Canadian Northerners Looking for More Advice!

[JeanneA]

Hello again,
Three of us will be heading to Paris in early May. We will overnight, then take the train from Paris to Bayonne, then on to SJPP. I expect we'll start the camino in the first week of May. We are planning to have two other family members fly to Paris in early June, then travel to Sarria to meet up with us and complete the last of our journey to Santiago. I have some questions:
What train station do we take in Paris to Bayonne?
Is May 6 to June 6 enough time to get to Sarria from SJPP without pushing ourselves? We want to enjoy the walk (and one of us is a little short legged)
What is the best way/ route to get from Paris to Sarria?
Is six days enough to go from Sarria to Santiago without rushing?
Should I just go ahead and post our dates on the site calendar for travel?
Am I correct that we can just start walking from SJPP and only need to get our camino passport from the compestella office, or from the albergue we stay at that night...that there is no requirement to register with anyone that we are doing the camino...we just go and do it...is that correct?
As a last question, how many euros would you suggest we carry? The sites indicate there are ATMs along the way, but warn they often do not work.
Thanks,
JeanneA

 

[Deirdre]

Hello Jeanne,
I can answer some of your questions. I'm sure others will be able to answer the rest, or just check the many threads here on the forum that apply.
If you are in Paris and want to get your credencial (Pilgrim passport) at the Friends of the Camino office there, I believe I already sent you the information about that by PM. Otherwise you can get it in SJPDP.

30 days should be adequate to get to Sarria. I walked from Roncesvalles to Santiago in 30 days and did not feel rushed at all. I am NOT a speedwalker. And I bellieve that 6 days to Santiago is also adequate. However, I would strongly caution against being "locked in" to a schedule. The Camino has a way of making it's own schedule. Especially the last leg with a small child. You may need to go more slowly, or, if your daughter is pushing a "buggy" need to go by road - the key is to be flexible. The last thing you want is to be racing to Santiago to meet a deadline.

One other thing. By the time you reach Sarria, you and your other two daughters will have established your 'rhythm"... you will have been walking for about a month. Your other daughter will only be beginning... and will not be in the same place mentally nor physically as the rest of you are. You are going to be able to walk longer distances, be accustomed to the Camino, the albergues, the pilgrims. She will not. It's just something to keep in mind.

Why not post your dates on the calendar? They are there for the benefit of other pilgrims to see who else might be on the Camino at the same time as they are. They are not written in stone. Flexibility is the key - sometimes it is very hard to let go of our "scheduled" lives and settle into the Camino where you walk as much or as far as your body tells you. While clearly most people have a general schedule (It would be nice if we could all just walk it for as long as we wanted) allow yourself time to experience the Camino. I liked to stop and visit with animals, see the sights, talk to the people, relish the views. Others wanted to get from point A to point B - remember it is Your Camino. You may find that you or your daughters want to walk alone some days. One o fthe keys to the camino is the people you meet - you may find that you choose to spend time with some other pilgrims as well. You can always meet up in the albergue at night. Flexibility.

And lastly, there are two things in Spain that always work. Coke machines and ATMs. In the middle of absolutely nowhere, plugged into an estension cord from a barn, a coke machine devilered a much appreciated coke on an extremely hot day! It amazes me - they are always full, cold and working. I have rarely come across an ATM that doesn't work. More likely is that if you haven't informed your bank that you will be using the card overseas that it will be rejected. Banks are very quick to flag cards when they see unusual activity. Call your bank before you go and let them know that you will be using it in Europe. I usually never carried more than a couple of hundred Euros at a time.

Buen Camino,

 

[mrbillyto]

Hi Jeanne,
The train to SJPdP through Bayonne goes from the Montparnasse station in Paris, if you are taking the 10:10am train which would put you into SJPdP around 4:20pm. Here is the link to the Rail Europe website that works well if you are looking for schedules, etc.

http://www.raileurope.ca/canada/train_stations/parisgaremontparnasse.htm?

I am doing the same type of trip as you, as in flying into Paris, overnighting there and then taking the train to SJPdP only I am going in September. There are plenty of hotels in the area of the Montparnasse rail station (I have one booked if you need a suggestion). As well, there is a bus from the airport (CDG) that will take you right to the Montparnasse station (as well as other forms of transportation).
Bill

 

[sillydoll]

Jeanne - you daughters can get a train from Paris to Bayonne. Then Bayonne to Irun.
Train from Irun at 08h45 to Santiago arriving at 20:08. From there you could get a taxi to Sarria.
OR - they can fly from Paris(CDG) to Santiago on Vueling - 77.00 EUR Dep: 19:50 Arr: 21:55
Spend the night and then get a taxi/bus to Sarria.