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I planned 40 days, to start from either st. Jean for the Frances route, or irun for the north route.
Very well put!!!
Jenny. I don’t think you need to second guess your original plan to start on the Frances. At least not yet. You must have chosen it for a reason or more than one.Hi I’m very new here, just booked my flight and plan to walk in first week of September. Originally I was planning to walk Camino France, but it seems there might be too many people and hard to get accommodations on the way. Shall I change to walk Camino North? Is it easier to get accommodations? Please advise! Thank you
Omg fewer Cathedrals but way more cool people. I am a Norte fanboy.
What Tom has written is important. Also I believe most of us overthink everything before our first camino. Is a specific route calling you? If not do some research as peregrino_tom advises. You still have time. Maybe the route to take will speak to you if it already hasn't. Get out of your head and into your body. That is where the answers are.
Excellent point Tom. I didn't have this dilemma when I walked the Norte as I had already done the CF twice. For me the main differences were that the Norte was a more difficult walk. Secondly you are right there are far less spiritual etc type elements on the Norte. But in my mind it is more beautiful (different beauty of course) then the CF. When I walked in 2018 I started in late September, much cooler and never had a worry about tourists or finding an albergue bed. I also found the pilgrims I met were overall younger, but not the partying type of young pilgrim you can find on the CF, and much more independent. There were people that walked the same stages but they were not "families". It was very much like when I walked my first camino. Someone mentioned that the Norte is more expensive than the CF. It reminded me that things change alot in 6 years so maybe my advice is moot now when it comes to the type of people you meet and crowds and beds. Also when any of us walk it is just a miniscule slice of time. Everything I experienced may have been different just leaving a week or two before or after when I walked. Maybe even just a day or two.
I ve done both … all in my 60 s. If you are used to mountains, either is good… norte has more up and down continuously. French Way, the big elevation change is day 1. Depends on how fit you are…. You can do anything you decide you can do…. If you stay healthy in body/ heart.Hi I’m very new here, just booked my flight and plan to walk in first week of September. Originally I was planning to walk Camino France, but it seems there might be too many people and hard to get accommodations on the way. Shall I change to walk Camino North? Is it easier to get accommodations? Please advise! Thank you
I would suggest booking in advance to avoid disappointment.Jenny. I don’t think you need to second guess your original plan to start on the Frances. At least not yet. You must have chosen it for a reason or more than one.
If you find it too difficult with accommodation you can always switch to the Norte, though there’s no guarantee it will be easier. There are various points on the Frances where you can take a bus to Irun or San Sebastian or Bilbao, for example. With 40 days you likely have some time up your sleeve to be flexible.
As to accommodation concerns in September leaving from SJPP you’ll find many suggestions on the forum for booking as far as Pamplona after which ‘crowds’ tend to dissipate. That might give you comfort for those first days.
You’ll also see many posts about accommodation on booking sites being hard to find at certain times, while calling properties directly can be more successful. Not to mention non reservable Albergues that some people report having plenty of spare beds even amid a big ‘wave’ of pilgrims.
I don’t in any way dismiss the reports of ‘busyness’ that are concerning you. But I think the Frances offers more accommodation and flexibility with stages too, eg stopping a few kms short of where you may have anticipated or walking a few kms further.
In your shoes I’d stick with your original plan, be ready to adapt IF needed inc switching to the Norte. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t come to that.
Whatever you decide, all the best.
= cooler. More forever friends met on the Norte than any other route. But still, I have forever friends from the CF too. I'll prolly find myself in SJPdP again in October after my Sept trip along the coast. November is still up in the air.
Frances is spectacular nevertheless I prefer the North for the scenery. Last year I did the North from Bilbao, this year did it from Llanes to the end. God willing will do it again from Llanes. I just love the North.
