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Saint Jean Pied De Port - 2 hours out walking Day 1 place to stay.

Vonnie

New Member
Time of past OR future Camino
French Way - 2015
Hello everyone. So excited to be planning a long weekend on Camino Frances in June. Our plan is to arrive in Biaritz at 12.30pm on a Thu and make our way to start from St Jean. We would like to get some walking in on our first day and I'm looking for suggestions of a good area/place to stay about 2 hours walk from St Jean ? Any tips would be greatly appreciated. We will then have Fri to Sun to get to Pamplona and will get a private transfer back to Biaritz airport early Monday. Any companies for this recommend here ?

Thanks again

Yvonne
 
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Orisson is only 8km out of SJPP...a very popular spot and I'd recommend reservations. I've hiked Camino once, did not stay in Orrison, but loved every second of our 60 minute stop there. On a clear day, the views are simply amazing. They have good food and ice cold beer.
 
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Hello everyone. So excited to be planning a long weekend on Camino Frances in June. Our plan is to arrive in Biaritz at 12.30pm on a Thu and make our way to start from St Jean. We would like to get some walking in on our first day and I'm looking for suggestions of a good area/place to stay about 2 hours walk from St Jean ? Any tips would be greatly appreciated. We will then have Fri to Sun to get to Pamplona and will get a private transfer back to Biaritz airport early Monday. Any companies for this recommend here ?

Thanks again

Yvonne
Hi Yvonne, welcome back to the forum. I guess your 2015 plans fell through.
You’ve the option of walking to Orisson or Albergue Borda on the Route Napoleon or the slightly longer but far less steep stroll to Valcarlos for your first day.
No need for a cab to get back, there are bus and train services to suit. Happy planning
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Just a bit of caution regarding Orisson or Borga:
If you arrive at 12:30 noon, theres a chance you won't make it to the pilgrims office before their lunch break (13.00). You would then have to wait till around 14.00, of course only if you want to stop at the pilgrims office. Now let's say you start walking at around 14.30, the way is quite steep, and depending on your training 3 hours can be more likely than 2... I think those albergues hold reservations till 18.00, so still not likely to be a problem, but i just wanted to throw that thought in.
 
Hola and yes welcome back. As for a first day walk, I am with Tinca - I walked the Valcarlos route (due to extreme weather above Orisson). This first day is not strenuous (imho) plus it has a few coffee & snack stopping options (just near the Franco/Spanish border). Buen Camino.
 
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St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Leaving Biarritz around 13h, even if you took a taxi or Express Bourricot direct to SJPdP wouldn't get you to the start point until 15h+. You would need to scramble up the hill to Orisson. I would suggest walking around Biarritz and/or Bayonne for the afternoon and take the train the first thing the next morning. I have never been a user of Express Bourricot but I think they can get you back from Pamplona to Biarritz.
 
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Thanks to everyone for your input, much appreciated. I think Honto would be a good option but I only see one accomodation there and on booking.com it doesn't seem available past March. I can't see a website. Is there alternative ways to pre-book directly?
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Leaving Biarritz around 13h, even if you took a taxi or Express Bourricot direct to SJPdP wouldn't get you to the start point until 15h+. You would need to scramble up the hill to Orisson. I would suggest walking around Biarritz and/or Bayonne for the afternoon and take the train the first thing the next morning. I have never been a user of Express Bourricot but I think they can get you back from Pamplona to Biarritz.
I don’t think Express Bourricot operates in and out of Pamplona!!
 
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Thanks to everyone for your input, much appreciated. I think Honto would be a good option but I only see one accomodation there and on booking.com it doesn't seem available past March. I can't see a website. Is there alternative ways to pre-book directly?
Honto is not a place, it is just an accommodation. There are no villages to speak of in that part of the Pyrenees unless you walk the Valcarlos.
 
Rather than suggest reservations, if you are hiking in June,I strongly urge you to make reservations from Orisson to Pamplona!
I have to support this post. this first section of the Camino is (imho) restricted in accommodation or stage options. After Pamplona you have a much greater range of albergues and stage lengths.
 
Honto is not a place, it is just an accommodation. There are no villages to speak of in that part of the Pyrenees unless you walk the Valcarlos.
Hola Don I thought it was the overflow from Orisson.
 
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I have to support this post. this first section of the Camino is (imho) restricted in accommodation or stage options. After Pamplona you have a much greater range of albergues and stage lengths.
Thanks. Unfortunately this is a short trip ending in Pamplona. I managed to book some places today. Stuck on Zubiri
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Orisson is only 8km out of SJPP...a very popular spot and I'd recommend reservations. I've hiked Camino once, did not stay in Orrison, but loved every second of our 60 minute stop there. On a clear day, the views are simply amazing. They have good food and ice cold beer.
Orisson is a great place to stay. Great accommodation. Lovely food. Perfect stop.
 
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St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Hola Don I thought it was the overflow from Orisson.
G'day Mike, I don't know the relationship of Honto to Orrison but I don't think Jean Jacques has any proprietary interest in it. I believe it is privately owned and he is willing to include its guest into the "welcome" meal at his restaurant. I have read that Honto also offers and evening meal.
 
Hello everyone. So excited to be planning a long weekend on Camino Frances in June. Our plan is to arrive in Biaritz at 12.30pm on a Thu and make our way to start from St Jean. We would like to get some walking in on our first day and I'm looking for suggestions of a good area/place to stay about 2 hours walk from St Jean ? Any tips would be greatly appreciated. We will then have Fri to Sun to get to Pamplona and will get a private transfer back to Biaritz airport early Monday. Any companies for this recommend here ?

Thanks again

Yvonne
stay the day in SJpdP amd enjoy the beautiful athmosphare
 
Hello everyone. So excited to be planning a long weekend on Camino Frances in June. Our plan is to arrive in Biaritz at 12.30pm on a Thu and make our way to start from St Jean. We would like to get some walking in on our first day and I'm looking for suggestions of a good area/place to stay about 2 hours walk from St Jean ? Any tips would be greatly appreciated. We will then have Fri to Sun to get to Pamplona and will get a private transfer back to Biaritz airport early Monday. Any companies for this recommend here ?

Thanks again

Yvonne
stay the day in SJpdP amd enjoy the beautiful athmosphare
 
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Hi Vonnie
I had same problem in Zubiri in 2017 everything completo but found this lovely little place out of Zubiri but before Larrasoana. They were extremely helpful in picking us up and transporting us to accommodation and then taking us back into Zubiri for a meal. Nice and clean, simple rooms. I found their website on mycaminobed.com. Worth a try. Cheers Carmel
 
Hotel Akerreta one hour after Zubiri
Easy walk the next day into Pamplona
Enjoy the town and atmosphere.
 
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Our Atmospheric H30 poncho offers lightness and waterproofness. Easily compressible and made with our Waterproof fabric, its heat-sealed interior seams guarantee its waterproofness. Includes carrying bag.

€60,-
Yes, Refuge Orisson and Albergue Borda - usually reservations are required due to high demand. Especially in summer months. Also worth noting - Orisson website states that all pilgrims need to check in by 6:30pm, which is what time the communal dinner is served. If you ware arriving in St Jean in the afternoon - depending on when you get through the Pilgrim's office and finish any town activities in SJPDP (eating lunch, visiting local sites) - you may or may not have time to get to Orisson before check in ends. I do not know how strict they are with the check in time - but if you decide to reserve with them, it is something worth considering. And if you decide to walk there in the afternoon hours - perhaps call them in advance of your reservation to let them know of your plans. Not sure about Borda's check in times. If you are arriving in the afternoon and do not have a reservation - you can always walk for as long as you want - taxi back to SJPDP then taxi back to where you left off in the AM.
 
I would recommend you go to Orisson or Borda for the first night. It's about 2h to 2h45 min to Orisson, depending on your fitness, and about 15 min more to Borda.

Day 2 - it would be a lot easier walk to Roncesvalles, so you could go slowly, stay at La Virgen de B. and enjoy all that beautiful scenery longer;
You could, also, continue to Burguete or Espinal, as the worst climb would be behind you (the 1st day to Orisson). Espinal is a very nice place and the perfect starting point, for me, for the next day as the 2-hour descent to Zubiri would be in the beginning of the day. You could also continue to Urdaniz (along the road - around 40 min from Zubiri - there's a very nice private albergue, I forgot the name, with a swimming pool and lovely hosts - I slept there in the fall of 2017) or to Larrasoaña (we slept at the municipal albergue there in the spring of 2017; there are very nice private ones as well). Your last day to Pamplona would be around 15 km from Larrasoaña and just a bit more from Urdaniz.

I would also recommend booking to Pamplona in advance.

PS: We sometimes go to places outside of the recommended stages, as we'd like to give business to the other people along the Way as well.
 
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Hello. Are hiking boots or trail runners recommend for this route? Thanks.
 
Transport luggage-passengers.
From airports to SJPP
Luggage from SJPP to Roncevalles
Hello. Are hiking boots or trail runners recommend for this route? Thanks.
I prefer trail runners. Hiking boots are not really necessary for most of the Frances route. Some people still like and prefer them, especially if they like the extra ankle support. For me they are unnecessarily heavy and too hot to wear for so many hours a day.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
Hello. Are hiking boots or trail runners recommend for this route? Thanks.


Only you and maybe a podiatrist can answer that one. If you are comfortable with your trail runners on your local trails then go for it.
I personally could not walk a Camino without my trusted Hanwag boots.Pes cavus ( high arches ) , backissues, hallux valgus etc here.

Stick to what you are the most comfortable with!
 

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