GR10 St John Pied to Port to Hendaye/Irun

[jl]

I am considering walking from St Jean to Hendaye / Irun to connect with the Camino del Norte, instead of catching train etc to Biarritz. Has anyone walked this and what do you think of this path? I will be coming down from Vezelay (unless our dollar keeps falling!). I would appreciate any comments that you may have on this path. I also have a map showing a path that seems to follow the river out to the coast at around Bayonne and this is marked as Chemin St Jaques - does anyone know about that? Janet

 

[spursfan]

I've got a guidebook (written in French) for the Camino del Norte that starts from Bayonne

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Try the following link using its Google maps link:

http://www.pyreneeshike.com/route.html

 

[Peter Robins]

The GR10 is a mountain path, that climbs up to the tops of the ridges. If you want a mountain path, fine, there are good views in good weather, but it has nothing to do with pilgrimage. If you're coming in from Mont de Marsan, the obvious walking link would be along the river, as you say, from Orthez to Bayonne and then along the coast route to Hendaye. There's a lane all along the river, but I'm not aware of any Chemin de St Jacques. The map of the routes the local Amis have waymarked is at http://www.aucoeurduchemin.org/spip/spi ... te&lang=fr
It's one of the curious features of that area that there are no connecting routes to the coast route from the other routes coming in from the north, not even from the one from Bordeaux.
The blog of my 2 days on the Bayonne-Hendaye section is at http://www.peterrobins.co.uk/blog/show/id/15.html and http://www.peterrobins.co.uk/blog/show/id/16.html

 

[jl]

Thanks to you all for your help. I will now try to (with my slow dial up speed) investigate all these suggestions. I had realised that the GR10 path had nothing to do with pilgrimage, but I was just looking at a way to get to the coast on foot instead of by other means. I really like the idea of walking alon the river. My concern was that if the GR10 were the only option how safe it was, knowing that it is in the mountains, and the potential for bad weather. However my plan is to be there at perhaps the most stable time - the end of summer.

Thanks again for your help, Janet

 

[sillydoll]

Hi Janet,
How about making a detour after St Palais to Bayonne? Then you won't have to walk to St Jean at all.
Three routes in France meet just after St Palais at Gibraltar. There is a charming stéle which marks the joining of the routes.
A small road - the D14 runs from St Palais westward to Biarritz or even Hendaye.

You could chart a new pilgrims' way!!

 

[jl]

Thanks Sil,

I had originally thought of leaving the path at the Stele which is the first place that I will be actually "retracing" my steps from the Le Puy path. However, looking at the information that Peter has provided, his suggestion would also be quite simple.

I must admit to a bit of a desire to return to Ostobat and the gite that I stayed in last time. Our host conducted a lovely evening with lots of talking in the Basque language (which I didn't understand - but neither did the French pilgrims either!) and with lots of Basque music as well. In addition many of the pilgrims shared their music too. I know one can never "go back", but this gite has a repuation for providing a cultural experience. I can see I will have to go back to the drawing board and assess my plans again. Mind you - here in Australia there may be many of us who are having doubts as to whether we can afford to go the way the dolloar is heading. I am just hoping that things will improve!

Thanks again Sil, and others, for your suggestions - food for thought indeed. Janet

 

[Milan & Vera]

My wife and I are considering going on the North route from Hendaye mainly because of the weather. As Seatleites - we prefer 18-25 deg C over 40+ that I have seen discussed as being common on certain stretches of French Route during July and August. Also, during my (so far shallow) research I found that St Jean Pied de Port must me a wonderful place to see. So it makes for us a good sense to add to the North Route a clip of seemingly beautiful trek from St Jean to Hendaye.
In regard of the pilgrimage - our pilgrimage will be what we make it. We will travel and walk the routes we see fit rather than what any book or tradition or philosophy dictates (as re to Peter's comment, with all due respect

 

[Paulus]

Little remark : the North-route is in July and especially August very,very busy ..... with tourists !! Much of the spanish people escape the inner part of spain (heath! )for a holiday at some more cooler places at the north of Spain.
Beware of the fact that it is sometimes very hard to find a good place to sleep because everything is crowded!

Paul