Paris to Pamplona

Kiwi-family said:

My brother-and-sister-in-law will be arriving in Paris at 9:30pm in mid May after a necessarily long flight from New Zealand. Due to the fact that he is recovering from cancer and has just had open heart surgery three months ago, they have decided to start their camino in Pamplona (most of the threads in this section are about getting to SJPdP). Rome2rio suggests a number of options....just wondering if anyone has real experience that might be useful in helping them decide. They are thinking a night in Paris is probably a good idea, then they'd like the most straightforward (and hopefully cheapest) option. Interestingly some of the Rome2rio routes suggested turn out to be not so helpful because when you click through to the bus service it says there isn't one. Any suggestions?

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Kiwi-family said:

My brother-and-sister-in-law will be arriving in Paris at 9:30pm in mid May after a necessarily long flight from New Zealand. Due to the fact that he is recovering from cancer and has just had open heart surgery three months ago, they have decided to start their camino in Pamplona (most of the threads in this section are about getting to SJPdP). Rome2rio suggests a number of options....just wondering if anyone has real experience that might be useful in helping them decide. They are thinking a night in Paris is probably a good idea, then they'd like the most straightforward (and hopefully cheapest) option. Interestingly some of the Rome2rio routes suggested turn out to be not so helpful because when you click through to the bus service it says there isn't one. Any suggestions?

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OTH86 said:

Just did this about three weeks ago - EASY! I arrived at Orly, and took Orly Bus to Denfert-Rochereau and stayed three nights at the Hotel Du Lion (that spelling), just around the corner on Ave General LeClerc. Took the train from Montparnasse to Hendaye, crossed the border and got the Euskotren to San Sebastian, and an Alsa Bus to Pamplona. If one is over 60, one can get a Carte Avantage Sénior 60 on line (French train) and take an inOui train - I got the 10.11 train that got to Hendaye at 14.49. The bus station and Euskotren stations (in San Seb.) are about a 15 minute walk apart, and a bus leaves about a half hour after that train gets you to San Seb. Let me know if you need more info.

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Kiwi-family said:

They got an amazing special on Auckland to Paris and figured they would work out the details later. We could look at a flight to Madrid from Paris - I didn’t think of that. Thanks.

How comfortable? (Seriously) After 36 hours flying and with compromised health, it would need to be more like a bed than a bus!!!

@OTH86 thanks for your details. They fly in to CDG but your info will still be helpful to them. Did you book your tickets in advance?

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Kiwi-family said:

@OTH86 thanks for your details. They fly in to CDG but your info will still be helpful to them. Did you book your tickets in advance?

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OTH86 said:

Does anyone know? but isn't there a bus from CDG to city center - similar to Orly bus - I find those (almost) direct buses easier to navigate than the metro over that distance - but ymmv...

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Kiwi-family said:

My brother-and-sister-in-law will be arriving in Paris at 9:30pm in mid May after a necessarily long flight from New Zealand. Due to the fact that he is recovering from cancer and has just had open heart surgery three months ago, they have decided to start their camino in Pamplona (most of the threads in this section are about getting to SJPdP). Rome2rio suggests a number of options....just wondering if anyone has real experience that might be useful in helping them decide. They are thinking a night in Paris is probably a good idea, then they'd like the most straightforward (and hopefully cheapest) option. Interestingly some of the Rome2rio routes suggested turn out to be not so helpful because when you click through to the bus service it says there isn't one. Any suggestions?

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jouffroy47 said:

I was going in the opposite direction, but took a bus [Alsa] to Pamplona with a change in San Sebastián, to Biarritz, and then flew AirFrance's low-cost airline, Transavia, to Paris [Orly].

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OTH86 said:

I booked the train from Montparnasse to Hendaye on-line using my senior discount on SNCF a few days before my departure from the US. The Euskotren can be paid for at an easy-to-use machine at the station in Spain - a short walk across the border. The Alsa bus ticket I got shortly before the bus left San Sebastian - from a machine in the station that was also easy to use - with locals helping! One can use credit card or cash... I used cc.

Does anyone know? but isn't there a bus from CDG to city center - similar to Orly bus - I find those (almost) direct buses easier to navigate than the metro over that distance - but ymmv...

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GraemeHall said:

I always take the train from CDG to Paris - get off at Gare du Nord or further on, depending on where my accommodation is.

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OTH86 said:

Ahh, yes the train - not Metro - would be better - does it go - eventually - to Gare Montparnasse - for the trip south? I think I still like staying near Denfret Rochereau, and walking to Montparnasse via the delightful Rue Daguerre!! - only about a km's walk...

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Tincatinker said:

I suggest they factor at least two nights in Paris. A visit to the musee rodin and an hour or two spent with Ugolino and his children helps put the whole world in perspective

The transport logistics have been covered above. Train to Irun bus to Pamplona would be my choice but I could never be in a rush to leave Paris

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J Willhaus said:

Wondering why they didn't elect to fly to Madrid? Connections to Pamplona are more direct from there? Could add that on to their Paris leg. Then plane, train, bus to Pamplona.

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