Home > Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pamplona Budget

Walking the Camino Frances from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pamplona on a budget

Name: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pamplona Budget
Brand: Follow the Camino
Price: 456 EUR
Availability: InStock

Stage 1

67.3km

5 days

Carefully Selected
1 to 2 star accommodations

easy

Starting From

€456

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Not Possible

Napoleon Route forbidden from the 1st November to the 1st April. Alternative route via Valcarols must be taken.

This route is the starting point of the Camino Frances. It begins in France at the town of St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and finishes in Pamplona, the town famous for its ‘Running of the Bulls’ festival in San Fermin each July, described by Ernest Hemingway in his novel The Sun Also Rises. At first, it follows the Route de Napoleon over the Roncesvalles Pass (at an elevation of 1,500m) into the Basque country, and then crosses into more gentle terrain in the great region of Navarra.

Highlights

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Your first stop on the Camino Frances is the quaint French town of Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port – the traditional starting point of the Camino Frances. Before you set off through the Pyrenees, explore this scenic gem and soak in the excitement of the town as pilgrims flock to start their pilgrimage.

Roncesvalles

Here you will find the beloved Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Roncesvalles, which has been receiving pilgrims since the 12th Century. It is here also in Roncesvalles you will see a monument commemorating the defeat of Charlemagne’s army and their commander Roland at the battle of Roncesvalles in 778.

Pamplona

The city famous for it’s running bulls! Once you arrive in one of Spain’s most famous and historical cities, take in the gothic-style architecture and walk through the streets that inspired Hemingway’s ‘The Sun Also Rises’. From Medieval city walls to impressive La Catedral de Santa María la Real de Pamplona. You can easily spend time wandering the streets and working up an appetite to enjoy either a traditional Basque influenced dish or a more modern fusion style dish, Pamplona has it all!

Saint Jean Pied De Port to Pamplona

Camino Frances

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Services

Included in this package

Specially Hand-Picked Accommodations
Bed & Breakfast
Luggage Transfers from Hotel to Hotel
Our Holiday or Pilgrim Pack
24/7 On-Call Support

Add-On

Premium Accommodation
Airport Pick-Up
Additional Nights
Dinners
Day Tours to Local Sites of Interest

Not included

Flights/trains
Insurance
Drinks/Lunch

Itinerary

Day 1

SAINT JEAN PIED DE PORT (Arrival)

You’ll be booked into a hotel in the heart of the small town. While in town, you should visit the 14th Century Gothic church, Notre-Dame-du-Bout-du-Pont, the hilltop citadel (remodelled in the 17th Century), and follow the cobbled Rue de la Citadelle downhill and over the river for views back over St-Jean-Pied-De-Port.

Day 2
24.53km

SAINT JEAN PIED DE PORT
to
RONCESVALLES

The first day of the Camino is considered the most challenging as it crosses the Pyrenees. The "Camino Napoleon" starts with a steep climb, passing through orchards and later, Alpine-style meadows. The path weaves alongside leafy beech woods until you reach the Spanish border. Alternatively, the Valcarlos Camino follows the road through the valley, running along the River Nive or River Valcarlos. Don’t miss the Collegiate Church as you descend into Roncesvalles.

If you prefer a more relaxed pace, we offer three options:

Stay at the Refuge Orisson: This is basic but welcoming accommodation halfway along the route, which splits the day into two parts.
Stay 2 nights in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port: You can use a taxi to/from Refuge Orisson to avoid the entire walk in one day.
Take the Valcarlos Route: This alternative route splits the day into two stages (12km and 14km), staying in a 2-star hotel. However, this route follows the main road and is not as rewarding as the Camino Napoleon.

Important: The Napoleon Route is closed for pilgrims from November 1 to March 31. During this period, pilgrims must use the Valcarlos route. Traveling on the Napoleon Route during these months is forbidden, and any pilgrim needing rescue from the Pyrenees may be fined €5,000.

Day 3
21.45km

RONCESVALLES
to
ZUBIRI

The Camino crosses two stunning mountain passes before winding through woods and meadows. It then arrives at Espinal, where you’ll be treated to breathtaking panoramic views of the countryside with the Pyrenees in the background. The River Arga flows alongside this stretch of the Camino, continuing all the way to Larrasoana.

Day 4
21.31km

ZUBIRI
to
PAMPLONA

The Camino follows the River Arga, passing the foothills covered in beech, oak, and Scots pine trees. As you get closer to Pamplona, famous for its "Running of the Bulls" festival each July, the landscape becomes more developed, with reforested conifers and farmlands becoming more common.

Day 5

PAMPLONA

After breakfast, we bid you farewell. There is a lot to see and do in Pamplona, but we recommend just walking through the city’s streets, admiring the architecture, food, and wonderful people that inspired the great Ernest Hemmingway.

How to Get There

Getting to St Jean Pied de Port in France

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

Fly into Biarritz

Ryanair, easyJet, Air France (via Orly).
Biarritz airport info

1 – Train to Bayonne train station

Bayonne-Anglet-Biarritz Airport is located just 3 Km from Biarritz. However, it is a much better option to go to Bayonne train station (not Biarritz). Take the train to Bayonne train station (direct). The journey takes approx. 15 minutes and will cost from 3.70 to 6.70€. The bus stop is in front of the terminal.

2 – Train to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port

There are direct trains from Bayonne to Saint Jean Pied de Port (1h09 travel).

Fly into Paris

Virtually all companies fly to Paris. Take a train to St-Jean-Pied-de-Port.

Getting home from Pamplona, Spain

Fly from Bilbao

A large amount of the passenger traffic at Bilbao Airport comes from internal flights and you can fly from Bilbao to any of the following Spanish Airports: A Coruna, Alicante, Barcelona, Badajoz, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Jerez, Lanzarote, Madrid, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Santiago de Compostela, Seville, Tenerife, Valencia and Vigo. European flights to Brussels, Dusseldorf, Frankfurt, Lisbon, Milan, Munich, Paris, and Stuttgart are also available. At the moment, EasyJet, Iberia and Aer Lingus fly from the UK and Ireland to Bilbao. EasyJet offers daily flights to Bilbao from London Stansted Airport, Iberia flies from Gatwick or Heathrow via Madrid and AerLingus operates out of Dublin.

The Burundesa bus company links Pamplona with Bilbao.

Fly from Santander

Ryanair is the only low-cost airline that currently offers direct flights to Santander. They offer flights from London Stansted and now Dublin, Frankfurt, Milan and Rome, as well as Reus and Madrid in Spain. Iberia offers a good selection of internal flights from Alicante, Barcelona, Gran Canaria, Malaga, Palma de Mallorca, Seville and Valencia.

There are busses that link Pamplona with Santander (4h). From the bus station in Santander, then simply get a direct city bus to the airport (15min), and Ryanair operates flights from there.

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