Questions from a New Camino Pilgrim

[Patty Delworth]

I'm not sure exactly whether this is right place to post, especially since I'm new to forums, but I just wanted to ask a few questions that have been floating around in my head for awhile concerning the El Camino.

First, I wanted to try the French route, but I am not in the best of shape and am not sure if I will make it over the mountains if I started in St. Jean. So, has anyone started in Roncesvalles and does this eliminate some of the more difficult mountain trekking without sacrificing their beauty?

Second, how did you plan your trip? Did you use a travel agency, and if so which one? I want to start planning my El Camino trip as soon as I can yet do not know where to proceed on this topic.

Third, how would I make my arrangements for getting to the starting point after the initial flight and what cities would you all recommend that I fly into for the easiest trip possible to the starting point?

I have more questions but I want to address these first, so any and all replies are welcome.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can't get the view from the Pyrenees without walking up them, unless you take a taxi back, of course! No pain, no gain...

There is a bit of tough terrain from Roncesvalles to Pamplona, so starting in Pamplona will give you a reasonably gentle start (Alto de Perdon aside) and cut three to four days from the total time required.

You can fly into Pamplona and return home from Santiago, connecting both ways through Madrid.

When you have more questions, ask!!

Buen camino.

 

[nreyn12]

Hello Patty,

These are the right questions to ask as you are preparing to walk the Camino. I also wasn’t in the best of shape when I walked the Camino the first time (and the second, third, etc.). The walk from Saint Jean Pied de Port to Roncesvalles is quite strenuous. First you go uphill for 20 km, and then you go downhill for 5 km. Most of this is quite steep, and it can put a strain on an unconditioned body. But the walk and the views are spectacular, and I’d hate for you to miss it. One common strategy is to divide the walk over the Pyrenees into two days – the first is 8 km to the refuge at Orisson, then the second is 17 km to Roncesvalles. You have a full day to walk these distances (the albergue in Roncesvalles doesn’t even open until 4:00pm) and you can certainly take your time.

If you do start in Roncesvalles, your first day will include a lot of downhill walking, which can also be hard on the body, but in a different way. If you start in Roncesvalles, your first day will be at least 20 km, to Zubiri. The other option, suggested above, is to start in Pamplona. This is a beautiful city, worth a few hours to see, and then you can walk 5, 11, or 17 kilometers to the next towns for an easier start to the walk.

How you plan the trip depends on how self-sufficient you want to be. A travel agent can sort out the best flight and train/bus options for you. Or you can book it all yourself with some basic internet skills.

As for how to get to the starting point, that depends on which starting point you pick. Here are the simplest options for the three starting points we’ve discussed, starting with the simplest:

Starting in Pamplona: fly to Madrid, bus to Pamplona

Starting in Roncesvalles: fly to Madrid, bus to Pamplona, bus or taxi to Roncesvalles

Starting in SJPP: fly to Madrid, bus to Pamplona, bus or taxi to Roncesvalles, taxi to SJPP; or, fly to Paris, train to Bayonne, train to SJPP (if you pick this option, you will need an ‘open-jaw’ flight with the return from Madrid or another city in Spain)

If you’d like another option for how to get started, please click on the link for my website, below.

Best of all success to you in planning your pilgrimage!

Nancy

 

[MoniRose]

From the States I flew round trip into Paris, took a short flight to Biarritz, then had a shuttle pre-booked from Biarritz to SJPP. After arriving in Santiago (yea!), I flew Vuehling air from there one way back to Paris for a week celebration. Finally, I caught the second half of my round trip back home from Paris to the States. Whew! But it worked very smooth. -M :arrow:

 

[fraluchi]

First, [...] has anyone started in Roncesvalles...?
Second, how did you plan your trip?
Third...what cities would you all recommend that I fly into...

1. Roncesvalles is a classic starting point in Spain and we did so 3 times (starting from SJPP in France implies crossing the Pyrenées) ;
2. The first time we planned on http://www.godesalco.com/plan/frances, but this forum gives answers to most of your questions (use http://www.caminodesantiago.me/camino-d ... earch.html ) ;
3. We flew to Pamplona (from Madrid) and took the evening bus to Roncesvalles.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

Here is the view from Orisson:

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Orisson, ... 8,,0,12.06

You can walk back down to St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port, or ahead toward Roncesvalles until the trail diverges from the road, on your computer without having to actually walk up the Pyrenees! Rotate the view on your screen to get a 360 degree panorama.

Then start your camino from Pamplona...

 

[Patty Delworth]

Thank you all for your responses, many of them have been very helpful. But, I still have a question concerning how to get to thue starting city of St. Jean. In many of the cities in Spain that you fly into you have to take a bus or a taxi to St. Jean. So my question is, how would you book a taxi or bus? Are there any links that may help with this? And if not, how would I find myself a bus after arriving in Spain? My spanish is not that great, and I can just imagine myself in an airport surrounded by people and not knowing where to go or even how to ask fpor directions. So any help in this area would be fantastic as well.

 

[DesertRain]

If you are arriving in Pamplona, check out http://www.taxipamplona.com/servicios_en.html. I used them when I started my bike trip in Roncesvalles. The driver was great; he had biked the Camino several years earlier and had lots of advice (all in Spanish, however).

 

[nreyn12]

So my question is, how would you book a taxi or bus? Are there any links that may help with this? And if not, how would I find myself a bus after arriving in Spain? My spanish is not that great, and I can just imagine myself in an airport surrounded by people and not knowing where to go or even how to ask fpor directions. So any help in this area would be fantastic as well.

Hi Patty,

The short answer is yes, for all of it. And much of it can be arranged before you leave your computer at home. Keep in mind, though, that the answers to your questions will be different depending on where you plan to fly into.

Most buses and trains can be booked online before you leave home, so all you'll have to do is get to the stations. You'll have to be careful with connection times, though. All the answers you need are on this forum...websites to book bus/train, phone numbers for taxis, etc. So once you know where you'll fly into...no problem!

For starters:
Buses in Spain: http://www.alsa.es/en/
Trains in Spain: http://www.renfe.com/viajeros/index.html
Trains in France: http://travelocity.raileurope.com/index.html

Nancy