Pilgrim's passport...

[darinka11]

Hi everybody,
I'm going to cycle to Santiago from Bilbao. Is there any places I could get a pilgrim's passport in Bilbao? I'll be very grateful for any information...
Thanks, Daria

 

[sillydoll]

You can get one at the Friends of the Camino office in Bilbao:
Asociación De Amigos Del Camino De Santiago De Bilbao - Nicolás Alcorta, 7 - Pza. de Zabalburu

 

[Bridget and Peter]

Hi Daria,

When are you planning to do this? We will be cycling part of that this Sept/Oct, and the rest sunsequently. We'll be interested in your plans and progress.

 

[darinka11]

Hi Daria,

When are you planning to do this? We will be cycling part of that this Sept/Oct, and the rest sunsequently. We'll be interested in your plans and progress.

Hello Bridget and Peter,
We're cycling on 28 of May (very soon) for a few weeks..... We're gonna do a coastal route which is the oldest and the most difficult one. But we love challenges... This will be our first time so we'll be learning on a way.... anyway it would be great to share our experiences and tips. I'll certainly put some useful infos in here....

 

[Zohard]

Hello…

I’m from Israel, my girlfriend is from England. At the moment I’m traveling in India. I want to start the way of Santiago from France – although I’m still not sure which path we’re going to take. We want to start in about a month or two.
Here are my questions:
1) Where exactly do I get the pilgrimage passport? Please, don’t just give me links to other “answers” in this forum because I’ve already read it quiet thoroughly (and for many hours) and found no answers – not to mention that some of the links are broken. I found ways to get it if you belong to a certain organization or a group. Or if you come from this country or another but could not find anything for myself. So, since I’m not in Europe at the moment my girlfriend (who is from England) will have to buy them for both of us. Where and how exactly can we obtain them? Can we do it by email? Letter? How do I pay for them?
2) Any suggestions regarding where to start from France? Since we also plan to take a tent we prefer to take routes that are less traveled.
Anyway, we would appreciate any assistance
thanks

 

[Deleted member 3000]

This is as detailed as possible on "how to get a credencial" unless you have a particular town where you want to pick up one:

http://www.csj.org.uk/how-to-get-a-credencial.htm

 

[sillydoll]

1) Credential:
Usually, pilgrims bring one from their country - or, obtain one at the first albergue (pilgrim shelter) they stay in when starting.
As you don't know where you will be starting - only somewhere in France - you could email one of the French Associations and ask them where to get a credential. I say 'one of the French Associations' because who you ask will depend on where you start . (Nothing is ever easy!!)
Once you know where you are starting, email one of these associations:

France: Société des Amis de Saint Jacques de Compostelle: http://www.compostelle.asso.fr/
France – Vezelay: "Via Lemovicensis" (La Voie de Vézelay): http://www.amis-saint-jacques-de-compostelle.asso.fr/
Southern France: Association de Coopération Interrégionale les Chemins de Saint-Jacques-de-Compostelle http://www.chemins-compostelle.com/
France – Chartres: Association des Amis de Saint Jacques d'Eure et Loire http://monsite.wanadoo.fr/chartres_stja ... ndex.jhtml
France - Saint Jean: Au coeur du chemin - les Amis de Chemin de St Jacques des Pyrénées Atlantiques http://www.aucoeurduchemin.org/

OR: you could email Mundicamino for advice: mundicamino@mundicamino.com

2) Where to start in France?
You don't say how long you have to walk to Santiago so it's difficult to advise you on where to start. There are at least 5 routes from France that lead to Spain and then to Santiago. You'll need to decide which one you want to walk.

a) You could start in Paris (a very quiet route) and walk the Via Turonensis +970 to Spain and then the Camino Frances 800km or the Camino Norte 765km to Santiago.
b) Or on the Via Podiensis from Le Puy to St Jean - 736km and then 800km to Santiago
c) Or on the Via Tolosana from Arles - 745km in France and about 170km to Puente La Reina and then 685km to Santiago
d) or the Via Lemovensis 900km from Vezelay and then 800km from St Jean to Santiago.
e) Or the Chemin du Piemont ± 525km from Narbonne via Lourdes to St Jean and then 800km from St Jean to Santiago.

There are a few other shorter routes that cross the Pyrenees from France into Spain and join up with a longer Spanish routes but no need to confuse you with those!

I hope this helps a little to answer your questions.

 

[Zohard]

Ok, first of all thankyou for your reply! Very helpful.

* So if i get it right what you're saying is that i don't really have to obtain it beforehand because i can just purchase one when starting at the first shelter?? Is that right? If so i really don't understand why bother with getting it in advance. Is it more expensive? do not all shelters have it?

* The thing is that i will be arriving from Amsterdam, possibly by train (any suggestions?) and i really don't want to travel or pay more than i have to. Meaning, that if a certain route is easier to go to and/or is more accessible i would prefer to take it.

* Time is not an issue - i have as much time as i need so i don't mind if it takes longer.

* My girlfriend is not in the best shape and she has never done anything like that in her life. I'm not even sure that she ever walked more than two days straight. If the Paris route is easier to start with then i think it'll be nest for us to start there. My concern is 1) is it simple to get there from Amsterdam and 2) can i use a tent.

Thanks for all your help

 

[sillydoll]

* So if i get it right what you're saying is that i don't really have to obtain it beforehand because i can just purchase one when starting at the first shelter?? Is that right? If so i really don't understand why bother with getting it in advance. Is it more expensive? do not all shelters have it?

Yes, that's right - but only if you are starting in Spain.
Most French routes don't have designated pilgrim shelters - or very few of them - so you can't always get a 'credential' at the place where you start walking in France. We stayed in three pilgrim shelters on the Paris to Spain route and none of them had credentials - they expected you to have one already. That is why most people try to get one before they start. It often entitles you to a discount at museums, cathedrals, hotels etc.
Once you reach Spain, you can get a credential at most shelters, cathedrals and sometimes even at the Tourism Offices.

* The thing is that i will be arriving from Amsterdam, possibly by train (any suggestions?) and i really don't want to travel or pay more than i have to. Meaning, that if a certain route is easier to go to and/or is more accessible i would prefer to take it.

If you have set your heart on starting in France, then Paris is probably the easiest to get to. You can check the train timetables and fares here:
http://www.eurorailways.com/products/pr ... amspar.htm
But, France is not cheap. There are few pilgrim shelters and alternative accommodation is expensive. It might be better for you two to start close to Spain and do more walking in Spain than in France.

* Time is not an issue - i have as much time as i need so i don't mind if it takes longer.

Paris to Santiago is over 1 800kms.
Have a look here at an overview of the route: http://www.csj.org.uk/route-paris.htm

* My girlfriend is not in the best shape and she has never done anything like that in her life. I'm not even sure that she ever walked more than two days straight. If the Paris route is easier to start with then i think it'll be nest for us to start there. My concern is 1) is it simple to get there from Amsterdam and 2) can i use a tent.

The route from Paris is almost entirely flat until you get to the south where it becomes undulating. By the time you reach Spain you will both be trail-fit! However, there is a lot of road walking - sometimes on busy department roads: there are very few cheap places to stay. You can camp wild in France (but are not allowed to make fires) so using your tent shouldn't be a problem.

 

[jl]

From my research on the Vezelay route, that is also not as hard as the le Puy route. It is not flat, and there are often villages on top of hills, but it is not the rugged up and down of the Aubrac Plateau, and it looks - according to the maps, as if it is pretty flat along the Landes further south.

I think it is probably fairly easy to get to Vezelay - although you will need to remember that the train stops 10 km away from the village and so you will either have to walk, or catch a taxi. I beleive that a passport would be available form the Cathedral there (or somewhere near there). The further south you go on this path you will find there are also more "pilgrim" accomodations available. There is also an opportunity to stay with "host" families - where people open their homes to pilgrims (providing you have a pilgrim passport) although this is not free and you would be expected to pay towards the cost of this accomodation.

Now, I have yet to walk this (in 6 weeks time) but that is my understanding of how this path works from all the research that I have done.

Best wishes, Janet

 

[megi]

Also, getting from Amsterdam to Paris couldn't be easier. There are direct trains as well as budget airline flights available. Sorry, I don't really know the answer to the rest of your question, but that part I know.

 

[megi]

Also, I actually have my own related question. I ran a search and didn't find the answer I was looking for exactly. I will be arriving in Irun by bus from Barcelona, and I was wondering where in Irun I can get a credential. Can I got to the albergue (even though I won't be staying there?) or is there a church or...? Any suggestions?

6 days and counting!

Megan

 

[Canuck]

where in Irun I can get a credential. Can I got to the albergue

But of course! No problem getting a credential at the albergue.

Buen Camino!
Jean_Marc

 

[Deleted member 3000]

From Mundicamino:

Where it is obtained?
RONCESVALLES - Pilgrim's office
CANFRANC - Tourism office of Canfranc Estación (Torre de Fusileros, located between Canfranc and the church of Santiago de jaca).
LARRASOAÑA - Municipal refuge of pilgrims (D. Santiago Zubiri)
PAMPLONA - The refuge
PUENTE LA REINA - The refuge
ESTELLA - The refuge
LOGROÑO - Municipal refuge of pilgrims
SANTO DOMINGO DE LA CALZADA - Refuge.
BURGOS - Refuge (Association of friends of the Way of Saint James)
FRÓMISTA - Pilgrim's office (Monasterio de San Zoilo)
LEÓN - Refuge
ASTORGA - Refuge
MOLINASECA - Refuge(Alfredo)
PONFERRADA - Refuge
VILLAFRANCA DEL BIERZO - Refuge AVE FÉNIX (Jato)
O CEBREIRO - Refuge
SAMOS - Refuge of the Monasterio
SARRIA - Refuge
PORTOMARÍN - Refuge

 

[joyfulpilgrim]

Does anyone happen to know the hours of the Pilgrims' office in Bilbao, and whether it is open in March?

 

[karenhypes]

Hi, We spent several days in Bilboa last June and went to a local Pilgrim's Association office. It was open Tuesday and Thursday nights from around 6 to 8 pm (approx). They were very helpful and accomodating. Lot's of maps/albergue info on the Camino del Norte and other routes in Spain. You can get your Pilgrim Passport there as well. Don't know if they are open all year and if there is another Pilgrim office in town. It's located on the Camino as you are descending lots of steps to enter the 'old town'. If I can find more info I will post. Dayton