Start from Airport (Biarritz)

[WayneStewart]

Hi,
I’m planning a Camino later this year.
I have a conference in Paris that finishes on the 29th of October. On the 30th, I can fly to Biarritz, landing at about 11 AM.
I will walk from the airport to join the Camino Baztan, eventually linking up with the Frances at Pamplona.
Once I'm on the actual path, I should be okay. My questions are:

• Is this a practical option? I mean, I can use Google Maps to get onto the path
• The alternative would be to get a taxi to a location on the actual path

What are your thoughts?
Wayne

 

[andycohn]

Here's a screenshot from mapy.cz showing a potential walking route. The Baztan is the sinewy purple line following the river on the right. It looks like it's about 6 k from the front of the airport to the nearest point on the Baztan. Of course, it might be simpler just to take one of the frequent local buses into Bayonne and start from there. It's only 15 very flat kilometers from the heart of Bayonne to Ustaritz, the first obvious stopping point, so you could easily make it by mid to late afternoon, whatever you decide to do.

In any event, it's a spectacular route. Bon chemin!

 

[naplesdon]

The walk from the airport to Bayonne is principally on sidewalks through an exurbia area, I would try to skip it.

 

[roving_rufus]

Yes it's entirely possible- you could head backwards on the Via Bayona to reach the River Nive. But I would rather catch a bus from airport into Bayonne and start there. Having walked the Via Bayona - the least exciting part of the entire route is the section between leaving the River Nive and Biarritz train station. Which is the same area you are going through whether heading north (as per
@andycohn ) or south of the airport (as per Via Bayona/CN).

 

[EWhite]

I've recently been exploring the same, walking from the Biarritz airport but I was exploring the Voie de la Nive route to SJPDP. It's shorter (around 70km) and links faster to pilgrim infrastructure. There's at least one pilgrim gite in Hellette (Gite d’etape pelegrin). If you are looking from gpx or kml files for navigation the Dutch Jacobean Society has lots of downloads available.

Downloads - Santiago

Indeling – Per land vind je hier een overzicht van praktische downloads voor onderweg, ingedeeld in onderstaande drie categorieën. Handleiding – Wil je meer weten over hoe je de bestanden samen met een geschikte app in je smartphone kunt installeren, lees dan de handleidingen. Overzicht – Alle...

www.santiago.nl

 

[trecile]

On the 30th, I can fly to Biarritz, landing at about 11 AM.
I will walk from the airport to join the Camino Baztan, eventually linking up with the Frances at Pamplona.

You will also be perfectly situated to walk the Camino del Norte if that interests you.

Camino del Norte | Gronze.com

www.gronze.com

 

[Vacajoe]

Personally, I love starting the Camino from where I first land, so I’d walk from the airport into Bayonne, stay the night, then start from the Cathedral in the morning. The alternative of walking from the airport is fine, but then you miss out on seeing Bayonne and seeing the cathedral. Either way, it’s pretty much just flat, uninteresting walking no matter what until you reach the River Nive.

Either route (Batzan or Nive) has its own pluses/minuses, so you can’t go wrong regardless of your choice. If you’ve never been to SJPdP or walked the Napoleon Route, then choose the Nive.

 

[geraldkelly]

If I was you I'd get the bus into Bayonne and start walking from there. It'll already be midday so I'd plan on a short day that day.

 

[VNwalking]

It's shorter (around 70km)

Only when you compare the distance to SJPP with the distance to Pamplona. The Baztan is roughly 5 days walking to Pamplona. SJPP to Pamplona is 3-4 days. Ad 70 km onto that and you have 6-8. However you cut it the Baztan is shorter.

Even if it's on sidewalks, that first part is quite easy to map out, and it would only take an hour and a half to get to the Nive. Once there, hang a right and head towards Ustaritz and you're on your way.

The downside is missing the old part of Bayonne, which is worth seeing. In your shoes, I'd walk to the city from the airport and start the Baztan proper from there.

However you choose, this camino is a gem. (There is pilgrim infrastructure on the Baztan, but it's sparse, as are other pilgrims. It's a gorgeous walk, away from the crowds.)