SJPDP to Bordeaux next week

[Len Nugent]

hi, we are live on the Camino at present in Pamplona , after walking from Lisbon, our intention after arriving in SJPDP is to carry on walking until Christmas .

We have a flight booked home from Bordeaux, so thought we would walk towards the airport.

My question is, would anyone have any idea where I can find online maps & details of albergues or Gites that are open also it does not help that between the two of us we don’t speak a word of France!

I have tried looking online, but can’t find anything up to date, or maybe I am just too tired.

Many thanks in advance for any help

Len

 

[Jan_D]

Just so we're all on the same page: you're now walking from Pamplona, "backwards" to SJPP, and then onwards to Bordeaux from there?

 

[Bradypus]

The French government mapping agency have an excellent free website: https://www.geoportail.gouv.fr/ If you click on the "Cartes" button in the top left corner then "Voir tous fonds de cartes" you can select the 'topographique' or 'classique' IGN maps which show the GR routes in great detail.

The maps are also accessible through a free map for Android phones. Find it through Google Play Store

 

[Len Nugent]

Yes, that is correct, we started in Oct from Lisbon to Santiago, then decided to walk SJPDP.
Now we want to carry on to Bordeaux

 

[Len Nugent]

Hi Bradypus.
Thanks for the quick response.
This is a great site, I will use it for the maps.
Hopefully I will get some replies regarding the albergues & Gites that are open.
Once again I really appreciate your time & help
Len

 

[Jan_D]

The walk you're wanting to do is part of the Via Turonensis/ Voie de Tours which traditionally starts in Paris (and goes through Tours, hence the name). There is lots of information online about this route if you want to start googling (hopefully someone else on here will have more info for you though).

I couldn't find an inclusive guide with accommodation as it seems all the departments are responsible for their own information. Found this for the Landes region (opening dates in right column):
http://www.compostelle-landes.org/documents_pdf/hebergements/20170411133350.pdf

Another forum member, Ray Boneski, walked from Bordeaux to SJPP earlier this year - maybe you could send him a pm? Here's his post: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/walking-from-bordeaux.46168/

 

[Len Nugent]

Hi Jan,

Thanks for this information. I have also sent a pm to Ray, so hopefully I can pick up some information from him,

I appreciate you taking the time to look for me, many thanks for that

Len

 

[Penbaysail]

Have you tried the Gronze website? They have one for every Camino path I France & Spain. Usually I could dial the gîte or albergue directly from the listing, and I used it frequently when reserving. I just looked at the site, and it doesn’t list winter closing dates, but a phone call will confirm that one way or the other.

Regards,

 

[jsalt]

Hi Len and Mary, (I also posted this on the other thread that you queried) I walked from Soulac (on the coast near Bordeaux) to Bayonne, on the Voie Littorale, which is an alternative route for you to consider, going in reverse. This was my route:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/bordeaux-to-ir%C3%BAn-on-the-voie-littorale-to-connect-with-the-norte.44436/

Jill

 

[VNwalking]

From St Jean to Bayonne you can walk along the GR10 and Voie de la Nive - and then as Jill says on the Voie Littorale.
Here is a post form an earlier thread with some links:

I walked the route in 2014. I had limited time, so I powered through it in two days. I slept alone in Helette at the end of day one in the gite municipal, which was basic but had a good kitchen. Then I continued on to SJPdP the next day. I used this site for maps and instructions.

For the most part, the routing was straightforward. Some bridge repair made a mess of things outside of Bayonne, but I suspect that will be resolved by the time you walk. I lost the route around 10km before St. Jean, but that may have been my fault. It was no problem, though--I just followed a local road for a few km and got back on track.

On the whole, it's not the most exciting walk, and there's a lot of time on asphalt. But, it has its moments. Note that if you're interested in walking from the airport, you can follow the Voie Littorale from the Biarritz train station (very close to the airport) back to Bayonne, and then carry on from there on the Nive (the two routes split outside of Bayonne).

Walking from Bayonne to Hendaye and then back to SJPdP would take a full week. It's more spectacular, as you can follow the coast south and then the Pyrenees inland via the GR-10 (or a lower level trajectory north of it), but the GR-10 in particular is much more demanding.

If you're just interested in getting in a few days of walking before the Pyrenees, I might suggest traveling from Bayonne to Navarrenx and then following the Le Puy route from there. That's three easy days of walking with some gradually increasing foothills.

 

[Len Nugent]

Than

Have you tried the Gronze website? They have one for every Camino path I France & Spain. Usually I could dial the gîte or albergue directly from the listing, and I used it frequently when reserving. I just looked at the site, and it doesn’t list winter closing dates, but a phone call will confirm that one way or the other.

Regards,

Thanks for the message Penbaysail, we just looked at the Gronze site, I had never used this before.
We are now thinking it would be better to walk up the coast, as there will be more chance of getting accomadation on the route.
Many thanks again for your help
Len & Mary

 

[Len Nugent]

Hi Len and Mary, (I also posted this on the other thread that you queried) I walked from Soulac (on the coast near Bordeaux) to Bayonne, on the Voie Littorale, which is an alternative route for you to consider, going in reverse. This was my route:

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/bordeaux-to-ir%C3%BAn-on-the-voie-littorale-to-connect-with-the-norte.44436/

Jill

Morning Jill
We did not think about the route before, but we are now looking at going up the coastal route , I think it will be more seinic & have more chance of accommodation.
We really appreciate your help, many thanks.
Len & Mary

 

[Len Nugent]

From St Jean to Bayonne you can walk along the GR10 and Voie de la Nive - and then as Jill says on the Voie Littorale.
Here is a post form an earlier thread with some links:

Thank you Dave for this information, I now think this is the route we will take.

We will walk from SJPDP to Bayonne, & look for the GR10.

Thanks for taking the time to look at this for us, it’s now great to have some options.

Many many thanks.

Len & Mary

 

[mspath]

Here is a link showing the basic route of the GR10 between SJPdP and Bayonne on a Google map.

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1tIVYzsgmbq6g5G6xtZIv7f95xto&usp=sharing

Another link showing the Nive route with accommodation links

https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=18tJb6DnpTKiUufoqayn4O0L4YFE&usp=sharing

Happy plotting and continuation!

 

[VNwalking]

Or....another more direct option, if you ave not yet left Pamplona (I hope not).
Walk the Camino Baztanes backwards! 5 days will get you direct to Bayonne. Check here for Forum thread links, and there is a very good downloadable app that Editorial Buen Camino did here.
Several of us walked it this Spring and it's very special.
Whatever you choose, Buen Camino you two!

 

[naplesdon]

Or....another more direct option, if you ave not yet left Pamplona (I hope not).
Walk the Camino Baztanes backwards! 5 days will get you direct to Bayonne. Check here for Forum thread links, and there is a very good downloadable app that Editorial Buen Camino did here.
Several of us walked it this Spring and it's very special.
Whatever you choose, Buen Camino you two!

Batzan would be a good suggestion for moderate climate but it sounds like they want to walk in the winter, it is already cold and snowy as of 29/11/17. I would not suggest any of the mountain routes this time of year but rather drop down to Bilbao, San Sebastian or Irun from Pamplona or Logrono and continue on the coastal route to Biarritz and beyond, plenty of lodging using that route.

 

[VNwalking]

Batzan would be a good suggestion for moderate climate but it sounds like they want to walk in the winter, it is already cold and snowy as of 29/11/17.

Oh! Thanks for the correction, Don. I had understood that Len and Mary intended to walk to St Jean - and assumed (obviously incorrectly) that if the Valcarlos route is open, the col at Belate would also be fine.