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Why do pilgrims fly to Pamplona.

MickMac

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Something puzzles me why do people fly to Pamplona then travel back to SJPP would Biarritz be more logical ? then train from Bayonne.
 
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There’s not much in it either way and it partially depends on which connection you can most easily get from your start point.

I’m more puzzled with the fixation with starting in St Jean; a fair number of Spaniards would consider Roncesvalles as a start point whilst I, having started in St Jean twice have, since then started in Pamplona.
 
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I haven't heard that it is a very common approach. I can only assume the connections and timing seemed convenient for them, or they weren't aware of all the options. I doubt there is any more interesting reason.
 
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In my case: The travelling costs to Biarritz would have been twice as high as to travelling to Pamplona. In addition to that, there were no direct flights. I would have had to fly to Biarritz via Paris whereas to Pamplone there was a direct flight. That's why I didn't see any advantage in it, both in terms of time and money.

So it probably always depends on your personal circumstances which airport you choose as your point of arrival.

Apart from that, being from Europe, I would actually have liked to travel by train. Because that would have been the cheapest way and would only have taken 1 1/2 hours longer than the flight. But as strikes were announced, I chose the flight.
 
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MickMac said:
Something puzzles me why do people fly to Pamplona then travel back to SJPP would Biarritz be more logical ? then train from Bayonne.
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I am puzzled why you would think others were not able to make logical decisions about their travel arrangements based on what route they take to SJPP. I have walked from there twice, once arriving from Pamplona, the other from Bayonne. Neither time did it make any sense to fly into Bairritz. I suppose we all judge others based on our own criteria, but it does seem odd to be so openly judgemental on such narrow criteria.
 
Guneyd said:
That, and is there any reason left to call it the Frances if you start somewhere in Spain?
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The reason I've heard, back in the 90s, why it's called the Francès is because the French founded many villages along the route, and for a time French was spoken in those villages -- until their descendants began speaking Spanish instead.

So if that's correct, it's not about starting in France, but it's because of a historic French presence on that route.

BTW if you go via Valcarlos, you only officially reach the Francès at the Ibañeta Pass, as the Saint-Palais to Ibañeta section is called the Voie de Navarre.
 
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There used to be as many as five buses a day to SJPdP from Pamplona so connections were easier. Old web pages kept hanging around and so it still looks like the bus is the way to go.
 
Might be cheaper for some people. Also more strikes in France in recent years. You may be coming from a country where it is cheaper to travel that way?

My first Camino we traveled through Paris to and back to the US. Have gone through Madrid since. Better connections.
 
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