Night in Biarritz?

[Lucyev]

Hello, I am looking to hopefully do the Camino for the first time in July 2020. I know it will be hot but I work in a school so that is the only time I have 6 weeks off. I am both excited and terrified in equal measures. I will catch an Easyjet flight from Bristol to Biarritz. This doesn't get in until 20.50 so I am assuming I should book some accommodation in Biarritz and travel to SJPDP the next day, get my stamp and then start that day? Also, should I prebook my flight back from Santiago on a certain day, or wait and see. I'm not sure how long I will take to do the walk. If I book a flight on 29th August that will give me a day or two before I have to be back in work, and gives me 39 days to do the Camino. I am assuming that will be plenty? I will be 52 when i do the walk, and plan on doing lots of training. Thanks in anticipation.

 

[Bradypus]

Good to see you thinking well ahead! Personally I would leave booking your return flight to the UK until you are closer to Santiago and have a clearer idea of your arrival date. Otherwise you will have to tailor your daily stages to meet a fixed deadline and lose a lot of flexibility. There are enough flights from Santiago, A Coruna and Vigo to London to mean that booking months ahead is not necessary and any extra costs for booking a few days from the flight date are probably worth it for the lack of stress of a tight deadline.

On the Biarritz front: that is going to be in busy holiday season so booking as far ahead as possible sounds like a very wise move

 

[norman hawes]

Hello, I am looking to hopefully do the Camino for the first time in July 2020. I know it will be hot but I work in a school so that is the only time I have 6 weeks off. I am both excited and terrified in equal measures. I will catch an Easyjet flight from Bristol to Biarritz. This doesn't get in until 20.50 so I am assuming I should book some accommodation in Biarritz and travel to SJPDP the next day, get my stamp and then start that day? Also, should I prebook my flight back from Santiago on a certain day, or wait and see. I'm not sure how long I will take to do the walk. If I book a flight on 29th August that will give me a day or two before I have to be back in work, and gives me 39 days to do the Camino. I am assuming that will be plenty? I will be 52 when i do the walk, and plan on doing lots of training. Thanks in anticipation.

Biarritz itself is in the wrong direction from the airport, I myself and many others chose to get the bus to Bayon, there you can get the train or bus to sjpdp, you can stay the night in Bayon which is very nice, or if there is a train or bus that you can catch that day, go straight to sjpdp, one time I met up with other pilgrims and shared taxi from Bayon, it worked out cheaper than the ones from the airport even after bus fare to Bayon, enjoy the Camino

 

[A Kerryman]

Hello, I am looking to hopefully do the Camino for the first time in July 2020. I know it will be hot but I work in a school so that is the only time I have 6 weeks off. I am both excited and terrified in equal measures. I will catch an Easyjet flight from Bristol to Biarritz. This doesn't get in until 20.50 so I am assuming I should book some accommodation in Biarritz and travel to SJPDP the next day, get my stamp and then start that day? Also, should I prebook my flight back from Santiago on a certain day, or wait and see. I'm not sure how long I will take to do the walk. If I book a flight on 29th August that will give me a day or two before I have to be back in work, and gives me 39 days to do the Camino. I am assuming that will be plenty? I will be 52 when i do the walk, and plan on doing lots of training. Thanks in anticipation.

I stayed here in 2018, it was not far from train station and a very welcoming person . https://m.facebook.com/AlbergueAguirreBayonne/

 

[doctorherman]

When I have flown into BIQ on a late flight in the past, I have booked the Ibis, which is about a 15 minute walk from the arrivals terminal. The Ibis is clean and comfortable and there is a restaurant on site. Unfortunately, it is along the road and there is no dedicated footpath for that short stretch though. The next day, it is a bus ride from the Ibis to Bayonne (stop is in front of the hotel) and two or three hours to have a look around the fascinating old quarter, with a MUST visit to the beautiful cathedral, before crossing the river to head to the station for the lunch time train to SJPdP.

 

[Lucyev]

Thank you all so much for your replies. I have looked again at the flights and decided to go via Gatwick. It's a longer journey for me to get there than Bristol, but the flight arrival times means I get into Biarritz mid afternoon so I can book the shared ride to SJPDP, hopefully get there about 5pm and get my stamp and start early the next morning. I will fly back to Gatwick from Santiago, so it will be cheaper to get a return train ticket from home to gatwick than 2 one way journeys from home to Bristol and gatwick to home. I do appreciate all your help.

 

[malingerer]

Thank you all so much for your replies. I have looked again at the flights and decided to go via Gatwick. It's a longer journey for me to get there than Bristol, but the flight arrival times means I get into Biarritz mid afternoon so I can book the shared ride to SJPDP, hopefully get there about 5pm and get my stamp and start early the next morning. I will fly back to Gatwick from Santiago, so it will be cheaper to get a return train ticket from home to gatwick than 2 one way journeys from home to Bristol and gatwick to home. I do appreciate all your help.

I usually fly Easyjet from Bristol to Bordeaux, overnight at small cheap hotel just opposite rail station (airport bus service drops u at train station) then following morning early its train to St. J de P and o/nt there before starting walk to either Orison or Valcarlos. I've done both. It makes for a leisurely start. I was 65 when I started back in 2004 so methinks you should make it. Don't be in too big a rush and I would agree with leaving your return date and flight open as the Camino might have plans for you! Buen Camino.

The Malingerer.