walking from Bordeaux to Santiago

[delilah]

I am flying into Bordeaux and wondering if anyone can give me any advice, info and tips on walking straight from Bordeaux to Santiago.

Arriving on March 13, 2011

Any suggestions on where to stay while in Bordeaux?

thanks for any info you have!

 

[Bridget and Peter]

Hi, You can walk on the French coastal route from Bordeaux, (Littorale) I believe, which would take you via Biarritz to Hendaye, and the Spanish border, and thence to Irun and the Camino del Norte.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can pick up this route in Bordeaux:

http://pilgrim.peterrobins.co.uk/routes ... tours.html

 

[vinotinto]

Any suggestions on where to stay while in Bordeaux?

I stayed at the Ibis hotel in the summer of 2007 when I considered beginning my Camino in Bordeaux (I ended up starting in SJPP). The Ibis where I crashed was about 500 meters from the Bordeaux train station, which was quite nice after the long train ride from Paris (I'm glad I was able to make my reservations at the train station counter at CDG).

The hotel room was perfectly serviceable, reasonably priced, and had a fee-based Internet computer station in the lobby. In addition, the morning breakfast buffet hit the spot, and there was even a small bar, also in the lobby. The folks at the tourist office (at the train station) sold me my credencial, gave me my first stamp (there was a Camino shell sticker on the window), and were helpful (the main guy spoke decent English).

I've patonized two Ibis hotels in Europe (the other was at East Barking in London), and I'd use them again. But don't expect it to be an immersive cultural experience - they tend to be a more generic business-traveler oriented hotel. Good luck! :arrow:

 

[sillydoll]

If you buy the Paris to Spain Guide book from the CSJ of UK you can follow the Via Turonensis which passes through Bordeaux on its way to Roncesvalles.

This was the route we followed in 2004:

Gradignan via Bordeaux 16.5
Barp 22.5
Saugnacq and Muret 23.0
Labouheyre 25.0
Rion les Landes 32,5
Buglose 21,5
Dax 10.5
Labatut 23.0
Sauveterre de Béarn 22,5
Ostabat 21,5
St Jean Pied de Port 20.0
Roncesvalles (Spain) 23.0

 

[Canuck]

Any suggestions on where to stay while in Bordeaux?

Here is where I suggest to stay.
http://www.etaphotel.com/fr/hotel-5067- ... ndex.shtml
It's across the street from the train station. or,
http://www.etaphotel.com/gb/hotel-7508- ... ndex.shtml at the airport.
Clean, safe and cheap, if not the cheapest you can find in Bordeaux. Good breakfast, at a decent price and hour.

Enjoy,
Jean-Marc

 

[philippe33]

and .....in addition to jean marc message(bonjour jean marc)
the "jetbus" shuttle connects airport to train station every 45 minutes,7 days a week,
the ride lasts around 45 minutes,full price one way 7€
on monday,6/7 trains to Bayonne, then to Saint Jean pied de Port.
bon chemin
philippe33, from Bordeaux

 

[delilah]

This is all so helpful and great you all have shared and helped me out.
Thank you!!

I've been having mixed feelings about starting my first pilgrimage in Bordeaux, but with this information, I am still encouraged with a few minor doubts and questions, those that have walked from Bordeaux, how much pre planning with maps and hostels needs to be done before embarking on the pilgrimage?

 

[ddav123]

I am flying into Bordeaux and wondering if anyone can give me any advice, info and tips on walking straight from Bordeaux to Santiago.

Arriving on March 13, 2011

Any suggestions on where to stay while in Bordeaux?

thanks for any info you have!

Hey,

Bordeaux in Aquitaine, in the west of France. This city has been drawing attractions of tourists for a long time. There you can have so much things to do and see. You should not forget to visit the gothic cathedrals situated there since 18th century. Go there fantasize your self and enjoy the trip with lots of wines

 

[ddav123]

I am flying into Bordeaux and wondering if anyone can give me any advice, info and tips on walking straight from Bordeaux to Santiago.

Arriving on March 13, 2011

Any suggestions on where to stay while in Bordeaux?

thanks for any info you have!

Let me show you some thing which would definitely attract you towards the city. This place is called Quartier Saint-Eloi. When you will visit the city, don't forget to see the Grosse Cloche (Great Bell), which used to be the bell of the Town Hall's belfry.

 

[ddav123]

I am flying into Bordeaux and wondering if anyone can give me any advice, info and tips on walking straight from Bordeaux to Santiago.

Arriving on March 13, 2011

Any suggestions on where to stay while in Bordeaux?

thanks for any info you have!

As far as suggestions on staying in the city, I would definitely prefer you to visit the Bordeaux Hotel Guide. You will find a good place to stay that too on a reasonable price. Its safe, cheap and well maintained.
I am sure you would get a great assist regarding your trip plan.
Thanks!
David

 

[sillydoll]

Look out for signs of St Jacques in Bordeaux.
The church of St Seurin has a statue of St Jacques, there is the plaque on the ground outside the cathderal and then there is also the St Jacques gate.

 

[michaelwalker]

Hello pilgrims,

I'm going to walk from Bordeaux in early September this year (2011). I walked Tours to Bordeaux then SJPP to Santiago last year. It's grand, but damn those stretches on the roads! Talk about Penance.

I want to try the way on the coast - La Voie Littorale - then get the train down to Lourdes and then go back to SJPP by transport / walking.

The guide I'm using is Paris to the Pyrenees, Maurice and Marigold Fox. CSJ, London, 1998 + update, Jan 2003. 88 pp. (Pilgrim Guides to the Roads through France #1).

Does anyone have any tips / warnings etc that I should look out for?

Kindly and thanks in advance, Michael (AUS)

PS thanks sillydoll, those pics look great, i had seen that clock but had no idea what it was.

 

[sillydoll]

Hi Michael,
This route is also known as the Voie de Soulac and the Voie des Anglais. You could do some research on the French websites.

http://www.compostelle-landes.org/index.php?lng=en
http://portail.arc.atlantic.free.fr/
http://www.saint-jacques-aquitaine.com/ ... torale.php

This is a new guide in French:
SUR LE CHEMIN DE SAINT-JACQUES-DE-COMPOSTELLE,
LA VIA TURONENSIS, LA VOIE ATLANTIQUE...
François Lepère, Yvette Terrien
Lepère éditions, avec le concours de l'ACIR Compostelle

Good luck!

 

[Theo]

Hi,

In Le Bouscat / Bordeaux, there's a "Refuge / Gite" :

http://www.saint-jacques-aquitaine.com/refuge.php

... run by the Aquitaine St James association.

>> Google Maps

>> Contact

Theo

 

[michaelwalker]

Thank you very much Sillydoll and Theo,

they are great links! truly helpful.

after reading other posts on how busy the roads are on the Tours route south of Bordeaux and with your information, this way looks best.

Kindly,

Michael

 

[michaelwalker]

I just returned from this way. I would like to share some thoughts.

I walked alone from Bordeaux, south west to Biganos then along the Voie Littorale / Voie de Soulac down to Bayonne. Then I met my younger brother and we walked from Dax to Muxia.

Firstly, Thank You for your help and advice.

My observations on the Voie de Soulac:-
This is a humble way with very few other pilgrims.
This walk is mainly on sandy trails in pine forest, there are some areas of corn plantation amongst the forest. Sometimes the sand is very soft! At times you walk on tarmac bike tracks and along roads. You walk around lakes and near the end of the way approaching Bayonne you can go to the beach. In fact at Labenne I stayed near the beach for four days to let an angry toe heal. (Don't worry it happens to me on all long walks). Those four days were great, renting a bike and acting like a local. Good times.

The way markers are yellow arrows on blue background, a few inches in size and stuck on poles and trees at about six to eight feet off the ground. There is a marker each time you need to take a turn. Thanks to the Amis Les Landes, they have done an excellent job.

The guide "The Voie Littorale: Soulac to Hendaye" found here http://www.csj.org.uk/guides-online.htm is a must. It made the way easy to find and at one or two places where a marker was missing helped me a lot. It also let's you know some history.

Accommodation:-
Here is the list for pilgrim accommodation from the Amis Les Landes http://www.xacobeo.fr/ZE1.11.Aqu.Lit_Lan_heb.pdf sadly their website is not working.

The CSJ guide lists accommodation from that list.

The above list transformed my way. Getting that list made all the difference. TAKE NOTE if you walk in France, get the list of accommodation from the Amis St Jacques for the areas you are walking in. It will save you much time and money.
The accommodation listed is simple, it ranges from a two bed gite, caravan parks where you can hire a van for 10 euros (some were old, one was a huge 4 bedder) and others where I used a tent. Of course you can stay at hotels when in villages that have them

MAPS
The best ones I found are here:- http://www.xacobeo.fr/ZE1.11.Aqu.Lit.htm

This way is solitary. I met two French couples in their fifties at different times and walked with them for half the way, but the rest I was alone. I found this great as it allowed me to practice French with them AND be the pilgrim and pray a lot when I was alone.

The walking is tough going in some ways. It is mediocre in that their is a lot of sand trail walking in forests that go on and on, sometimes that is tough going as the sand is soft.

If you walk with a tent forget about camping amongst the pines, as there is a spiky undergrowth that makes this impossible. Plus trees fall in there. I saw a few trees that had fallen. Water is not available in the forests either.

Old stuff- there isn't much in terms of old churches etc on this way. If you are into history, give this way a miss. The current way is not the way that was walked in medieval times as that follows the highway further east.

In summary, this is a nature way with few other pilgrims. It's well marked and the guide is great. Accommodation varies and the local people are cool. They were generous and welcoming.

One last thing, if you know some French they really appreciate it.

Feel free to message me if you have any questions. I would be more than happy to help out if I can.

michael