had to split up two times to find some sign!
From the border of Spain, the Somport-Pass, it is easy again, just follow the yellow arrows!

The way: from Lourdes to Oloron-Ste Marie it is about 40% walking on foot paths, 60% pavement, much ups and downs, but not very high. If the weather is (or was) wet, some paths in the woods are muddy or when going through fields and these fields are not mowed, you will be wet up to your waist.
From Oloron-Ste.Marie the route goes up to the Somport-Pass through the "Val d'Aspe", the valley of the river Aspe. We walked a lot on the main road through that valley, N 134, specially
from Sarrance, because signs along the route warned not to go on the foot path for safety reasons due to the heavy rainfall early 2007.
We did not stay in the refugio on the Somport-Pass because otherwise we
had to walk to Jaca 32 km, only descending, so we divided the stages Borce to Canfranc Estacion and Canfranc Estacion to Jaca into two stages of 25 km. From Borce it is ascending 18 km and descending to Canfranc Est. 7 km. From Canfranc Est. it is only descending to Jaca, so rather heavy!!
The day after Jaca we did not go to the monastery of St. Juan de la Pena, but walked straight westward along the N 140, only the last 3 km of that day were not paved, climbing up to Arres. Arres to Puente la Reina it is walking along quiet roads and foot paths, sometimes the foot paths can be muddy and even slippery (when we walked there), so one (or two) trekking poles
can be helpful.

The accommodation: in Lourdes one has a lot of possibilities, hotels, pensions, B&B and huge pilgrim houses. In Asson there is one gite d'etape on your left side when entering the village (near the church), you have to make a phone call to the number on the sign and wait a couple of minutes. In Oloron Ste.Marie there are two gites d'etape, both in the 'Rue de Revol', but it has more possibilities.
If you want to sleep in the monastery in Sarrance (you can make a meal there yourself, they do not serve you a meal) you have to call one day in advance, but there is also a pension/restaurant. Borce has a little chapel (St.James) with gite d'etape for 6 persons and one little bar/foodstore. The chapel/gite is the first building on the left side when entering the village!

Jan Brilleman
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Thanks Laurie and Jan, awesome! I leave Monday, so hopefully all will be well! For sure, would love to return the help i've received on this site by posting a few tidbits from my journey.

Arohanui, Kahu
 
Hi, Kahu,
Leaving on Monday, oh you are so lucky. I wish you the very best camino from Pau and hope you will have an occasional moment to share your experiences during, or if not during, after, your Camino. Ultreya and all the best, Laurie
 
Hi,

On 16. Aug. I start my camino in Oloron Ste-Marie. I would like to stay for the night in the Monastery in Sarrance, but I can't find the telephonenumber on the internet, so I can book in advance. I will be happy, if you can help me ! :lol:

Camino greetings from Hanne, Denmark
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
Hi Théo,

Thank you for the answer !

Hanne
 

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