French Way

[winston hl Ng]

Hi, I have done two Sarria-Santiago deC Caminos and as I am getting older I am thinking of a train journey from St Jean Pied de Port to Santiago deC. I am thinking 4 or 5 overnight or longer stops along the French n Spanish towns/villages along the route. Can someone advise which are the towns worth stopping over ?
Many thanks for your insights.

 

[dougfitz]

Are you willing to take a bus from time to time, or do you want to rely on the train? Some quite pleasant places like Castrojeriz aren't served by the rail network.

Otherwise, in the east, I think you will be limited to Pamplona and Burgos, with a greater choice after Leon. Places like Astora, Ponferrada and Sarria are on the Renfe network, as is SDC.

Linking back to SJPP should be possible by train to Burgos, and from there to Pamplona. But it might be convoluted if you want to maintain the sequence one might walk.

 

[winston hl Ng]

Are you will to take a bus from time to time, or do you want to rely on the train? Some quite pleasant places like Castrojeriz aren't served by the rail network.

Otherwise, in the east, I think you will be limited to Pamplona and Burgos, with a greater choice after Leon. Places like Astora, Ponferrada and Sarria are on the Renfe network, as is SDC.

Linking back to SJPP should be possible by train to Burgos, and from there to Pamplona. But it might be convoluted if you want to maintain the sequence one might walk.

Hi, many thanks for the prompt n informative reply.

I am travelling from Singapore so I will have a mid size checked in luggage n a small backpack. So if these could go on the buses, yeah am fine with buses.

I shall research a little more on the places u provided n revert with more queries ie things to look out or do in each place. In places that are scenic n charming, am generally happy to sit back , read a book , take a short walk , shoot some photos , enjoy local cuisine n do nothing else.

Thanks again

 

[David Tallan]

Hi, many thanks for the prompt n informative reply.

I am travelling from Singapore so I will have a mid size checked in luggage n a small backpack. So if these could go on the buses, yeah am fine with buses.

I shall research a little more on the places u provided n revert with more queries ie things to look out or do in each place. In places that are scenic n charming, am generally happy to sit back , read a book , take a short walk , shoot some photos , enjoy local cuisine n do nothing else.

Thanks again

Intercity buses should be just as able to handle your luggage as trains (or more so, since they have a separate place to stow it which trains do not).

Pamplona, Logroño, Burgos, Leon, and Astorga are the obvious choices and are all accessible by train. They all have plenty to offer, but they are all cities, so you will get a very skewed view of the pre-Sarria Camino, which is mostly villages and small towns. Picking from those is really tough. In the early Camino of Navarra both Puenta la Reina and Estella are nice choices. In La Rioja there is Santo Domingo de la Calzada (which has two paradors). On the meseta, Doug has already mentioned Castrojeriz. I am also fond of the jewel of a Romanesque church in Fromista and the Mudejar churches in Sahagun. After Astorga, Villafranca del Bierzo is a jewel of a small town that is really worth a visit.

It is hard to pick just 4 or 5.