Camino Plans and Questions

[StephenGruver]

My wife and I are coming to France in June for her sister's wedding. I have always wanted to do the Camino so we decided to try. My work will not let me off longer then 3 weeks. We are spending a week in Le Lavando for her sisters wedding. This will leave us with approximately 10 days to do the camino as well as get back to US. Our plan is to get a flight or bus from Toulon to St Jean (any suggestions would be appreciated). Then to do the camino from St Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona because we have heard that is the best part for a short trip. We are both very active and athletic but we want to enjoy the journey. We want the opportunity to be pilgrims. My hope is to see how far we get and then to find a bus or train to whatever city we decide to fly out of. This might be the only time we do the camino for a long time because we have many other travel plans. I have so many questions for everyone here but a few are:

1. Is this route doable? Is it the best route to take?
2. Where could we fly out of at the end of our journey (with this short of time, every day counts)?
3. Any suggestions on getting from Le Lavando to St Jean Pied de port?
4. Any other knowledge we should know?

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Welcome to the Forum.

Of course this is doable. In fact I am willing to bet you can walk past Pamplona, at least to Logrono if not Burgos if you are of the faster walking group. I am not, I walk like a geisha, so 10 days would only get me to Santo Domingo.

Is it the best route to take? It is the one in my heart. My first Camino. Mine was SJPP to Burgos. And when I went back the third time, I went back to Pamplona and walked to Leon.

Some will tell you you don't have to syart in SJPP, but for me it's a must. It is beautiful, and a challenge. It's not a walk you will casually repeate here and there. For me, it's a marker in my life.

Some will tell you to book ahead and only walk 8km the first day as they are steep 8km. But only a handful do that, since there are only so many beds, but also because, at least in good weather, and taking your time, it is quite doable.

Logrono is Spain's wine capital and has excellent public transit (bus, train and airport). Where is your flight back to the US from? Paris? Marseille? Try the rome2rio.com site, it will show you different alternatives. A flight back home out of Barcelona could work. Same goes for Burgos.

For getting to SJPP, try Rome2rio.com, but with the correct spelling for Le Lavandou.

For planning your etapas, I like the Ersoki site. Others like Gronze. You will see distances between albergues and suggested etapas. But as there are now soooo many albergues, it is very easy to make up your own etapas, making them shorter or longer.

Most important is to pack as light as possible, make sure your footware is broken into and comfortable, bring quick drying clothes and a fist aid kit for blisters, just in case. A bit of sun block and a liner as a sleeping bag.

Voila!

 

[David]

Hi, sounds like a plan! I like the positive attitude too. I think it is a great idea to walk from St Jean for as long as you have because if it grips you then you can do further sections as time and life allow, and one day you will arrive in Santiago!

I agree with Anenome - you will most likely end in Logrono - one of my favourite cities on the Camino ... actually, my favourite city on the Camino!
In Spain there are brilliant cheap long distance buses (coaches) that seem to run 24h rs so it is always fairly easy to move around and both Logrono and Pamplona are on the main rail routes - so you should be able to 'leap' to a city with an airport.

As for flying to St Jean - ah, St Jean is a tiny town at the bottom of a mountain so no airport! A train from Toulon to St Jean - with changes! - would take about 12 hours so your best bet, I think, would be to fly to Biarritz and take the small train from there to St Jean.
As for getting home - well, I don't fly so don't know all the ins and outs of the whole thing, but if you let us know which airport you are flying out from one of us could most likely come up with something.
You can certainly fly from Pamplona to Toulouse .... which means ... hhmmm .... I wonder if you should fly direct to Pamplona and then get a taxi to St Jean (if money isn't a problem) - you would have to wear eye masks so you didn't see anything of course - keep it all fresh!

Buen Camino!

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

St Jean to Logrono came to my mind immediately too but easier for transportation to and from the camino is Pamplona to Burgos, about 220 km / 137 miles.

 

[scruffy1]

Flexibilty is the key word, being in very good physical fitness does NOT mean you should cover as much ground as you can as fast as you can. Plan time for a walkabout in SJPP, time to to enjoy the scenery without rushing it by until Pamplona or beyond, add too another walkabout in Pamplona-a lovely place. The Camino has been here 1000 years and more it will still be here should you dedcide to return and finish it. Choose your airline well, Pamplona to Paris is 875 kilometers give or take, Madrid is only 450. A good travel agent can fix a flight into Paris and back home from Madrid with the same American based airline as a continuation flight and you willl save bundles of money and time.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

St Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona because we have heard that is the best part for a short trip.

That is a good part, but "best"???

It has the advantage of being easy to get to from Toulon and ends at a transportation hub. It may take you only 3-4 days, so may be shorter than you want. A few days in Pamplona is worthwhile, though. If you will be there in July for San Fermines, you may want to choose some place other than Pamplona. Room rates go up about 1,000 percent, and probably are booked already.

 

[whariwharangi]

SNCF operates trains from Toulon to Bayonne. This is all day evolution.

SNCF operates trains from Toulon to Marseille. There are flights from Marseille to Biarritz.

The closest airport to SJPdP is Biarritz BIQ. Chronoplus bus #14 from airport to Gare Bayonne.

SNCF operates trains from Bayonne to SJPdP.

Homeward Bound

Aena operates all of Spain's airports. There is information about destinations and service providers on Aena websites for each airport.

Madrid and Barcelona have international flights to US.

Pamplona has an airport with flights to Madrid.

Bilbao has flights to London and Paris.

Renfe operates trains from Pamplona, Logrono, Burgos to Madrid.

ALSA (CONDA) and PLM Autocares operate buses from Pamplona to Madrid.

ALSA (CONDA) operates buses from Logrono and Burgos to Madrid.

Estellesa operates buses from Pamplona to Logrono with stops along the camino.

Autobuses Jiminez operates buses from Logrono to Burgos with stops along the camino.

 

[whariwharangi]

If intention is to be a pilgrim, you might consider going to Le Puy en Velay and starting your walk there.

 

[whariwharangi]

SNCF
http://www.sncf.com/

Biarritz BIQ
http://biarritz.aeroport.fr/en/

Aena Madrid
http://www.aena.es/en/madrid-barajas-airport/index.html

Pamplona bus station
http://www.estaciondeautobusesdepamplona.com/Inicio.aspx.html

Renfe train
http://www.renfe.com/EN/viajeros/

SNCF railway map
http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/france-map/sncf-map-large.htm