- Time of past OR future Camino
- GR653 Escot-Jaca
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I have just left Etsaut, walking the road to Urdos.Hello,
Due to the bad weather we experienced last night, the Arles path between Accous and Somport is currently impassable.
The RN134 road is also closed above Urdos.
For the moment, I don’t know for how long, but given the damage, it’s going to take a while.
France Bleu Béarn - Inondation Vallée d’Aspe
Well, looking at the IGN map, the GR should be passable unless the hole in the main road is just at that 200m stretch high above Urdos where GR joins the road for a bit.I have just left Etsaut, walking the road to Urdos.
Do you know if the GR653 is passable?
Thanks.
The hole in the road and the destroyed bridge are two separate damages then? I don't recall a mention of a damaged bridge in the article posted above.Hello Caminka,
The IGN map is very good for preparing the route, but today the situation is exceptional. And I can tell you that the construction of a new bridge will not happen tomorrow.
For information on the condition of the path, I will see what I can do, but it will not be in the newspapers.
The 550 bus? It takes the N134 and the N134 has a giant hole in it. So no, the bus cannot reach the tunnel at all.Will the bus go via the tunnel?
Yes really terrible and for the people who live there.Whatever about the pilgrims, a serious headache and massive diversion for travellers crossing the pyrenees by the N134.. a much bigger and wider issue.
Hi there @Pilgrim 122! I will enjoy getting a few updates from you again this time while you are walking. Is this a continuation of the last section as you continue from Rome? I hope you find an alternative way around the problem area without too much trouble.Thank you for posting this alert, I am heading to Jaca in 3 weeks to continue my pilgrimage and had planned to travel by train and bus from Pau. Looks like I need to get there are different way. So glad I checked the forum today.
So, if that was the bus company I used to work for, two unfortunate drivers would by now be driving a minibus each from each side of the hole in opposite directions to take people to civilization. One going over the top for the people on the Candanchu side and the one on the Oloron side going the other way. To and fro for ever and probably meeting big busses at the end of the tunnel. The driving job from hell. Routes are changed for that sort of event. But maybe not in Spain.The 550 bus? It takes the N134 and the N134 has a giant hole in it. So no, the bus cannot reach the tunnel at all.
Hi Chrissy, Yes still walking from Rome ! I look forward to reading your updates too.Hi there @Pilgrim 122! I will enjoy getting a few updates from you again this time while you are walking. Is this a continuation of the last section as you continue from Rome? I hope you find an alternative way around the problem area without too much trouble.
I will be on the Camino Invierno in about 2 weeks.
I posted a response to Yesterdays Flood Warning thread. My French son in law Julien stated "tell anyone else to maybe cancel the Oloron-Somport section for this season. If they are thinking about back-up options, they can always, from Oloron, follow the GR78 (the "Piemont Way") that gets to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, and then keep going on the Frances." Buen Camino
I think there's a fair chance they'll keep the part of the route that goes to Urdos but they won't bother with the other side : there's no village beyond Urdos until the final destination in Spain, only a few isolated houses and farms (which must be in quite a complicated situation!). And with it being a French public transport company, their priority will be the French side. It's a valley surrounded by mountains, so the detour would be huge and not worth it to reach Spain!So, if that was the bus company I used to work for, two unfortunate drivers would by now be driving a minibus each from each side of the hole in opposite directions to take people to civilization. One going over the top for the people on the Candanchu side and the one on the Oloron side going the other way. To and fro for ever and probably meeting big busses at the end of the tunnel. The driving job from hell. Routes are changed for that sort of event. But maybe not in Spain.
Yes, that will probably be the medium term solution. All skiers will have to come via Spain.I think there's a fair chance they'll keep the part of the route that goes to Urdos but they won't bother with the other side : there's no village beyond Urdos until the final destination in Spain, only a few isolated houses and farms (which must be in quite a complicated situation!). And with it being a French public transport company, their priority will be the French side. It's a valley surrounded by mountains, so the detour would be huge and not worth it to reach Spain!
It's going to take a while to get everything back in order.
Or from Oloron, head up towards Navarrenx DIY.If they are thinking about back-up options, they can always, from Oloron, follow the GR78 (the "Piemont Way") that gets to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, and then keep going on the Frances." Buen Camino
It is a massive commercial transport route, so that the income losses will be massive until there's a solution.I think there's a fair chance they'll keep the part of the route that goes to Urdos but they won't bother with the other side
It was :I have just heard too that Lourdes is partially under water especially around the shrine ( in case anyone wants to go and pay there respects there). I think there is a river than runs through it has overflowed.
I was actually planning to start in Oloron on 3rd October and walk to Puente la Reina.
Looks like i may have to choose another route.
Any ideas? My flight is to and from Biarritz.
I won't walk the Norte though, have walked Vasco del interior before.
You could start with the Camino de Baztan like suggested above and then take public transport from Pamplona to Jaca (and even to Canfranc from Jaca) and walk back. It's a bit convoluted but you'll do a good part of what you wanted to do to start with.I was actually planning to start in Oloron on 3rd October and walk to Puente la Reina.
Looks like i may have to choose another route.
Any ideas? My flight is to and from Biarritz.
I won't walk the Norte though, have walked Vasco del interior before.
Why not all the way to SomportYou could start with the Camino de Baztan like suggested above and then take public transport from Pamplona to Jaca (and even to Canfranc from Jaca)
And the economic impact for the Spanish side will be pretty big. This article talks about loss of revenues from France for the whole area around Jaca, Candanchú, and Somport. 6 months is the estimated repair time, which means a huge hit for the ski season.Whatever about the pilgrims, a serious headache and massive diversion for travellers crossing the pyrenees by the N134.. a much bigger and wider issue.
Start at Somport and walk farther on the Francés?I was actually planning to start in Oloron on 3rd October and walk to Puente la Reina.
Looks like i may have to choose another route.
Any ideas? My flight is to and from Biarritz.
I won't walk the Norte though, have walked Vasco del interior before.
I am a tourist this week and was at Lourdes yesterday. Yes, the flood water shown in this pic has been cleaned up.It was :
Reportedly from French media, the flooding has subsided, and it has been cleaned up.
https://www.lourdes-france.com/la-grotte-de-lourdes-a-nouveau-accessible-au-public/
And the economic impact for the Spanish side will be pretty big. This article talks about loss of revenues from France for the whole area around Jaca, Candanchú, and Somport. 6 months is the estimated repair time, which means a huge hit for the ski season.
I am a tourist this week and was at Lourdes yesterday. Yes, the flood water shown in this pic has been cleaned up.
Yes, this would be an ok solution, but i would miss out on the climb up to Somport.Start at Somport and walk farther on the Francés?
If it is not too late in the season (snow), Voie d'Ossau is a beautiful route and delivers you to Somport from the upper side. Lovely villages, pilgrim heritage (from the top of my head at least two hospices, abbaye laique with a portal depicting the apostles, houses with scallops, hidden skeletons), a thermal spa, beautiful scenery, and a mountain refuge with a lake mirroring the magnificent Pic du Midi d'Ossau (on an alternative route).I was actually planning to start in Oloron on 3rd October and walk to Puente la Reina.
Looks like i may have to choose another route.
Any ideas? My flight is to and from Biarritz.
I won't walk the Norte though, have walked Vasco del interior before.
With this closure, it is not easy to reach Somport from Biarritz. By transport, you’d take the train or bus to SJPdP, bus to Pamplona, bus to Jaca, and then a bus to Somport. Of course, you could walk any segment of that.Yes, this would be an ok solution, but i would miss out on the climb up to Somport.
Also, i dont know how easy it is to get to Somport from Biarritz.
I started another thread on an alternative Camino possibility, Baztan/Frances loop, but it will involve walking some of those in opposite direction.
Thanks
Thanks, thats a great suggestion. Is there accommodation options?If it is not too late in the season (snow), Voie d'Ossau is a beautiful route and delivers you to Somport from the upper side. Lovely villages, pilgrim heritage (from the top of my head at least two hospices, abbaye laique with a portal depicting the apostles, houses with scallops, hidden skeletons), a thermal spa, beautiful scenery, and a mountain refuge with a lake mirroring the magnificent Pic du Midi d'Ossau (on an alternative route).
I found this French website with a list of accommodation at the bottom : description of the GR108.Thanks, thats a great suggestion. Is there accommodation options?
my stages in 2012: arudy - laruns, laruns - gabas, gabas - ayous (plus up to pic d'ayous), ayous - canfranc.Thanks, thats a great suggestion. Is there accommodation options?
It is wonderful!The Municipal Albergue Elias Valina is in Canfrac Pueblo, about 4 km downhill from Canfrac Estacion. Of course you could stay in the new parador in Canfrac Estacion. Albergue Elias Valina is newly remodeled and quite fabulous. It is staffed by wonderful hospitaleras. There is a restaurant nearby
Thanks so much for sharing this information.Hello,
Due to the bad weather we experienced last night, the Arles path between Accous and Somport is currently impassable.
The RN134 road is also closed above Urdos.
For the moment, I don’t know for how long, but given the damage, it’s going to take a while.
France Bleu Béarn - Inondation Vallée d’Aspe
It isn't on Gronze, although I should do an "al loro" piece for them. You mostly follow the (well marked) GR10 from Borce (crossing the Aspe well before the Fort du Portalet) up the Chemin de la Mâture and on to the lacs d'Ayous. After the refuge d'Ayous, follow the Haute Route Pyrénées up to the Col des Moines, pass the source of the Aragón and down past Puerto Astún to rejoin the main camino at Somport. Two passes at over 2100m up, but no mountaineering needed (although some stamina, as cumulative ascent is over 2000m, but not very long days - 15km Borce-refuge d'Ayous, and about the same on to Canfranc). I walked in early October 2019.@AlanSykes Where is this detour from Borce? Don't see it on Gronze.
Does it rejoin the Aragones? When did you walk?
You mostly follow the (well marked) GR10 from Borce (crossing the Aspe well before the Fort du Portalet) up the Chemin de la Mâture and on to the lacs d'Ayous.
The GR10 (Chemin de la Mâture) carries on up the Gave d'Aspe on the Etsaut side of the river, not the Borce side. This is the view of the Fort du Portalet from the Mâture:Just wondering though, if following the road, you leave it before the point where pilgrims are forced to divert through the railway tunnel
And the next stage to Somport, is that still on GR10 or does it branch off somewhere
It says in this article that its been closed since Feb 2020There was a post here on the Forum to report that the Chemin de Mature has been closed ( this was long before the present landslides). I can't find it now though. I was sorry to see that - that way looks fantastic, and a viable but challenging alternative given the present state of the road.
There was a post here on the Forum to report that the Chemin de Mature has been closed ( this was long before the present landslides). I can't find it now though. I was sorry to see that - that way looks fantastic, and a viable but challenging alternative given the present state of the road.
that is absolutely uncontestably true.
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