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SJPP has the a pilgrim town well before "the" movie. It would never habe occured to me not to cross into Spain by foot, starting in SJPP, and that was in 2007. I would much rather start in SJPP and stop in Melide.Pamplona is a very interesting city, starting there would be fun. The only reason most begin @ SJPDP IMO is due to the movie. Roncevalles is the place many Spainish begin, It is a very lovely 2 day walk from there to Pamplona.
Have fun!!
I suppose that everyone has their own priorities. It was my goal to walk all the way across Spain, from the border with France to the Atlantic. To me Santiago was just another city on the way.SJPP has the a pilgrim town well before "the" movie. It would never habe occured to me not to cross into Spain by foot, starting in SJPP, and that was in 2007. I would much rather start in SJPP and stop in Melide.
25 years before the movie - and almost 20 years before the Gospel according to St John B - Don Elias Valina Sampedro produced what was then the definitive guide to the Camino Frances. Don Elias invented the idea of yellow arrows and personally painted many of the originals. In many ways the resurrection of the Camino as a popular and defined walking route was his vision. He begins his route description in St Jean Pied de Port. 'Nuff said on the authenticity question for me. We are not all jumping on the movie bandwagon. Of course people will start in many different places. Feel free! I've even heard rumours that there are some people who walk to Santiago without using the Camino Frances at all. Heresy!The only reason most begin @ SJPDP IMO is due to the movie. Roncevalles is the place many Spainish begin,
25 years before the movie - and almost 20 years before the Gospel according to St John B - Don Elias Valina Sampedro produced what was then the definitive guide to the Camino Frances. Don Elias invented the idea of yellow arrows and personally painted many of the originals. In many ways the resurrection of the Camino as a popular and defined walking route was his vision. He begins his route description in St Jean Pied de Port. 'Nuff said on the authenticity question for me. We are not all jumping on the movie bandwagon. Of course people will start in many different places. Feel free! I've even heard rumours that there are some people who walk to Santiago without using the Camino Frances at all. Heresy!
I pretty much agree with Mark except that you will miss something by not walking the Pyrennees. But then if you walk the high route you miss the low route and vice versa. If you do the whole route but in a hurry then you miss spending time talking to people or lingering in an ancient church, etc. I suggest starting in Pamplona.You are not missing anything by starting in Pamplona. It's a great city and a great place to start your Camino. Great city to visit. Lot's of places to stay at and easy to get to.
There's a misconception that one must start in SJPdP, or say even Roncesvalles to walk the CF and get the total experience, so to speak. Nope. Not true.
If you got a tight schedule, start in Pamplona. Easy peasy.
Not a bad idea. Here's another thought. If you do decide to bus in and out of St.Jean you may want to take a taxi from St. Jean to the Cross of Thibault (French highway D428). Then on the way back have the cab take a left at D128 to go to Argenay and pickup D933 back to St. Jean. That way you not only get a peak at St. Jean but a bit of the high and low routes to Roncevalles too.The walk from SJPDP to Pamplona is at least two tough days of hiking
another option is to take the bus from pamplona over to SJPDP, check-in at the pilgrim office, stay the night in France, and then the next morning take the bus back to Pamplona
You didn't say how many days you had to walk your camino. I walking the French way last April and May. I was on the camino for 34 days. I took 2 days to cross the Napoleon route and spent a extra day in Pamplona and Burgos. With the exception of crossing the Pyrenees I walked 15 to 18 miles a day. The time I took to go from Saint Jean to Pamplona was, for me, time well spent.I have a limited time to complete my Camino Frances this summer, and am considering starting from either Pamplona or Roncesvalles to fit the trip into my schedule. Ho much am I missing by starting from one of those two points, as opposed to St. Jean? Any insight is appreciated.
I vote starting in SJPDP and crossing the mountains! You'll meet more people this way; everyone around you will have 'new adventure' energy and sociability. Especially in Roncesvalles, after that first hard day of walking, the camaraderie is spectacular and a big part of the Camino.
Maybe it was just me but I found most people that arrived at Roncesvalles totally exhausted and just wanting to grab a beer or a coffee, fall into bed as soon as they had had their evening meal and get going early the next day - those that could still walk! Very little camaraderie until they had 'got into the walking' and that didn't really fire up until close to Pamplona - died IN Pamplona because we were spread widely all over the place and came back together in the smaller towns and villages. I found the same lack of 'closeness' among walkers in all the larger cities.
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