Paris to Lourdes then ST. Jean

[Humbertico]

My wife and I are planning to fly into Paris from Atlanta in Sept and wanted to go to Lourdes first for 2 days . Any recommendations on train to Lourdes and from there best way to St. Jean to start the Camino? Thanks for advice in advance!

 

[mspath]

My wife and I are planning to fly into Paris from Atlanta in Sept and wanted to go to Lourdes first for 2 days . Any recommendations on train to Lourdes and from there best way to St. Jean to start the Camino? Thanks for advice in advance!

Generally there are several trains throughout the day from Paris/Montparnasse to Lourdes as well as a night train from Paris/Austerlitz.
From Lourdes you would take a train to Bayonne and then the local TER train to Saint Jean Pied de Port.

September schedules are not yet available. See current schedule times at www.Oui.SNCF.

Good luck and Bon voyage/Buen camino to both you and your wife.

 

[Humbertico]

Generally there are several trains throughout the day from Paris/Montparnasse to Lourdes as well as a night train from Paris/Austerlitz.
From Lourdes you would take a train to Bayonne and then the local TER train to Saint Jean Pied de Port.

September schedules are not yet available. See current schedule times at www.Oui.SNCF.

Good luck and Bon voyage/Buen camino to both you and your wife.

Thank you!

 

[Anniesantiago]

Or you could walk from Lourdes! It's a beautiful walk to Jaca and Pamplona from there!

 

[timr]

@Anniesantiago @Humbertico I second that Annie although I walked from Lourdes to SJPdP - quite torn deciding which way to go from Oloron Ste Marie - you turn left for Somport and Jaca and go straight on for SJPdP. I would love to do the Jaca route sometime. But nice to be spoilt for choice. The route to SJPdP from Lourdes is well waymarked and there is quite adequate pilgrim accommodation along the way. It was very quiet in 2009. Probably not a route to take for your very first steps on any Camino, unless you are very confident walking alone.

 

[naplesdon]

The way from Oloron/Ste. Marie to Jaca is a spectacular mountain climb with albergues every 25 km. From Jaca you follow the Aragones to Puente la Reina, walking past Eunate.

 

[JabbaPapa]

My wife and I are planning to fly into Paris from Atlanta in Sept and wanted to go to Lourdes first for 2 days . Any recommendations on train to Lourdes and from there best way to St. Jean to start the Camino? Thanks for advice in advance!

The "best" way to SJPP from Lourdes is to walk there -- and if you did, you could justify spending your one night or two at Lourdes in the wonderful pilgrim hostel there.

It's a short walk, and with little difficulty if you take care to avoid the one or two more unnecessarily mountainous stretches of the waymarked hiking path ; and the pilgrim hostels along that way are all wonderful. And it's also the best preparation for the mountain stage across from SJPP to Roncesvalles.

Oloron is also actually rather a nice urban break on that stretch, a sleepier French provincial town than Lourdes, not overly touristy, a good place to rethink your gear needs after a few days' walking, and a good place to see a bit of France outside of the hustle and bustle of Paris, Lourdes, SJPP, and the train journey.

--

The Somport route down to Jaca is longer and more difficult, both psychologically (from the sense of being closed in by mountains to either side) and physically (because it's longer and winds in and out of a main road busy with international traffic) -- I've done it once, I'd never do it again. If I were to do the Camino Aragonès again (which is most beautiful indeed), I'd probably do it from the direction of Barcelona or Andorra instead ...

I also find the Oloron to Somport route less beautiful than the Oloron to SJPP one.

 

[Helen1]

Totally agree with the other comments about walking from Lourdes if you have time. It has its own pilgrim support centres just like SJPD (there are 3? places to collect stamps), the evening parade is an amazing experience and it's an awesome place to start a pilgrimage. The walk out of Lourdes is really nice - flat and along a river - a gentle start to a pilgrimage. The Grottes de Betharram (http://www.betharram.com/) are fun to visit, Lestelle-Betharram has an interesting history. Oloron is a sleepy kind of place but again lots of history and a good place to review if you need all the things you are carrying or if shoes don't fit etc. If you do walk to SJDP you'll be old hands and I think you might appreciate the pilgrim buzz and other people's excitement so much more - although it will be a shock meeting so many people on the trail after the quietness of the walk to SJPD!

 

[Humbertico]

Where can I get information of walking from Lourdes to St. Jean?

 

[Deleted member 3000]

The guidebooks are in French, and available in bookstores in France or on amazon.fr. There are some websites with good information.

 

[JabbaPapa]

Where can I get information of walking from Lourdes to St. Jean?

Very little information is actually needed -- and you can get the most important parts of it there, either at the Compostela pilgrims office in town, or at the central Lourdes pilgrims office down in the park area between the basilicas

 

[jsalt]

Where can I get information of walking from Lourdes to St. Jean?

Hi, google the “GR78” or the “Piémont Route”.
Here are a few to start:
http://www.gr-infos.com/en/gr78d.htm
http://www.gr-infos.com/en/gr78c.htm
https://godesalco.com/plan/piemont
Jill

 

[Mark McCarthy]

Where can I get information of walking from Lourdes to St. Jean?

I have PDFs of the accommodation lists they hand out in Lourdes. I can email or PM them to you if you like.

 

[Mark McCarthy]

@Anniesantiago @Humbertico I second that Annie although I walked from Lourdes to SJPdP - quite torn deciding which way to go from Oloron Ste Marie - you turn left for Somport and Jaca and go straight on for SJPdP. I would love to do the Jaca route sometime. But nice to be spoilt for choice. The route to SJPdP from Lourdes is well waymarked and there is quite adequate pilgrim accommodation along the way. It was very quiet in 2009. Probably not a route to take for your very first steps on any Camino, unless you are very confident walking alone.

We got as far as the campsite in Lourdes and turned to each other and both said in unison "I don't think I can do this!" But we did do it and by the time we reached SJPdP we were a lot fitter and it made the trek to Roncesvalles a lot easier.

 

[donalomahony]

Have a look at this thread Scroll up to the start for lots of information https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ed-to-st-jean-pied-de-port.23497/#post-523356

 

[10derfoot]

My wife and I are planning to fly into Paris from Atlanta in Sept and wanted to go to Lourdes first for 2 days . Any recommendations on train to Lourdes and from there best way to St. Jean to start the Camino? Thanks for advice in advance!

I'm planning to visit Lourdes for 2 days in Sept before heading to SJDP by flying from JFK to Toulouse then take train onto Lourdes. This was the best route for myself versus via Lourdes, Pau and Biarritz airports due to long layover.

 

[Humbertico]

I am looking to see if someone wants to split the cost of a van ride from Lourdes to SJPDP the am of Tues Sept 11 to have all day there before starting Camino on the 12th. The train has 2 stops and gets to SJPDP close to 4 pm

 

[Humbertico]

Generally there are several trains throughout the day from Paris/Montparnasse to Lourdes as well as a night train from Paris/Austerlitz.
From Lourdes you would take a train to Bayonne and then the local TER train to Saint Jean Pied de Port.

September schedules are not yet available. See current schedule times at www.Oui.SNCF.

Good luck and Bon voyage/Buen camino to both you and your wife.

Gracias!

 

[roamingpaddy]

I have PDFs of the accommodation lists they hand out in Lourdes. I can email or PM them to you if you like.

Hi Mark,I would be greatful if you could send me those PDFs .corky2569@hotmail.com

 

[Anamiri]

I am quite jealous, we saw Lourdes from the train from Toulouse to Bayonne. It looks magnificent. Hope to go there one day.