Taxis on the first Stage from SJPP

[deirdreo]

Hi there,
I am wondering if taxi’s are available on the first section of the Camino Frances… My husband and I completed the end section from Sarria to SDC in 2019 but would like to start at SJPP and complete the entire route in stages. Due to my husbands back surgery, this first stage would need to be broken into maybe three shorter walks but only if we could be transported to and from the route each day. Any advice would be appreciated. I feel the walking from then on would be manageable for him.

 

[Rick M]

Yes, what you are looking for exists. Express Bourricot runs a service every day called the mountain shuttle that picks up and drops off at various points. Check out www.expressbourricot.com/persons-transport/ for the price and schedule.

 

[malingerer]

Hi there,
I am wondering if taxi’s are available on the first section of the Camino Frances… My husband and I completed the end section from Sarria to SDC in 2019 but would like to start at SJPP and complete the entire route in stages. Due to my husbands back surgery, this first stage would need to be broken into maybe three shorter walks but only if we could be transported to and from the route each day. Any advice would be appreciated. I feel the walking from then on would be manageable for him.

Hope you get sorted. Still recovering from bad fall prior to xmas means first stage this time round will be taxi or bus Am in ST JPDP 3/4 MAY.

Best wishes and Buen Camino

Samarkand.

 

[deirdreo]

Yes, what you are looking for exists. Express Bourricot runs a service every day called the mountain shuttle that picks up and drops off at various points. Check out www.expressbourricot.com/persons-transport/ for the price and schedule.

Thank you, I will check this out!

 

[naplesdon]

Why not start in Pamplona?

 

[deirdreo]

Why not start in Pamplona?

We really want to do this part over the Mountains despite our limitations as we believe it is the most beautiful!

 

[naplesdon]

You are not going to see much of the mountains from the N-120.

 

[deirdreo]

You are not going to see much of the mountains from the N-120.

Hi Estorildon,
Our intention would be to walk the route (Napoleon) over the pass but just not in one day… my enquiry was really to see if it’s possible to get picked up along the route and returned to the same spot the next day.. I believe from other response that it is possible, thank you.
Dee

 

[C clearly]

I don't think you need to walk "over the top" to get the beautiful views.

Maybe you can use taxis/shuttle/walking to go as far as La Virgen statue, to see the views (assuming clear weather; otherwise don't bother) and then return to SJPP or Roncesvalles to start your ongoing journey on foot.

 

[lt56ny]

Hi Estorildon,
Our intention would be to walk the route (Napoleon) over the pass but just not in one day… my enquiry was really to see if it’s possible to get picked up along the route and returned to the same spot the next day.. I believe from other response that it is possible, thank you.
Dee

How is your husband walking down steep hills with his back problems? The last 5k or so into Roncesvalles is very steep. There is an a variant at the beginning of the downhill that goes to the right. I have never taken it but I have heard it is a more gradual descent. If you choose to stay on the original route make sure he zigzags and has poles. I walked once in the rain and it was pretty slippery. But it was fall and the leaves were dropping off the trees. There are some other steep sections like going up Alto de Perdon, leaving Foncebadon up to Cruz de Ferro. Both those are pretty steep but much shorter. Then there is the walk up to O Cebreiro.

https://www.gronze.com/etapa/villafranca-bierzo/cebreiro

It is a beautiful walk but I think the walk out of Las Herrerias to O Cebreiro is as tough as the walk from St. Jean to Orisson. The first 2 times I walked was in a driving rain all day and the second it snowed. In some ways the snow was worse because it is pretty rocky in some places and you couldn't always see where you were stepping. Luckily that section has two places that you can stay if you wish to break it up.

 

[deirdreo]

How is your husband walking down steep hills with his back problems? The last 5k or so into Roncesvalles is very steep. There is an a variant at the beginning of the downhill that goes to the right. I have never taken it but I have heard it is a more gradual descent. If you choose to stay on the original route make sure he zigzags and has poles. I walked once in the rain and it was pretty slippery. But it was fall and the leaves were dropping off the trees. There are some other steep sections like going up Alto de Perdon, leaving Foncebadon up to Cruz de Ferro. Both those are pretty steep but much shorter. Then there is the walk up to O Cebreiro.

https://www.gronze.com/etapa/villafranca-bierzo/cebreiro

It is a beautiful walk but I think the walk out of Las Herrerias to O Cebreiro is as tough as the walk from St. Jean to Orisson. The first 2 times I walked was in a driving rain all day and the second it snowed. In some ways the snow was worse because it is pretty rocky in some places and you couldn't always see where you were stepping. Luckily that section has two places that you can stay if you wish to break it up.

Thank you for this information. In September we hope to do the walk from SJPP as discussed as far as Los Arcos. We will then continue onwards in Summer 2024 and hopefully my husband will be improving with time. He will be using poles as will I. We would probably look at taking the route downhill to Roncesvalles over the less steep trail as you suggest.
Dee

 

[trecile]

The last 5k or so into Roncesvalles is very steep. There is an a variant at the beginning of the downhill that goes to the right. I have never taken it but I have heard it is a more gradual descent.

The Pilgrims Office in SJPdP recommends the route to the right (often with a story about a pilgrim who went the "normal" way and broke an arm or sprained an ankle the day before) and I have always gone that way. It is not steep.

It's the dotted line at Collado de Lepoeder

 

[deirdreo]

The Pilgrims Office in SJPdP recommends the route to the right (often with a story about a pilgrim who went the "normal" way and broke an arm or sprained an ankle the day before) and I have always gone that way. It is not steep.

It's the dotted line at Collado de Lepoeder

View attachment 143737

Thank you very much!!

 

[lt56ny]

The Pilgrims Office in SJPdP recommends the route to the right (often with a story about a pilgrim who went the "normal" way and broke an arm or sprained an ankle the day before) and I have always gone that way. It is not steep.

It's the dotted line at Collado de Lepoeder

View attachment 143737

The first time I walked there was 5 or 6 of us walking together. When we got to the split one woman and I walked straight and suffered. Everyone else walked to the right and said exactly what you said. It was not too steep at all and a very pleasant walk.

 

[RRat]

We really want to do this part over the Mountains despite our limitations as we believe it is the most beautiful!

Beautiful, unless covered in fog.

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Yes Express Bourricot will allow you to walk from St. Jean to Roncesvalles in three days. In 2019 they stopped at Orisson, The Snow Virgin, and at the highest altitude reachable by road.

First day could be walk St. Jean to Orisson then mini bus back to St. Jean.

Day 2, mini bus to Orisson, walk to highest road access, mini bus back to St. Jean.

Day 3, mini bus to highest access, walk to Roncesvalles.

I used this company in 2019 and they were excellent, did what they said and arrived on time.

 

[deirdreo]

Brilliant! Thank you so much… we can’t wait for September to make a start

 

[DoughnutANZ]

Brilliant! Thank you so much… we can’t wait for September to make a start

You need to prebook with them, they are not permitted to pick up people who have not prebooked. A quirk of their license and French taxi laws.

 

[trecile]

You need to prebook with them, they are not permitted to pick up people who have not prebooked. A quirk of their license and French taxi laws.

Not only that, they may not have available space if you wait.

 

[deirdreo]

You need to prebook with them, they are not permitted to pick up people who have not prebooked. A quirk of their license and French taxi laws.

Yes, thank you, I did notice that on their website.