Camino Francés — Pyrenees Crossing: St-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Pamplona
Route length
3 days
Moving time
~22 h
Distance
75 km
Budget
€130–320/person
Transport
Walking
Best Season
Spring
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Route Map
Route Waypoints
SJPP is a perfectly preserved 15th-century Navarrese town on the Nive River — its cobblestone Rue de la Citadelle is one of the most photographed streets on any pilgrimage. The Pilgrim Office (Association de Coopération Interrégionale des Chemins de Saint-Jacques, 39 Rue de la Citadelle) opens at 07:30 and is the first stop: get your credential, collect a stage map, and check weather conditions. The town has everything — gear shops, pharmacies, a small supermarket, and Basque restaurants.
Practical Tips
Pilgrim Office: 39 Rue de la Citadelle, opens 07:30. Collect credential here (€2). Ask about current Napoleon Route conditions before setting out the next morning.
Try gâteau basque (almond/cherry pastry) at any bakery — this is the last truly French meal for weeks. Also try piperade (tomato/pepper/egg Basque dish) at dinner.
Monday is market day — the town is quieter and stalls line the main street. Many pilgrims choose to depart on Tuesday for the crossing.
Book Orisson months in advance at refuge-orisson.com — they release beds for the following year in early January and they disappear within days. Cash only at Orisson.
Coordinates:[1] 43.16300, -1.23600 · [2] 43.16280, -1.23620 · [3] 43.16313, -1.23653
Albergues nearby
- Albergue Municipal (Accueil des Pèlerins)Municipal albergue · €15–20 · <100 m
55 Rue de la Citadelle; includes breakfast; cash/French cheques only; no credit cards; opens 07:30
8km from SJPP — already 800m altitude. Orisson is the only accommodation between SJPP and Roncesvalles and commands one of the most spectacular views in the Pyrenees: rolling green hills, grazing sheep, mountain peaks, and on clear days, the Atlantic coast of the Bay of Biscay. Staying here turns the crossing into 2 manageable days instead of one brutal one. The communal pilgrim dinner (half-board included in price) is where many Camino friendships are formed.
Practical Tips
Book at refuge-orisson.com — often 6–8 months in advance for May–September. Cash only, no credit cards. Bring euros.
Price (2025): €45–50/person including dinner and breakfast. Private chalet for 2: €120 for 2 including half-board.
The evening view from the terrace at sunset is worth the entire walk up. Bring a glass of wine from the bar and watch the light fade over the Pyrenees.
Next morning you continue 17km to Roncesvalles — the hardest section is the first 2km up from Orisson (steep road), then the ridgeline walk, then the descent.
Coordinates:[1] 43.10500, -1.28100 · [2] 43.11039, -1.27995 · [3] 43.09527, -1.29859
Albergues nearby
- Apartamentos De Montaña Mendiola - Casa FerranHostel · 1.8 km · ~21 min
(auto-added from OSM)
25km from SJPP (or 17km from Orisson). The descent from the Pyrenees into Roncesvalles is the first moment you know you've done something extraordinary — a 500m drop on a steep forest trail to a 12th-century Augustinian monastery that has sheltered pilgrims since the 1100s. The Colegiata church holds a 17th-century pilgrim blessing ceremony every evening at 20:00. The town itself is tiny — just the monastery complex, a few buildings, and the albergue — but the pilgrims fill every corner.
Practical Tips
Pilgrim blessing at 20:00 in the Colegiata — attend, even if not religious. The hospitalero asks pilgrims to stand by nationality for a roll call. Extraordinary experience.
The Albergue Colegiata has 200 beds; 70 are bookable online at alberguederoncesvalles.es — book ahead if starting mid-season. Price: €15 per bed.
Descent from Col de Lepœder to Roncesvalles: 5km steep trail. Poles essential. The forest is beautiful but the descent is knee-punishing — take it slowly.
The famous 12th-century statue of Santiago in the Colegiata: pilgrims traditionally embrace the saint. Free and deeply moving.
Coordinates:[1] 43.00900, -1.32000 · [2] 43.00998, -1.31991
22km from Roncesvalles. The walk descends from Pyrenean forests through Basque villages to the Arga River valley. Zubiri means "town of the bridge" in Basque — the Puente de la Rabia (Bridge of Rage), a medieval arched bridge over the Arga, is the centrepiece. Legend says that any animal walked three times around the bridge's central pillar will be cured of rabies. The town is quiet, with just enough infrastructure for a pilgrim night.
Practical Tips
Stage from Roncesvalles: mostly downhill but with some rolling sections through Burguete and Espinal. Much gentler than Day 1.
Burguete (8km from Roncesvalles): small Basque village where Hemingway stayed while writing The Sun Also Rises. Hotel Burguete still stands and serves pilgrims.
Zubiri has a magnesium factory — visible and slightly incongruous in the medieval setting. The river path into town is beautiful.
Fill water at the fountain in Espinal (km ~11) — the last reliable water source before Zubiri.
Coordinates:[1] 42.92880, -1.49580 · [2] 42.93061, -1.50447 · [3] 42.93012, -1.50401
Albergues nearby
- Albergue El Palo de AvellanoPrivate albergue · €13–18 · 734 m
Best-reviewed albergue in Zubiri; bookable; garden; owned by a former pilgrim
- Albergue ZaldikoPrivate albergue · €12–17 · 684 m
Good budget option; smaller; VERIFY current status
21km from Zubiri. Pamplona is the capital of Navarra — a handsome walled city famous for the Fiesta de San Fermín (July 7–14, the Running of the Bulls). For the other 51 weeks of the year, it's a civilised university city with excellent tapas bars (pintxos), the Ciudadela (star-shaped fortress with park), and a Cathedral with fine Gothic cloister. The entry into the city crosses the medieval bridge over the Arga — the classic arrival view. Stay at least one full day here.
Practical Tips
Pintxos (Basque tapas) tour: Calle Estafeta and Calle San Nicolás. Order by pointing, eat standing at the bar. Best combo: jamón ibérico croqueta + txakoli white wine. Budget €15–20 for a thorough evening tour.
The Ciudadela at sunset: the 17th-century star fortress has a beautiful public park inside. Walk along the ramparts — the views over the Pyrenees to the east are stunning on clear days.
Cathedral of Pamplona (Gothic, 14th century): free with pilgrim credential. The Gothic cloister is one of the finest in Spain.
San Fermín week (July 7–14): albergues book out a year in advance and prices triple. Avoid unless specifically there for the festival.
Coordinates:[1] 42.81250, -1.64580 · [2] 42.81896, -1.64181 · [3] 42.81300, -1.64550 · [4] 42.81623, -1.64167
Albergues nearby
- Albergue Jesús y MaríaPrivate albergue · €12–18 · 788 m
Most popular pilgrim albergue in Pamplona; central; bookable; highly recommended
- Albergue Casa PaderbornDonation-based · €0–10 · <100 m
Donation-based German pilgrim house; excellent reviews; no reservations; opens 12:00
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