jakob have
New Member
- Time of past OR future Camino
- Camino Frances march (2017)
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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....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.
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.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.
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.
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.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!
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?
Thank you so much.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!
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