Problems starting on a Sunday out of St Jean Pied de Port?

[Parzival]

We are very close to buying tickets, and arranging travel when it occurred to me that starting on a Sunday might be a problem. Will everything in St Jean Pied de Port be closed? Would it be better to pick another day?

Thank you.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There is plenty open on a Sunday. You will have plenty of company, but I think Saturday is the busiest day of the week for departures.

Buen camino.

 

[Parzival]

And just like that..."Sunday it is!". Thank you.

 

[Anniesantiago]

HOWEVER, it has been my experience that starting your Camino mid-week helps in terms of albergues being full. Many more people start on a Monday than on a Tuesday or Wednesday. The times I've begun mid-week, I had a much nicer time, with fewer crowded albergues.

And remember, there is no law that says you have to follow Brierley's stages. Walking the "in between" is often a very good strategy also.

But... some people enjoy crowds!

 

[ffp13]

HOWEVER, it has been my experience that starting your Camino mid-week helps

I totally agree, many of the French and Spanish pilgrims will travel to SJPP over the weekend to start their Camino a mid week start helps to avoid this wave of pilgrims .

I have found the same thing happens at some of the other popular starting places Leon, Burgos, Saria, I try to avoid the weekends there as well.

 

[Parzival]

Great advice. I have to start on the weekend because of time off from work. This will give me more days on the Camino. We get there on a Saturday.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

If you are there early enough on Saturday, you might want to consider walking to Honto. It would take just a couple of hours, and would get a fair amount of elevation change and some jet lag behind you. While St. Jean Pied de Port is a charming little village, it does not take a lot of time to see it. A visit to the Pilgrim Office, a meal, and a view of the Citadel walls, and you might be ready and eager to get started. You do not generally need reservations for Honto because it is not as popular as Orisson, which his another long hour past Honto.

 

[Parzival]

We will be getting to St Jean about 2:40PM. Our flight is only 3hrs from Italy.