Winter Walk?

[Rossta]

Hello everyone It's been a very long time since I posted something on the forum as my Camino keeps postponed due to one reason or another and I'm just wondering, has anyone ever walked it in January/February time? Times are hard and it might be the only time I can do it before, potentially, not doing it at all for many years. Any advice you could would be wonderful.
Thank you, and buen camino!

P.S. I recently read that many of albergues are closed during the Winter time. Is this true in your experience?

Also, what is the best way to get to St. Jean de Pied-du-port?
Thanks!

 

[Kanga]

There are many threads on walking in winter. Try a search (button on top right of website)

Here are a couple of recent ones:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/walking-camino-frances-in-february.36106/
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...-use-a-phone-a-lot-to-find-open-places.36798/
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/threads/winter-camino-questions.36762/

Here is a website that Ivar posted with list of albergues that are open http://www.aprinca.com/alberguesinvierno/

The Route Napoleon will probably be closed in January/February so you will need to walk via Valcarlos - you may wish to reconsider whether to start at St Jean Pied de Port or instead perhaps Roncesvalles or Pamplona. See the "getting to and from" section of the forum.

 

[ivar]

Here are some more:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/tags/winter/
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/tags/winter-camino/

January caminos:
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/tags/january/

February caminos
https://www.caminodesantiago.me/community/tags/february/

 

[obinjatoo@yahoo.com]

Brrrrrr!!!!!

 

[Magnara]

We walked in January and the first week of February. If you look at the threads listed above you will find loads of info. But, in brief, I would say: take a bit more money (to pay for rooms where albergues are closed) and invest in high quality clothing - not a lot of pieces, but the right items. And be happy with your own company in an almost empty camino trail. It's a different camino to almost everyone else's.

 

[Phillypilgrim]

sounds great!