Walking the Frances Route starting early March 2025

[slee92630]

I'm looking at starting around March 10, 2025, and will leave from Saint Jean Pied de Port. I welcome any input from people that started that early. A couple of concerns included the weather the first few days being unpredictable and finding albergues open that early in the season. Also, which have you found more convenient, flying into Madrid or Paris as far large airports go (coming from California)? Thank you.

 

[Tincatinker]

I'm looking at starting around March 10, 2025, and will leave from Saint Jean Pied de Port. I welcome any input from people that started that early. A couple of concerns included the weather the first few days being unpredictable and finding albergues open that early in the season. Also, which have you found more convenient, flying into Madrid or Paris as far large airports go (coming from California)? Thank you.

In March I would suggest flying into Paris if your intention is to start walking from St Jean. There will be no bus from Pamplona. There will be trains to Bayonne and a train or replacement bus to St J.

The Route Napoleon will be closed. The Albergue in Valcarlos can be booked in advance but that is unlikely to be necessary at that time of year. An email or phone call in advance will let them know you’re coming. There are a few alternative accommodations in Valcarlos.

https://www.gronze.com/camino-frances Is an excellent resource for accommodations

 

[J Willhaus]

We are starting March 1 in Roncesvalles and will walk to the community of Grañón where we will serve as hospitaleros from 15 to 31 March. I hope you'll stop in to stay or at least say Hello on your way through town.

We will fly to Madrid, take the train to Pamplona and then the afternoon bus to Roncesvalles to start the next morning. Easier than getting to SJPDP and we don't have to cross the Pyrenees in winter.

 

[J Willhaus]

There is also a winter website. Which can help you find lodging in addition to Gronze.com

Pagina nueva 1

 

[geot]

We left SJPdP on March 15th this year. We had no trouble finding albergues to spend the night. Also, I found Gronze to quite reliable about seasonal start dates and daily opening times.

In terms of the weather, you may want to look at the weather forecast a few days in advance of your departure and plan where to stay, especially the first night or two. We got lucky with the weather this year and made it to Roncesvalles the first day. If we had left two weeks earlier, we would have run into snow that would have made staying in Valcarlos absolutely necessary.

Lastly, we had booked a flight into Madrid early on. Our plan originally was to take a train to Pamplona and then the bus to SJPdP. When I looked into tickets for the bus, I found out it didn't run that early in March. We could have taken a taxi but we opted for a more circuitous option -- fly from Madrid to San Sebastian, walk from the airport through Irun to Hendaye, spend the night in Hendaye, train the next day to Bayone and then Bayone to SJPdP. It worked out fine for us, but flying into Paris would probably be simpler for you.

 

[Felipe]

As mentioned above, the Route Napoleon will be closed.
You can split the way to Roncesvalles in two (recommended with bad weather, very possible in March), staying in Valcarlos. The Albergue Municipal there was excellent when I stayed, some years ago; it is open all year round. No reservations needed, but it is advisable to phone previously to get the digital door key (the hospitalero just comes at dusk to collect). It has a kitchen, and you can buy your groceries in a big supermarket in the previous town. There are recent comments (in Gronze) that report poor maintenance, but I am quite sure it is a good option anyway.

Albergue municipal - Ayuntamiento de Luzaide / Valcarlos

luzaide-valcarlos.net

After Valcarlos there is a half an hour walk along the highroad and then the path goes through a pleasant forest (which could be quite muddy in March). There are pilgrims that prefer to go all the way along the road. It has only little traffic, but caution is always advisable.

 

[wynrich]

In 2022, we walked on the Frances starting around March 1. There were some very cold days. Walking in the cold wasn't a problem, even invigorating. But sometimes indoors we got very cold. Lots of restaurants, hotels, etc. were not heated. So, you might want to bring clothing to keep you warm indoors. Also, a number of albergues and hotels, etc. were open, but many were not. Many we called said they wouldn't open until Easter which I think was mid-April that year. And since we walk fairly short distances each day, sometimes there was no place to stay at the shorter distance we needed. I'm not trying to discourage you from going in March but those were two things we didn't expect and were not quite prepared for since we had never gone that early in the past. Also, you might be able to walk further than us and be more flexible.

 

[AidaYYC]

We are starting March 1 in Roncesvalles and will walk to the community of Grañón where we will serve as hospitaleros from 15 to 31 March. I hope you'll stop in to stay or at least say Hello on your way through town.

We will fly to Madrid, take the train to Pamplona and then the afternoon bus to Roncesvalles to start the next morning. Easier than getting to SJPDP and we don't have to cross the Pyrenees in winter.

Thank you in advance for your service. I am also a trained 'hospitalera' but have never served. Buena suerte

 

[J Willhaus]

Thank you in advance for your service. I am also a trained 'hospitalera' but have never served. Buena suerte

There is still time!

 

[KevinWilcox]

We left SJPdP on March 15th this year. We had no trouble finding albergues to spend the night. Also, I found Gronze to quite reliable about seasonal start dates and daily opening times.

In terms of the weather, you may want to look at the weather forecast a few days in advance of your departure and plan where to stay, especially the first night or two. We got lucky with the weather this year and made it to Roncesvalles the first day. If we had left two weeks earlier, we would have run into snow that would have made staying in Valcarlos absolutely necessary.

Lastly, we had booked a flight into Madrid early on. Our plan originally was to take a train to Pamplona and then the bus to SJPdP. When I looked into tickets for the bus, I found out it didn't run that early in March. We could have taken a taxi but we opted for a more circuitous option -- fly from Madrid to San Sebastian, walk from the airport through Irun to Hendaye, spend the night in Hendaye, train the next day to Bayone and then Bayone to SJPdP. It worked out fine for us, but flying into Paris would probably be simpler for you.

If possible would you mind giving an outline of how far you walked each day, and how busy it was stage by stage. I ask because I’m thinking of starting around the same time. I’m trying to get a feel for whether, by the time you get to Sarria, it’s become hugely busy. Personally I’d enjoy there being enough people around to be able to have company, but not a daily race to get a bed.

 

[KevinWilcox]

In 2022, we walked on the Frances starting around March 1. There were some very cold days. Walking in the cold wasn't a problem, even invigorating. But sometimes indoors we got very cold. Lots of restaurants, hotels, etc. were not heated. So, you might want to bring clothing to keep you warm indoors. Also, a number of albergues and hotels, etc. were open, but many were not. Many we called said they wouldn't open until Easter which I think was mid-April that year. And since we walk fairly short distances each day, sometimes there was no place to stay at the shorter distance we needed. I'm not trying to discourage you from going in March but those were two things we didn't expect and were not quite prepared for since we had never gone that early in the past. Also, you might be able to walk further than us and be more flexible.

So, how did you manage? I ask because I’m also looking at early to mid march and, like you, I’ll probably be doing shorter than normal daily distances.

 

[wynrich]

So, how did you manage? I ask because I’m also looking at early to mid march and, like you, I’ll probably be doing shorter than normal daily distances.

Well, we ended up having a strange but enjoyable camino. Our original plan was to walk the last half of the Frances, from Sahagun to Santiago. We walked as far as Astorga and then took a bus to Ponferrada to avoid bad weather in the mountains. We then walked to Villafranca. We were still cold indoors and started fantasizing about going down to Andalucia. I'm glad we didn't succumb to that temptation, but we saw that A Coruña was a few degrees warmer so we took a bus there from Villafranca and stayed for a week. Had a great time. (The first thing we asked our airbnb host in A Coruña was "Is the apartment heated?!") We returned to Villafranca (with warmer clothes to wear indoors) and continued walking. The weather was a little warmer by then also so the cold was no longer a problem. We thought accommodation would get easier after Sarria, but to our surprise it got worse. More places still closed. We got as far as Palas de Rei and decided we didn't want to do any more of all the taxi wrangling, etc. We ended up taking a bus to Muxia and spending our last days there. Another great stay!

In your case: You might walk a little further that our typical 12-15 km per day! Also, this was 2022 and some places might have still been shut after covid and some went out of business. So things might be very different now. Also, mostly, we prefer not to stay in albergues. We've done it some but I can't remember if we chose not to stay in some of those that camino or not. If you aren't as picky as we are you'll probably have more options. You might use WhatsApp, etc. to contact places you'd like to stay to see if they will be open. And definitely bring something warm to wear indoors. I'm sure you can make it work, especially if you are willing occasionally to take a taxi to an accommodation. You can then take a taxi back the next morning and start walking where you left off if you don't want to miss any of the camino. Good luck and buen camino!

 

[C clearly]

whether, by the time you get to Sarria, it’s become hugely busy.

The hugely busy time for Sarria-Santiagio is in July and August. However, if you arrive at that stretch during Easter week (the week leading up to April 20) it will also be busy. Many people will start walking from Sarria on the weekend before. Depending on the type of accommodation you want, you may want to book in advance. If you can stay in advance of those walkers starting in Sarria, you should be OK.

 

[KevinWilcox]

wynrich, I will be pretty pleased if I can manage 12 - 15 kms per day, as right now I'd be planning around 10 - 12! As that rate of walking means it would probably take me 2 months to do the full camino, I'm loosely planning on doing what I can in about two to four weeks but to play it by ear.

I like walking in the cold, stops me over-heating, but like you I can't bear being cold indoors, nor walking round the house wearing loads of layers. I'm also likely to use a mixture of albergues and airbnb, especially if I'm joined by some friends. C clearly, thanks, that sounds like the nugget - plan the date to arrive in Sarria and work backwards for a start date. I've pored over the monthly stats 'til my eyes glaze over but they help that much other than to show that winter looks nice and quiet!

slee92630, I hope I haven't hijacked your thread and that this info is also useful for you.

 

[Roamer35]

I am planning (hoping) to start the CF from Roncesvalles in early March of 2025 and finishing about April 10. I have been reading everything I can find about doing the walk at that time. and have only one concern: can I wing it or do I have to be concerned about booking accommodations? I am deaf as a board, and although I have the most advanced cochlear implant sound processors available using a phone to reserve a bed for the night is not an option for me.

 

[acsma]

I am planning (hoping) to start the CF from Roncesvalles in early March of 2025 and finishing about April 10. I have been reading everything I can find about doing the walk at that time. and have only one concern: can I wing it or do I have to be concerned about booking accommodations? I am deaf as a board, and although I have the most advanced cochlear implant sound processors available using a phone to reserve a bed for the night is not an option for me.

If you’re concerned about accommodations … try WhatsApp-ing and txt-ing. You can find phone numbers from gronze.com. Do keep in mind not all WhatsApp.

Buen Camino.

 

[J Willhaus]

I am planning (hoping) to start the CF from Roncesvalles in early March of 2025 and finishing about April 10. I have been reading everything I can find about doing the walk at that time. and have only one concern: can I wing it or do I have to be concerned about booking accommodations? I am deaf as a board, and although I have the most advanced cochlear implant sound processors available using a phone to reserve a bed for the night is not an option for me.

Some places may want you to notify them that you are coming. You may be able to do that by WhatsApp chat or ask the hospitalero from the night before (or another pilgrim or a server at a bar) to help if this is needed. You can also use gronze.com or one of the Apps (Wise Pilgrim, Buen Camino) to see what is generally open. May albergues don't open until Easter or after, but generally there is enough infrastructure for the fewer pilgrims at that time.

 

[geot]

If possible would you mind giving an outline of how far you walked each day, and how busy it was stage by stage. I ask because I’m thinking of starting around the same time. I’m trying to get a feel for whether, by the time you get to Sarria, it’s become hugely busy. Personally I’d enjoy there being enough people around to be able to have company, but not a daily race to get a bed.

Sorry for not responding earlier.... We generally walked 15-20 miles each day, with our longest 24 miles. Reportedly there were around 50 pilgrims who left Roncesvalles the day we did, a handful of whom were still with us when we arrived in Santiago. Along with others we met along the way, we found ourselves in a nice "family", and would frequently come across them in bars, in albergues, or at meals throughout the journey.

We did have reservations in Roncesvalles, Santiago, and Bercianos IIRC, although neither turned out to be necessary. We didn't have any difficulties finding lodging, and in fact it seemed like most nights the albergues we stayed in were well under capacity.

The vibe changed once we got to Sarria, and we found ourselves staying off-stage to avoid the crowds.

 

[Jesnat]

I am planning (hoping) to start the CF from Roncesvalles in early March of 2025 and finishing about April 10. I have been reading everything I can find about doing the walk at that time. and have only one concern: can I wing it or do I have to be concerned about booking accommodations? I am deaf as a board, and although I have the most advanced cochlear implant sound processors available using a phone to reserve a bed for the night is not an option for me.

Gronze.com is a great resource listing all / most Alberques with phone contact. If you are not familiar, numbers starting with 6 are mobile numbers and you can WhatsApp most of them to sort your accommodation. It’s very common in Spain to use WhatsApp and will save you the hassle of phone conversations.
Buen Camino

 

[slee92630]

In March I would suggest flying into Paris if your intention is to start walking from St Jean. There will be no bus from Pamplona. There will be trains to Bayonne and a train or replacement bus to St J.

The Route Napoleon will be closed. The Albergue in Valcarlos can be booked in advance but that is unlikely to be necessary at that time of year. An email or phone call in advance will let them know you’re coming. There are a few alternative accommodations in Valcarlos.

https://www.gronze.com/camino-frances Is an excellent resource for accommodations

Thank you so much, disappointed that Napoleon will be closed. I was looking forward to the view and challenge.

 

[slee92630]

We are starting March 1 in Roncesvalles and will walk to the community of Grañón where we will serve as hospitaleros from 15 to 31 March. I hope you'll stop in to stay or at least say Hello on your way through town.

We will fly to Madrid, take the train to Pamplona and then the afternoon bus to Roncesvalles to start the next morning. Easier than getting to SJPDP and we don't have to cross the Pyrenees in winter.

I am looking forward to hopefully meeting. May follow the same route since hearing the Nepoleon route may be closed.

 

[slee92630]

We left SJPdP on March 15th this year. We had no trouble finding albergues to spend the night. Also, I found Gronze to quite reliable about seasonal start dates and daily opening times.

In terms of the weather, you may want to look at the weather forecast a few days in advance of your departure and plan where to stay, especially the first night or two. We got lucky with the weather this year and made it to Roncesvalles the first day. If we had left two weeks earlier, we would have run into snow that would have made staying in Valcarlos absolutely necessary.

Lastly, we had booked a flight into Madrid early on. Our plan originally was to take a train to Pamplona and then the bus to SJPdP. When I looked into tickets for the bus, I found out it didn't run that early in March. We could have taken a taxi but we opted for a more circuitous option -- fly from Madrid to San Sebastian, walk from the airport through Irun to Hendaye, spend the night in Hendaye, train the next day to Bayone and then Bayone to SJPdP. It worked out fine for us, but flying into Paris would probably be simpler for you.

Thanks, great intel. Did you Find the Napolean Route open, another responder said it will be closed.

 

[slee92630]

In 2022, we walked on the Frances starting around March 1. There were some very cold days. Walking in the cold wasn't a problem, even invigorating. But sometimes indoors we got very cold. Lots of restaurants, hotels, etc. were not heated. So, you might want to bring clothing to keep you warm indoors. Also, a number of albergues and hotels, etc. were open, but many were not. Many we called said they wouldn't open until Easter which I think was mid-April that year. And since we walk fairly short distances each day, sometimes there was no place to stay at the shorter distance we needed. I'm not trying to discourage you from going in March but those were two things we didn't expect and were not quite prepared for since we had never gone that early in the past. Also, you might be able to walk further than us and be more flexible.

I appreciative of all the input I'm getting from everyone on this forum. Better to be prepared than surprised and you're all giving me some good tips.

 

[geot]

Thanks, great intel. Did you Find the Napolean Route open, another responder said it will be closed.

No, it was closed when we walked.

 

[slee92630]

wynrich, I will be pretty pleased if I can manage 12 - 15 kms per day, as right now I'd be planning around 10 - 12! As that rate of walking means it would probably take me 2 months to do the full camino, I'm loosely planning on doing what I can in about two to four weeks but to play it by ear.

I like walking in the cold, stops me over-heating, but like you I can't bear being cold indoors, nor walking round the house wearing loads of layers. I'm also likely to use a mixture of albergues and airbnb, especially if I'm joined by some friends. C clearly, thanks, that sounds like the nugget - plan the date to arrive in Sarria and work backwards for a start date. I've pored over the monthly stats 'til my eyes glaze over but they help that much other than to show that winter looks nice and quiet!

slee92630, I hope I haven't hijacked your thread and that this info is also useful for you.

LOL, hijacking is more than welcome. People are bringing up points I never even thought about and it all good stuff. Really excited to start the adventure and maybe run into a few of you. I had planned to start for St. Jean around 3/10, may have to adjust that starting point, but we'll see. I'm solo for most of the trek, then my wife and sister-in-law are meeting up with me the last 10 days to finish up.

 

[Tincatinker]

Thanks, great intel. Did you Find the Napolean Route open, another responder said it will be closed.

The Route Napoleon will be closed until at least the 1st April.

This link may inform, entertain or annoy: https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...on-closed-1-nov-to-31-march.51469/post-564570

 

[slee92630]

If you’re concerned about accommodations … try WhatsApp-ing and txt-ing. You can find phone numbers from gronze.com. Do keep in mind not all WhatsApp.

Buen Camino

No, it was closed when we walked.

Thanks. My sister-in-law is from Acton, Maine and is joining me for the last 10 days .... Being from Maine I'm sure you handled the weather easily.

 

[geot]

Thanks. My sister-in-law is from Acton, Maine and is joining me for the last 10 days .... Being from Maine I'm sure you handled the weather easily.

Other than the climb up O Cebreiro, temps didn't really get below 40 and we had many sunny days in the 70s and 80s. Much better than early spring in Maine!