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Search 69,459 Camino Questions

COVID Trouble contacting Orisson.

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CWBuff

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Frances & Finisterre 05-07/22 Fran 26? d Nort 27?
Sometime last year (when everyone was crying for money) I contacted Orison and Roncesvalles telling them that I would be more than happy to pre-pay for a given reservation for specified dates in May 2021. Granted, I was not outright 'donating' but still.... if you need cash flow "NOW" -well here it is....
The comunication emails from both places were answered in 1-day turnaround and after couple of pertinent rounds of each - the reservations were secured.
Shortly after I posted this-here my post above, I emailed both places with apologies and explanation that due to all this ongoing situation I will not be coming. I DID NOT ask for my money back but rather with most respectful "would you please be so very kind as to consider" asked if we could simply reschedule for the same time next year (adjusting the date accordingly since I want to keep the same day-of-the week schedule - i.e. I will be arriving on Saturday \ Sunday).
Couple of emails and a whole week later - I got no replies 😢. One would think that a month-in-advance notification would be sufficient to make any changes in establishment's calendar. One would also think that some form of reply (even if it is a rejection) would be proper, business-like and a nice thing to do.
I can understand that there are things beyond any ones control, and things do happen, and perhaps people are busy.... but it is now almost a whole week with no reply.....
Very disheartening and it does put a damper on any planning
Sorry, just had to 'get it out there' 👋
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
Sometime last year (when everyone was crying for money) I contacted Orison and Roncesvalles telling them that I would be more than happy to pre-pay for a given reservation for specified dates in May 2021. Granted, I was not outright 'donating' but still.... if you need cash flow "NOW" -well here it is....
The comunication emails from both places were answered in 1-day turnaround and after couple of pertinent rounds of each - the reservations were secured.
Shortly after I posted this-here my post above, I emailed both places with apologies and explanation that due to all this ongoing situation I will not be coming. I DID NOT ask for my money back but rather with most respectful "would you please be so very kind as to consider" asked if we could simply reschedule for the same time next year (adjusting the date accordingly since I want to keep the same day-of-the week schedule - i.e. I will be arriving on Saturday \ Sunday).
Couple of emails and a whole week later - I got no replies 😢. One would think that a month-in-advance notification would be sufficient to make any changes in establishment's calendar. One would also think that some form of reply (even if it is a rejection) would be proper, business-like and a nice thing to do.
I can understand that there are things beyond any ones control, and things do happen, and perhaps people are busy.... but it is now almost a whole week with no reply.....
Very disheartening and it does put a damper on any planning
Sorry, just had to 'get it out there' 👋

Why don’t you simply send another messge. Tell them you can not yet leave the country and can you reschedule for 22. Perhaps they do not yet have a calendar available for 22?
 
@Marbe2 - I wholeheartedly agree with you and I will send another email tomorrow (more or less "business day").
That said - your suggestion is exactly what I have already said - i.e. I am sorry but I cannot leave the country and travel to France\Spain due to current COVID situation and would you please be so kind as to reschedule for 2022?
I got no replies - not we are sorry but we do not yet have a calendar available for 22, we are sorry but we cannot honor your request, ....not anything at all (to put a spin on an old American joke - I am not deaf, I'm just ignoring you....)
Well... it will be what it will be and thanks for kind suggestion
 
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St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
I remember was a thread several months ago that Orisson has decided not to do any refunds and most pilgrims agreed with this was a fair idea to help them sustain their operation with donations during the crisis of 2020...
 
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Couple of emails and a whole week later - I got no replies 😢.

Hi, on 1 Feb this year I emailed Orisson to request a change of date from 5 May 2021 to 28 April 2022, due to covid.

On 4 March (almost a month later) I received a reply to say that they had made a refund (received!), and to book for Apr 2022 in November this year.

Hope that helps . . .
 
Get a spanish phone number with Airalo. eSim, so no physical SIM card. Easy to use app to add more funds if needed.
Sometime last year (when everyone was crying for money) I contacted Orison and Roncesvalles telling them that I would be more than happy to pre-pay for a given reservation for specified dates in May 2021. Granted, I was not outright 'donating' but still.... if you need cash flow "NOW" -well here it is....
The comunication emails from both places were answered in 1-day turnaround and after couple of pertinent rounds of each - the reservations were secured.
Shortly after I posted this-here my post above, I emailed both places with apologies and explanation that due to all this ongoing situation I will not be coming. I DID NOT ask for my money back but rather with most respectful "would you please be so very kind as to consider" asked if we could simply reschedule for the same time next year (adjusting the date accordingly since I want to keep the same day-of-the week schedule - i.e. I will be arriving on Saturday \ Sunday).
Couple of emails and a whole week later - I got no replies 😢. One would think that a month-in-advance notification would be sufficient to make any changes in establishment's calendar. One would also think that some form of reply (even if it is a rejection) would be proper, business-like and a nice thing to do.
I can understand that there are things beyond any ones control, and things do happen, and perhaps people are busy.... but it is now almost a whole week with no reply.....
Very disheartening and it does put a damper on any planning
Sorry, just had to 'get it out there' 👋
Just start in Pamplona. The apparent stress of managing an Orrison booking simply isn’t worth it.
 
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Just start in Pamplona. The apparent stress of managing an Orison booking simply isn’t worth it.
I have not stayed at Orrison myself, and although people absolutely love staying there, we all have read of numerous complaints of many who try to book with them and the often difficulty and frustration involved in securing a reservation.
 
Just start in Pamplona. The apparent stress of managing an Orison booking simply isn’t worth it.
I have started in SJpdP 1 time, staying in Orrison, and 3 times (I think) in Pamplona. SJpdP is not worth the hassle: I prefer Pamplona. I simply don't get the fuzz about SJpdP...
 
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It takes a lot of planning & money to get to SJpdP, whereas going to Pamplona is so easy: Fly into Barcelona/Madrid, enjoy a meal & the city, sleep well, and take a train/bus in the morning to Pamplona in a relaxed manner, enjoying the landscape slipping by, with a glass of wine in the restaurant couch: 3-4 hours journey. Then get a bed & sello in the Jesus y Maria albergue to get the feeling of the Camino, get up and walk out of Pamplona the morning after. Easy & cost-effective, and you are on your Way, like that.



Don't forget: If you are 60+, you are eligible to buy a Carta Dorada (gold card) with RENFE, which gives you 25% (!) discount on all train tickets in Spain for a whole year. It is a true bargain. It will cost you 6 Euros, which is saved manyfold on your very first journey :)
 
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It takes a lot of planning & money to get to SJpdP, whereas going to Pamplona is so easy: Fly into Barcelona/Madrid, enjoy a meal & the city, sleep well, and take a train/bus in the morning to Pamplona in a relaxed manner, enjoying the landscape slipping by, with a glass of wine in the restaurant couch: 3-4 hours journey. Then get up and walk out of Pamplona the morning after. Easy & cost-effective.



Don't forget: If you are 60+, you are eligible to buy a Carta Dorada (gold card) with RENFE, which gives you 25% discount on all train tickets in Spain for a whole year. It will cost you 6 Euros, which is saved on your very first journey :)
SJPdP was actually easier by train from London than flying. In fact I will take some convincing to get back on a plane in North West Europe if there is a reasonable rail option.

Whoever sold SJPdP as the starting point should get a marketing award. The walk over Pyrenees was fantastic but the idea of the CF starting there is completely arbitrary as far as I can tell. Maybe Le Puy should declare a Camino War.

Salamanca and Zamora are both great jumping off points with regular trains from Madrid. Zamora is on the high speed line to Galicia, and for railway buffs the spur to Salamanca requires a gauge change just outside Medina del Campo. I saw an explanation for this in a Chris Tarrant documentary on the Spanish railways but for the life of me I can't remember what it was.
 
Ideal pocket guides for during & after your Camino. Each weighs only 1.4 oz (40g)!
@alexwalker - if I start at Barcelona I will never see Camino!!! 😁 🤣
I do appreciate people saying 'skip this part and start at...' it makes sense especially if said people already been through experience.
But heck.... for better or worse I do want to start in SJPdP and experience "the climb" and whatever comes with.
So, to stick to my original post and the replies that somewhat put me at ease - I'll wait and hopefully will get a reply.
 
@alexwalker - if I start at Barcelona I will never see Camino!!! 😁 🤣
I do appreciate people saying 'skip this part and start at...' it makes sense especially if said people already been through experience.
But heck.... for better or worse I do want to start in SJPdP and experience "the climb" and whatever comes with.
So, to stick to my original post and the replies that somewhat put me at ease - I'll wait and hopefully will get a reply.
You will, but it is your Camino, and noone else should decide for you.
 
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Orisson take a while to answer because there have no email facilities there, someone does it for them near St Jean (a sister or niece?) but only one day a week or rather a fortnight - I can’t remember. (Or when they have time, basically!). They told me when last there a few years ago.
 
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@alexwalker - if I start at Barcelona I will never see Camino!!! 😁 🤣
I do appreciate people saying 'skip this part and start at...' it makes sense especially if said people already been through experience.
But heck.... for better or worse I do want to start in SJPdP and experience "the climb" and whatever comes with.
So, to stick to my original post and the replies that somewhat put me at ease - I'll wait and hopefully will get a reply.
There is a certain dramatic and satisfying element to crossing a mountain, and a country boundary, to begin the walk that I like too. And I like St Jean, its a nice town. even though I've done it before I would start there again. Walking from one country to another is kind of cool. Especially as I live on an island.
At dinner in Roncesvalles, people are all quite excited and thrilled to have walked from St Jean. Its a very positive vibe - you've all had a similar experience - and often friends are made and Camino families are formed there.
I dont know your age or fitness, but walking over without stopping is very doable, I have never stayed at Orisson either, and never contemplated it. It really isnt very far from St Jean. Roncesvalles doesn't start processing people until about 3 in the afternoon either so there is plenty of time to get there. We take our time, stop at Orisson for coffee and something to eat, then continue on. They have a nice outdoor area to enjoy your food if its fine.
The climb gets easier after Orisson as well. Further up there is a caravan selling drinks etc, and we stop here as well for a breather.
I have read that some people get a taxi down and back to break the walk into 2 days - so if you prefer to break the walk there is that option too.
Orisson is quite small, most people do just walk to Roncesvalles in one go. Just take your time.
So if you dont hear back from them, there are other options.
 
Hi @CWBuff , I completely understand your wanting to start in St Jean! It's a wonderful place to begin!

And, do I understand you want a confirmation at Orisson for May 2022? - If I have that right, maybe wait until a bit after 19 May when they open - just a couple more weeks... Best of luck, and Buen Camino!!

Here's their website in English: https://refuge-orisson.com/en/ Hope this helps...
 
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@Anamiri l am about 2 months shy of turning 62. I am reasonably in good health and moderate fitness. (Probably could stand loosing 20lbs...but that's neither here nor there)
I am a hiker, did plenty of them in my youth; hiked Camino Inca in 2011and have been training within my ability since I started planning about 2 years ago
I probably could do Roncesvalles in 1 day...but just don't want to 😁
If I only have to hike 8 km one day after all the travel I just did, I can get a leisurely delayed start, perhaps explore SJPdP a little bit and spend an evening at Orison enjoying surrounded area (as in "nature", Pyrenees, the sunset... you get the idea)
Then it's kind of the same next morning - take my time since, as you pointed out, got until 3pm to be there...
I got 40 days total (perhaps even 41 now that I am thinking 2022) and sort of can afford to start easy
... Just the way I have it in my head, ya know?! 😉
 
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If I only have to hike 8 km one day after all the travel I just did, I can get a leisurely delayed start, perhaps explore SJPdP a little bit and spend an evening at Orison enjoying surrounded area (as in "nature", Pyrenees, the sunset... you get the idea)

Exactly how I like to do it. The Pyrenees are so beautiful. Splitting up the walk from SJPdP to Roncesvalles extends your time there. Enjoy the morning in St Jean with a late breakfast before you do the 5 mile walk to Orisson. Once at Orisson relax and enjoy some vin or bière and meet the other pilgrims.
 
Or even, take the more traditional route via Valcarlos, which is a delightful walk. The Albergue in Valcarlos can be prebooked and there is other accommodation there, as well as shops and restaurants. If the weather is very bad, you may be forced into taking this route anyway. Though the chances of that in May are very slim. 😊
 
@Anamiri l am about 2 months shy of turning 62. I am reasonably in good health and moderate fitness. (Probably could stand loosing 20lbs...but that's neither here nor there)
I am a hiker, did plenty of them in my youth; hiked Camino Inca in 2011and have been training within my ability since I started planning about 2 years ago
I probably could do Roncesvalles in 1 day...but just don't want to 😁
If I only have to hike 8 km one day after all the travel I just did, I can get a leisurely delayed start, perhaps explore SJPdP a little bit and spend an evening at Orison enjoying surrounded area (as in "nature", Pyrenees, the sunset... you get the idea)
Then it's kind of the same next morning - take my time since, as you pointed out, got until 3pm to be there...
I got 40 days total (perhaps even 41 now that I am thinking 2022) and sort of can afford to start easy
... Just the way I have it in my head, ya know?! 😉
CW like you I probably could do Roncessvalles in one day but don't want to for all the same reasons as you. I changed my 2020 flight to this September and don't want to book anything that is not 100% refundable. I have booked 2 nights in SJPP and will walk to the half way mark on day 1 and catch the mountain shuttle back to SJPP. On day 2 I will catch the shuttle back to where I left off and walk from there.
I just hope it all works out
 
Join the Camino Cleanup in May from Ponferrada to Sarria. Registration closes Mar 22.
I have started in SJpdP 1 time, staying in Orrison, and 3 times (I think) in Pamplona. SJpdP is not worth the hassle: I prefer Pamplona. I simply don't get the fuzz about SJpdP...
Or you can split the difference and start in Roncevalles, where I started for by my Caminos Frances. It isn't too hard to get to from Pamplona, and that way when you got to the "half way marker" at the entrance to Sahagun, you will really be at the half way point.
 
@alexwalker - if I start at Barcelona I will never see Camino!!! 😁 🤣
I do appreciate people saying 'skip this part and start at...' it makes sense especially if said people already been through experience.
But heck.... for better or worse I do want to start in SJPdP and experience "the climb" and whatever comes with.
So, to stick to my original post and the replies that somewhat put me at ease - I'll wait and hopefully will get a reply.
You could also consider starting at Ostabat, about 20 km farther away from SdC than SJPdP. It is where the French routes from Paris, Vezelay, and Le Puy join. The section from Ostabat to SJPdP has to be part of the Camino Frances. If not, which Camino is it part of? So by starting at Ostabat, you'd really get the whole Camino Frances ;) 😁 And you'd get a few more kilometres of conditioning before you tackled the big hills.
 
Let the man start walking in May 2022 from SJPP, stay at Orisson for the night and be one of the lucky 28 pilgrims who get a chance to sleep and wake up at altitude in the Pyrenees, and walk to Roncesvalles the next morning and later join the chorus of those who have other propositions to make. Right now, he wants to know what will happen to the €40 that he has paid for his May 2021 reservation at Orisson and that he will not be able to use :cool:.

(I started way before even Ostabat 😁).
 
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3rd Edition. More content, training & pack guides avoid common mistakes, bed bugs etc
Let the man start walking in May 2022 from SJPP, stay at Orisson for the night and be one of the lucky 28 pilgrims who get a chance to sleep and wake up at altitude in the Pyrenees, and walk to Roncesvalles the next morning and later join the chorus of those who have other propositions to make. Right now, he wants to know what will happen to the €40 that he has paid for his May 2021 reservation at Orisson and that he will not be able to use :cool:.

(I started way before even Ostabat 😁).
He can, of course, start from wherever he likes. I was just tossing out some alternatives, or responding to the alternatives others had tossed out. No one is dictating what he must do. :)

Many people start from far before Ostabat. But until Ostabat they are walking on other routes. :cool:
 
But until Ostabat they are walking on other routes. :cool:
Oh, we could debate naming conventions ... la voie de Tours, le chemin navarrais, el camino navarro and last but not least el camino francés which doesn't start in Ostabat, SJPP or Pamplona but just before Puente la Reina, doesn't it? 🙃
 
Is it the Camino Frances or the Camino de Santiago?

I was led to believe that the Camino starts when you leave your own house.

As for the OP, methinks based on the many postings regarding that particular Albergue's response to emails a fair amount of patience is required. Pointless trying to shame them as this is a well known fact and takes absolutely nothing away from the top class service they offer their customers in all other respects.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Is it the Camino Frances or the Camino de Santiago?

I was led to believe that the Camino starts when you leave your own house.
There are many Ways to Santiago de Compostela, and all of them are the Camino de Santiago. That said, a number of the routes to Santiago have been given their own names. Some of the more well known are: Camino Frances, Camino Portugues, Camino del Norte, Camino Primitivo, Via de la Plata, Camino Mozarabe, Ruta de la Lana, and so on and so on and so on. There are, I'm sure, hundreds. Walking on any of these routes, one is walking the Camino de Santiago. But some of us find it useful, sometimes, to indicate which Camino de Santiago one is talking about.

Personally, I believe someone's Camino begins wherever they consider it beginning.
 
I have started in SJpdP 1 time, staying in Orrison, and 3 times (I think) in Pamplona. SJpdP is not worth the hassle: I prefer Pamplona. I simply don't get the fuzz about SJpdP...
I agree with you about this. When I last walked the CF starting in late October I was going to begin in St. Jean. I actually was looking forward to walking up Valcarlos. But I had to start in Pamplona so I could finish in time to spend a week with my daughter in Porto. Her scheduled changed so it was either starting in Pamplona and a week with my girl or starting in St Jean and only 4 days with her. Easy choice and I didn't feel like my Camino would have been any different starting in St Jean. We should never say never but having walked CF 3 times now and liking quiet caminos there is a good chance I may not walk CF again.
 
Oh, we could debate naming conventions ... la voie de Tours, le chemin navarrais, el camino navarro and last but not least el camino francés which doesn't start in Ostabat, SJPP or Pamplona but just before Puente la Reina, doesn't it? 🙃
Don't get me started. :)

I've given up my ideas that the Camino Frances starts just before Puente la Reina and before that is either the Camino Navarro or the Camino Aragones, or that the Camino Navarro and Camino Aragones are both part of the Camino Frances, which includes both the Ibañeta Pass and the Somport Pass, as laid out in my Guia del Peregrino from the 80s. Sometimes I just have to accept that language changes, just as I have to accept that now "fulsome" means "comprehensive".

But I hold on to my thought that if the Camino Frances is said to start where the Via Podiensis, Via Lemovicensis, and the Via Turonensis merge, which I believe was the intent behind the SJPdP choice, then that really is Ostabat rather than SJPdP.
 
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It takes a lot of planning & money to get to SJpdP, whereas going to Pamplona is so easy: Fly into Barcelona/Madrid, enjoy a meal & the city, sleep well, and take a train/bus in the morning to Pamplona in a relaxed manner, enjoying the landscape slipping by, with a glass of wine in the restaurant couch: 3-4 hours journey. Then get a bed & sello in the Jesus y Maria albergue to get the feeling of the Camino, get up and walk out of Pamplona the morning after. Easy & cost-effective, and you are on your Way, like that.



Don't forget: If you are 60+, you are eligible to buy a Carta Dorada (gold card) with RENFE, which gives you 25% (!) discount on all train tickets in Spain for a whole year. It is a true bargain. It will cost you 6 Euros, which is saved manyfold on your very first journey :)
Me again haha. When I walked in 2019 I slept a night in Madrid right by the airport to recover and the next morning flew to Pamplona. I got a flight on Vueling for 20 Euros. Had a great night sleep in Madrid. Had breakfast the next morning, hotel shuttle to the airport and I was at the Albergue Jesus y Maria by one, bought some cheap hiking poles and cheap pocket knife around the corner at Caminoteca, had a great lunch with a guy from France who started in Le Puy at 3, walked around, dinner, walked around, sleep and the next morning took my first step! Perfect. (the exact times of everything listed above may be off a little haha)
 
You could also consider starting at Ostabat, about 20 km farther away from SdC than SJPdP. It is where the French routes from Paris, Vezelay, and Le Puy join. The section from Ostabat to SJPdP has to be part of the Camino Frances. If not, which Camino is it part of? So by starting at Ostabat, you'd really get the whole Camino Frances ;) 😁 And you'd get a few more kilometres of conditioning before you tackled the big hills.
When I walked the CF the first time I trained like a lunatic and still collapsed when I got on the terrace at Orison. The second time I knew how to walk more efficiently for me. I trained less and couldn't believe how easy the walk up to Orison was the second time. But I wonder if it helped that I started in Le Puy a month earlier??;):) Just possible ya think?? The couple of weeks out of Le Puy sure gets you in shape, that is for sure. Do that Camino and they walk out of St. Jean is like walking 8k on the Meseta.
 
Don't get me started. :) I've given up my ideas that the Camino Frances starts
Tempora ... Times are changed, we also are changed with them ... I've given up my ideas that the only way to Santiago is the way from your front door where you cover every step of the way on foot, with perhaps the exception of the ferry from Blaye to the other side of the Gironde estuary, and now I say if you are a newcomer and want to experience the whole lot, walking, history, gastronomy, meeting locals, and the company of fellow pilgrims, and transformation, and whatnot, and you have the time, then by all means start in SJPP, and if you either never have walked up a smaller mountain or simply love mountain views, then by all means walk over the higher pass and not through the valley. 🙃
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
It would be interesting to hear about recent experience with requests for cancellations or change of dates of reservations at Orisson.

On Facebook, people have reported that the Refuge Orisson is currently open to the extent that they bought a coffee there, and on the Orisson website it says that they plan to open on the 19th of May and that, and I quote, deposits paid will not be refundable even in case of pandemic, closure, impossibility to travel etc. This may sound like a "rough" way for some of you but we can no longer spend time processing bookings and payments and then processing cancellations and refunds.

Any first hand reports of their actual current policy?
 
"Patience, grasshopper, patience," advised a friend when I was initiating the reservation process with Orisson in 2017. Breathe deep. Relax. Drink wine. You will hear from them in due course. You will be confirmed. You will be happy. You will celebrate this small victory. Drink wine. Toast to the mountains.
 
Orisson, as seen two weeks ago on 17 April 2021. The pilgrim who took this photo said that they were still officially closed but he got a coffee and wrote into their guest book. The previous entry was from 17 October 2020.

Orisson April 2021.jpg
 
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New Original Camino Gear Designed Especially with The Modern Peregrino In Mind!
There are many Ways to Santiago de Compostela, and all of them are the Camino de Santiago. ....

Personally, I believe someone's Camino begins wherever they consider it beginning.
I do believe that about 1.5 years ago on one of the threads I posted a map of walking to SdC from Vladivostok (Gees talking about mountains to cross! :rolleyes:...and NO I did not do it.... yet....;))
 
I do believe that about 1.5 years ago on one of the threads I posted a map of walking to SdC from Vladivostok (Gees talking about mountains to cross! :rolleyes:...and NO I did not do it.... yet....;))
wow that would be a great trip. Moscow to Vladivostok by trans Siberian express (I did it to Beijing & back) then walk to Santiago
 
The idea of starting from Ostabat has excited me, since I finished my study of the Codex Calixtinus. It now feels like the start of, or major transfer point for, the Camino Frances, as a continuation of three of the French routes. I have previously walked the Aragones, from Oloron Ste Marie. If I can do it, any further Camino Frances for me will start in Ostabat and pass through Valcarlos to Roncesvalles.
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
It takes a lot of planning & money to get to SJpdP, whereas going to Pamplona is so easy: Fly into Barcelona/Madrid, enjoy a meal & the city, sleep well, and take a train/bus in the morning to Pamplona in a relaxed manner, enjoying the landscape slipping by, with a glass of wine in the restaurant couch: 3-4 hours journey. Then get a bed & sello in the Jesus y Maria albergue to get the feeling of the Camino, get up and walk out of Pamplona the morning after. Easy & cost-effective, and you are on your Way, like that.



Don't forget: If you are 60+, you are eligible to buy a Carta Dorada (gold card) with RENFE, which gives you 25% (!) discount on all train tickets in Spain for a whole year. It is a true bargain. It will cost you 6 Euros, which is saved manyfold on your very first journey :)
Absolutely agree but ive been going on about crossing the pyrenees for years to my 82 yr old father in law so its yet another debt of honour im going to take him across even if i have to carry him so im planning on Orisson to break it into 2 days walk.
that is subject to everything else that the whole world is going through
 
The first edition came out in 2003 and has become the go-to-guide for many pilgrims over the years. It is shipping with a Pilgrim Passport (Credential) from the cathedral in Santiago de Compostela.
I contacted Orison and Roncesvalles telling them that I would be more than happy to pre-pay for a given reservation for specified dates in May 2021
Perhaps also worth knowing: Roncesvalles albergue says currently on their website that Ya puede realizar su reserva para estancias a partir del 1 de junio del año 2021, and it is actually not possible to book for May 2021 on their website. Currently, the first possible date for booking a bed at the albergue is 1 June 2021. I can't say, however, that this means that the albergue won't open before the end of May. And as we know, these things can change from one day to the next. The pilgrim I mentioned earlier stayed at the Casa Sabina in Roncesvalles recently.
 
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It would be interesting to hear about recent experience with requests for cancellations or change of dates of reservations at Orisson.

On Facebook, people have reported that the Refuge Orisson is currently open to the extent that they bought a coffee there, and on the Orisson website it says that they plan to open on the 19th of May and that, and I quote, deposits paid will not be refundable even in case of pandemic, closure, impossibility to travel etc. This may sound like a "rough" way for some of you but we can no longer spend time processing bookings and payments and then processing cancellations and refunds.

Any first hand reports of their actual current policy?
Thanks Kathar1na,
I was sure I had read that quote somewhere.
I had the luxury of living in Biarritz for several years so if I need a Camino fix I would drive to Orisson for a view of the mountains, a carafe of of wine and a "bocailla" which is not a term used in France. We would rather call it a sandwich with Jambon de Bayonne and fromage.
Anyway, Jean Jacques is a reasonable man but he has a business to run and has been affected by the Covid Pandemic like many other albergue owners in Spain. Give him a break and let him bring is operation back to normal.
As many of us know this Refuge is not a four star hotel, but it does has comfortable dormitories as well as an outstanding community dinner at night, even if you have to toss a few euros in the slot for a hot shower.
 
Ideal sleeping bag liner whether we want to add a thermal plus to our bag, or if we want to use it alone to sleep in shelters or hostels. Thanks to its mummy shape, it adapts perfectly to our body.

€46,-
Exactly how I like to do it. The Pyrenees are so beautiful. Splitting up the walk from SJPdP to Roncesvalles extends your time there. Enjoy the morning in St Jean with a late breakfast before you do the 5 mile walk to Orisson. Once at Orisson relax and enjoy some vin or bière and meet the other pilgrims.
I certainly enjoyed walking the Pyrenees in two days. Orisson was lovely, but, when I walked, I had the auberge to myself!
 
Sometime last year (when everyone was crying for money) I contacted Orison and Roncesvalles telling them that I would be more than happy to pre-pay for a given reservation for specified dates in May 2021. Granted, I was not outright 'donating' but still.... if you need cash flow "NOW" -well here it is....
The comunication emails from both places were answered in 1-day turnaround and after couple of pertinent rounds of each - the reservations were secured.
Shortly after I posted this-here my post above, I emailed both places with apologies and explanation that due to all this ongoing situation I will not be coming. I DID NOT ask for my money back but rather with most respectful "would you please be so very kind as to consider" asked if we could simply reschedule for the same time next year (adjusting the date accordingly since I want to keep the same day-of-the week schedule - i.e. I will be arriving on Saturday \ Sunday).
Couple of emails and a whole week later - I got no replies 😢. One would think that a month-in-advance notification would be sufficient to make any changes in establishment's calendar. One would also think that some form of reply (even if it is a rejection) would be proper, business-like and a nice thing to do.
I can understand that there are things beyond any ones control, and things do happen, and perhaps people are busy.... but it is now almost a whole week with no reply.....
Very disheartening and it does put a damper on any planning
Sorry, just had to 'get it out there' 👋
It’s spring. The trees are turning green. Lawnmowers or humming along in the suburbs. And the pilgrims are unsuccessfully trying to contact Orison. The world seems to be getting more back to normal today.
 
Orison's community supper is a great way to start the Camino. Coming from Canada we arrived in Bayonne for the 'first' night. Nice town, good supper and a great sleep. Then the train to SJPP like Martin Sheen in The Way, relaxation and exploring before checking in at the Camino office (before Noon) and starting the trek. Lovely relaxed 2-3 hour walk (relatively speaking as it is a pretty steady steep climb) up to Orison. Fantastic views. The next day we lunched in Roncesvalles and made it to Espinal. The next day we pushed through to Pamplona and so the Camino was truly underway.
 
The one from Galicia (the round) and the one from Castilla & Leon. Individually numbered and made by the same people that make the ones you see on your walk.
@Anamiri l am about 2 months shy of turning 62. I am reasonably in good health and moderate fitness. (Probably could stand loosing 20lbs...but that's neither here nor there)
I am a hiker, did plenty of them in my youth; hiked Camino Inca in 2011and have been training within my ability since I started planning about 2 years ago
Je pourrais probablement faire Roncesvalles en 1 jour ... mais je ne veux pas 😁
If I only have to hike 8 km one day after all the travel I just did, I can get a leisurely delayed start, perhaps explore SJPdP a little bit and spend an evening at Orison enjoying surrounded area (as in "nature", Pyrenees, the sunset... you get the idea)
Then it's kind of the same next morning - take my time since, as you pointed out, got until 3pm to be there...
J’ai eu 40 jours au total (peut-être même 41 maintenant que je pense 2022) et sorte de peut se permettre... Juste la façon don’t je l’ai dans ma têUne nouvelle auberge un ouvert cette année 900m après Orisson. Vous pouvez réserver à cette adresse: aubergeborda @

@alexwalker - if I start at Barcelona I will never see Camino!!! 😁 🤣
I do appreciate people saying 'skip this part and start at...' it makes sense especially if said people already been through experience.
But heck.... for better or worse I do want to start in SJPdP and experience "the climb" and whatever comes with.
So, to stick to my original post and the replies that somewhat put me at ease - I'll wait and hopefully will get a reply.
A new hostel opened this year 900m after Orisson. You can book at this address: aubergeborda@gmail.com
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
on the Orisson website it says that they plan to open on the 19th of May
Not terribly relevant for your request, @CWBuff, but I noticed today why the gîte Orisson plans to open on the 19th of May. This is the date when, according to the plan of the French government, les commerces et les terrasses, i.e non-essential shops and outside cafés and outside restaurants, will be allowed to open again, https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/actualites/A14859.

The booking that you want to have changed to next year is a bit later than the 19th, if I remember correctly.
 
I remember was a thread several months ago that Orisson has decided not to do any refunds and most pilgrims agreed with this was a fair idea to help them sustain their operation with donations during the crisis of 2020...
Why no refunds? I have stayed there a number of times scenery excellent and meals, but the guy ( owner ) seems at times to get nasty and have witnessed this with a number of other pilgrims. Personally if was to pass by there would stop for a drink and pass on by.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
would stop for a drink and pass on by
As do most walkers because there are days when hundreds start from SJPP and only 28 of them can spend the night at the Refuge Orisson.

I've actually not seen a single comment about people not having received a refund or not having the date of their booking changed upon request since the start of the Covid-19 public health crisis a year ago.

I would not surprised if the warning on the website serves mainly to deter people from making "just in case" bookings while the situation concerning restrictions on mobility and commerce are still unclear.

Several years ago, I had a chance to chat with the owner, Jean-Jacques, while the place was not very busy. I remember him as very helpful and with a great sense of humour.
 
Not terribly relevant for your request, @CWBuff, but I noticed today why the gîte Orisson plans to open on the 19th of May. This is the date when, according to the plan of the French government, les commerces et les terrasses, i.e non-essential shops and outside cafés and outside restaurants, will be allowed to open again, https://www.service-public.fr/particuliers/actualites/A14859.

The booking that you want to have changed to next year is a bit later than the 19th, if I remember correctly.
Yes - i was supposed to be at Orisson on 22nd of May

As per everyone's suggestion I am waiting until they officially open up and hopefully can respond
On abrighter note (and again as per so many posts here true to nature) Roncesvalles replied and changed the current reservation for next year as I have requested with no problems at all
I guess I am a bit shamed and humbled by being somewhat irritated when i created this thread :oops:😥
 
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Why no refunds? I have stayed there a number of times scenery excellent and meals, but the guy ( owner ) seems at times to get nasty and have witnessed this with a number of other pilgrims. Personally if was to pass by there would stop for a drink and pass on by.
I personally disagree with your comment. The ‘guy’ as you call him, Jean-Jacques, the owner, is absolutely lovely and very helpful. So is the staff.
In 2012, my first Camino, they didn’t ask for payments when booking, it was all easy-peasy. They relied on people actually staying there once they had booked.
Like many other albergues, they realised this wasn’t happening any more. It has all changed.
Jean-Jacques is running a business and is probably fed-up with being taken for a ride more often than once...
Just my take on this. 🙂
 
I have stayed there only once. Reserving was some work due to slow response. Most likely due to poor Internet connection up in the mountains. The stay was very good, the food great, and I was warmly welcomed. I made good friends there that lasted my whole Camino and beyond, actually. I have nothing bad to say about this place; quite the contrary: I really enjoyed it. It was a welcomed break for an old man on his way to Roncesvalles.
 
Perhaps also worth knowing: Roncesvalles albergue says currently on their website that Ya puede realizar su reserva para estancias a partir del 1 de junio del año 2021, and it is actually not possible to book for May 2021 on their website. Currently, the first possible date for booking a bed at the albergue is 1 June 2021. I can't say, however, that this means that the albergue won't open before the end of May. And as we know, these things can change from one day to the next. The pilgrim I mentioned earlier stayed at the Casa Sabina in Roncesvalles recently.

As from May 9th at Roncesvalles there is accommodation for pilgrims at La Posada de Roncesvalles. This is in the hotel, not in the albergue. The price for a night is € 20 in a shared room, including disposable sheets. Mandatory sleeping bag and your own towel.
The albergue is still closed, probably until the end of June.
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
As from May 9th at Roncesvalles there is accommodation for pilgrims at La Posada de Roncesvalles. This is in the hotel, not in the albergue. The price for a night is € 20 in a shared room, including disposable sheets. Mandatory sleeping bag and your own towel.
I know that you are well informed, @Ianinam, as you belong to the Dutch association that provides volunteers for the albergue in Roncesvalles. Thank you! I see now that they have added this information to the booking page on their website.

The website says that this arrangement will last from the 9th of May until the 13th of June. So the Roncesvalles albergue is scheduled to remain closed until the middle of June at least.
 
St James' Way - Self-guided 4-7 day Walking Packages, Reading to Southampton, 110 kms
Sometime last year (when everyone was crying for money) I contacted Orison and Roncesvalles telling them that I would be more than happy to pre-pay for a given reservation for specified dates in May 2021. Granted, I was not outright 'donating' but still.... if you need cash flow "NOW" -well here it is....
The comunication emails from both places were answered in 1-day turnaround and after couple of pertinent rounds of each - the reservations were secured.
Shortly after I posted this-here my post above, I emailed both places with apologies and explanation that due to all this ongoing situation I will not be coming. I DID NOT ask for my money back but rather with most respectful "would you please be so very kind as to consider" asked if we could simply reschedule for the same time next year (adjusting the date accordingly since I want to keep the same day-of-the week schedule - i.e. I will be arriving on Saturday \ Sunday).
Couple of emails and a whole week later - I got no replies 😢. One would think that a month-in-advance notification would be sufficient to make any changes in establishment's calendar. One would also think that some form of reply (even if it is a rejection) would be proper, business-like and a nice thing to do.
I can understand that there are things beyond any ones control, and things do happen, and perhaps people are busy.... but it is now almost a whole week with no reply.....
Very disheartening and it does put a damper on any planning
Sorry, just had to 'get it out there' 👋
I, too, have asked the same question of them over a month ago and have not heard a word from them. I pre-paid for three people and now there will be just me and still no response. This is not good business for them or the Camino in general.
 
The focus is on reducing the risk of failure through being well prepared. 2nd ed.
The Camino is not a business
The Camino may not be a business but without business and the many businesses along the Camino there would not be a Camino ... not now and not even in the Middle Ages ....

The Orisson gîte is a business and even the Roncesvalles complex, owned by the Diocese of Pamplona, is run on business principles ... there's sustainable business and environmentally friendly business and business that plugs profits into charitable projects ... business does not equate capitalist consumerist greed, as one or the other might assume. 😎
 
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Sometime last year (when everyone was crying for money) I contacted Orison and Roncesvalles telling them that I would be more than happy to pre-pay for a given reservation for specified dates in May 2021. Granted, I was not outright 'donating' but still.... if you need cash flow "NOW" -well here it is....
The comunication emails from both places were answered in 1-day turnaround and after couple of pertinent rounds of each - the reservations were secured.
Shortly after I posted this-here my post above, I emailed both places with apologies and explanation that due to all this ongoing situation I will not be coming. I DID NOT ask for my money back but rather with most respectful "would you please be so very kind as to consider" asked if we could simply reschedule for the same time next year (adjusting the date accordingly since I want to keep the same day-of-the week schedule - i.e. I will be arriving on Saturday \ Sunday).
Couple of emails and a whole week later - I got no replies 😢. One would think that a month-in-advance notification would be sufficient to make any changes in establishment's calendar. One would also think that some form of reply (even if it is a rejection) would be proper, business-like and a nice thing to do.
I can understand that there are things beyond any ones control, and things do happen, and perhaps people are busy.... but it is now almost a whole week with no reply.....
Very disheartening and it does put a damper on any planning
Sorry, just had to 'get it out there' 👋
Well done for getting this off your chest.
After 5 CF's in the past 3 years my opinion of Orisson has not changed.
They are over-priced, arrogant and, it seems to me, largely disinterested in the individual concerns of their peregrino patrons.
Their freshly squeezed orange juice at EU5, by way of example, is the most expensive for a comparable venue of any on the entire Camino. Toast, coffee and an OJ will set you back almost E10, the same price as a three-course meal with wine in countless hundreds Albergues further down the trail.
Pre-paid tokens for a hot shower that runs cold mid stream ? Another first and only in my experience after over 4000kms of walking The Way
Their arrogance and disinterest stems from the "there'll be another mug along in a minute' syndrome so typical of French establishments over-confident in the steady and unrelenting footfall of passing trade whilst they direct most of their attention toward locals clogging up the bar drinking beer at discounted 'local' rates.... I mentioned the in-your-face ostentation of the Orisson owner's gleaming Range Rover in a previous post - a luxury vehicle bought with the profits from the pilgrim's purse. Don't get me wrong, I am not anti-capitalist, what irritates me is vulgar opulence.
Orisson need no charity or support, locals drive up by the carload and even if they didn't, if they have failed to prudently save (for a rainy day) some of the enormous revenue handed over by the unsuspecting visitor then they only have themselves to blame.
 
Sometime last year (when everyone was crying for money) I contacted Orison and Roncesvalles telling them that I would be more than happy to pre-pay for a given reservation for specified dates in May 2021. Granted, I was not outright 'donating' but still.... if you need cash flow "NOW" -well here it is....
The comunication emails from both places were answered in 1-day turnaround and after couple of pertinent rounds of each - the reservations were secured.
Shortly after I posted this-here my post above, I emailed both places with apologies and explanation that due to all this ongoing situation I will not be coming. I DID NOT ask for my money back but rather with most respectful "would you please be so very kind as to consider" asked if we could simply reschedule for the same time next year (adjusting the date accordingly since I want to keep the same day-of-the week schedule - i.e. I will be arriving on Saturday \ Sunday).
Couple of emails and a whole week later - I got no replies 😢. One would think that a month-in-advance notification would be sufficient to make any changes in establishment's calendar. One would also think that some form of reply (even if it is a rejection) would be proper, business-like and a nice thing to do.
I can understand that there are things beyond any ones control, and things do happen, and perhaps people are busy.... but it is now almost a whole week with no reply.....
Very disheartening and it does put a damper on any planning
Sorry, just had to 'get it out there
Well done for getting this off your chest.
After 5 CF's in the past 3 years my opinion of Orisson has not changed.
They are over-priced, arrogant and, it seems to me, largely disinterested in the individual concerns of their peregrino patrons.
Their freshly squeezed orange juice at EU5, by way of example, is the most expensive for a comparable venue of any on the entire Camino. Toast, coffee and an OJ will set you back almost E10, the same price as a three-course meal with wine in countless hundreds Albergues further down the trail.
Pre-paid tokens for a hot shower that runs cold mid stream ? Another first and only in my experience after over 4000kms of walking The Way
Their arrogance and disinterest stems from the "there'll be another mug along in a minute' syndrome so typical of French establishments over-confident in the steady and unrelenting footfall of passing trade whilst they direct most of their attention toward locals clogging up the bar drinking beer at discounted 'local' rates.... I mentioned the in-your-face ostentation of the Orisson owner's gleaming Range Rover in a previous post - a luxury vehicle bought with the profits from the pilgrim's purse. Don't get me wrong, I am not anti-capitalist, what irritates me is vulgar opulence.
Orisson need no charity or support, locals drive up by the carload and even if they didn't, if they have failed to prudently save (for a rainy day) some of the enormous revenue handed over by the unsuspecting visitor then they only have themselves to blame.
This isn’t the first time that I’ve heard this...
 
A selection of Camino Jewellery
This isn’t the first time that I’ve heard this...
Nor will it be the last time that you hear it or rather read it. :rolleyes:

I had only drinks and food at Orisson, I haven't the slightest idea what I paid. It wouldn't occur to me to expect prices in France to be the same as prices in Spain, or prices in towns and villages to be the same as prices on mountains, and I'm usually pleasantly surprised when there's freshly squeezed orange juice on sale but I also drink bottled orange juice. :cool:

For some reason I now seem to remember that the price of beer increases with altitude but I don't know anymore whether I heard this in the Himalayas or in the Alps. It wasn't in the Pyrenees that's for certain because unlike the Himalayas and the Alps, I crossed them within less than a day.

I just saw that a litre of water for tea in a fairly accessible mountain hut in the German Alps, popular with day walkers, would set me back by 3 €. Fresh water can be a precious commodity when you are not connected to the main water supply. I think J-J Etchandy mentions this occasionally, perhaps even on his Orisson website. And we all know of course that you need water not only for the shower but also for making coffee, soup, washing dishes, cleaning the floor ...
 
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Sometime last year (when everyone was crying for money) I contacted Orison and Roncesvalles telling them that I would be more than happy to pre-pay for a given reservation for specified dates in May 2021. Granted, I was not outright 'donating' but still.... if you need cash flow "NOW" -well here it is....
The comunication emails from both places were answered in 1-day turnaround and after couple of pertinent rounds of each - the reservations were secured.
Shortly after I posted this-here my post above, I emailed both places with apologies and explanation that due to all this ongoing situation I will not be coming. I DID NOT ask for my money back but rather with most respectful "would you please be so very kind as to consider" asked if we could simply reschedule for the same time next year (adjusting the date accordingly since I want to keep the same day-of-the week schedule - i.e. I will be arriving on Saturday \ Sunday).
Couple of emails and a whole week later - I got no replies 😢. One would think that a month-in-advance notification would be sufficient to make any changes in establishment's calendar. One would also think that some form of reply (even if it is a rejection) would be proper, business-like and a nice thing to do.
I can understand that there are things beyond any ones control, and things do happen, and perhaps people are busy.... but it is now almost a whole week with no reply.....
Very disheartening and it does put a damper on any planning
Sorry, just had to 'get it out there' 👋
FYI:
I booked on Sept 2020 for April 22, 2021, at the Orisson refuge. I had written to them asking questions and I never got any answers back. I even wrote to them in French. during this pandemic. I can imagine many emails received by them and not enough time to answer them. That is understandable. On March 4, this year I received a refund for my stay, stating that they would be closed for that day. I went to their website and they had this message ( which is still up today)
----------------------
We hope to open the Refuge the 19th of may, see you soon !!

Attention, the future being uncertain we warn our customers that the deposit paid will not be refundable this even in case of pandemic, closure, impossibility to travel etc…
This may sound like a “rough” way for some of you but we can no longer spend time processing bookings and payments and then processing cancellations and refunds.
Adventurers who still decide to make the deposit but will not eventually be able to come or benefit from the benefit, for whatever reason, will lose their deposit which will be considered a donation to allow the Refuge Orisson and Kayola to pass the Covid. as was already done spontaneously in 2020 by some of you and we thank them again !!
See you soon, believe it
-----------------------
Yes, hopefully soon.
 
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Almost twenty years ago, when I first experienced the Camino, I rabidly read every available item then availalbe on the web, including Grant Spangler's pioneering material. On every board (remember the old Navarre and Santogobi??) there were complaints and frustrated expostulations on how Orisson did not answer emails for weeks on end. This conversation has never come to an end. The French, in general, have been challenged in answering email although they were perhaps pioneers in electronic connexion (the really old among us might recall Minitel) but have generally figured it out since then. For Orisson, it seems to be part of how they deal with the web-connected world. I sometimes wonder how many heart attacks they have caused over the years.
 
The French, in general, have been challenged in answering email although they were perhaps pioneers in electronic connexion (the really old among us might recall Minitel) but have generally figured it out since then. For Orisson, it seems to be part of how they deal with the web-connected world. I sometimes wonder how many heart attacks they have caused over the years.

Ah when I was in my early teens...I remember it.
Those were the days!
 
Almost twenty years ago, when I first experienced the Camino, I rabidly read every available item then availalbe on the web, including Grant Spangler's pioneering material. On every board (remember the old Navarre and Santogobi??) there were complaints and frustrated expostulations on how Orisson did not answer emails for weeks on end. This conversation has never come to an end. The French, in general, have been challenged in answering email although they were perhaps pioneers in electronic connexion (the really old among us might recall Minitel) but have generally figured it out since then. For Orisson, it seems to be part of how they deal with the web-connected world. I sometimes wonder how many heart attacks they have caused over the years.
IMHO, it is a very good thing that a new albergue recently opened 1 km farther up...
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
Why don’t you simply send another messge. Tell them you can not yet leave the country and can you reschedule for 22. Perhaps they do not yet have a calendar available for 22?
My sense of Orisson a few years ago when I was there that this is run with the primary objective to make money first then to service pilgrims who have little option other than stay there. It was not a high vibrational experience to begin a Camino... keep trying.
 
Sometime last year (when everyone was crying for money) I contacted Orison and Roncesvalles telling them that I would be more than happy to pre-pay for a given reservation for specified dates in May 2021. Granted, I was not outright 'donating' but still.... if you need cash flow "NOW" -well here it is....
The comunication emails from both places were answered in 1-day turnaround and after couple of pertinent rounds of each - the reservations were secured.
Shortly after I posted this-here my post above, I emailed both places with apologies and explanation that due to all this ongoing situation I will not be coming. I DID NOT ask for my money back but rather with most respectful "would you please be so very kind as to consider" asked if we could simply reschedule for the same time next year (adjusting the date accordingly since I want to keep the same day-of-the week schedule - i.e. I will be arriving on Saturday \ Sunday).
Couple of emails and a whole week later - I got no replies 😢. One would think that a month-in-advance notification would be sufficient to make any changes in establishment's calendar. One would also think that some form of reply (even if it is a rejection) would be proper, business-like and a nice thing to do.
I can understand that there are things beyond any ones control, and things do happen, and perhaps people are busy.... but it is now almost a whole week with no reply.....
Very disheartening and it does put a damper on any planning
Sorry, just had to 'get it out there' 👋
I didn't have a problem and since I was in no hurry especially since it was going to be year before I attempted to walk they responded and moved my reservation for this year 2021. They told me they might not be open due the covid restrictions. I started my Camino on 3 May and they were close when I got there so I walked to Roncesvalles. Carol from the Orisson albergue sent me an email telling me on money would be refunded. I told her I wanted to donate the cost of the reservation. She replied right away and thanked me. I say this because she will follow up on replying to all emails maybe not in the time frame you want but she will. I am currently in Uterga Spain. Had a few running with the Spanish police of walking the Camino no matter what documentation I had. Albergue are open not every one of them but one shouldn't have a problem finding one. On to Puente del Reina tomorrow. Buen Camino
 
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Orisson and Roncesvalles are both closed at present. Orisson do monitor their inbox from time to time, there probably isn’t anyone monitoring Roncesvalles inbox. Roncesvalles is mostly run by Dutch volunteers and guess what...
FYI: Roncesvalles is monitoring their emails as I have just received one.
 
Orisson and Roncesvalles are both closed at present. Orisson do monitor their inbox from time to time, there probably isn’t anyone monitoring Roncesvalles inbox. Roncesvalles is mostly run by Dutch volunteers and guess what...
The Casa Sabina is open had a great stay there. I booked my room through booking.com. Jesus is a great cook and will just about cook you what you want if he has the items needed for your request. I'm any case you will have a good meal
 
The 2024 Camino guides will be coming out little by little. Here is a collection of the ones that are out so far.
I can translate your email in French for you if you think it would help.
Thanks
the email was in both English & French
I am sure ils comprennent l'Anglais .... seems there were no issues in original correspondence
So. given some benefit of the doubt - if they open on 19 May ... I can wait for response then (think of it as I have nothing to lose given the situation)
 
FYI:
I booked on Sept 2020 for April 22, 2021, at the Orisson refuge. I had written to them asking questions and I never got any answers back. I even wrote to them in French. during this pandemic. I can imagine many emails received by them and not enough time to answer them. That is understandable. On March 4, this year I received a refund for my stay, stating that they would be closed for that day. I went to their website and they had this message ( which is still up today)
----------------------
We hope to open the Refuge the 19th of may, see you soon !!

Attention, the future being uncertain we warn our customers that the deposit paid will not be refundable this even in case of pandemic, closure, impossibility to travel etc…
This may sound like a “rough” way for some of you but we can no longer spend time processing bookings and payments and then processing cancellations and refunds.
Adventurers who still decide to make the deposit but will not eventually be able to come or benefit from the benefit, for whatever reason, will lose their deposit which will be considered a donation to allow the Refuge Orisson and Kayola to pass the Covid. as was already done spontaneously in 2020 by some of you and we thank them again !!
See you soon, believe it
-----------------------
Yes, hopefully soon.
Well... I made my reservations before Sept 20... and to be fair and clear: I do NOT want the refund, I simply want to rebook for next year. That, in a nutshell is a click of the mouse to switch a day which is just as good as the click of the mouse which will technically marks my reservation 'Canceled'. And in the end it will be up to the proprietor whether me personally or a group of us here on the Forum like it or not
 
Sometime last year (when everyone was crying for money) I contacted Orison and Roncesvalles telling them that I would be more than happy to pre-pay for a given reservation for specified dates in May 2021. Granted, I was not outright 'donating' but still.... if you need cash flow "NOW" -well here it is....
The comunication emails from both places were answered in 1-day turnaround and after couple of pertinent rounds of each - the reservations were secured.
Shortly after I posted this-here my post above, I emailed both places with apologies and explanation that due to all this ongoing situation I will not be coming. I DID NOT ask for my money back but rather with most respectful "would you please be so very kind as to consider" asked if we could simply reschedule for the same time next year (adjusting the date accordingly since I want to keep the same day-of-the week schedule - i.e. I will be arriving on Saturday \ Sunday).
Couple of emails and a whole week later - I got no replies 😢. One would think that a month-in-advance notification would be sufficient to make any changes in establishment's calendar. One would also think that some form of reply (even if it is a rejection) would be proper, business-like and a nice thing to do.
I can understand that there are things beyond any ones control, and things do happen, and perhaps people are busy.... but it is now almost a whole week with no reply.....
Very disheartening and it does put a damper on any planning
Sorry, just had to 'get it out there' 👋
I tried Orrison in 2015, and after several emails, sorta gave up. BUT, upon my arrival in May ? they had everything under contro. At tyhat time it was a Family run farm and they were very busy with the new herd./ Have faith.
 
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Almost twenty years ago, when I first experienced the Camino, I rabidly read every available item then availalbe on the web, including Grant Spangler's pioneering material. On every board (remember the old Navarre and Santogobi??) there were complaints and frustrated expostulations on how Orisson did not answer emails for weeks on end. This conversation has never come to an end. The French, in general, have been challenged in answering email although they were perhaps pioneers in electronic connexion (the really old among us might recall Minitel) but have generally figured it out since then. For Orisson, it seems to be part of how they deal with the web-connected world. I sometimes wonder how many heart attacks they have caused over the years.
I thought I was the only one left who remembers (and used) the Minitel. Makes me feel better that I am not alone.
 
It takes a lot of planning & money to get to SJpdP, whereas going to Pamplona is so easy: Fly into Barcelona/Madrid, enjoy a meal & the city, sleep well, and take a train/bus in the morning to Pamplona in a relaxed manner, enjoying the landscape slipping by, with a glass of wine in the restaurant couch: 3-4 hours journey. Then get a bed & sello in the Jesus y Maria albergue to get the feeling of the Camino, get up and walk out of Pamplona the morning after. Easy & cost-effective, and you are on your Way, like that.



Don't forget: If you are 60+, you are eligible to buy a Carta Dorada (gold card) with RENFE, which gives you 25% (!) discount on all train tickets in Spain for a whole year. It is a true bargain. It will cost you 6 Euros, which is saved manyfold on your very first journey :)
Absolutely 100% agree as this makes the start of the camino much more relaxed and enjoyable. A bus to SJPP from Pamplona is also a possibility if you choose to start from there. My choice was to walk from Pamplona to Roncesvalles, and bus from there into SJPP.
Buen camino :)
 
I thought I was the only one left who remembers (and used) the Minitel. Makes me feel better that I am not alone.
I remember the Minitel, too, but we didn't manage to make it work for us (in a service station on a motorway from Paris).

Anyway, I think that they have broadband these days in SJPP, and the wife does the administration work and helps to organise and deliver supplies, says J-J in an article in a local newspaper on the occasion of 15 years of Refuge Orisson. There are 7 employees, he says.
 
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Sometime last year (when everyone was crying for money) I contacted Orison and Roncesvalles telling them that I would be more than happy to pre-pay for a given reservation for specified dates in May 2021. Granted, I was not outright 'donating' but still.... if you need cash flow "NOW" -well here it is....
The comunication emails from both places were answered in 1-day turnaround and after couple of pertinent rounds of each - the reservations were secured.
Shortly after I posted this-here my post above, I emailed both places with apologies and explanation that due to all this ongoing situation I will not be coming. I DID NOT ask for my money back but rather with most respectful "would you please be so very kind as to consider" asked if we could simply reschedule for the same time next year (adjusting the date accordingly since I want to keep the same day-of-the week schedule - i.e. I will be arriving on Saturday \ Sunday).
Couple of emails and a whole week later - I got no replies 😢. One would think that a month-in-advance notification would be sufficient to make any changes in establishment's calendar. One would also think that some form of reply (even if it is a rejection) would be proper, business-like and a nice thing to do.
I can understand that there are things beyond any ones control, and things do happen, and perhaps people are busy.... but it is now almost a whole week with no reply.....
Very disheartening and it does put a damper on any planning
Sorry, just had to 'get it out there' 👋
CWB: I emailed Orisson late in April and received a reply within a week. But then I had to make a date change, and have not yet heard back....so I’m of the opinion that they are just a little inconsistent in their replies.

More importantly, they added this note to their reply email confirming my booking:

The following note has been added to your order:
Warning the deposit paid will not be refundable whatever the reason: pandemic, closure, impossibility to travel etc
I had my emails translated into French as I was told that English was difficult for them, so perhaps that helped them with a quicker response. For what it’s worth, I’d suggest just waiting for them to reply.
 
Sometime last year (when everyone was crying for money) I contacted Orison and Roncesvalles telling them that I would be more than happy to pre-pay for a given reservation for specified dates in May 2021. Granted, I was not outright 'donating' but still.... if you need cash flow "NOW" -well here it is....
The comunication emails from both places were answered in 1-day turnaround and after couple of pertinent rounds of each - the reservations were secured.
Shortly after I posted this-here my post above, I emailed both places with apologies and explanation that due to all this ongoing situation I will not be coming. I DID NOT ask for my money back but rather with most respectful "would you please be so very kind as to consider" asked if we could simply reschedule for the same time next year (adjusting the date accordingly since I want to keep the same day-of-the week schedule - i.e. I will be arriving on Saturday \ Sunday).
Couple of emails and a whole week later - I got no replies 😢. One would think that a month-in-advance notification would be sufficient to make any changes in establishment's calendar. One would also think that some form of reply (even if it is a rejection) would be proper, business-like and a nice thing to do.
I can understand that there are things beyond any ones control, and things do happen, and perhaps people are busy.... but it is now almost a whole week with no reply.....
Very disheartening and it does put a damper on any planning
Sorry, just had to 'get it out there' 👋
You can bypass Orisson and walk from SJPP to Rocanvalles, a longer but rewarding day. Or if the walk is too strenuous, take a taxi from SJPP to Orisson, have a coffee con leche in Orisson and walk to Rocanvalles. I liked starting in SJPP, so these are my options fir you.
 
@alexwalker - if I start at Barcelona I will never see Camino!!! 😁 🤣
I do appreciate people saying 'skip this part and start at...' it makes sense especially if said people already been through experience.
But heck.... for better or worse I do want to start in SJPdP and experience "the climb" and whatever comes with.
So, to stick to my original post and the replies that somewhat put me at ease - I'll wait and hopefully will get a reply.
If you like mountain experience and feel the experience of History then you will when completing the Napoleon Route from St Jean Stopped at Orison for a pit stop water and splash also to experience the view went further on to the Spanish border where i had my morning porridge and a visit from the pyrenes horses who came over i take it they smelt the oats heading into Spain watched by the eagles / buzzards overhead and made my way down to the monastery at Roncesvalles enjoy your experience at the end of the day your experience on the Camino starts from home not from St Jean or any other location think of it as your journey and not a destination that needs to be completed Buen Camino Mo Chara
 
€2,-/day will present your project to thousands of visitors each day. All interested in the Camino de Santiago.
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