How do I get to Somport to start Camino Aragones?

[Camino Yogini]

Hola peregrinos,
After a great deal of deliberation and vacillating back and forth, I've decided part of my route will be the Camino Aragones beginning in Somport (and depending on how much time I have and if I'm sick of all the hordes, I may switch to Salvador/Primitivo after León). What are some good ways to get to Somport? I will be in Milan, visiting a peregrino angel whom I met last year. Flights to Paris and Barcelona, in particular, are very inexpensive. Are there easy routes to Somport from either of those places? I hope to go on September 17 -- yes, this year. (Such a change from planning a year in advance like on my first Camino.)

Gracias!

 

[Kanga]

Why start in Somport - why not a little further back at Pau, on the historic pilgrim route from Arles? It is easy to get to Pau, a simply lovely French city with major transport links (airport, fast trains), go to Lescar (which is really just a suburb of Pau) a pretty walk from there to Oloron Ste Marie, up the stunningly glorious valley of the Aspe to Somport. I'd use the extra time to walk from Pau, instead of the other end. Highly recommend the walk on the French side to Somport. Any of the guide books for the Arles route will do.

 

[whariwharangi]

ALSA bus from Barcelona Estacion Nord to Zaragosa Central Delicias.

Alosa (part of Avanza Grupo) bus from Zaragosa Central Delicias to Jaca.

Renfe train from Jaca to Estacion CanFranc or taxi to the pass.

Or

Renfe from Barcelona to CanFranc including a transfer at Zaragosa Delicias. There are two trains from Zaragosa passing through Jaca daily.

Walk the rest of the way to the pass.

ALSA
http://www.alsa.es/en/

Alosa
http://alosa.avanzabus.com/web/rutas__horarios_y_precios/lineas_regulares.html

Renfe
http://www.renfe.com/

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There is a bus operated by the train several times a day from Oloron-Ste.-Marie to Estacion Canfranc with a continuation for some of the buses to Somport. You can get to Oloron from many places in France including Toulouse, Pau, Lourdes, and Tarbes on the train.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

 

[whariwharangi]

To tie in with Falcon's information, there are Renfe trains from Barcelona to change of gauge Port Bou/Cerbere where you transfer to SNCF trains and there are SNCF trains from Barcelona to Toulouse.

 

[Gustavo Silveira]

Why start in Somport - why not a little further back at Pau, on the historic pilgrim route from Arles? It is easy to get to Pau, a simply lovely French city with major transport links (airport, fast trains), go to Lescar (which is really just a suburb of Pau) a pretty walk from there to Oloron Ste Marie, up the stunningly glorious valley of the Aspe to Somport. I'd use the extra time to walk from Pau, instead of the other end. Highly recommend the walk on the French side to Somport. Any of the guide books for the Arles route will do.

Why start in Somport - why not a little further back at Pau, on the historic pilgrim route from Arles? It is easy to get to Pau, a simply lovely French city with major transport links (airport, fast trains), go to Lescar (which is really just a suburb of Pau) a pretty walk from there to Oloron Ste Marie, up the stunningly glorious valley of the Aspe to Somport. I'd use the extra time to walk from Pau, instead of the other end. Highly recommend the walk on the French side to Somport. Any of the guide books for the Arles route will do.

Hi Kanga,

I'm planning to return to walk the Camino in December, originally starting in Somport, but your Pau suggestion made me rethink my starting point, seens to be a great idea and add probably 3 or 4 more days of walking, however I'm still concerned about the winter/mountain/snow combination and possible difficulties finding places to stay or eat. I really do not speak french, and a concern that I have is an unplanned issue and the necessity to deal with it in a foreign language, or deal with lots of answer machines of closed places without options.... I know that I'm stressing the point, but, I don't want create problems to others or have myself if I can avoid it. I'm still excited about the idea, and trying to check if it's feasible in the next december.

 

[oursonpolaire]

Try the tourisme office in Pau when you arrive-- most French tourismes have English-speaking staff and in my experience have always been very helpful to pilgrims. This trail is well-used by hikers as well as pilgrims, but you may have challenges in finding accommodation if you are walking over the Christmas holidays.

 

[ranthr]

Gustavo. You must be prepared for a lot of roadwalking up the Valle d'Aspe to Somport since the path may be not walkable because of rain, mud, perhaps snow as well. The road has a heavy traffic, it was not a pleasure to walk there in spring when the touristoffice warned agaist the path. You must probably choose the road down from Somport too.
In France I advice you to book ahead places to sleep.

 

[Kanga]

Yes, I agree, at that time of year it would be difficult and possibly dangerous @Gustavo Silveira - we were there in summer. And even in summer we had dense fog one day - so dense we stuck grimly to the road. Don't put yourself and potential rescuers at risk.

 

[colinPeter]

Yes, and if you decide to get the bus to Somport you can still walk across the border from France into Spain, if you like the symbolism of it all.

 

[camino07]

Beginning of May 2013 we took the train from Barcelona to Zaragoza then bus from same station to Jaca then local bus to Somport.
There was snow on the path on the first stage to Canfranc. Love to walk this way again someday.Scenery amazing!

 

[camino-david]

Camino Yogini: There are several flights from Paris to Pau, then a train to Oloron from where you can walk up to Somport or walk from either Pau or Oloron. Note: it can be a tough walk from Pau to Oloron. You will need to book your accommodation in France, which can be done ahead but on a day to day basis. I walked this route to Puente la Reina and beyond in September and I loved this Camino.
Alternatively if you fly to Barcelona, get to Jaca by train or bus as posted above. There are 3 bus services per day to the Somport Pass. There is an Amigos Association for the Camino Aragones (www.jacajaccobea.com) with lots of info in English, also the Of de Turismo is most helpful (google the address) and will answer many of your questions. You can get your credential in Jaca, either at the cathedral or the tourist office.
Gustavo: In December I would be concerned about finding accommodation on the French side that is open, and also the Pass may be closed or dangerous to cross. I would suggest you go to Jaca where you can find out the conditions at the pass and then make the decision whether to start your Camino at Somport or Jaca.

 

[JillGat]

Hi Kanga,
Please recommend a good English guide for the Aragones route from Pau. Thanks.

Why start in Somport - why not a little further back at Pau, on the historic pilgrim route from Arles? It is easy to get to Pau, a simply lovely French city with major transport links (airport, fast trains), go to Lescar (which is really just a suburb of Pau) a pretty walk from there to Oloron Ste Marie, up the stunningly glorious valley of the Aspe to Somport. I'd use the extra time to walk from Pau, instead of the other end. Highly recommend the walk on the French side to Somport. Any of the guide books for the Arles route will do.

 

[JabbaPapa]

The French bus is the best way using transport, including if you can only get as far as Urdos and need walk up from there.

The trail between Oloron and the Somport is occasionally very poorly marked and very poorly devised, plus it's sometimes rather tedious, though it gradually improves after Sarrance.

The "Spanish" trail markers start well before the border though, so the last few KM in France are just the Camino as expected.

For a walking start at Pau or wherever, I'd personally actually advise heading towards SJPP, as the better choice, though starting the Aragonès at Sarrance, Urdos, or the Somport itself are all good choices too.

There are still not that many people on the Aragonès, not Pilgrims anyway, though there are large numbers of Sunday hikers in some locations up the Spanish side of the Pyrenees.

 

[mike g]

Any ideas of how to get to Somport from Bayonne i'm coming south via TGV

 

[mspath]

Any ideas of how to get to Somport from Bayonne i'm coming south via TGV

Why are you going to Bayonne?
If departing from Paris there are other ways to get to Somport. Try train from Paris/Montparnasse to Pau to Oloron Ste Marie and then taxi or walk to Somport.

 

[Castilian]

Any ideas of how to get to Somport from Bayonne i'm coming south via TGV

Unless you plan to visit Bayonne for some reason, you have more direct ways to get from Paris (see the post made by @mspath above).

If you go to Bayonne, you can take a train from Bayonne to Pau, another one from Pau to Oloron Ste. Marie and a bus from Oloron Ste. Marie to Somport.

If departing from Paris there are other ways to get to Somport. Try train from Paris/Montparnasse to Pau to Oloron Ste Marie and then taxi or walk to Somport.

...or take the bus from Oloron Ste. Marie to Somport. For info about the bus www.ter.sncf.com/aquitaine

 

[whariwharangi]

The SNCF site works with Pau to Somport.

 

[whariwharangi]

I did not realize that some of the SNCF buses connect to Canfranc Stn and the Renfe train system.

 

[Castilian]

I did not realize that some of the SNCF buses connect to Canfranc Stn and the Renfe train system.

I don't recall when they started to run but 3 decades ago minimum. There are plans to rebuild the train line. A few days ago, trains returned to Bedous on the French side. Let's see when Canfranc is linked by train once again with France.

 

[Icacos]

Good Morning all......this is an old thread, but it deals with the area I'm curious about. I particularly like @Kanga's suggestion to start further back, perhaps in Pau, and I see that @peregrina2000 is working on (has completed?) a guide to the Aragonés. (I am also following the current thread https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/sharp-decline-in-pilgrims-camino-aragonés.51439/ Would someone please tell me how I can get up to date info on the route from Pau - or even further back - to Somport? And what is that part of the camino called? Thank you.

 

[sharon w]

We are walking the Chemin d'Arles next year. If you look up info on this route you can work out where you want to start. We are actually starting in Le Puy and walking to Arles then starting the Chemin.

 

[frida1]

My husband and I walked this route from Montpellier in France this spring. We used the Miam Miam Do Do guidebook (in French but useful) and the Confraternity guidebooks. Starting in Pau or in Oloron St. Marie would both be good options, in my opinion. The Arles and Aragones ways are both beautiful and quiet.

 

[BlueBowers]

I started in Oloron in Sept of last year, using the Confraternity of St James Guide "Arles to Puente de la Reina, Part 2 Toulouse to Puente de la Reina". Fairly good info but no maps.