Way of St James - Spain - A Walker's Guidebook
Way of St James - Spain
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£12.00
THE ROUTE - Saint-Jean-de-Pied-de-Port to Roncesvalles
4km Saint-Jean-de-Pied-de-Port (Donibarne Garazi) 180m (0/778)
Population 1,400. All facilities, 7 hotels, several chambres d'hôte (B&B), campsite by river (1/4-15/10). 2 gîtes d'étape: a) Mme Etchegoin, 9 Rue d'Huart (05.59.37.12.08, 12 pl.), b) (pilgrims only) Rue de la Citadelle (16 pl., March-November, access via Accueil Pèlerin). Pilgrim information office (Acceuil Pèlerin de l'Association des Amis de Saint-Jacques des Pyrénées Atlantiques) is run by volunteers, mainly former-pilgrims, at 39 Rue de la Citadelle, open March-November, early morning to evening, and provides information on the route in Spain and helps with accommodation; it is suggested you call there as soon as you arrive in St. Jean-Pied-de-Port. Tourist Office, SNCF (to Bayonne).
This is "Saint John-at-the-Foot-of-the-Pass", a small border town on the river Nive, capital of the Basque province of Basse Navarre with an ancient cobbled haute ville. Several places of interest: Citadelle, overlooking the town, with its system of ramparts: access either from the top end of the Rue de la Citadelle or by staircase (escalier de la poterne) leading up from the footpath along the river by the side of the church - worth the climb on a clear day. Prison des Evêques, Musée de la Pelote, fourteenth-century Eglise Notre-Dame-du-bout-du-pont ("Our Lady at the end of the bridge", part of the former priory-hospital). Pont Romain, the different "portes" (Saint Jacques, d'Espagne, for example). Note architecture of Basque-style houses with often ornate wooden overhangs at roof level, balconies. If you have time to spare the Tourist Office has a booklet of waymarked walks in the area.
Traditionally pilgrims entered the town by the Porte Saint Jacques at the top of the Rue de la Citadelle and those who have followed the GR65 from Le Puy on places along this route will have done the same. After that there were two routes to Roncesvalles. The older one, following the course of the river Valcarlos, is now the modern road (D933 in France, N135 in Spain). This route is no shorter but is not so steep. It is on the main road for most of the first 15km but if the weather is very bad or visibility poor you should take this. (Gîte d'étape 4km out of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port on this route, at Moulin de Fargas, 05.59.37.12.54m, 22pl.).
The other, high-level Route Napoléon was the one he took to cross into Spain, following existing tracks already used by shepherds and pilgrims for several centuries. This leads over the Pyrenees via the Col de Bentarte and the Port de Cize, continuing along the path of the old Roman road from Bordeaux to Astorga, and is normally accessible without any trouble (i.e. too much snow) from May to October. It is 26km long and is a spectacular route on a clear day but do not attempt it if it is already very windy down below in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port; higher up you can experience force nine gales and appalling weather, even in the height of summer. (Note, however, that there is a gîte d'étape plus B&B 5km out of Saint-Jean, at Honto.)
The Route Napoléon was also the one favoured by pilgrims in centuries gone by because, although it was much more strenuous, it was also exposed for most of the way, and they were thus less likely to be ambushed by bandits than on the densely wooded route through Valcarlos. If you are a fairly fit walker allow at least seven hours actual walking (excluding stops); if not, allow much longer, especially if it is windy (when it will almost always be against you).
However, start early in the day whichever route you take (e.g. 6.30am in summer or as soon as it is light), not only to avoid the heat but also being high up later in the day when the light is fading and you are tired. If you choose the Route Napoléon take enough food and water with you and (both routes) the following morning's breakfast.
A. ROUTE NAPOLEON
The Route Napoléon is the continuation of the GR65 over the Pyrenees. It is now tarmacked as the D428 until just before the Col de Bentarte, but is normally very quiet, with little traffic except at weekends when the hunting season opens in October. Start early in the day as the first 16km are continuously uphill, although, as explained above, it is possible to shorten this stretch by 5km by leaving Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port later in the day and spending the night in either the gîte d'étape or B&B at Honto (see below).
Go down the Rue de la Citadelle, past the church of Notre-Dame-du-bout-du-pont (fountain), through the Porte d'Espagne, cross the bridge over the river Nive and KSO on up the Rue d'Espagne. Continue ahead up the Route Saint-Michel.
This is clearly waymarked with both yellow flashes and/or arrows (these flechas amarillas will continue all through Spain too) as well as with scallop shells and is easy to follow as you continue up the D428 all the time, ignoring turns, apart from a few occasions (indicated in he text) when you short-cut some of its many "hairpins".
Continue up the Route Saint-Michel for approx. 100m, bear L at a fork and after 20m you will come to a junction with the Route Maréchal Harrispe. Take this (i.e. bear R off the Route Saint-Michel, which bends round to the L). (Fountain on L.) KSO and after approx. 500m there is a small junction and the road name changes to Route Napoléon.
Follow the road as it winds (mostly) up and (sometimes) down, past small roadside farms. At fork bear L. KSO following road all the time (but keep turning round from time to time to admire the view - after this there is nothing as steep until you climb up to O Cebreiro and enter Galicia). At this level there are still trees to provide some shade. Pass a "T" junction (Maison Etchébestia, 302m), and KSO. 100m further on, road forks at massive tree (good place for a rest) - keep R (fork to L goes down to village of Saint-Michel) and KSO to
5km Honto (Huntto) 540m (5/773)
Gîte d'étape (Ferme Ithurburia, 05.59.37.11.17, 25pl.), also B&B.
50m after passing Honto the road veers R but the GR65 bears L up a grassy track (the old road), leaving the modern road for a while (to rejoin it later) making a short cut via the old, steep route that zigzags between walls/banks at first and then on open ground.
The waymarks are mainly painted on rocks on the ground in this section but if you have difficulty in seeing them (e.g. in snow) you can spot the place where you will meet the road again (a) by a tap on the RH side of the road and b) by 2 small houses L and R of the road - the one on your R is called Arbol Azopian.
The path joins the road again (at 710m) after 8-9 "hairpins."
[NB: if you are walking towards Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, i.e. going back, leave the road to your R after the tap on your L, dropping down by a drystone wall and walking alongside it. This turn is well marked on a large rock at RH side of the road before you leave it.]
From here you can see over the mountains to the east towards the Col de Somport, Mont d'Aspe etc., snow-covered (peaks) for much of the year.
KSO on road, ignoring tracks to either L or R. When you see a farm building off to the L where a stream crosses under the road, the road veers round to the R and shortly afterwards, after 3-4 more hairpins, the road flattens out and you reach the
6km Vierge d'Orisson 1,095m (11/767)
A small statue of the Virgen Mary in a prominent position at the side of a road junction and in a level area, brought there from Lourdes by shepherds. Panoramic views and a good place for a rest (not too long).
At the Vierge d'Orisson you are halfway in time (but not in distance) between Saint-Jean Pied-de-Port and Roncesvalles. It is still 5km to the border and the route still climbs, though less steeply now, up to the Col de Bentarte, after which it is nearly all downhill. The temperature may be cooler as you climb higher but the sun, if it is out, will still be as hot.
Be careful to take the R fork here (the LH option leads you back down again!) and continue on road (having taken R fork) and KSO at road junction (with the D128, R, to Arnéguy). At 1177m pass the "remains" of Château Pignon (L). Ignore a turn to L after 300m and also a fork to R after 300m (to a farm 100m off road).
Continue on road until it begins to veer round to L, at which point the camino leaves the road (at 1240m) up a clearly-marked grassy track by the Croix Thibaut, a modern wayside cross erected in 1990 on the RH side of the road with an inscription in Basque ("I am the way ..."). This path takes you towards the pass above you on the rocky summit of Leizar-Atheka (1,300m). Since the road veers L you are in effect continuing more or less in a straight line, although you actually walk off the road to the R.
The road itself continues for another 3km to the border at the Col d'Arnostéguy, more or less on the level, before it turns left back downhill again. However, if you get caught unexpectedly in foggy weather you can continue along this road and then backtrack along the border fence until you reach marker no. 199 and where the terrain is slightly shaded: see below.
Climb up between the two very large rocks, after which the path begins to descend. Pass border marker stone number 198 (1,290m) and then follow the border fence (above the forest below you to the R) to marker no. 199 (1,344). 120m after this you cross a cattle grid through the fence into
5km Spain (16/762)
You may find remains of snow here, even in early June.
The grassy track veers round to the R, past a tumbledown house (L) at the Col de Bentarte (1330m). Continue along path through beechwoods. Pass sheep pen and hut on R. Do not take R fork here but KSO back into the woods again (well-waymarked).
When you come out of the woods again the track falls away to the R (good views) but KSO (i.e. don't fork R here). 10m further on track forks left but KSO (i.e. take R fork).
Over to your L you will now be able to see the TV mast on Monte Orzanzurieta, 1,570m. From here the path winds (mostly) up for 1-2km to meet the road at the
4.5km Col Lepoeder 1440m (20.5/757.5)
From here you have the first, plunging, view of the rooftops of the abbey at Roncesvalles down in the valley below, the village of Burguete and, on a clear day, right across into the province of Navarra.
There are in fact two routes down to Roncesvalles, one via the Puerta de Ibañeta and the other, very steep, via the Calzada Romana (old Roman road), which drops down to the monastery directly, straight ahead, passing to the L of the hill known as Don Simon. This has been re-waymarked and is now the "standard" route. Both are described here.
a) For the "short sharp" route KSO ahead (following the marker stones) at the Col Lepoeder to the road, cross it and descend, forking L, into the woods. This is well-waymarked so watch out carefully for the yellow arrows and the red and white balises as there are no distinguishing features to orient yourself. It descends very steeply all the time, describing a "J" shaped loop, straight down to the abbey, dropping over 500m (i.e. 1500 feet) in only 3.5km. At the bottom turn R to enter the abbey from the west (i.e. the back, fountain). Cross diagonally through a courtyard and pass in front of the church in Roncesvalles (4km).
b) The alternative (and recommended for people with bad knees) is to follow the road, which you join by taking a short path R off the road you are on after the Col and follow it down (there are a few short cuts through its hairpins) to the Puerto d'Ibañeta 1057m (4km). Continue as described below.
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