Saint Jean Pied de Port

Rest day in St Jean Pied de Port.  

Didn't have to get up early to start walking!  Had a leisurely breakfast at our hotel, packed up and moved to another hotel - Hotel Itzalpia - and checked in.

Nice place, stayed here 2 years ago. Then we checked out where to catch the bus to Pamplona tomorrow.  Then off to the laundromat.  Had to wait for washing machine - only 4 washers and 2 dryers.  

Walked around St Jean - an old historic town 

Left my boots in front of the pilgrims office -  another walker may find them better than what they have, the soles were going going gone.  I was happy they went 500 miles

St Jean

Dinner - went with the vegetarian option. Potatoes, omelette, salad and dessert.  

Tomorrow, taking the 11:45 bus to Pamplona, 1 hour 45 minute ride - took us 4 days to walk there in 2013. 

Larceveau to Saint Jean Pied de Port - 18 kilometers

The journey of a thousand miles that began with a single step, ends.

In 2013, it began at the hotel Itzalpea in Saint Jean Pied de Port. Today we arrived back in Saint Jean Pied de Port. Tomorrow night we stay at the Itzalpea before taking the bus to Pamplona.

Perfect weather today - sunny and in the 70s, chilly start so we wore our warm jackets.  We set out at 8:00 and arrived at 2:30.

Cows in our path

Farmer on bike and his cow coming down the path

We stopped in Saint-Jean-le-Vieux, 4 kilometers from St Jean Pied de Port for a sandwich, ham and cheese in a baguette, and tea and coffee.  Breakfast was a little on the light side - toast, yogurt, tea and coffee.

We did it - coming into Saint Jean Pied de Port

Inside the city gate

Dropped our backpacks at our hotel and it was time for a tea

Or a beer - basque beer - cheers!

Our hotel 

Before dinner we met with some of the people we have spent time with on the walk. They are off tomorrow, on their way to Santiago - 500 more miles. 

Dinner

Omelette piperade

Chicken Basquise with rice

Basque cake - best of the 3 we've had

Tomorrow we change hotels, do laundry, check out the bus to Pamplona, and rest.

Saint Palais to Larceveau - 15 kilometers

Raining this morning, took our time at breakfast, started walking at 9:00 arrived 3:00

Steep uphill leaving town and nice view looking back at Saint Palais

At the top was a wooden sculpture 

We walked through Hiriburia where the routes from Paris, Vézéley and Le Puy are thought to have met.  The Stelé de Gibraltarre

And then another steep climb

Path marked on the rocks

The Pyrenees are coming

And more hills before we get there

No shortage of mud today - Mare's rain pants covered

Mine not much better

Beautiful scenery today

Coffee and tea break at 1:30 in Ostabat

Ostabat

Our hotel

Dinner

First course -trout

Main course

Potatoes, mixed veggies, beef

Desserts

Basque cake

Chocolate mousse 

We finish tomorrow.  Whew!

Lichos to Saint Palais - 20 kilometers

Raining when we started, stopped raining around noon.  Breakfast at 7:30, and we were out the door at 8:00.  

We took a couple of shortcuts today. The first one took us through a farmers field, through their driveway and down to the road.  The second one kept us on a busy highway for 1 kilometer and then we rejoined the GR65 trail a little later.  We saved 2-3 kilometers.

Just starting out

We saw another pheasant today - this time on the road in front of us, yesterday in the ditch next to us. We have seen many hunters and the shooting is way too close.

St Jean Pied de Port is our destination.  Sign says 40 km but we have 55 km to go.

Way-marker 

Chickens on the way, ducks on the way earlier in the day

Marilyn and Pam, Salisbury England, walking along

 

We're seeing more sheep - coming into the Basque region of France 

Phil and Pam, Salisbury, and Mare.  We were heading off in different directions.  We see them again in 2 days in St Jean.

Rain in our future

Our hotel in Saint Palais

View from hotel window

The laundromat was on the square so we did a load.  Waited 40 minutes for a machine, the machine ran for 40 minutes but never really got into a wash cycle.  It spun for half a revolution stopped and then another half revolution and stopped.  This went on for 35 minutes, and then did a final spin. Et voilá!

Dinner - ate dinner with Bjørg tonight.  We'll have breakfast and start out walking together tomorrow

Potato soup

Duck leg, potatoes, green beans 

Dessert - Gâteau Basque, a traditional dessert from the Basque region of France- almond flour based with a pastry cream filling

More rain tomorrow - a repeat of today is in the forecast.