One More Time

[Juspassinthru]

At some point in the foreseeable future I plan to retire. Freed from work related time constraints, I plan to do an extended Camino beginning in Oloron-Sainte-Marie on the Camino Aragones and joining the CF in Puente la Reina. I walked the CF in 2017 beginning in SJPP and did most of the stages outlined in the Brierley Guide. For this extended version, I want to do more of the alternative routes and stay in different towns and villages. For the experienced Pilgrims, I'm looking for your suggestions and ideas. I'm planning on 60 days from O-S-M to Finisterre via Muxia. Because I've done both previous Camino's in May-June, I thought starting in September and finishing in November would offer a nice change. Any thoughts on timing are welcome too. Thanks to you all in advance.

 

[Juspassinthru]

Thanks to whoever put my post in the proper place, I could not figure out how to move it myself.

 

[wayfarer]

Happy planning and Buen Camino.

 

[Juspassinthru]

Happy planning and Buen Camino.

Planning is half the fun...

 

[Blintintin]

i don't know what / where 'O-S-M' is, but if it's Camino Frances and if you're starting in SJPDP, then I'd recommend the Val Carlos route to Roncesvalles, as a change, presuming you walked the Napoleon Route previously. It's lovely, walking under covered forests for the most of the day, stopping in small town ValCarlos cuts the distance in two, making Day 1 and 2 more manageable with shorter distances. It's much quieter and is a lovely way to see the mountains. Sept is a great time of year, I walked the Camino Frances Sept2018, and bumped into local festivals in SO many towns along the way. it was always enjoyable to spend the evening and can be worth an extra day, or a scheduled rest-day. In particular in Pamplona, late September for SanFermin Txikito (their local 'little' SanFermin festival, packed full of activities, concerts, parades, etc, everything that the bigger July festival has, except the bulls) and also in Astorga in mid October ( when British, Spanish & French troops descend on the town, and Napolean and army are booed out of town !! ) These were bigger festivals but so many smaller towns had equally enjoyable fiestas. It can make finding accommodation tough somtimes, but if you look ahead at dates and plan ahead, it's worth it.

 

[Alan Pearce]

I started from Pau in 2008, from there walking to Lescar and then on to Oloron. There are not a lot of options when walking the Camino Aragonese for accommodation, not like on the Frances, but one option I chose which I loved was at Arres, after Jaca. I walked in early April, so I would not pretend to know anything about walking that route in September, but no one else does either, because the weather changes from year to year.

I walked from Puenta la Reina again 3 years ago, and deliberately stayed in the smaller centres. Doing this often meant that the albergues were barely half full [in May]. Also as most of the English speaking pilgrims stayed in the places recommended by Brierly, it was often difficult to find another pilgrim in the albergue that spoke English! My fault for not learning Spanish.

I left Pau on April 3rd, and after having 5 rest days along the way, arrived in Finisterre on May 16th, so 42 days. I wish I was as fit now as I was then! However you do it, it will be a great walk.

Buen Camino!

Be brave. Life is joyous.

Alan

 

[Juspassinthru]

i don't know what / where 'O-S-M' is, but if it's Camino Frances and if you're starting in SJPDP, then I'd recommend the Val Carlos route to Roncesvalles, as a change, presuming you walked the Napoleon Route previously. It's lovely, walking under covered forests for the most of the day, stopping in small town ValCarlos cuts the distance in two, making Day 1 and 2 more manageable with shorter distances. It's much quieter and is a lovely way to see the mountains. Sept is a great time of year, I walked the Camino Frances Sept2018, and bumped into local festivals in SO many towns along the way. it was always enjoyable to spend the evening and can be worth an extra day, or a scheduled rest-day. In particular in Pamplona, late September for SanFermin Txikito (their local 'little' SanFermin festival, packed full of activities, concerts, parades, etc, everything that the bigger July festival has, except the bulls) and also in Astorga in mid October ( when British, Spanish & French troops descend on the town, and Napolean and army are booed out of town !! ) These were bigger festivals but so many smaller towns had equally enjoyable fiestas. It can make finding accommodation tough somtimes, but if you look ahead at dates and plan ahead, it's worth it.

Sorry, O-S-M = Oloron-Sante-Marie is a bit west of Lourdes in France on the Camino Aragones which joins the Camino Francés in Puente la Reina. Thank you for tips on festivals, looking forward to whatever I decide to do.

 

[Juspassinthru]

I started from Pau in 2008, from there walking to Lescar and then on to Oloron. There are not a lot of options when walking the Camino Aragonese for accommodation, not like on the Frances, but one option I chose which I loved was at Arres, after Jaca. I walked in early April, so I would not pretend to know anything about walking that route in September, but no one else does either, because the weather changes from year to year.

I walked from Puenta la Reina again 3 years ago, and deliberately stayed in the smaller centres. Doing this often meant that the albergues were barely half full [in May]. Also as most of the English speaking pilgrims stayed in the places recommended by Brierly, it was often difficult to find another pilgrim in the albergue that spoke English! My fault for not learning Spanish.

I left Pau on April 3rd, and after having 5 rest days along the way, arrived in Finisterre on May 16th, so 42 days. I wish I was as fit now as I was then! However you do it, it will be a great walk.

Buen Camino!

Be brave. Life is joyous.

Alan

Thanks for the tips, noting everything I get.

 

[Albertagirl]

Oloron Ste Marie is on the Camino d'Arles. I walked from Oloron Ste Marie through the Somport Pass, where the Camino Aragones begins, to just before Puenta la Reina, where it joins the Camino Frances from St Jean pied de Port, and on to Santiago on the Frances, in 2016. To get to Oloron Ste Marie, I flew to Paris, then on to Pau, bus into town and a train to Oloron Ste Marie. I purchase a guidebook on the route to Puenta la Reina from the Confraternity of St James in London. That was part ii. Toulouse to Puente la Reina of the Arles to Puente la Reina guide, with the 2015 update insert. I walked in the fall, from September to November. This guidebook is available on their website, but will not be sent out until they are able to open up after the pandemic. The guidebook will probably contain a printed insert update from recent pilgrims, so do not be concerned if the date of publication is some years ago. There are many options for guidebooks onward from Puenta la Reina. And of course, much is likely to change this year, so more recent guidebooks on the Frances will be available when you are ready to go. I enjoyed the autumn walk, which that year had only a couple of rainy days. Enjoy your planning. There is much up-to-date information on this forum from pilgrims who walked the route more recently, search under camino aragones. Enjoy your planning, for a truly remarkable walk.

Edited for weather: From the Somport Pass, the weather was largely sunny, but the three day walk from Oloron Ste Marie up to the pass was very wet, as is common in the Vallee d'Aspe. In fact, a storm had led to a complete power outage when I arrived in Oloron Ste Marie, and I wandered the town in my rain gear, thoroughly soaked and looking for someplace to get something to eat. Maybe I wanted to forget about this, but the valley weather is apparently often wet.