Septiembre/Octubre 2017 - Researching the northern and french caminos (bike)

[galimba]

Hello and greetings from Argentina.
I just got my plane tickets to Paris, and I'm planing on taking three to four weeks to bike the camino. I'm taking my bike from Buenos Aires with me. One option is to take a train from Paris to S.J.P.D.P. (and take the French route), and the other option is to somehow get to Irun (and take the Northern).
I haven't really decided if I want to do the northern route or the camino frances, and I'm hoping you guys could help me a bit there

I know it's a lot of time (most posts I've read say that I could probably be fine with just two weeks of cycling) but I really want to take my time and let myself be tempted by all the detours I'll probably find attractive. Also, I'd like to continue to Fisterra and Muxia.

I planed this trip to be as far away from the summer as I could, since I hate a hot weather and I don't really have a problem with the cold (I've lived over a year working in antarctica hahaha).

I'll be riding alone (or at least that's how I planned to start the journey)... I'm not much of a planner, but more of an "educated improvisationalist" hahaha <ñ_ñ>

Some questions that pop into my head whenever I think of the camino:
1- Is there an estimate of how many peregrinos (and bicigrinos) hit those roads (the northern and french) in between the monts of september and october? I know it's not as high of a season as the summer, but still I coultn't find an estimate number.
2- Does it rain a lot? Is it windy? Extreme wind when hiking is annoying, but when you're riding it could be negating.
3- Are there camping sites along those caminos? Since I'm cycling, I don't mind taking the extra 1-person tent if it'll make for a more "natural" experience along the way. Can I just throw my tent on the side of the trail and sleep there, as I would in Patagonia?
4- Are there some unofficial/implicit rules I should be aware of? I mean, other than "If you arribe at a hostel, the peregrino has priority over the bicigrino" which is to me is common sense, since I can always ride a few more km in a fraction of the time it takes hikers to do so 'till the next albergue.
5- I've read that "El Camino is a cash economy", meaning that most places don't take credit cards. Is that valid for both the Northern and French route?

Well, thanks for your time =)
Best regards and buen camino!

 

[Felipe]

I can help with some questions.
"Somehow to Irún". Train to to Hendaye; Irún is just at the other side of the former border.
Train + byke in France. See the byke sign in the wagons. Read carefully this page
Stats: There are stats for Caminos and for types of transportation, but not combined results.
Many albergues have spaces dedicated for storing bykes. There are many cyclists in the Frances -a lot of them from Italy, for some reason.
With weather you never know, but generally speaking, September is warm, and October will be colder, but still pleasant. Not as cold as Patagonia, anyway.
I have walked the Frances in October. I don't remember it as particularly windy, but I was in an "orange alert" in O Cebreiro mountain pass -even walking was difficult. I suppose the North, being besides the sea, could be more windy.
Galicia is well known as being rainy. It is so green for a reason...
"Wild" camping has been extensively discussed in this forum. There are many opinions; you can see them by yourself.
Informal rules: Please, please, please, attach a ring bell to your byke. Cyclists at full speed in narrow paths are a major source of stress in the Camino.
Good riding!

Edited: I forgot the link to the stats. It is https://oficinadelperegrino.com/estadisticas/

 

[Anemone del Camino]

Hello Galimba, and welcome.

Here is my take onsome ofyour questions.

Wild camping is illegal, so schleping a tent won't help you, and campings are few and far between. On the Frances I can't remember a single on. On the Norte there is one in Zarautz, Santillana...

Walkers have priority on cyclists for beds so cyclists are often told to keep cycling or at least wait until late afternoon before they are given a bed. Not fun when you have smelly after a day out on the trails. Especially if you habe been cycling through fields of mud. And believe it or not, September and October will still be not only busy but hot. I walked on the Norte late September into October and temps were well in the 30s. It had also been a very dry summer, but apparently that was unusual. No winds at all.

For some reason I seem to recall bicygrinos have to do 60km a day before hetting a bed. Where did I get thos idea from?

Yes, cash is king, on both routes, as they both take you through small billages with l'smallish or larger towns and cities in between where you will be able to use the cajero. (Anyone notice how difficult it is to find a cajero in Santiago's historical center?). Albergues only take cash.

Since you're from Argentina, for the Norte, the guidebook from Editorial Buen Camino, in Spanish, may be of interest, as it shows the detours for bicycles. http://guias.editorialbuencamino.com/productos/guia-del-camino-del-norte-costa-y-primitivo

This website may also be of interest: http://bicigrino.com

I hope this helps a bit.

 

[galimba]

Hello and thank you so much for the quick response!

http://bicigrino.com/ ended up being a great source of information, also the official peregrino stats :-D Thank you guys!!

Since walkers have priority, I've read that it is a good practice to skip one town or two from the classic stops shown in the guides, that way the albergues are less crowded.
I also read that it is more common to encounter wind and rain in the Norte, and that it can be tricky with a bike... even dangerous if riding alone. Last October, less than 6% of the people got to Santiago by the Norte route. Also, I've read that the Norte is a little bit more expensive. In your experience, how harsh is the camino del norte in comparison with the french route?

I'm inclined to take the French route as my first camino.. mostly because of the rain-wind factor (and the tight budget). Catching a train from Paris to Gare de Bayonne, and cycling from there to Saint Jean Pied de Port... according to google maps, it's a little over 54km ride with less than 500m climb.

best regards!!

 

[mspath]

Galimba,

For useful info in English re taking bikes on French trains see this link.
http://en.voyages-sncf.com/en/train-services/bicycle-on-board

Happy planning!

 

[galimba]

Thank you mspath ! that's a great tip!