Camino Passports
 

Can you please tell me if Camino Passports are available every day in St. Jean Pied du Port?

Thank you.

Yes, there is a pilgrims office right on the main road, the Rue de Citadel (spelling may be off) and you can get both your passport (called the credencial in Spanish, similar in French) and a lot of advice on the walk ahead. There are many volunteers there, all English speaking. Pay careful attention to the advice given there as to the advisability of walking over the Pyrenees. Every year, there are tragedies when someone ignores the warnings of bad weather and forges ahead. Snowstorms come as late as May.

If you're planning on doing the crossing to Roncesvalles in one day, you won't need this information, but there are two very nice places to stop on the French side close to the highest point. I've stayed at this one: http://www.refuge-orisson.com/ and it was nice to have a beautiful cool afternoon to enjoy the outdoors up there. Reservations are needed in high season.

Buen camino. Laurie

p.s. Here is the exact information of where you will get the credential.

Les Amis du Chemin de Saint-Jacques des Pyrenees-Atlantiques

39 rue de la citadelle

64220 Saint Jean Pied de Port

Thank you. My wife is walking with her sister the entire Camino.

Your warnings and suggestions are most appreciated.

Hi, Aduchamp1,

Your wife and her sister are in for an amazing experience. I don't know if they like to use the web, but I'd recommend a couple of great resources. First, just for information on the stages, the elevation gain, the towns you pass through, accommodtions, restaurants, etc, there are two that stand our above the rest:

http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/
and http://www.mundicamino.com/

And for a forum like this one, I'd highly recommend

http://www.pilgrimage-to-santiago.com/board/

The site has just exploded in popularity recently, and there are many experienced Camino walkers as well as newbies getting ready for their first experience. They will always find helpful advice and suggestions there, and the archives are a treasure trove of all sorts of information.

Thank you. They were supposed walk last year and we are in San Sebastian when we found out there were numerous deaths in the family and we flew home.

They will attempt it again this April. And even though there are many accounts, they know it will extraordinary and encounter unexpected occurances. My wife is in early 60's and her sister is 72. They expect the walk to take almost three months.

They have numerous books and have been monitoring sites for almost two years.

Thank you agian for your suggestions.