Late arrival in St Jean/Accommdation

[discopants]

Hello folks,

I was hoping one of you kind pilgrims might be able to help with a minor logistical issue.

I arrive in Biarritz from Dublin next Wednesday at 18:15, so I am too late to catch the early evening train to St. Jean.

I think that leaves me with two options: stay in Bayonne on Wednesday night and get the early train to St. Jean the next morning, or get the late train from Bayonne on Wednesday evening, arriving in St Jean. at approximately 22:20.

My preference is to get to my starting point – St Jean – as soon as possible, so I am veering towards the latter.

However, am I to assume that all the albergues will be shut at that time of night? Is it possible to arrange any form of alternative accommodation at that point, or is my best option to pre-book a hotel online?

I would rather avoid staying in a hotel as I am late booking, alone, and the cost is fairly prohibitive.

Any help or guidance would be greatly appreciated.

Disco.

 

[sillydoll]

Try one of these: Perhaps they will allow you to arrive later in the evening.

Monsieur Bonhomme
21, rue d' Espagne
64220 St Jean Pied de Port
12 Euro 18 beds
Tel : 05.59.37.20.71 : Fax : 05.59.37.20.71
gite@bonhomme.net http://www.votregite.com


Lucien Hurmic
55 rue de la Citadelle
64220 St Jean Pied de Port
8 Euro 25 beds
Tel : 05.59.37.05.09 caminopa@hotmail.com

Jean Marie Mailharro
Place du trinquet
64220 St Jean Pied de Port
20 beds
Tel : 06.79.07.52.52 jeanmarie.mailharro@wanadoo.fr

Guillaume Lopepe
13, bis rte Maréchal Harispe
64220 St Jean Pied de Port
16 Euro 18 euro
Tel : 05.59.49.10.17 ou 06.75.78.36.23
giteguill.lopepe@gmail.com http://www.gite-zazpiak-bat.com

 

[Deleted member 397]

I would have thought staying in Bayonne would be the better option. I met a woman last july who arrived late to her pre booked accommodation and the woman,realising she had no other options,tried to charge her 30 euros to sleep on the floor. This was declined and she found an alternative elesewhere.....but you never know. Also from memory the station is at the bottom of SJPDP so a bit of a walk might be involved.
Don't be too eager to start walking from SJPDP at some un godly hour. The albergue at Roncesvalles doesn't open until 4pm.

 

[discopants]

Thanks for the help folks.

I think my best option is to book pre-book a hotel in SJPP and have one last night of luxury before I throw myself at the mercy of the albergues for the rest of the month.

I'll let you know how I get on in any event.

Buen Camino,
Brian.

 

[sillydoll]

Brian, its the other way around. The albergues are at the mercy of the peregrinos!
The majority of pilgrims are nice people, well brought up, polite, helpful and grateful for a bed at the end of the day. Others, I'm afraid to say, are demanding, snooty, rude, inconsiderate and ungrateful.
There's a well known saying on the camino - "The tourist demands, the pilgrim gives thanks."
I'm sure the camino is powerful enough to make a pilgrim out of most tourists but, alas, one or two fall by the wayside!

 

[anniethenurse]

In May this year I took the same late night train and arrived at around 22.15. Had booked a hotel (hotel Ramuntcho) and didn´t have to worry about the first night , was right there early in the morning in SJPP, walked around in this nice little French village, bought some water, food for the Pyrenees before I walked off the village of SJPP up to the mountains.
http://fr.federal-hotel.com/hotel_hotel ... _16707.htm

el-camino-frances/topic5652.html

buen camino
annie

 

[seacycle]

Hi another option is to stay in Bayonne and take the early train to St.Jean de pied de Port. I had a similar problem in august and stayed at the San Miguel just down the street from the station. There are always a few hostals clustered around the railway stations. This would also be a little cheaper than the Rumachero and allow you to be settled earlier.
Mark
http://www.seacycle.blogspot.com