stranded in bayonne for the night

[jakob have]

Hello people
on my way to SJPDP i will end up in bayonne around 21.00 o'clock. I have never been to this city and wondered if anyone had any tips for a place to sleep near the station, since i'll try to catch the train at 07.45 in the morning. I don't know why, but i have an uneasy feeling about having to spend the night there. But it's either that, or stay in bordeaux which of course will have me in SJPDP much later the next day.

 

[alipilgrim]

Not sure if it's still there, but years ago on my first Camino I stayed right near the train station at the Hotel Paris Madrid (?), not fancy but close and very warm welcome from the manager who had walked the Camino and gave me some great tips. I wouldn't worry at all about staying in Bayonne. You'll be catching the train to SJPP in the morning anyway, right?

 

[alipilgrim]

oops, just saw online that the Hotel Paris Madrid is now gone... According to Booking.com there's a place called Hotel Cote Basque that only has Family rooms left, $82 or $92 for tonight, perhaps there's other stranded pilgrims around you who'd like to share a room? It's in the square in front of the train station (just off to the right)

 

[jakob have]

thanks for your reply, and indeed I’m taking the train in the morning. btw I won’t be there until Monday. what has me (unnecessarily?)worried is experiences from past travels in France with backpack, getting unwanted attention from people after dark. I don't feel comfortable walking around alone in this country anymore. But I'm a shitty planner, and now i guess i gotta face my demons before i even begin the camino.

 

[alipilgrim]

Oh, I think people in Bayonne near the train station have seen 1000's of people come thru with backpacks! I would not even think on it. Take this one off your worry list.

 

[mspath]

In Bayonne the simple
Hotel Monte Carlo is good inexpensive choice located opposite the rr station. Nice cafe and resto also. Here is their web .

Buen camino!

 

[C clearly]

Try the Hotel Monte Carlo in Bayonne. Right across from the train station. As a 68-year-old woman, I wouldn't worry at all about it. But I wouldn't randomly walk around at night, in any strange city.

 

[C clearly]

@mspath beat me to the post. She is the one who recommended it to me a few years ago!

 

[Joziane]

Hello people
on my way to SJPDP i will end up in bayonne around 21.00 o'clock. I have never been to this city and wondered if anyone had any tips for a place to sleep near the station, since i'll try to catch the train at 07.45 in the morning. I don't know why, but i have an uneasy feeling about having to spend the night there. But it's either that, or stay in bordeaux which of course will have me in SJPDP much later the next day.

Fear not! Bayonne is lovely. If you could spend a day, there is much to see. The Cathedral, a walk along the river, 'Petit Bayonne", the Basque museum, the Bonnat art museum, the fort. "Les arceaux" has lovely cafes and chocolate stores which Bayonne is well known for. Hope that relieves any uneasiness....

 

[OzAnnie]

Hi Jakob
I stayed at Hotel Monte Carlo a few months ago for one night 5/10/16.
Room and breakfast cost Euro 41.40
Plenty of other places nearby (area between railway station and bridge ), including an Ibis. The ibis was more than double the above price the day enquired tho . Main town and cathedral are on the other side of the bridge.

I had finished the Le Puy route in Sjpdp and came down to Bayonne in the little train.
My friends from the way were heading home but we enjoyed walking around Bayonne in daylight. It's a beautiful city.
I've got some lovely pics in day and nightlight.
Ps the Monte Carlo has statues out front of 2 gentlemen seated and wearing dark glasses in suits. Quite fun.

Buen Camino

 

[Devon Mike]

Try this one: albergue-bayonne.com

 

[jakob have]

thanks for all the replies! I'm gonna try book a room at Hotel Monte Carlo and hope there is room.

 

[Deleted member 43780]

hotel Basque Cote (or is it Cote Basque ?? always mix name up) directly across the street from train station. To your left at about 11 o'clock position. Stayed there two times. It is ok. Breakfast. Catch train to SJLDL early am. If train isn't running, catch bus right out side (in parking lot to your left) train station.

Take a look around Bayonne if you have time. Nice place.

 

[naplesdon]

At 21h you should have enough time to get checked into a hotel and still find time for a memorable meal at one of the riverfront cafes along La Nive. Chill out the next morning and explore the city and see the cathedral. There is a train at 11h10 that will get you to SJPdP by 12h28, the pilgrim office opens around 14h and you can visit the town and have another fine Basque meal before you head for the Spanish border the next morning.

 

[Adrian Harding 65]

At 21h you should have enough time to get checked into a hotel and still find time for a memorable meal at one of the riverfront cafes along La Nive. Chill out the next morning and explore the city and see the cathedral. There is a train at 11h10 that will get you to SJPdP by 12h28, the pilgrim office opens around 14h and you can visit the town and have another fine Basque meal before you head for the Spanish border the next morning.

This response is going to make me have to change my plans. I was also going to spend the night in Bayonne, take the early train to SJPDP on March 18th, check in at the Pilgrims Office, buy my provisions and head off up the Valcarlos route late morning. It hadn't occurred to me that the Pilgrims office wouldn't be open until 14h. Everyone recommends starting at the Pilgrims Office, because the staff are so welcoming and helpful (I've seen the You Tube videos which prove this). Also, I wanted to get my first sello there. Advise me: should I wait until it opens, and do a much shorter walk in the afternoon, or should I get my first sello somewhere else (the Tourist office perhaps? Is it open in the morning of March 18th?) and miss the pleasures of the Pilgrims office. Any advice would be very helpful and much appreciated.

 

[Gypsea Moon]

This response is going to make me have to change my plans. I was also going to spend the night in Bayonne, take the early train to SJPDP on March 18th, check in at the Pilgrims Office, buy my provisions and head off up the Valcarlos route late morning. It hadn't occurred to me that the Pilgrims office wouldn't be open until 14h. Everyone recommends starting at the Pilgrims Office, because the staff are so welcoming and helpful (I've seen the You Tube videos which prove this). Also, I wanted to get my first sello there. Advise me: should I wait until it opens, and do a much shorter walk in the afternoon, or should I get my first sello somewhere else (the Tourist office perhaps? Is it open in the morning of March 18th?) and miss the pleasures of the Pilgrims office. Any advice would be very helpful and much appreciated.

Hi Adrian, the Pilgrim Office was open in the morning too when i was there last week... the volunteers were just closing for lunch time.
Was planning to walk until Valcarlos (appx 15 km?) but arrived there around 11am, so decided to keep going until Roncevalles... which was quite a hard first day walk!
I would say that leaving SJPP late morning or beginning afternoon instead of early morning and stop in Valcarlos sounds like a good option.
Buen Camino!

 

[Gypsea Moon]

thanks for your reply, and indeed I’m taking the train in the morning. btw I won’t be there until Monday. what has me (unnecessarily?)worried is experiences from past travels in France with backpack, getting unwanted attention from people after dark. I don't feel comfortable walking around alone in this country anymore. But I'm a shitty planner, and now i guess i gotta face my demons before i even begin the camino.

Hi Jakob, not the planner type myself. The day i had to take the bus to Bayonne, i received an email from the company few hours before departure saying it was cancelled - Flixbus .
Did a quick search on internet to find another bus to Bayonne leaving 2 hours later. Just threw some stuff in a shopping bag to sort out later, took my backpack that wasnt packed, and was able to buy a last minute ticket. The bus arrived appx. 15hours later in Bayonne at 3.30 am. I understand what you mean by not really feeling like staying after dark... it was also very cold, and the train station only opens around 5.30 am, so they were few homeless guys waiting on the front with me. They were ok really... but would have much preferred warm hotel room.
Buen Camino!

 

[Annie P]

I booked the a Hotel Cote Basque as it was across the street from the station. Handful of others on train did likewise. We arrived after 22:00 so it was lovely to have accomodation so close.

 

[Don Kim]

I'll be arriving Bayonne from Montparnasse at 17:32 and I have to catch the train leaving at 18:06 to St, Jean. I've bought a ticket online( 14.6 euro) and I still have to use a ticket machine to get a ticket at the Bayonne train station. I wonder what chance I might miss the train because of a short time allowance.

 

[Tincatinker]

The odds are about the same as winning the Lottery, tripping over the cat and breaking your leg, forgetting to pack your toothbrush or getting food poisoning from a dodgy moule in the Restaurant L'Assiette. Unless of course your train is delayed

Luckily Bayonne is a lovely city to be 'stranded' in.

 

[Don Kim]

Unless the TGV's delayed, are the 35 minutes enough to get the ticket from the machine and board the St. Jean bound train?
Second question is that arrival station from Paris is same as departure station to St. jean?

 

[Adrian Harding 65]

Hi Adrian, the Pilgrim Office was open in the morning too when i was there last week... the volunteers were just closing for lunch time.
Was planning to walk until Valcarlos (appx 15 km?) but arrived there around 11am, so decided to keep going until Roncevalles... which was quite a hard first day walk!
I would say that leaving SJPP late morning or beginning afternoon instead of early morning and stop in Valcarlos sounds like a good option.
Buen Camino!

That's great to know. The "60" in my name might give you a clue about my age and level of fitness, so, just like you, I wanted to keep my options open. If I was making good progress, I would keep going to Roncesvalles, but if I felt that easing myself in was the better idea, then I'd rest overnight at Valcarlos. If the office had been closed, it would have removed that choice. Thanks for your speedy response and suggestion.

 

[mspath]

Unless the TGV's delayed, are the 35 minutes enough to get the ticket from the machine and board the St. Jean bound train?
Second question is that arrival station from Paris is same as departure station to St. jean?

You have time to get your ticket
from the machine in Bayonne. However you could print that Bayonne/SJPdP ticket in Montparnasse/Paris before you set out.
There is only one rr station in Bayonne ; it is small and easily navigable. The staff is helpful and serves multitudes of tourists and pilgrims each year.

Bon voyage and Buen camino!

 

[Don Kim]

You have time to get your ticket
from the machine in Bayonne. However you could print that Bayonne/SJPdP ticket in Montparnasse/Paris before you set out.
There is only one rr station in Bayonne ; it is small and easily navigable. The staff is helpful and serves multitudes of tourists and pilgrims each year.

Bon voyage and Buen camino!

Thank you so much.
Your reply helped me to easy my tension.