Recommended walk in France into SJPP or Bayonne (3-6 days)

[sviollier]

Good Day

Having never walked in France I'm looking for recommendations to add 3-6 days of walking coming into Saint Jean or Bayonne in October (in 2 weeks).

I suppose the most obvious would be the Via Podensis route - but am wondering if there are other routes (for example from Bordeaux or Lourdes) that are highly recommended?

I've walked in Spain (Frances, Primitive, Norte) and am walking the Baztan (Bayonne to Pamplona) in October but would like to extend this relatively short.

Thank you so much.

SV

 

[Pelerina]

HI SV

A few options come to mind:

• Voie de la Nive from SJPP up to Bayonne (or vice versa) though I've read that waymarking is tricky.
• Hendaye back to Bayonne via Saint Jean de Luz and Biarrritz - an easy 2-3 day walk mostly along the Coast
• On the Tours Way if you made your way to Dax, you could walk for 4 days until you meet the Le Puy in Ostabat then on to SJPP in 2 days. I haven't walked on this path, so I can't comment.

But, in my opinion, the ideal would be to make your way to Aire sur l'Adour (or a little further on, say, Navarrenx) on the Le Puy Way from there to SJPP, then take your train to Bayonne for the Baztan. I'd recommend the Le Puy over the Piemont route (which includes Lourdes to SJPP).

These last stages of the Le Puy to SJPP are beautiful and include some wonderful gites and other accommodation providing a communal dinner. Also you are much more likely to meet other pilgrims than you would on any of the alternatives mentioned above.

In my view this option will give you a taste of how it is to walk on one of the major pilgrim paths in France.

Gronze has all the stages for these options - other than Voie de la Nive.

All the best.

 

[sviollier]

Thank you so much for your advice - I will look into it.

 

[Vacajoe]

What time of year? And where are you extending this from?

 

[Pelerina]

What time of year? And where are you extending this from?

From the OP's post:

Having never walked in France I'm looking for recommendations to add 3-6 days of walking coming into Saint Jean or Bayonne in October (in 2 weeks).

 

[Pelerina]

@sviollier I meant to add that if you are interested in that Le Puy option, probably the easiest way to get there is to take the train from Bayonne to Orthez and then walk or taxi about 16 kms to Arthez-de-Béarn on the camino. Other forum members have done that. Arthez could be your first night. That would give you a lovely 4-5 day walk on the Le Puy into SJPP. All the best

 

[Vacajoe]

Pelerina: thanks for the clarification of date!

If you are doing Bayonne to Pamplona, I’d recommend SJPdP to Bayonne (Nive Route). Pilgrim accommodations, decent waymarking, and truly lovely Basque Country. The one deterrent is that you’d double walk some of the route when you did your second leg.

For a beach and coastal experience, San Sebastián to Bayonne is also lovely and the food devine!