Over 200 pilgrims per day in St Jean

[sillydoll]

UPDATE FROM SANTIAGOBIS MEMBER:

Hi everyone,
I am in SJPP, spending the week welcoming and registering pilgrims who are starting their journeys over the Pyrenees into Spain.
We are welcoming huge numbers of pilgrims - over 200 per day for the last eight days. That is more than most days in June, July, and most of August.
If you are heading to SJPP in the next week, try to book in advance at Orisson or L'Esprit du Chemin albergue, or another hotel in SJPP for your first night. There has been a mad rush every night around 9pm to find beds for all the pilgrims who arrive on the last train from Bayonne.

 

[WolverineDG]

There did seem to be a large number of pilgrims in SJP & in Roncesvalles the past 2 days. Also the albergue in Larrasoana will be closed for three days starting tomorrow....some sort of festival. The private albergue in Zubiri filled up quickly today, but the municpal one is still accepting people.

Kelly

 

[Gailsie]

Oh, oh, I am planning on starting from Roncesvalles on Sept. 10th. I was hoping not to get into a rush for beds each night. Maybe walking slowly will not be so bad, if everyone else is walking stages and staying in the same albergues, I may avoid the rush.

I will try not to worry about finding a place to lay down my head each night and leave if up to the man upstairs.

Gailsie

 

[WolverineDG]

There seems to be enough room. The gym in Zubiri did not fill up last night, even though people were still coming in as late as 8:30 pm. Personally, I would stop in Zubiri, as Larrasoana has very limited space.

Kelly

 

[Gailsie]

Thanks for the information Kelly, I was already planning on stopping in Zubiri as I did not think that I would manage the extra mileage on my first day. Hopefully I will be arriving in the afternoon. I have decided not to worry about a place to sleep and just take whatever comes my way.

Gailsie

 

[sillydoll]

Stats from St Jean
The Pilgrim Office located at No. 39 Rue de la Citadelle recorded 18 984 pilgrims by 19 July 2009, roughly the same number recorded the previous year.

The table below shows the numbers since 2007 and those of the 4 largest nationalities represented.

Year Total French Germans Spaniards Italians
2007 16956 4204 3365 1482 1527
2008 18762 4160 3893 1669 1680
2009 18984 4270 3063 2479 1565

The effect of the book by German Kerkeling has apparently dropped since the number of Germans fell in 2009 in large proportions. This is not a significant decrease in the overall numbers because there was a surge in the number of Spaniards. The number of French and Italians is stagnant since 2007.

From week 18 to week 23 (April 27 to June 7), numbers vary between 1350 and 1600 pilgrims per week, the peak of 1600 located the last week of May. Since then, from June 8 to July 19, the weekly number is between 930 and 1160 pilgrims, between 130 and 165 pilgrims per day.

87.5% of pilgrims are on foot;
72% of pilgrims begin the Way in St. Jean Pied de Port.

 

[flyfree]

I have a reservation to stay at Orisson on Sept. 11. I think the earliest train from Bayonne to St. Jean Pied du Port is 15:05 and it arrives at 16:19. So I don't think I have enough time to walk that day. Does anyone know how much does it cost to take a taxi from San Sebastian airport to SJPP?

I may have to spend the money in order to get to SJPP earlier that day so I could walk to Orisson.

Thanks.

 

[KiwiNomad06]

You walk up a quiet road route to get to Orisson from SJPP, so you could possibly just take a taxi from SJPP to get there once you arrive.
Margaret

 

[sillydoll]

On the http://www.expressbourricot.com/ website, caroline has her taxi charges on the site. If San Sebastian isn't on the list you can email her for a price at apcaroline@hotmail.com
She collects people from Airports, Train and bus stations:

Airports:
Pau
Biarritz
Toulouse
Bordeaux
Bilbao
Fontarrabie
Pamplona
Santander

Train stations:
Saint Jean pied de Port
Bayonne
Pau
Hendaye-Irun
Pamplona
Logroño

Bus:
Pamplona
Logroño
Irun