Crossing the Pyrenees from Oloron St. Marie, Bedous or Canfranc Estacion: Tips for Starting the Camino Aragones

[Vacajoe]

It can be muddy and tiring. Hard to say what works for you exactly, but all types of pilgrims do it. If you take your time and spend all day walking slowly, it likely isn’t a problem.

 

[Flog]

The climp up to Somport from Bronce is my worry. I have walked the CF twice and both times stoped at Orisson.

If you can start out a few km further uphill at Urdos instead of Borce, you will have an easier day of it. It's a slow steady climb if it's dry, but can be treacherous in a few places if it's been raining, so take your time. If you make it up to Somport by around 3pm and are tired/cold/wet, you could always catch the bus down into Canfranc and then take the early bus back up to the pass in the morning to continue where you left off. So there are a few options..

 

[UnniElisabeth]

It can be muddy and tiring. Hard to say what works for you exactly, but all types of pilgrims do it. If you take your time and spend all day walking slowly, it likely isn’t a problem.

Thank you, I plan to start i Oloron Sainte-Marie, and would very much like to walk up the Pyrenees.

 

[UnniElisabeth]

If you can start out a few km further uphill at Urdos instead of Borce, you will have an easier day of it. It's a slow steady climb if it's dry, but can be treacherous in a few places if it's been raining, so take your time. If you make it up to Somport by around 3pm and are tired/cold/wet, you could always catch the bus down into Canfranc and then take the early bus back up to the pass in the morning to continue where you left off. So there are a few options..

Thank you for the advice, I will plan for a start i Urdos. It seems to be a Gite there.

 

[Flog]

Yes, I haven't stayed but other's have recommended it. There is a small shop in the village for supplies to cook too.

The municipal gite in Oloron is very good too, with a decent kitchen. If you're too tired to cook, there's a lovely little inexpensive restaurant right across the street.

 

[Vacajoe]

Why not start in Oloron? That first day is beautiful and easier than the next one. We did Oloron to Canfranc over three days.

 

[WalkingInGers]

Why not start in Oloron? That first day is beautiful and easier than the next one. We did Oloron to Canfranc over three days.

My idea next week.

 

[ExitAisle]

My personal view of the relative difficulty in walking over the Pyrenees on the Frances and on the Aragones is different from that of the OP. I walked the Frances for my first camino, from SJPdP to Santiago, at the age of 67, over the Pyrenees with a night at Orisson. The next year I walked the Aragones from Oloron Ste Marie to Santiago, joining the Frances at Puenta la Reina. The OP's comment that the walk up to Somport was more difficult than that to Roncesvalles on the Napoleon does not agree with my experience. I walked from SJpdP to Orissson, then on the next day to Roncesvalles, and found the two days' walk strenuous and challenging, with a short, steep uphill walk on the first day and a longer day with a slippery downhill on the second. From Borce I walked over the col de Somport to the albergue just past the col, in one day, and found that day easier than either day on the Frances: not so steep uphill as the first, nor ending with a steep downhill before I arrived at my accommodation on the second day. My comment may well be a misunderstanding of the comparison, but I would not want pilgrims to avoid the Aragones on the grounds that the walk up to Somport was more difficult that the walk from SJPdP on the Napoleon to Roncesvalles.

I went from SJDP to Roncevalles as well. Your comments solidify my decision to tackle the Aragones. I'm 79.