Help with passport and pilgrim lodging in St John Pied de Port

[susangoodspeed]

I arrive in St John around 5:00 in the evening. Does anyone know where the best place to get a passport for the journey (directions from train station) and also a good cheap place to stay (directions)? I think I need the passport in order to stay in pilgrim lodging. Thank you!

[HuskyNerd]

Hi Susan ~
It's very easy and you won't have problems. The train station is in the newer section of town and you want to get up the hill into the old (behind the medieval walls) portion of St. Jean. Just walk uphill -- it's hard to get lost in this little town. You'll easily see the walls/citadel. Once inside the walls there's one main street and it's quite obvious which it is. It runs lengthwise within the walls and ambles uphill. Once you get inside the walls you can ask (anyone, and in English is ok) for the pilgrim office, which basically is in the upper section of the old town's main street (Rue de la Citadelle). There is a pilgrim office for people beginning their pilgrimage which is open into the evening, later in summer, earlier in other seasons, and is staffed with volunteers from whom you can get your credencial, some helpful one-page guides to the camino, and a weather report for the next day's journey. On this same street are a variety of albergues (pilgrim hostels) from which you can choose. Check out http://www.espritduchemin.org/ which is one alternative. There are also some too-expensive private homes that rent rooms to pilgrims and tourists here on the main street (Rue de la Citadelle). Buen camino!