How to get to Somport

[bkkboy]

Think of walking the Aragonese Way, a pilgrim I met last year highly recommended it for scenic attraction. Any suggestions on how to get to Somport from, say, Paris? I will arrive in Paris by air.
Thanks in advance.

 

[Pelerina]

Think of walking the Aragonese Way, a pilgrim I met last year highly recommended it for scenic attraction. Any suggestions on how to get to Somport from, say, Paris? I will arrive in Paris by air.
Thanks in advance.

Hi @bkkboy

The Aragones is a wonderful path. You have a few options. From Paris, you can take a train from Paris Montparnasse to Oloron Saint Marie, to join the Arles Way there and walk 2-3 days up and over the Col to Canfranc. If you’d rather not walk, I’m pretty sure there’s a bus from Oloron to Canfranc.

There is a delightful pilgrims gite in Oloron - one of the best I’ve encountered. I stayed there in 2016 and again in 2022. And once you are over the border, there is a newish albergue in Canfranc (a real gem from all reports).

You can also arrive via Spain directly to Canfranc by a series of Spanish trains but, if you’re flying into Paris, the Oloron option would be straightforward.

Others may come along with a better idea. 😎

 

[Vacajoe]

Great choice of the Aragon! Beautiful route that is overlooked and pretty empty most of the year, though they are working hard to change that.

From Paris, you’d take a TGV train to Pau (where you could start walking) and then another to Oloron-Sainte-Marie (where you can start walking), followed by a bus to Somport.

If you start lower down in France and walk the Camino Arles from Oloron-Sainte-Marie, you’d have 2 days up a lovely, verdant valley which would include a monastery stay! I highly recommend that. Other options are starting in Lourdes (another pilgrimage destination) or SJPdP which is two days walk from OSM. In short, so many choices, but all fabulous ones!

Just remember that Somport is actually higher than the route from SJPdP and gets snow from October through May.

 

[Vacajoe]

From Spain, there is a train from Zaragoza to Canfranc Estacion, then a local bus to Somport. It’s a delightful ride and the train ends at once was once the largest train station in Europe (recently renovated and sparkling new!)

 

[Pelerina]

I’ve also arrived by train via Zaragoza - this is particularly quick and easy if you’re coming from Madrid or Barcelona, for example.

 

[bkkboy]

Thanks. Are there inexpensive pilgrim hostels between Oloron and Spain. Hotel.com only showed hotels. I assume there are pilgrims hostels once I enter Spain.

 

[Pelerina]

Thanks. Are there inexpensive pilgrim hostels between Oloron and Spain. Hotel.com only showed hotels. I assume there are pilgrims hostels once I enter Spain.

Yes there are. Have a look at the Gronze website which under Arles Way shows accommdoation on the various stages from Oloron including prices. If you open Gronze in chrome you can translate into English. But even without that you can see the name, price, beds etc. And the map of the stage shows the location.

Oloron-Sainte-Marie - Sarrance | Camino de Arles | Gronze.com

En nuestro recorrido por el Valle de Aspe no podemos hablar aun, propiamente, de una etapa pirenaica, pues aunque las montañas estrechan el paso, y se yerguen a un tiempo majestuosas y amenazadoras, el puerto todavía está distante. Por el momento disfrutaremos del paisaje, compuesto por prados y...

www.gronze.com

 

[bkkboy]

Thanks.

 

[Pelerina]

Thanks.

And here is the gronze link for information on the Aragones.

Camino Aragonés | Camino de Santiago | Gronze.com

El Camino Francés por Aragón o Camino Aragonés enlaza el puerto de Somport en la frontera hispano-francesa con la localidad navarra de Puente la Reina, donde se une al Camino Francés procedente de Roncesvalles. El Camino Francés por Aragón debe su origen al Camino de Arles (Vía Tolosana), una de...

www.gronze.com

 

[bkkboy]

An advantage of taking the Aragonese Way is that it bypasses Pamplona. The streets are too full of bars. IMHO.

 

[Vacajoe]

The Aragon way has a number of low-cost albergues (municipal, donativo, parochial) which have been my favorite ones of all my Caminos. Between Oloron and Somport, there were low-cost accommodations in 2021 in Bedous amd Borce. Gronze is your best guide for those.

 

[Flog]

If you are starting in Somport, and take the bus/train from Paris to Oloron and overnight in the lovely municipal gite, you can take the 8:10 bus to Somport getting you up there at about 9:30, perfect time to start out. It actually arrives (through the Somport tunnel) at Canfranc Station first, then returns to Oloron via Somport, so just stay on the bus up to the pass.

 

[bkkboy]

"If you start lower down in France and walk the Camino Arles from Oloron-Sainte-Marie, you’d have 2 days up a lovely, verdant valley which would include a monastery stay!" Where is the monastery, and its name? Sounds lovely.

 

[Vacajoe]

Where is the monastery, and its name? Sounds lovely.

Accueil Pèlerin Communauté des Prémontrés (Sarrance)​

 

[Rick of Rick and Peg]

Not far off the Aragonese but on the Camino Catalan is a don't miss site, the monastery of San Juan de la Peña. For a thousand years it has sat under a cliff waiting for your visit. There are a few ways to get there from Jaca. The forum search engine can get you this information.

 

[Vacajoe]

Sorry about the font on that last post! I guess the internet was REALLY excited about it! 😂

You stay in simple accommodations (bunk beds in sparse rooms), attend evening mass, and then share a communal dinner with them. The night we were there it was eaten in silence, but not sure if that is every day. A simple breakfast of coffee and bread the next day, too.

What I really like is that you are actually in the monastery and eating with the brothers; some places on the Camino are private enterprises in old monasteries or run by the religious organization with little to no interaction with them.

 

[Grahammac]

Think of walking the Aragonese Way, a pilgrim I met last year highly recommended it for scenic attraction. Any suggestions on how to get to Somport from, say, Paris? I will arrive in Paris by air.
Thanks in advance.

Pau is the closest major town. Airports are Pau, Tarbes and Biarritz. Olorons-Ste-Marie is kick-off town but..... fix accommodation. Sarrance is 1st stop, and has options. 2nd night can be tricky.

 

[Grahammac]

"If you start lower down in France and walk the Camino Arles from Oloron-Sainte-Marie, you’d have 2 days up a lovely, verdant valley which would include a monastery stay!" Where is the monastery, and its name? Sounds lovely.

Sarrance is the Monastery1st night from O-Ste-Marie.

 

[Lavdrum]

I have just walked over

Think of walking the Aragonese Way, a pilgrim I met last year highly recommended it for scenic attraction. Any suggestions on how to get to Somport from, say, Paris? I will arrive in Paris by air.
Thanks in advance.

I crossed the Somport Pass about a week ago. I started the Camino d’Arles in Toulouse about two weeks ago. I stayed at the pilgrim alberbue in Oloron-Sainte-Marie. Clean and comfortable. Eat at the Bar du Pont near the Cathedral. Then I walked to Sarrance and stayed at the monastery. Next day to Urdos which is 12 kms.down from the Somport Pass. Nice albergue here, attentive Hospitalero and good eating option in bar next door. Next day I walked up to Somport, 12kms. and took 5 hours. Everything closed at the top so continued to Canfranc pueblo where there is a fab. Albergue. Was really thirsty at the top as all my water was gone and no drinks available so bring plenty of water. The weather was good last week, I was in shorts at Somport. Check weather before you leave Urdos as in rain I’m sure it would be a miserable experience!

 

[dreymorris]

I walked this Camino in September and I loved it! I started in Somport and stayed at the new donativo Albergue in Canfranc, Elias Valina. It closes for the season at the end of October. Jaca is an awesome city and the tourist information office can provide current information regarding the San Juan de la Pena Monasteries. When I was there, access was by taxi (35 Euro one way)or by walking as any local tour buses had stopped service after the summer.

My main resource was Gronze and this forum. Hopefully in the future I'll get the chance to start in Aries and walk to Somport!!

Feel free to message me if you have any questions you think I can help you with.

 

[Flog]

I started in Somport and stayed at the new donativo Albergue in Canfranc, Elias Valina. It closes for the season at the end of October.

I am currently hospitalero here and Camino Aragonês is very quiet now. We will close for the winter this coming weekend, but some albergues remain open for those wanting to walk through winter.

 

[Anthony Rocco]

Think of walking the Aragonese Way, a pilgrim I met last year highly recommended it for scenic attraction. Any suggestions on how to get to Somport from, say, Paris? I will arrive in Paris by air.
Thanks in advance.

We flew to Toulouse, trained to Lourdes, then started our walk there, turning south at Oleron, a delightful city. We stayed at the Monastery in Sarrance, one of our many camino memories. We started early, arrived at 1pm, they had us join the lunch thinking we were moving on. We were so delighted by those who were at the monastery that we stayed till the next day. The crossing at Somport stunned us. Unlike on the Frances, you are well below the peaks, which were still snow covered in August. Be sure to take time in Jaca, a jewel. I recommend NOT walking up to San Juan de la Pena. It's a grind, as others told us. We wisely took the morning bus with the workers, visiting this special historical site, then walked down.

Aragones was not crowded, but there were plenty of pilgrims to have that special bonding that makes the camino so unique. Buen Camino!

 

[bkkboy]

Is early May too soon to start from Oleron. I believe I started from SJPP at the end of May last year.

 

[bkkboy]

Is early May too soon to start from Oleron. I believe I started from SJPP at the end of May last year.

Sorry, Oloron.

 

[Flog]

Is early May too soon to start from Oleron. I believe I started from SJPP at the end of May last year.

Early May is a great time to walk, but if there is still snow on the pass or if has been very wet, you could always take the bus from Borce or Urdos up and over Somport.

Gronze lists Borce to Somport as the toughest stage of the Arles/Aragonês with good reason I think! I took a bus yesterday morning from Canfranc Ectacion to Urdos with just a day pack and hiked back. I found it stunningly beautiful but exhausting, ankle deep in autumn leaves coming up through the forest, an elevation gain of something like 800 metres over 13km. I thought, never again!!

But I'm a glutton for punishment. Maybe I'll do it again tomorrow..😅

 

[Angelo]

Pau is the closest major town. Airports are Pau, Tarbes and Biarritz. Olorons-Ste-Marie is kick-off town but..... fix accommodation. Sarrance is 1st stop, and has options. 2nd night can be tricky.

I will be walking from Lourdes to Somport then on to Logrono from next week.
A flight from Paris to Pau then train to Lourdes or Oloron Ste. Marie is a good option. A bus leaves Oloron to Somport and Canfranc daily.
Good luck with your Camino plans @bkkboy

 

[Karl G]

If you are short on time you can take the train all the way to Bedous which is perhaps one of the most beautiful sections of the Arles. The train does not go any further but there is a convenient and comfortable bus that can take you to Somport in no time at all. Maison Luard in Bedous is run by Jane and Eric who are the most hospitable hosts you can imagine and Jane makes a superb evening meal. Jane is English and Eric is French. Tell them I said, “hello.”

In the fall of 2019 I posted in some detail about portions of the Arles including Oloron Ste Marie to Somport. Please pay particular attention to my comments about Urdos to Somport if you choose to walk this section. I can’t stress enough that it should NOT be walked if there has been any volume of rain in the past several days. Here’s the full thread: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/arles-to-somport-reports.64232/

 

[bkkboy]

Thanks Karl.

 

[FireDragon]

Early May is a great time to walk, but if there is still snow on the pass or if has been very wet, you could always take the bus from Borce or Urdos up and over Somport.

Gronze lists Borce to Somport as the toughest stage of the Arles/Aragonês with good reason I think! I took a bus yesterday morning from Canfranc Ectacion to Urdos with just a day pack and hiked back. I found it stunningly beautiful but exhausting, ankle deep in autumn leaves coming up through the forest, an elevation gain of something like 800 metres over 13km. I thought, never again!!

But I'm a glutton for punishment. Maybe I'll do it again tomorrow..😅 View attachment 135590 View attachment 135591 View attachment 135589

Those pictures look inviting...