Trip ID :

French Way - Section 1 - 5 Days/4 Nights - 69 km - From €320 -
From Saint Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona

The Camino de Santiago - Camino Frances / French Way is the most traditional of all the pilgrims' ways to Santiago de Compostela and the best known internationally.

This Walking Holiday explores the 1st section of the Camino Frances / French Way. It starts in France at St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and finishes in Pamplona, the town famous for its Bull Run festival. At first it follows the 'Route Napoleon' over the Roncesvalles Pass (1500m), and then crosses the Basque country onto more gentle terrain.

Everyday, during the walk, you are guaranteed a high level of comfort and gastronomy. The Camino is clearly marked with the “Scallop Shell” showing you the way. This walk can be physically demanding and requires a reasonable level of fitness. However, it’s a highly rewarding walk that includes numerous cultural highlights.

French Way - Section 1 - 5 Days/4 Nights - 69 km - From €320 -
From Saint Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona

Day 1 : Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
Day 2 : Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port To Roncesvalles (26km)
Day 3 : Roncesvalles to Zubiri (22km)
Day 4 : Zubiri to Pamplona (21km)
Day 5 : Pamplona, end of the walking holiday

View Camino Frances in a larger map

DAY BY DAY

DAY 1 - To Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port You will be booked in a hotel in the heart of the small town. The rooms are en-suite. Town: ATM, shops, all facilities. DAY 2 - Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port To Roncesvalles (8h, 26km, +1250m -540m). This first day is considered the most difficult as the Camino crosses the Pyrenees. The "Camino Napoleon" kicks off with a steep climb, on through orchards and past country houses and then, later, through Alpine style meadows, before weaving its way alongside leafy beech woods towards the border and the descent into Roncesvalles. The Valcarlos Camino mainly follows the road which runs through the valley alongside the river Nive or river Valcarlos. Don't miss the "Collegiate Church" in Roncesvalles.   Town: ATM, shops. Meal: Half Board

DAY 3 – Roncesvalles to Zubiri (7h, 22km, +90m -550m) The Camino crosses two beautiful mountain passes and continues on through beech and oak woods and meadows before coming to Espinal, where the panoramic views of the countryside with the Pyrenees in the background are a sight to behold. The river Arga runs alongside this part of the Camino and continues its course all the way to Larrasoana.   Town: ATM, Shops. Meal: Half Board DAY 4 – Zubiri to Pamplona (6h, 21km, +/-250m) The Camino runs along the river Arga, at the foot of a group of hills covered in beech, oak and Scots pine. As we approach Pamplona, the landscape shows the obvious influence of civilisation; with its conifers, reafforestation and farmlands. Town: ATM, shops, all facilities. Meal: Breakfast DAY 5 – Pamplona, end of the walking holiday After breakfast we bid you farewell.   Meal: Breakfast

WEATHER

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French Way - Section 1 - 5 Days/4 Nights - 69 km - From €320 -
From Saint Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona

FLY IN AND OUT

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It is best to fly to France (Biarritz or Paris), then come back from Spain (Bilbao, Santander or Madrid)

1) FLY IN

• To Biarritz

With Ryanair, easyJet, Air France (via Orly)
Biarritz airport info: www.biarritz.aeroport.fr

• To Paris

With almost all companies

2) FLY OUT

• From Bilbao

Internal destinations from Bilbao : A Coruna, Alicante, Barcelona, Badajoz, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Jerez, Lanzarote, Madrid, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Tenerife, Valencia and Vigo.

European destinations from Bilbao : Brussels, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Lisbon, Milan, Munich, Paris and Stuttgart.

See with EasyJet, Iberia and AerLingus :
- EasyJet : daily flights from Bilbao to London Stansted Airport
- Iberia : flights to Gatwick or Heathrow via Madrid
- AerLingus : operates out of Dublin.

• From Santander

Direct flights from Santander only with Ryanair : London Stansted, Dublin, Frankfurt, Milan and Rome, as well as Reus and Madrid in Spain.

Internal flights with Iberia to Alicante, Barcelona, Gran Canaria, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Seville and Valencia.

GETTING AROUND

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1) GETTING THERE

• From Biarritz

Bus with STAB, line 6 to reach Bayonne train station (direct) :
- 20 minutes journey
- Price : €1.20.
- See timetable : www.bus-stab.com

Direct trains from Bayonne to Saint Jean Pied de Port :
- Depart at 6:13 pm
- 1h22 journey
- See prices : www.voyages-sncf.com

• From Paris
  

Train to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port.
- Trains everyday
- 6h30 journey
- Depart at 12.10 / Arrive at 18:30

2) GETTING BACK

• To Bilbao
  

Bus with the Burundesa bus company links Pamplona with Bilbao :
- 2 hours journey
- 10 departures a day
- See prices and timetable : www.renfe.com

• To Santander

Bus with the Burundesa bus company links Pamplona with Santander :
- 2 hours journey
- 2 departures a day.

Direct city bus from the bus station in Santander to the airport
- 20 min journey
- See prices and timetable : www.renfe.com

MORE INFORMATION ON FLIGHTS

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Cheap Flights to Santiago de Compostela

• www.skyscanner.net

Searches most Airlines for best available connections and prices

• www.spanish-airport-guide.com

French Way - Section 1 - 5 Days/4 Nights - 69 km - From €320 -
From Saint Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona

HOTEL AND GUESTHOUSE GRADES – HOW WE CHOOSE YOUR ACCOMMODATION

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Our accommodation is selected based on a number of criteria, including location, comfort, services, price and character. We always try to book accommodation that is both on/near the Camino and also close to the historical quarter or centre of the town/city. This is facilitated by the fact that the Camino usually goes through the heart of each town and/or city.

In larger towns, which are usually at the beginning and end of each section, we book hotels of a 3* standard. In smaller towns/villages/hamlets in between the larger towns, we choose hotels or guesthouses of a 2* standard. However, there could be some exceptions to this rule, for example, in some small villages, our selection depends on local infrastructure and it may happen that the only possibility is a non-rated guesthouse. This does not mean it is not up to our standards only that it does not have an official classification, which is usually due to the rural and remote nature of parts of the Camino.

Given the reasons stated above, we do believe that a 2* hotel located in the historical centre is a better choice than a 3* hotel located in the outskirts of the town at a distance from the Camino. If our first choice is not available, we will use another accommodation of the same standard and price. If there is no such accommodation available, we may contact you to offer either an upgrade at a premium, or a downgrade with a refund, again based on local infrastructure in each area.

We are determined in our motto: to provide our customers with the best available on the Camino.

French Way - Section 1 - 5 Days/4 Nights - 69 km - From €320 -
From Saint Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona

French Way - Section 1 - 5 Days/4 Nights - 69 km - From €320 -
From Saint Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona

LIST OF PRICES AND OPTIONS

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	Base Price (€)	Double/Twin Room (pps)	Single Room	Solo Departure		Double/Twin Room (pps)	Single Room
	High Season Apr, May, Jun, Sep	420	523	523		95	116
	Mid Season Jul, Aug, Oct	380	468	468		90	106
	Low Season Jan, Feb, Mar, Nov, Dec	320	393	393		90	106

Please note : If you would like to stay in Pamplona or Puente de la Reina during the Fiesta de San Fermin (6-14 July), an additional fee of €80 per person will apply.

 

Options	Picnic Lunches	€30 (per person)	Includes all walking days
	Airport Transfer 1 - 4 people	€130	Transport to St Jean Pied de Port from Biarritz Airport or Hendaye For information on transfers for more passengers or from other airports, please ask us.

 

 

	Extra nights (€) Pamplona / Santander / Bilbao / Biarritz / St Jean Pied de Port	Double/Twin Room (pps)	Single Room
	2* Hotel B&B	44	60
	3* Hotel B&B	65	95

Special rates for group of 6+

INCLUDED Luggage transferred from hotel to hotel Rooms en-suite Half Board during the hike Detailed Walking Notes Map Pilgrim passport

NOT INCLUDED Flights Insurance (recommended) Drinks Dinner first and last nights Transfer from/to airport

 

If you have any questions about prices, please consult our FAQ's or Contact us.