Flying to Bilbao Thurs 13 Oct - weather permitting is it feasible to get to Le Puy from Bilbao?

[Barbara Taylor]

Is it feasible to get to Le Puy in France from Bilbao at this time of year with a regular train service? I fly into Bilbao Thursday 13 Oct late afternoon and would like to start camino at Le Puy (only have 8 days, one of which travelling). Weather permitting are Pyrennes a doer at this time of year? Are there regular train/bus services from Bilbao to le Puy and/or Roncavalles as a last resort? An Autumn Camino should be beautiful this time of year. Buen Camino, God Bless. Barbara, Dublin

[HuskyNerd]

Hi Barbara ~
Do you really mean Le Puy? If you have 8 days and hope to start in Le Puy you won't have to worry about weather in the Pyrenees -- you'll never make it there (much too far). I'm thinking you mean St. Jean Pied de Port, which is a typical starting point for Camino Frances pilgrims. Le Puy is one of the great French starting points, but is a month or so east of Spain. It's easy to get confused (those crazy French town names all sound alike!).

Not sure what time you arrive in Bilbao, but there are many Alsa bus departures (www.alsa.es) to Irun on Oct 13. Travel time is 1 hr 45 mins, so if you're early enough in the day you should be able to get a bus to Irun, then transfer to Bayonne, France, and catch the train to St. Jean Pied de Port. Go to the French train site (SNCF : Voyage, Transports et Logistique) for train schedules.

Weather over the Pyrenees is "iffy" during the autumn months. You need to check in with the pilgrim office in St. Jean before you begin to confirm that conditions are acceptable for the climb.

Buen camino!

[Barbara Taylor]

Hi thanks for your insights and information, I completely blundered by writing Le Puy in the thread as I had been looking at the map beforehand and had Le Puy in my thoughts for some reason, thaks a million for the response. Muchas grasias y buen camino! Barbara