First Timer, Early April 2015!

[Len Dacombe]

Starting off my career retirement by spending time alone with The Lord, and whoever He places in my path on the Camino Frances. My flight to Paris from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada is booked for April 5th, 2015 (Easter Sunday). Hope to make my way to St Jean Pied du Port on the 6th or 7th, and hopefully begin my trek to Santiago on the 8th or 9th. I will be arriving around 9:30 AM in Paris. Should I plan on making it to St Jean on the same day or plan to overnight in Bayonne? Still too early to book trains online.

Most of my gear is assembled, and my boots are broken in. Still have to assess my Pack weight and possibly rethink my packing list, but still have some time for that. I will be cross country skiing during our cold Canadian winter to improve my fitness level. Extremely flat where I come from!!

I'm assuming the early April morning temperatures on the Camino will be cool. What should I be expecting?

Any ideas or suggestions are welcome!!

Cheers,

Len

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Buen camino! There are lots of answers in the Forum. I hope they help.

 

[JohnMcM]

Hello Len,

Welcome to the forum and happy planning to you.

In the Camino Resources section (see the link at the top of the page next to the red flag for photos) you'll find a great guide that might help with your travel questions. https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...avel-information-for-the-lost-pilgrim-v3.250/

Buen Camino

 

[Icacos]

Welcome to the forum, Len, and happy planning!

Personally, I would overnight in Bayonne, which I think is well worth visiting. There are at least two hotels very near the train station, and mere minutes walk across the bridge to the old part of town. (You can check out accommodation and the location of hotels on Google.)

It's great that you will be doing lots of cross-country skiing this winter. As it's "extremely flat" where you come from, bear in mind that you will be using different muscles when you start climbing those hills as soon as you leave SJPP. You might think about finding some stairs - e.g. in a recreation centre or parking lot building - where you can start to tone your 'climbing' muscles. Shortly after Roncesvalles, we ran into a seemingly fit fellow from south-Florida (no hills there either). He told us he had "no idea" the walk would be so strenuous. He was completely done in and stopped at the next pueblo - we never saw him again. Of course it did not help that he was wearing sandals (socks too!) and we were walking in snow. This was early April.

What should you expect temperature wise? We started April 7. The Route Napolean was closed because of snow. We then ran into unseasonably hot temperatures before Santo Domingo - my umbrella with UV protection paid for itself that day. Sometime after that the temperature dropped suddenly in the middle of the day and everyone stopped to rug up, then we had good hiking temps. for quite some time, then rain in Galicia. It just depends - every year is different. Buen Camino.

 

[Len Dacombe]

Welcome to the forum, Len, and happy planning!

Personally, I would overnight in Bayonne, which I think is well worth visiting. There are at least two hotels very near the train station, and mere minutes walk across the bridge to the old part of town. (You can check out accommodation and the location of hotels on Google.)

It's great that you will be doing lots of cross-country skiing this winter. As it's "extremely flat" where you come from, bear in mind that you will be using different muscles when you start climbing those hills as soon as you leave SJPP. You might think about finding some stairs - e.g. in a recreation centre or parking lot building - where you can start to tone your 'climbing' muscles. Shortly after Roncesvalles, we ran into a seemingly fit fellow from south-Florida (no hills there either). He told us he had "no idea" the walk would be so strenuous. He was completely done in and stopped at the next pueblo - we never saw him again. Of course it did not help that he was wearing sandals (socks too!) and we were walking in snow. This was early April.

What should you expect temperature wise? We started April 7. The Route Napolean was closed because of snow. We then ran into unseasonably hot temperatures before Santo Domingo - my umbrella with UV protection paid for itself that day. Sometime after that the temperature dropped suddenly in the middle of the day and everyone stopped to rug up, then we had good hiking temps. for quite some time, then rain in Galicia. It just depends - every year is different. Buen Camino.

Thanks Icacos. I am already working the stairs in the office building where I work rather than the elevator. Different muscles for sure!!

 

[naplesdon]

Remember, Easter is an important holiday in France, lots of schedules are adjusted, shops are closed and it is also a time a school vacations. So don't expect everything to be running normally.
Getting those muscle ready for going downhill is just as, if not more, important for your training.
Last year the weather in April and May was mild; the year before it was unbearably cold, wet and snowy. I will start my anecdotal weather reports from Biarritz when I return in February.

 

[Brisbanegee]

Welcome Len

I start my adventure 28th Feb 2015 and aim to do over 30 days and can not wait. I hope the weather is kind, but if not, will work out what alternates there are. I have 1/2 my gear and boots picked up on weekend and will wear them in now.

Heading for a 30km walk this Sat and then again Sunday to get used to the distances.

Can not wait.

G

 

[whariwharangi]

Starting off my career retirement by spending time alone with The Lord, and whoever He places in my path on the Camino Frances. My flight to Paris from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada is booked for April 5th, 2015 (Easter Sunday). Hope to make my way to St Jean Pied du Port on the 6th or 7th, and hopefully begin my trek to Santiago on the 8th or 9th. I will be arriving around 9:30 AM in Paris. Should I plan on making it to St Jean on the same day or plan to overnight in Bayonne? Still too early to book trains online.

Most of my gear is assembled, and my boots are broken in. Still have to assess my Pack weight and possibly rethink my packing list, but still have some time for that. I will be cross country skiing during our cold Canadian winter to improve my fitness level. Extremely flat where I come from!!

I'm assuming the early April morning temperatures on the Camino will be cool. What should I be expecting?

Any ideas or suggestions are welcome!!

Cheers,

Len

The SNCF schedule does not change often so you can probably plan around the schedule that is available now. Except that your travel time is Easter ... so the Easter week means you need to book as early as you can.

There are four stations in Paris area where you can catch a train to Bayonne. CDG 2 (Roissy), Gare Montparnasse, TGV Massy and (intercites overnight) Gare d'Austerlitz.

The last train from Bayonne to SJPdP usually leaves at 1806.

If you were travelling tomorrow (Wednesday) ... there is a train from CDG at 1015 and a train from Gare Montparnasse at 1225.

I don't think you will get through deboarding and customs in time to catch the 1015 from CDG2. I think the 1015 is the same train from Massy at 1108 ... no hope of getting there in time. Your best bet would be the train from Montparnasse ... about 1 hour by transit from CDG. The Montparnasse train arrives at Bayonne 1732.

The train from Bayonne leaves from the same station as the train arrives from Paris ... its just a matter of crossing the platform.

 

[tpmchugh]

I am also going in April, the week after you. I had considered travelling via Paris but it was a long train journey and I was not sure of making it to Bayonne in time for the last train to St Jean. I know there is a hotel just outside the station in Bayonne as my son had to stay in it in 2012 when he missed a connection due to a rail strike. I walked the first part of my Camino the last two weeks of March 2013 and at that time, yes, the mornings were cool and there was still snow on the higher ground but I would imagine that compared to a Canadian winter, it should be quite balmy for you. Of course, 2013 was the worst winter and spring weather in 20 years along the Camino or so I was told. By the way, its a pity you could not start on Palm Sunday. Holy Week, or Semana Santa, in Spain is an extraordinary experience

 

[jeffnd]

Starting off my career retirement by spending time alone with The Lord, and whoever He places in my path on the Camino Frances. My flight to Paris from Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada is booked for April 5th, 2015 (Easter Sunday). Hope to make my way to St Jean Pied du Port on the 6th or 7th, and hopefully begin my trek to Santiago on the 8th or 9th. I will be arriving around 9:30 AM in Paris. Should I plan on making it to St Jean on the same day or plan to overnight in Bayonne? Still too early to book trains online.

Most of my gear is assembled, and my boots are broken in. Still have to assess my Pack weight and possibly rethink my packing list, but still have some time for that. I will be cross country skiing during our cold Canadian winter to improve my fitness level. Extremely flat where I come from!!

I'm assuming the early April morning temperatures on the Camino will be cool. What should I be expecting?

Any ideas or suggestions are welcome!!

Cheers,

Len

Hi Len! Welcome to the forum! I'm from Grand Forks so you're probably dealing with the same weather we are!

I had a similar flight arrival in Paris earlier this year. I spent the night in Paris, then took the train to Bayonne and on to St. Jean the next day. I probably should have taken an extra day to rest in St. Jean, but I was excited to get walking!

Any exercise you do over the winter will only help you. Try to find up and down grades to walk wherever you can. It won't be like walking in the mountains, but it will help you build up strength. The first week or so is a beast, especially the Pyrenees. Remember to rest frequently and drink enough water. But you'll get stronger and gain stamina as you go, so don't worry about it too much.

Buen Camino!

 

[Len Dacombe]

Thanks for the encouragement everyone. It sounds like I might be able to catch the
train from Gare Montparnasse at 1225, and catch the connection in Bayonne and make it to SJPP on the 6th!! Tha t would be great. I guess it will depend on my Jet Lag etc. I do want to spend a full day in SJPP before headfing out

Jeffnd, my wife and I visit Fargo & Grand Forks regularily!! Always willing to support the US economy!!

 

[dgassa]

Hi, Len, looks like we may be starting on the same day, 8 April. I'll be arriving from Madrid via Pamplona arriving in the morning. Starting to walk mid morning, I hope, and staying the first night at Orisson, weather permitting. Bad weather I'll be taking the Valcarlos route. Perhaps we'll run into each other.
Buen Camino

 

[Len Dacombe]

Hi, Len, looks like we may be starting on the same day, 8 April. I'll be arriving from Madrid via Pamplona arriving in the morning. Starting to walk mid morning, I hope, and staying the first night at Orisson, weather permitting. Bad weather I'll be taking the Valcarlos route. Perhaps we'll run into each other.
Buen Camino

I will be arriving in SJPP on the 7th and will be spending the day of the 8th getting my jet lag out of the way. I have a B&B booked for those two nights. At this point I will start walking the morning of the 9th. I'm hoping to make Ronscavalles on day one, but we'll see. Route will depend on the weather for sure.