Driving from UK to Spain Camino

[San04]

Hello everyone, this is my first trip and I'm planning to take the ferry and drive all through France and get to Camino and park and cycle The Way to Santiago. Planning to start around 28/ 29 of April.
I got a couple of questions and any help will be greatly appreciated,

1; How can I get back from Santiago to Camino and how long does it take?
2; how lightly or heavily should I pack?
3; I got my own bike and planning to bring it over with me or better to rent one there.
4; if I take a sleeping bag can I just sleep along the way, instead of paying to stay anywhere.
5; anyone doing it at the same time I would be more than happy to meet up and start at the same time.
6; anyone from UK planning to go the same way, I would be happy to share the cost and make the way down there.
Sorry if I sound completely novice I actually am and any advice no
Matter how big or small will be greatly appreciated. Thank you all.
P.S I speak French also.

 

[Tincatinker]

1. @San04 it will help other members if you say where you intend to start the camino - Le Puy / St Jean pied de Port / Roncevalles etc.
2. Advice is always pack light
3. Bring your own bike
4. People have been known to rough camp but it is illegal in Spain (tell that to the homeless) Albergues are inexpensive and designed to meet the needs of Pilgrims

You may find these sections of the Forum useful:
Traveling to/from the camino
Biking the Camino

 

[San04]

Thank you for your reply. I am planning to start at le puy in France. I have read that I can leave my car there. But my question is when I get to Santiago are there any means of transport to get back to le puy? If yes how long does it take approx??

 

[mspath]

Check out the varous transport/time/cost combos on www.Rome2Rio.com.

Happy planning and Buen camino!

 

[Tincatinker]

http://www.rome2rio.com/s/Santiago-de-Compostela/Le-Puy-en-Velay

 

[whariwharangi]

Thank you for your reply. I am planning to start at le puy in France. I have read that I can leave my car there. But my question is when I get to Santiago are there any means of transport to get back to le puy? If yes how long does it take approx??

Take Renfe train from Santiago to Irun.

Take Metro Donostialdea train from Irun Colon station ... located across the tracks from the Renfe Station ... to Hendaia ... located beside SNCF Gare d'Hendaye.

Take SNCF train from Hendaye to Le Puy en Velay.

The Santiago Irun train is 9 hours and once per day. The Hendaye to Le Puy en Velay takes approx 13 hours. There will be a requirement to overnight at Irun/Hendaye.

Alternatively, fly from Santiago to Le Puy en Velay via Paris. There are flights from Paris Orly to Le Puy. You can connect Santiago to Paris by way of Madrid, Barcelona or London if there are not direct flights available. It'd probably work better to fly to Lyon, take the tram from airport to Lyon Gare Part Dieu and take SNCF train from Lyon to Le Puy.

 

[San04]

Thank you all very much for your replies, that will help a lot to awards the planning.

 

[MinaKamina]

If you are to take a plane from Santiago to Paris (or even London!) to get to the car in Le Puy, all with bicycles, wouldn't it be easier (and cheaper) to leave the car at home?

 

[San04]

No I'm not flying anywhere, I am planning to drive down to le puy and cycle to Santiago but afterwards just need to find a way to get back to le out to pick the car up and drive back to uk. That is my plan.