Flying Madrid to Toulouse, then on to Bayonne?

Hello Forum.

I'm a first-time poster, and hopefully first time pilgrim this May. I just bit the bullet and got myself a flight into Madrid Barajas on May 2. I am very keen on starting the Camino at St-Jean Pied-De-Port, but now realize that Madrid to SJPP is not an easy route to plan. Oh well, I gotta make it work somehow!

Here's what I'm thinking: I found that EasyJet flies from Madrid to Toulouse for about 50 euros. From Toulouse I can then get an Intercites train to Bayonne, and onwards to SJPP. It's going to be slog, as I fly out of Toronto the previous day at 6 p.m. and would likely arrive in St-Jean after 10 p.m. IF, that is, I make all my many connections . . .

My questions are:

Given the lateness of my arrival, should I just try to find a place for the night in Bayonne or try to push on to SJPP?

Any good reccomendations for a comfortable place to stay in SJPP that would accept a late-arriving pilgrim?

Has anyone tried something like this crazy route?

I have a feeling I'm going to want a day or two in St Jean to rest before striking out on day one across the Pyrenees!

-- Ben

Thanks for the replies!

I thought of doing the bus to Pamplona route, but I am working with a very limited time frame and hoped to avoid staying overnight anywhere before I got to the starting point for my hike. I am actually only going as far as Burgos or thereabouts, before heading back to Madrid for a few days before flying home.

I admit I was also a little non-plussed by the idea of passing by much (or at least some) of the camino route on the bus before I walk it.

As it stands I've booked my EasyJet flight to Toulouse, and something tells me they don't do refunds. I will work with it, and see how I feel when I arrive! Hopefully I will be able to get a decent snooze on the plane/train, but still be able to get a few hours sleep in St Jean before I set out!