Camino del Norte from Lourdes

[Vladko]

Hi
I would like to ask about if someone has experience how to walk Camino del Norte from Lourdes.
How to go from Lourdes to SJDPD and from there to Irun? I really don`t know what would be best option.
I can not find anything on the google and I`m starting 2th of may 2023.
Thank you very much.

 

[timr]

Hi
I would like to ask about if someone has experience how to walk Camino del Norte from Lourdes.
How to go from Lourdes to SJDPD and from there to Irun? I really don`t know what would be best option.
I can not find anything on the google and I`m starting 2th of may 2023.
Thank you very much.

From Lourdes to SJPDP you follow the Piemonte route. See Gronze here.
I did that, but about fourteen years ago. A very nice route.

There is a "Camino information centre" now in Lourdes though it is closed until April.
Their Facebook and webpages do not seem to be very active. Maybe someone can tell us if they were functioning post-Covid last year?

 

[SabsP]

Hi
I would like to ask about if someone has experience how to walk Camino del Norte from Lourdes.
How to go from Lourdes to SJDPD and from there to Irun? I really don`t know what would be best option.
I can not find anything on the google and I`m starting 2th of may 2023.
Thank you very much.

Hello and welcome here.
Lourdes to Saint Jean is the Via Piemont.

Camino del Piamonte | Camino de Santiago | Gronze.com

El Camino del Piamonte es el camino jacobeo que discurre a lo largo del Prepirineo francés, pasando por Narbonne, Carcassonne, Lourdes y Oloron hasta Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, y que comparte trazado con el GR-78. Considerado hasta hace pocos años una variante del Camino de Arles, estamos ante un...

www.gronze.com

See from Etapa 19 on.

This thread might give you more info for the stages from Saint-Jean to Irun.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/st-jean-to-irun.66429/

 

[Pelerina]

There is a "Camino information centre" now in Lourdes though it is closed until April.
Their Facebook and webpages do not seem to be very active. Maybe someone can tell us if they were functioning post-Covid last year?

Yes, the centre was open last year. We walked the Chemin du Piémont in 2022 and arrived at Lourdes on 13 April, which was their first day open for the season. Luc, from Belgium, was the volunteer and he was delightful. He first walked thé camino in 1986, starting from his home. Luc let us leave our backpacks at the centre while we visited Lourdes.

After Lourdes, it was a further 7 days for us to SJPP.

 

[Vacajoe]

You can walk from SJPdP to Irun, but consider walking the Nive to Bayonne/Biarritz and then up the coast to Irun. It’s a lovely walk and you’ll get to see two larger, fabulous French/Basque cities before heading into Spain.

 

[Vladko]

From Lourdes to SJPDP you follow the Piemonte route. See Gronze here.
I did that, but about fourteen years ago. A very nice route.

There is a "Camino information centre" now in Lourdes though it is closed until April.
Their Facebook and webpages do not seem to be very active. Maybe someone can tell us if they were functioning post-Covid last year?

Thank you very much!
It will be my first Camino I want to be ready as much as possible

 

[Vladko]

Hello and welcome here.
Lourdes to Saint Jean is the Via Piemont.

Camino del Piamonte | Camino de Santiago | Gronze.com

El Camino del Piamonte es el camino jacobeo que discurre a lo largo del Prepirineo francés, pasando por Narbonne, Carcassonne, Lourdes y Oloron hasta Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, y que comparte trazado con el GR-78. Considerado hasta hace pocos años una variante del Camino de Arles, estamos ante un...

www.gronze.com

See from Etapa 19 on.

This thread might give you more info for the stages from Saint-Jean to Irun.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/st-jean-to-irun.66429/

Thank you
Ill add it to my map
What I found till now is that I have to go from Lourdes to Oloro Ste Marie and from there to SJP De Port. If I understood right, from there to Irun are two options one thru the mountain or another easier way.

 

[Vladko]

Yes, the centre was open last year. We walked the Chemin du Piémont in 2022 and arrived at Lourdes on 13 April, which was their first day open for the season. Luc, from Belgium, was the volunteer and he was delightful. He first walked thé camino in 1986, starting from his home. Luc let us leave our backpacks at the centre while we visited Lourdes.

After Lourdes, it was a further 7 days for us to SJPP.

Can I ask how I can use that centre?
And from Lourdes to SJPP it tooks 7 days?
I have 37 days to walk Camino del Norte from Lourdes. I hope I can do it.

 

[Vacajoe]

The centre is simply a drop-in storefront where you can get information, use the bathroom, leave your bag for a short time, etc. There is an excellent pilgrim albergue in Lourdes with a communal dinner on a hill overlooking the main plaza. I highly recommend it.

37 days is really pushing it to go from Lourdes to SdC! At a reasonable pace, its 7 days to SJPdP, then another 4-5 days to the coast to reach the Norte. That leaves you about 25 days for a route that is more difficult than the Camino Frances which generally takes longer than that. While it’s certainly possible with increased speed and longer days, it would be beyond the capability of most pilgrims as well as being more of a race than a contemplative walk. You may want to reconsider.

 

[Vladko]

The centre is simply a drop-in storefront where you can get information, use the bathroom, leave your bag for a short time, etc. There is an excellent pilgrim albergue in Lourdes with a communal dinner on a hill overlooking the main plaza. I highly recommend it.

37 days is really pushing it to go from Lourdes to SdC! At a reasonable pace, its 7 days to SJPdP, then another 4-5 days to the coast to reach the Norte. That leaves you about 25 days for a route that is more difficult than the Camino Frances which generally takes longer than that. While it’s certainly possible with increased speed and longer days, it would be beyond the capability of most pilgrims as well as being more of a race than a contemplative walk. You may want to reconsider.

Thank you. If you can share some link about that place on the hill it would great.
Also now Im a bit scared, so frome Lourdes to Irun it takes 11 days?

 

[Vacajoe]

Accueil Jacquaire La Ruche​

 

[Vacajoe]

so frome Lourdes to Irun it takes 11 days?

Impossible to save exactly since it’s all determined on how far you will walk each day. I took the Nive route to Bayonne (relatively flat and easy) and then walked to Irun to start that Norte - that took me 7 days. You can take a more direct through the mountains to shave off a few kms, but no matter what, you’ll have a number of very long days on the Norte to finish in your time frame.

You may want to walk from Lourdes to SdC on the Frances or Aragon, both of which would be shorter. Or save Lourdes for next time and just walk the Norte.

 

[Vladko]

Impossible to save exactly since it’s all determined on how far you will walk each day. I took the Nive route to Bayonne (relatively flat and easy) and then walked to Irun to start that Norte - that took me 7 days. You can take a more direct through the mountains to shave off a few kms, but no matter what, you’ll have a number of very long days on the Norte to finish in your time frame.

You may want to walk from Lourdes to SdC on the Frances or Aragon, both of which would be shorter. Or save Lourdes for next time and just walk the Norte.

Thank you I will consider all options

 

[Vacajoe]

Roughly put, it’s about 1000kms from Lourdes to SdC via the Norte route. To walk it in 37 days means 27kms EVERY day (including mountainous regions) with no rest days plus whatever travel days you have planned to get to the starting point and to return home. If you managed to keep that pace, all the special sites would likely be a blur.

Lourdes itself is a destination spot for most people and deserves more than a walk-through enroute to an albergue for the night. Even if you are not Catholic, it’s worth the time to spend a contemplative day and evening they’re observing one of the great spiritual processions in the world. If your plan is simply to walk 7-9 hours a day and not partake in what you will see, then why start there? Make it easier on yourself and start in SJPdP or Bayonne.