gigifromms
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- (Plan on walking in early June of 2014)
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You guys are truly wonderful!
Rosemary,
I have the same plan for the beginning of May 2014. Are you taking the Air France bus or metro from CDG to Gare Montparnasse ? How much time have you allotted?
Hi cahaba!Rosemary,
I have the same plan for the beginning of May 2014. Are you taking the Air France bus or metro from CDG to Gare Montparnasse ? How much time have you allotted?
Hi gigifromms,Rosemary, I'm rethinking flying into Paris after all. I started researching flights after reading all of these posts, and it looks like it's cheaper to fly to Madrid and bus to SJPDP.
If anyone will come to Bayonne late afternoon/evening from Paris or else you may consider to stay overnight here:
http://hotel-montecarlo.allcommerces.com/
It is small, clean, nicely maintained hotel, not expensive, located across the street from Bayonne train station, with bar & restaurant on the ground floor, you can pay with credit card, with at least three markets in the near... And you can take first train to SJPdP in the morning and take rest day in this beautiful village
Ultreia!
Rosemary, I'm rethinking flying into Paris after all. I started researching flights after reading all of these posts, and it looks like it's cheaper to fly to Madrid and bus to SJPDP.
That's where I'm planning on staying
Just a question though for everyone, when I've been looking at the Rail Europe site it says you can get the train to Bayonne straight from the CDG airport. Is that incorrect? I may need to rethink our plans if it is.
And is still not that difficultThanks for that information, it's very helpful. When I last traveled in Europe it really didn't seem this difficult!
Hi gigromms,Rosemary, it's not crazy at all. I'd prefer to go through Paris, alas, I'm a teacher, and have to pinch the pennies. BTW I adore Paris. I went June of 2012. I hope you have a couple of hours to walking around if you've never been there. Are you going on your own? How much money are you budgeting for each day? ---If you don't mind my nosiness.
Hi Laliibeans,That's where I'm planning on staying
Just a question though for everyone, when I've been looking at the Rail Europe site it says you can get the train to Bayonne straight from the CDG airport. Is that incorrect? I may need to rethink our plans if it is.
Thanks for that information, it's very helpful. When I last traveled in Europe it really didn't seem this difficult!
Hi Laliibeans,
Yes, you can. I looked at this option and it would get me into Bayonne late. I thought long and hard and decided that I did not want to start out that way, plus riding the bus to Gare Montparnnase will be like a little sightseeing trip!
Buen Camino!
This route and way sounds doable!! Fly to Madrid, bus to Pamplona then bus to SJPP!! ThanksWe flew from Denver to Newark, then Newark to Madrid. We took a bus straight to Pamplona from Terminal 4 at the Madrid airport, then spent the night in Pamplona to help overcome jet lag before starting the Camino. We took a bus from Pamplona to SJPP the next day, spent another night there and actually started walking the following morning. On the return, we took the train from Santiago to Madrid, then the Metro from the train station to the airport. The flights back to the U.S. were the reverse order of the flights over.
Jim
How long would you need between landing in CdG and getting to the train station? We land at 2:30pm and the train is at 4:30pm....late into Bayonne but at least we get closer to St JeanI too am planning to catch the train from CdG to Bayonne (change at Bordeaux) in Dec. I have done this twice before and it is really easy. With luck my connections will be such that I will actually make it to SJPdP in the same day. Janet
How long would you need between landing in CdG and getting to the train station? We land at 2:30pm and the train is at 4:30pm....late into Bayonne but at least we get closer to St Jean
How long would you need between landing in CdG and getting to the train station? We land at 2:30pm and the train is at 4:30pm....late into Bayonne but at least we get closer to St Jean
Thanks for your input. I went and made a rash decision - and booked the train from Montparnasse 3 hours after we land in Paris. I hope it all goes smoothly. If not...well it will just be part of the journey.
Few stores open on Sunday, so if you are departing on June 1, don't expect much to be open, but it is a tourist town, so more stores open than in other French villages. Some Petit Casino stores open early, but other markets do not, and on a Sunday, all of them may open later than 8 a.m.Will places be open in time to buy food for the walk?
I too am making my plans for getting to SJPP from CdG and wanted to make sure this seems reasonable:
We arrive May 31 in CdG, landing at 6:10. We plan to catch the next train into Paris as soon as we get through customs (don't plan to check anything).
I show that, worst case, we could take RER B 84983 CDG to Gare du Nord at 10:36am. Our plan is to catch the earliest one we can and then walk to the Eiffel Tower.
We then plan to take TGV 8537 Paris Montparnasse to Bayonne at 12:28 arriving 17:32 and TER 67331 Bayonne St Jean PdP 18:06 19:31 to get to SJPP. So these are my questions:
We have a very limited amount of time, so we would need to bypass something if it is best to acclimatize one day and delay our start.
- Is the train the best way from the airport to Paris? Is the bus better or faster?
- Is Gare du Nord and Montparnesse walking distance for a nice route past the Eiffel Tower and a meal?
- How long does that take to do? Assuming 45-60 minutes for a meal?
- We at this point were planning on leaving the next morning from SJPP to Roncevalles. If we get to our lodging by 21:00 (get passport stamped at pilgrim office), will we be able to get supplies to begin the next morning?
- Will places be open in time to buy food for the walk? I understand you should leave SJPP by 8 if you plan to get to Roncevalles the same day.
What say you, oh sages of the well worn path?
Rambler
We are on the 17:28 train - supposedly direct. But there is one at the same time that has a connection.... a bit confusing, but I think we will be OK . Also it is Monday 21st so after Easter...I note the 1630 (sunday) train has a transfer in Bordeaux ... to the train that leaves Paris 1730 (sunday).
http://www.bonjourlafrance.com/france-trains/trains-in-france.htm#schedules
3 hours should be enough.
We are on the 17:28 train - supposedly direct. But there is one at the same time that has a connection.... a bit confusing, but I think we will be OK . Also it is Monday 21st so after Easter...
?
- Is Gare du Nord and Montparnesse walking distance for a nice route past the Eiffel Tower and a meal?
- How long does that take to do? Assuming 45-60 minutes for a meal?
We made our reservations for the 12:28 TGV out of Paris. We have decided to spend the next day in SJPdP and head out on Monday, June 2. With jetlag and the desire to see some of St. Jean, I figure it will work out the best.
Thanks for all the input.
Rambler
Hmmm...
That is tempting, but don't you still have to transfer to Orly?
I used newfydog's Google map link to find a walk from Gare du Nord to the TGV train that will take us past the Opera house and Eiffel tower. It is about 6 miles, so it will be a good primer for the Camino and help us fall asleep when we get to St Jean.
Is there plenty to do in St Jean for a day (Sunday)? Obviously we will go to mass and get our Credentials. My 16yo son loves history and I get the sense we can spend the day walking around town.
Rambler
Hmmm...
That is tempting, but don't you still have to transfer to Orly?
I used newfydog's Google map link to find a walk from Gare du Nord to the TGV train that will take us past the Opera house and Eiffel tower. It is about 6 miles, so it will be a good primer for the Camino and help us fall asleep when we get to St Jean.
Is there plenty to do in St Jean for a day (Sunday)? Obviously we will go to mass and get our Credentials. My 16yo son loves history and I get the sense we can spend the day walking around town.
Rambler
Yes, we are having to make many compromises for this Camino. I only have 3 weeks off from work so we obviously cannot walk the entire trip. We plan to start in SJPdP and walk to Longrono, rent a car, and drive to Ponferrada and then finish up. Originally we were going to drive to Astorga, but by taking the extra day in St Jean, we lose another day of walking because the only rental car return past Leon is Ponferrada. The trains and buses were all more costly in time and money. I hate that my son will miss walking to Rabanal and Cruz de Ferro, but we can't come up with another option. We are taking one day at the end now to go to Finisterre and Muxia and one full day in Santiago.
Rambler
Respectfully I submit that you are missing the point. Not all people have the time/money to complete the Camino like others, more lucky. Let them have/decide/create their own Camino, without judgements. IMNSHO.Ah yes ... the old I-only-have-three-weeks-to-cram-in-the-entire-camino problem.
Respectfully I submit that you are missing the point.
Respectfully I submit that you are missing the point. Not all people have the time/money to complete the Camino like others, more lucky. Let them have/decide/create their own Camino, without judgements. IMNSHO.
I have to share this based on whariwharangi's comment:Ah yes ... the old I-only-have-three-weeks-to-cram-in-the-entire-camino problem.
Respectfully I submit that you are missing the point. You've given yourself the gift of time and now you are planning to fritter it away as quickly as possible.
Si yo fuera tu ... count how many days you have to walk ... multiply by 20 km ... find out where that distance puts you from Santiago (or Finisterre) and start at that point. If you really must 'do' the route Napoleon then start at SJPdP and finish where you finish. You can always come back to experience the rest of it.
Good for you Rambler......... Our Camino truly must be our own. Nobody has the right to judge how someone else does their Camino.I have to share this based on whariwharangi's comment:
I met a client today that I know well and shared with him that I was taking 3 weeks off work to walk the Camino with my son. His comment:
"3 weeks!!!! I never in my career have taken off three weeks!" This is the typical US perspective.
I am having to weigh this against doing some portions of the Camino that will both provide my son a sense of accomplishment and build our relationship. I also want to make it unique from the one I did with my daughter so that each one of them had something special.
I am very comfortable with the compromise approach we have taken to our Camino. I only struggle to maximize our experience without turning it into a forced march.
And not all of us may be able to come back to experience the rest of it. No one knows what the future holds...
Rambler
God bless you on " The Way"!
Fr. Moses
and then there's the Madrid Route .... I'm coming from the Mid US and after much time with the web, pencil, eraser and paper I found that the least expensive with the least headache appears to be direct flight from Dallas/Fortworth ( Via Northwest Arkansas ) to Madrid then train to Pomplona then Bus ( to Roncesvalles) or Taxi on to St Jean .
Rethinking this , have decided that taking a taxi from Madrid Airport to St Jean is not much more expensive then the round about way when one calculates in food and lodging and WAY quicker . This also opens up an R&R day for acclumation , sightseeing and re-energizing . So taxi has been reserved and we load up on the 24th when the plane arrives in Madrid .
Snake---two nights in SJPDP is a lot of time---not a lot to do in SJPDP. We arrived there in morning after night at Corazon Puro (great place). Tasmanians in our car took off walking upon arrival while we stayed in town for a day.
Biarritz Airport (BIQ) is the closest airport to SJPdP. If you plan to start at SJPdP, travel via BIQ is the least complicated way of access.
Catch the #14 bus from Biarritz (Anglet Airport) to Gare Bayonne. The SNCF TER 62 train to SJPdP leaves from Gare Bayonne.
If you are traveling by train from Paris or other location a transfer is required at Bayonne.
Biarritz Airport (BIQ)
http://en.biarritz.aeroport.fr/
Airlines flying to BIQ
http://en.biarritz.aeroport.fr/destination/compagnie.html
Chronoplus, the local bus system.
http://www.chronoplus.eu/
Chronoplus Map
http://www.chronoplus.eu/ftp/Plan_reseau_chronoplus_jan2013.pdf
SNCF TER Acquitaine
http://www.ter-sncf.com/Regions/Aquitaine/fr/Default.aspx
Gare Bayonne
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gare_de_Bayonne
@MargheritaM there are a couple of options; when I last took the TGV there was only one stop (at Bayonne, to get the little local train to SJPDP) and it was about 40 euros, but that was ten years ago. Others with more recent information will probably respond but if you still need more information try looking in the "resources" section, or maybe do a search of the forum.
The costs don't change a lot through the year, so if you put in some dates for between now and February you will see prices and they will give you a rough idea. There are options depending on how much flexibility you want etc. You can't book ahead for the section from Bayonne to St Jean, but the SNCF website will still give you prices. Your journey will depend on whether you are taking the train from Paris itself, if you're going into the City, or if you catch the TGV direct from Charles de Gaulle Airport (in which case a change in Bordeaux is needed, but that's easy to do and it's so convenient to hop on the train right in the airport). I think the 2 changes you have heard about relate to taking the train from the Airport - you change at Bordeaux and then again at Bayonne onto a local train (or train/bus combination depending on works on the line).Would you know how much it would roughly cost with the TGV from Paris to SJP (I understand there are 2 changes to be made), I plan to travel in May 2016. I tried looking on the TGV site, but it won't give out information past Feb.
Would appreciate any help. Thanks
Hi gigifromms!
I am flying into Paris (from the US) then making my way over to Gare Montparnnese train station and taking the "fast" train to Bayonne. I will get into Bayonne late, so I am spending the night and getting up to catch a morning train to SJDP. I will be able to walk around St Jean for that day before heading out the next day on May 27th. I am looking forward to spending a night in Bayonne and St Jean! Keep researching this forum.....you will find almost all your questions answered, and then some!
Buen Camino!
Rosemary
Thanks Jim! very helpfulWe flew from Denver to Newark, then Newark to Madrid. We took a bus straight to Pamplona from Terminal 4 at the Madrid airport, then spent the night in Pamplona to help overcome jet lag before starting the Camino. We took a bus from Pamplona to SJPP the next day, spent another night there and actually started walking the following morning. On the return, we took the train from Santiago to Madrid, then the Metro from the train station to the airport. The flights back to the U.S. were the reverse order of the flights over.
Jim
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