Departing May 13, 2023

[JustJack]

After more than 2 years of dreaming, I've got my departure day set! Saturday May 13, 2023 to be exact. So now that it's less than a year away I feel like the real countdown has begun.

Apologies for cluttering up this forum with a useless message, but I'm busting with excitement, and you people understand it better - and are more receptive to it - than the people in my regular life. So I come here to get my fix of Camino talk and absorb the wisdom.

Obviously I haven't yet booked my flight, but from my research thus far, and based on feedback of others on this site, I will likely fly Vancouver -> Paris on Saturday May 13. That should get me to SJPdP by Sunday May 14, and I can hopefully start walking on Monday May 15. Yes I know, jet-lag...

As I posted in another thread, I've been watching the temperatures all along the French way since mid-May, and clearly I need to be prepared for anything from freezing cold to scorching heat. And I will be.

The only remaining thing to figure out is how to get home. Make my way back to Paris for my return flight, or fly home from somewhere else like Madrid? Cost will be the deciding factor.

I strongly suspect that this will be the first of many caminos, and as such I intend to absorb ever single nuance of the experience, particularly all of the "firsts", as first only happens once. First step out my door, first step on the camino, first albergue, first cafe con leche, first glass of orange juice, first hill, first blister, first pilgrim meal, first everything!

Anyways, no real questions attached to this post, unless you've got great suggestions on best way to/from SJPDP from Vancouver Canada. Other than that, I just wanted to post something, because quite frankly posting something here makes the whole thing seem more real (this whole "Camino" thing at times seems completely unreal to me. The product of a fevered mind struggling to get through the uncertaintly of the pandemic).

Thanks for indulging me.

 

[Suzanne S.]

@JustJack ! I completely get it! Buen Camino, Pilgrim!

 

[AnneO]

I am starting from Pamplona on May 16. I am walking shortish stages so you will likely overtake me at some point. I am leaving the States on May 13 as well but am staying in Pamplona to sightsee for a couple of nights before starting walking.

 

[hunsta]

Gday Just Jack. May is a great month to start. I started May 7th. There were still patches of snow going over the Pyrenees. To walking into Los Arcos on one of Spain's hottest days on record. Wasnt too bad though. Being an Aussie.
And yes your in the right place for advice here. Just one tip. Don't over research it. I did. And got a little burnout a couple of months before I left.
Anyway, enjoy the ride there.
Buen Camino

 

[Dani7]

I remember that feeling when I announced my decision for a spring 2020 CF in June 2019. It made it all feel real. Don’t have a date yet for when I will be able to reschedule it but one thing is for sure…making it official in this forum is pure jubilation.

Buen Camino and happy planning. Happy for you @JustJack

 

[Vince Rollason]

After more than 2 years of dreaming, I've got my departure day set! Saturday May 13, 2023 to be exact. So now that it's less than a year away I feel like the real countdown has begun.

Apologies for cluttering up this forum with a useless message, but I'm busting with excitement, and you people understand it better - and are more receptive to it - than the people in my regular life. So I come here to get my fix of Camino talk and absorb the wisdom.

Obviously I haven't yet booked my flight, but from my research thus far, and based on feedback of others on this site, I will likely fly Vancouver -> Paris on Saturday May 13. That should get me to SJPdP by Sunday May 14, and I can hopefully start walking on Monday May 15. Yes I know, jet-lag...

As I posted in another thread, I've been watching the temperatures all along the French way since mid-May, and clearly I need to be prepared for anything from freezing cold to scorching heat. And I will be.

The only remaining thing to figure out is how to get home. Make my way back to Paris for my return flight, or fly home from somewhere else like Madrid? Cost will be the deciding factor.

I strongly suspect that this will be the first of many caminos, and as such I intend to absorb ever single nuance of the experience, particularly all of the "firsts", as first only happens once. First step out my door, first step on the camino, first albergue, first cafe con leche, first glass of orange juice, first hill, first blister, first pilgrim meal, first everything!

Anyways, no real questions attached to this post, unless you've got great suggestions on best way to/from SJPDP from Vancouver Canada. Other than that, I just wanted to post something, because quite frankly posting something here makes the whole thing seem more real (this whole "Camino" thing at times seems completely unreal to me. The product of a fevered mind struggling to get through the uncertaintly of the pandemic).

Thanks for indulging me.

Hi
I have just finished my 5th Camino On the first 4 I flew back to the UK from Santiago. However for me this has always meant flying to London Stansted which is not great for getting home to Birmingham. Last month I used the new high speed train from SDC to Madrid and flew direct to Birmingham. The train took 3.5 hours and cost 26,50 euros. I am sure you could arrange to fly from Madrid to Vancouver if this option appeals to you.
Buen Camino
Vince

 

[DBC]

After more than 2 years of dreaming, I've got my departure day set! Saturday May 13, 2023 to be exact. So now that it's less than a year away I feel like the real countdown has begun.

Apologies for cluttering up this forum with a useless message, but I'm busting with excitement, and you people understand it better - and are more receptive to it - than the people in my regular life. So I come here to get my fix of Camino talk and absorb the wisdom.

Obviously I haven't yet booked my flight, but from my research thus far, and based on feedback of others on this site, I will likely fly Vancouver -> Paris on Saturday May 13. That should get me to SJPdP by Sunday May 14, and I can hopefully start walking on Monday May 15. Yes I know, jet-lag...

As I posted in another thread, I've been watching the temperatures all along the French way since mid-May, and clearly I need to be prepared for anything from freezing cold to scorching heat. And I will be.

The only remaining thing to figure out is how to get home. Make my way back to Paris for my return flight, or fly home from somewhere else like Madrid? Cost will be the deciding factor.

I strongly suspect that this will be the first of many caminos, and as such I intend to absorb ever single nuance of the experience, particularly all of the "firsts", as first only happens once. First step out my door, first step on the camino, first albergue, first cafe con leche, first glass of orange juice, first hill, first blister, first pilgrim meal, first everything!

Anyways, no real questions attached to this post, unless you've got great suggestions on best way to/from SJPDP from Vancouver Canada. Other than that, I just wanted to post something, because quite frankly posting something here makes the whole thing seem more real (this whole "Camino" thing at times seems completely unreal to me. The product of a fevered mind struggling to get through the uncertaintly of the pandemic).

Thanks for indulging me.

Met several Canadians this year, a lot of them flying home via Paris or Madrid. Have you though about Icelandair? It would mean going home with one or two stops but the prices can be reasonable to the North American continent.

 

[Zordmot]

Flights within Europe are often less than $100, and often way less. The fast train to Paris is cool but so is a flight from Madrid to Berlin for $25!

 

[C clearly]

Hi @JustJack. I fly out of Vancouver, too. My approach is to book major airlines 2-4 months before the departure date. The options from YVR to Europe are more limited than those available to some forum members from Europe, the US, or even eastern Canada. The cheaper/charter airlines usually start their service in Toronto or Montreal. So, to take advantage of those flights you need to get to Toronto and Montreal first, reducing the cost saving.

An airline is responsible for getting you to the destination on that original ticket. If you fly one airline to Europe and have a separate ticket (e.g. budget airline) for an additional flight, and you miss it, the first airline has no responsibility. That is an advantage of buying the whole trip at the same time and often the cost is not much different. (While the loss of a $25 ticket is not important, the cost of buying a last-minute one could be a lot more!)

If I were going to start the Camino in SJPP again, I would buy an air ticket from Vancouver to Biarritz. That is likely to be through Paris and sometimes involves changing airports in Paris, but I didn't find that to be difficult.

Air Canada has direct flights between Toronto and Madrid, but typically only 3 days per week and from mid-May to some time in the fall (October?) So when you search flights, it can make a difference which day you start, because the direct flights are both cheaper and faster.

For the return trip, look at your options from Madrid to Vancouver. The connecting cities will depend on which airline you have started with.

Many people think that buying a ticket 6-12 months in advance is the cheapest. However, I have tracked my planned flights for Vancouver to Madrid over that period, and found that on the major airlines, the prices do not rise very much until a month or two before the departure date. So, although you are keen to get started, there is no rush to buy tickets! Instead, you can spend your time on walking and on planning your pack!

 

[JustJack]

Hi @JustJack. I fly out of Vancouver, too. My approach is to book major airlines 2-4 months before the departure date. The options from YVR to Europe are more limited than those available to some forum members from Europe, the US, or even eastern Canada. The cheaper/charter airlines usually start their service in Toronto or Montreal. So, to take advantage of those flights you need to get to Toronto and Montreal first, reducing the cost saving.

An airline is responsible for getting you to the destination on that original ticket. If you fly one airline to Europe and have a separate ticket (e.g. budget airline) for an additional flight, and you miss it, the first airline has no responsibility. That is an advantage of buying the whole trip at the same time and often the cost is not much different. (While the loss of a $25 ticket is not important, the cost of buying a last-minute one could be a lot more!)

If I were going to start the Camino in SJPP again, I would buy an air ticket from Vancouver to Biarritz. That is likely to be through Paris and sometimes involves changing airports in Paris, but I didn't find that to be difficult.

Air Canada has direct flights between Toronto and Madrid, but typically only 3 days per week and from mid-May to some time in the fall (October?) So when you search flights, it can make a difference which day you start, because the direct flights are both cheaper and faster.

For the return trip, look at your options from Madrid to Vancouver. The connecting cities will depend on which airline you have started with.

Many people think that buying a ticket 6-12 months in advance is the cheapest. However, I have tracked my planned flights for Vancouver to Madrid over that period, and found that on the major airlines, the prices do not rise very much until a month or two before the departure date. So, although you are keen to get started, there is no rush to buy tickets! Instead, you can spend your time on walking and on planning your pack!

Thanks for your detailed response, and great to hear from someone who is starting from Vancouver!

 

[trose]

After more than 2 years of dreaming, I've got my departure day set! Saturday May 13, 2023 to be exact. So now that it's less than a year away I feel like the real countdown has begun.

Apologies for cluttering up this forum with a useless message, but I'm busting with excitement, and you people understand it better - and are more receptive to it - than the people in my regular life. So I come here to get my fix of Camino talk and absorb the wisdom.

Obviously I haven't yet booked my flight, but from my research thus far, and based on feedback of others on this site, I will likely fly Vancouver -> Paris on Saturday May 13. That should get me to SJPdP by Sunday May 14, and I can hopefully start walking on Monday May 15. Yes I know, jet-lag...

As I posted in another thread, I've been watching the temperatures all along the French way since mid-May, and clearly I need to be prepared for anything from freezing cold to scorching heat. And I will be.

The only remaining thing to figure out is how to get home. Make my way back to Paris for my return flight, or fly home from somewhere else like Madrid? Cost will be the deciding factor.

I strongly suspect that this will be the first of many caminos, and as such I intend to absorb ever single nuance of the experience, particularly all of the "firsts", as first only happens once. First step out my door, first step on the camino, first albergue, first cafe con leche, first glass of orange juice, first hill, first blister, first pilgrim meal, first everything!

Anyways, no real questions attached to this post, unless you've got great suggestions on best way to/from SJPDP from Vancouver Canada. Other than that, I just wanted to post something, because quite frankly posting something here makes the whole thing seem more real (this whole "Camino" thing at times seems completely unreal to me. The product of a fevered mind struggling to get through the uncertaintly of the pandemic).

Thanks for indulging me.

Enjoy the journey!! Buen Camino

 

[Rick M]

I too have done the circuit from Vancouver multiple times. Can I appeal once more to consider taking your time getting started? A day or two getting your clock sorted out will pay dividends once you get going on a very challenging first few days. The Camino will still be there tomorrow, what's your hurry? I like to take two days in Paris, but have also liked Biarritz and San Sebastion for a few days of R&R. As a minimum, spend the extra day in SJPP, just to get rehydrated.

I respectfully disagree with our moderator about routing. Mercator maps suggest that Toronto is on the way to Paris, but a quick look at a globe will tell you it's not. Air France has a terrific straight shot YVR to Paris, and the price is very competitive. From there, you either hang around CDG for four hours and take Hop to Biarritz, or you head into town and catch the TGV to Bayonne-SJPP. I've done it both ways, dealer's choice. I have also done it via Amsterdam on KLM, but the Biarritz connection didn't work last time I checked. I would not change airports in Paris to catch a same day flight out of Orly - you are better off taking the train than going through the airport transfer.

As for the return leg, I buy return tickets to Paris, then get myself back to Paris from wherever I am. These days, that's Porto. It's a three hour bus ride from Santiago, and a much bigger town with bigger town things. It also has the same climate as San Diego, and a terrific river walk. You will find cheap flights from Porto to Paris on Vuelling. These land in Orly, so expect to spend another night in Paris so you can catch an early flight home. You can also fly home directly via Toronto from Porto if you want, but that might get pricy.

Buen Camino

 

[Kathy F.]

Welcome, JustJack! I am very happy and excited for you, finally getting your first Camino on track.

I won't offer specific advice on airlines or schedules - this is being well covered by others here. However, I would offer this bit of advice, especially for a first time pilgrim.

One of the most distressing situations I've encountered on the Camino is when a pilgrim has to hurry at the end in order to make a flight home. Sometimes they have had to stop for weather, blisters, Camino family, other unexpected delays and find, at the end, that they have run out of time.

They then have to rush, sometimes pushing themselves further than is safe, often missing some of the best times on the Camino - finally catching up with pilgrims you've run into along the way and have now all arrived in Santiago de Campostelle; getting a chance to decompress and think over the past few weeks' experiences; seeing that elusive butafumeiro; gathering your thoughts with pilgrims and locals who understand, before heading back into the "real world."

It is much, much better to have time on your hands in Santiago at the end than to have to rush off. If you feel uncomfortable just scheduling your return flight when you arrive in Santiago (which, you realize, is always possible and might not be as expensive as you assume), please at least allow more time to do your Camino than you think is realistic. I think you'll appreciate it at the end.

 

[JustJack]

I too have done the circuit from Vancouver multiple times. Can I appeal once more to consider taking your time getting started? A day or two getting your clock sorted out will pay dividends once you get going on a very challenging first few days. The Camino will still be there tomorrow, what's your hurry? I like to take two days in Paris, but have also liked Biarritz and San Sebastion for a few days of R&R. As a minimum, spend the extra day in SJPP, just to get rehydrated.

I respectfully disagree with our moderator about routing. Mercator maps suggest that Toronto is on the way to Paris, but a quick look at a globe will tell you it's not. Air France has a terrific straight shot YVR to Paris, and the price is very competitive. From there, you either hang around CDG for four hours and take Hop to Biarritz, or you head into town and catch the TGV to Bayonne-SJPP. I've done it both ways, dealer's choice. I have also done it via Amsterdam on KLM, but the Biarritz connection didn't work last time I checked. I would not change airports in Paris to catch a same day flight out of Orly - you are better off taking the train than going through the airport transfer.

As for the return leg, I buy return tickets to Paris, then get myself back to Paris from wherever I am. These days, that's Porto. It's a three hour bus ride from Santiago, and a much bigger town with bigger town things. It also has the same climate as San Diego, and a terrific river walk. You will find cheap flights from Porto to Paris on Vuelling. These land in Orly, so expect to spend another night in Paris so you can catch an early flight home. You can also fly home directly via Toronto from Porto if you want, but that might get pricy.

Buen Camino

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Regarding jet lag at the beginning, fortunately I tend not to suffer much from jet lag, so I'm not overly concerned. If everything works out as I hope I will have an early evening in SJPDP when I arrive Sunday, and wake up refreshed Monday morning ready to go.

Also, if I'm able to secure a reservation at Orison I may stop there on the first day, so that would allow me to sleep in a bit Monday morning, and have a (relatively) easy walk to Orison and the afternoon/evening in Orison to recover from the flight.

What's the rush? No rush, however I have managed to negotiate a total of 8 weeks off work, and not a day more. While 8 weeks sounds like a lot, I will need a couple weeks at the end to mentally recover. I may spend a week in Spain after Santiago or Finisterre, and I will need some time back home as well. Returning to my regular work life is going to be a bigger challenge than walking the Camino I fear. It may not be something I am successful at...

Agree that Air France is a great option. Hopefully the ticket prices are reasonable next spring. Haven't decided yet between taking the train from Paris or flying. Whichever option gets me to SJPDP earliest is what I will choose.

Regarding returning home, I suspect booking a return flight to Paris will be cheaper than one-way to Paris and then one-way back from Madrid or some other city. As for how I'll get back to Paris, I guess either fly or train...

I wonder if travel agents are still a thing, or maybe they've all gone out of business. Do you all book your flights/trains online, or do you use a travel agent?

Side note - travel in Europe seems to be a lot more complex than traveling around Asia. Perhaps that's just because there are more options. And way more expensive as well. But happily the daily costs while walking are reasonable, otherwise I don't think I'd be doing this.

 

[JustJack]

Welcome, JustJack! I am very happy and excited for you, finally getting your first Camino on track.

I won't offer specific advice on airlines or schedules - this is being well covered by others here. However, I would offer this bit of advice, especially for a first time pilgrim.

One of the most distressing situations I've encountered on the Camino is when a pilgrim has to hurry at the end in order to make a flight home. Sometimes they have had to stop for weather, blisters, Camino family, other unexpected delays and find, at the end, that they have run out of time.

They then have to rush, sometimes pushing themselves further than is safe, often missing some of the best times on the Camino - finally catching up with pilgrims you've run into along the way and have now all arrived in Santiago de Campostelle; getting a chance to decompress and think over the past few weeks' experiences; seeing that elusive butafumeiro; gathering your thoughts with pilgrims and locals who understand, before heading back into the "real world."

It is much, much better to have time on your hands in Santiago at the end than to have to rush off. If you feel uncomfortable just scheduling your return flight when you arrive in Santiago (which, you realize, is always possible and might not be as expensive as you assume), please at least allow more time to do your Camino than you think is realistic. I think you'll appreciate it at the end.

I concur! I'm planning on allowing around 45 days for the CF, which should give me time for a few rest days + some time at the end, potentially to make my way to Finisterre. Rushing at the end and plunging right back into the real world isn't something I could handle. Hopefully I'm allowing for sufficient time.

 

[hunsta]

Also, if I'm able to secure a reservation at Orison I may stop there on the first day, so that would allow me to sleep in a bit Monday morning, and have a (relatively) easy walk to Orison and the afternoon/evening in Orison to recover from the flight.

Your already making great decisions. Orrison if only 8km from SJPdP. Is a must ìn my opinion. That first night there is where you will me most of your Camino family. Also don't bother starting from SJPdP til mid morning. I left at 7.00am and was there at 10.00am. They won't let you near your bed til about 2.00pm. So you be sitting around for a bit. But then, have a beer. Meet some people. And let it all start to sink in

 

[JustJack]

Your already making great decisions. Orrison if only 8km from SJPdP. Is a must ìn my opinion. That first night there is where you will me most of your Camino family. Also don't bother starting from SJPdP til mid morning. I left at 7.00am and was there at 10.00am. They won't let you near your bed til about 2.00pm. So you be sitting around for a bit. But then, have a beer. Meet some people. And let it all start to sink in

Imagine if it was possible to simply decide when you arrive at Orrison if you want to stay or not, based on the weather and how you are feeling. Wouldn't that be wonderful. Alas that's not an option. I'll see how far in advance I can book, and then see if I get lucky and get a bed. If not I'll carry on to Roncesvalles, like most do.

 

[C clearly]

I respectfully disagree with our moderator about routing. Mercator maps suggest that Toronto is on the way to Paris, but a quick look at a globe will tell you it's not.

I wasn't particularly recommending routing through Toronto, especially for travel to France. I mainly wanted @JustJack to be aware that AC flights between Toronto and Madrid do exist, but they are only on certain days so he should try different days to see all the options.
(By the way, moderators are just regular members when it comes to this sort of discussion. )

I suspect booking a return flight to Paris will be cheaper than one-way to Paris and then one-way back from Madrid or some other city.

But you wouldn't book "one-way" tickets. You would book what is called a "multi-city" or "open-jaw" ticket. You would book a ticket that goes outbound from Vancouver to Paris (or Biarritz) and then the return is from Madrid to Vancouver. The cost is similar to a return ticket.

You have lots of time to experiment with flight options online and compare one-way, return, and multi-city fares.

Do you all book your flights/trains online

Yes.

 

[goldie from aus]

Hi @JustJack. I fly out of Vancouver, too. My approach is to book major airlines 2-4 months before the departure date. The options from YVR to Europe are more limited than those available to some forum members from Europe, the US, or even eastern Canada. The cheaper/charter airlines usually start their service in Toronto or Montreal. So, to take advantage of those flights you need to get to Toronto and Montreal first, reducing the cost saving.

An airline is responsible for getting you to the destination on that original ticket. If you fly one airline to Europe and have a separate ticket (e.g. budget airline) for an additional flight, and you miss it, the first airline has no responsibility. That is an advantage of buying the whole trip at the same time and often the cost is not much different. (While the loss of a $25 ticket is not important, the cost of buying a last-minute one could be a lot more!)

If I were going to start the Camino in SJPP again, I would buy an air ticket from Vancouver to Biarritz. That is likely to be through Paris and sometimes involves changing airports in Paris, but I didn't find that to be difficult.

Air Canada has direct flights between Toronto and Madrid, but typically only 3 days per week and from mid-May to some time in the fall (October?) So when you search flights, it can make a difference which day you start, because the direct flights are both cheaper and faster.

For the return trip, look at your options from Madrid to Vancouver. The connecting cities will depend on which airline you have started with.

Many people think that buying a ticket 6-12 months in advance is the cheapest. However, I have tracked my planned flights for Vancouver to Madrid over that period, and found that on the major airlines, the prices do not rise very much until a month or two before the departure date. So, although you are keen to get started, there is no rush to buy tickets! Instead, you can spend your time on walking and on planning your pack!

Tagged onto this thread and just wanted to say thanks, heaps, for this. Trying to pin down my first Camino Frances coming out of a bad couple of years and adding to my hesitation was getting there and back again. Although I will be traveling from Melbourne the fly into Biarritz fly out of Madrid option is perfect. Thanks for the reminder. Now I just need to take the leap and start my journey - 2023.

 

[trecile]

For the return trip, look at your options from Madrid to Vancouver.

Or look at flying home from Porto. It's an easy bus ride from Santiago - less than 4 hours, and the buses are comfortable.

I too have done the circuit from Vancouver multiple times. Can I appeal once more to consider taking your time getting started? A day or two getting your clock sorted out will pay dividends once you get going on a very challenging first few days. The Camino will still be there tomorrow, what's your hurry?

I agree. Plus there may be flight delays or other unforeseen circumstances that can affect your plans.

It is much, much better to have time on your hands in Santiago at the end than to have to rush off.

I can't agree with this enough! There is always somewhere interesting that you can go to in Spain. Better to have more time than not enough.

Also, if I'm able to secure a reservation at Orison I may stop there on the first day,

Also consider Auberge Borda, which is 1 km after Orisson that opened in 2021.

Auberge Borda | Albergue de Peregrinos en Auberge Borda | Gronze.com

Información del albergue de peregrinos Auberge Borda, en Auberge Borda: Precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

 

[DoughnutANZ]

I'll see how far in advance I can book, and then see if I get lucky and get a bed. If not I'll carry on to Roncesvalles, like most do.

Your planned dates are very busy in the area around St. Jean and so the earlier you reserve the better your chances of getting a bed.

If you can't get into either Orisson or Borda then consider having two nights in St. Jean then walk up as far as the Snow Virgin (past both Orisson and Borda) and catch the shuttle back to St. Jean for your second night then the shuttle takes you back to the Snow Virgin the next morning and this puts you ahead of the crowds for Roncesvalles.

 

[JustJack]

Your planned dates are very busy in the area around St. Jean and so the earlier you reserve the better your chances of getting a bed.

Do you mean the dates I've planned specifically, or do you just mean May in general is busy?

 

[trecile]

Do you mean the dates I've planned specifically, or do you just mean May in general is busy?

I believe that May in general is very busy in SJPDP.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Do you mean the dates I've planned specifically, or do you just mean May in general is busy?

Your specific dates are possibly the busiest during May. Generally the numbers peak at the end of the second week then go down quite quickly.