St. Jean Pied de Port to Pamplona
Dates: 11rd to 17th May 2025
Price: 1250.00 Euros
Camino Frances Slow Stroll – St. Jean to Pamplona
Why choose this section and Camino Confidence?
The Camino Francés is around 800 kms long and stretches from St Jean Pied de Port in France, over the Pyrenees to Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Northwest Spain and is one of the greatest pilgrim routes in the world.
The three distinct geographical regions along the route correspond to the 3 stages of personal growth often experienced along the journey. These include physical conditioning, emotional reflection and spiritual awareness.
The first stage of the Camino Francés lies between historic Camino village of SJPP and the majestic cathedral city of Burgos. Our stroll will take us from SJPP in France, over the Pyrenees and into Spain, to another exciting stop, Pamplona. This stage offers the pilgrim the challenge of physical conditioning, in preparation for the next stages of further growth.
Pilgrims walk the Camino for many different reasons be it to reconnect with the church, search for a spiritual experience, walk in someone’s memory, search for answers, take time to reflect or simply for the fitness benefits. Whatever your reasons are, it will definitely challenge you both physically and mentally.
We have walked with women who have experienced the death of a loved one, a devastating divorce, loss of their primary role in life due to children leaving home or parents dying but also women looking for adventure, excited about discovering Spain and the Camino, determined to make the most of this exciting time of life.
Over 7 days, our group of no more than 4 women will come together from all over the world and walk the 67 kms on our Camino Confidence SJPP to Pamplona Slow Stroll, with manageable daily distances of 10km or 6 miles, where possible. You can take the opportunity to leave your responsibilities at home and enjoy some much needed me time. All you have to do is sleep, eat, walk, repeat. Your Camino guide will do the rest.
It can make you feel very vulnerable when you strip your life bare of all responsibilities and simply walk, suddenly your mind is able to wander, and you are given time to truly reflect on your life. For this reason, it isn´t unusual to experience a roller coaster of emotions.
There may be moments of hilarity, happiness, joy, excitement, trepidation, discomfort and even sadness but the beauty of walking with like-minded women is that they can share these moments with you, encourage you and celebrate your growth with you.
We openly encourage you to enjoy every moment of your Camino, whether you walk with the other members of the group or choose to walk alone and meet up with the group in the evening. It is important to us that you walk your Camino your way and experience the Camino through your own eyes, with the comforting knowledge that your luggage is being transported, your accommodation is booked and there is a guide to help you.
Our guides will share stories with you about the Camino, its rich history and fascinating legends to help you to fully immerse yourself in this wonderful experience.
As Founder and Guide at Camino Confidence, I am so proud of the women in these groups. It gives my guides and I great pleasure to see them come together in the WhatsApp group, help each other, book activities together, often even arrange to travel together to and from the start and finish point. We observe as their confidence grows every day as they become a unit often becoming such good friends that many of them come back to walk with Camino Confidence time and time again.
THE BEAUTY AND THE CHALLENGE OF THE PYRENEES.
The pilgrimage walk over the Pyrenees is a profound blend of beauty and challenge. As you ascend into the rugged mountain terrain, the path offers stunning vistas of lush valleys, jagged peaks, and expansive skies, with spring’s vibrant colours bringing the landscape to life. Wildflowers bloom at your feet, and the scent of fresh pine and earth fills the air, creating a peaceful, almost mystical atmosphere.
However, the beauty of the surroundings is tempered by the physical demands of the journey. Steep ascents, rocky paths, and unpredictable weather—ranging from sunshine to sudden rain—test both endurance and resolve. Yet, each step through this dramatic landscape offers not only a physical challenge but a spiritual one, as the isolation and grandeur of the mountains provide space for contemplation and personal reflection, making the experience unforgettable.
WHAT IS A SLOW STROLL?
Have you reached the stage where you appreciate a bit more comfort? Do you enjoy taking in the scenery? Are you happy to make lots of photos stops and let people pass you by? Or maybe you simply prefer to walk much shorter and slower stages of around a daily average of 10kms at a much slower pace. If so, then a Camino Slow Stroll is perfect for you? Camino Slow Strolls are mindful, fully supported, and guided walks along various stages and routes of the Camino de Santiago Your daily stages are kept to a short length with regular rest stops and optional rest days.
WHAT IS INCLUDED
- 7 nights good standard accommodation sourced and personally checked by Camino Confidence. This will be a mixture of room types to prepare you for the longer Camino journey.
- Two Guides – an experienced (Spanish and English speaking), aa guide legally registered to work in Spain, and a trainee guide.
- Advice on travel and logistics within Spain.
- Your Camino Confidence patch.
- Two question and answer zoom meetings with Carol Alexander-Price, Founder of Camino Confidence, and Lou Gall, Guide-in-the-Making (more meetings can be arranged if extra guidance is required).
WHAT IS NOT INCLUDED
- Health or travel insurance (we strongly recommend that you get full travel and medical insurance for your own peace of mind before you reserve your place).
- Travel to and from start and finish point.
- Food, drink and snacks.
- Luggage transport, however, this can be added to your package at a cost of approximately €6 per day.
- Buses or taxi transfers along the route. Please note that whilst there are taxis along the route, they cannot be flagged down on the side of the road, they have to be reserved by phone by your guide. We cannot guarantee that one will be available at all times.
- Services such as laundry, phone calls etc.
- Your credentials, scallop shell – as part of the experience, we will make a very special visit to the Pilgrim Office in SJPP to purchase these.
- Tips for guides.
TRAVEL INSURANCE
Camino Confidence highly recommends both travel and medical insurance to include repatriation to your country and all possibilities of cancellation. Please Note: You will be required to email proof of purchase to us or sign an opt out form.
PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PREPARATION
Although we do not expect you to walk a Camino before walking the Camino, we at Camino Confidence highly recommend that you take steps to prepare yourself both physically and mentally. A strong body, and a positive mindset will not only help prevent injuries, which could result in you aborting your Camino altogether, but it will also increase your enjoyment of this amazing experience.
OUR ACCOMMODATION
The price for this trip is based on a mixture of accommodation and 4 people walking. Due to the nature of the walk, we are following a route that includes stays in very rural locations and small hamlets where there may only be one accommodation available.
We will stay in a variety of accommodations from rural hotels, rural houses, duplex apartments, hostels, and city hotels. One thing I can guarantee is that all accommodation is selected, inspected and approved by Camino Confidence.
Where we are in twin rooms, you can choose who you would like to share with, or the Camino Confidence Guide will allocate rooms.
WALKING AS A GROUP
Many people ask us if they have to walk as part of a group. The answer is that it is entirely up to you. We usually like the group to walk together on the first day, just while they familiarise themselves with the terrain and signage but after that, we at Camino Confidence encourage you to see the Camino through your own eyes and walk it your own way.
However, what most women enjoy about walking as a group is the comradery, and the fact that they have company for evening meals and extra activities if they chose.
DAILY GROUP MEETINGS/CHATS
During your Camino you will get together with your guide each day to have a chat about the day’s events. We will discuss how you feel, how the day was for you, and any issues you may have. We will also take a look at the following day, the weather, the time you prefer to start walking, organize any taxis required, decide what to carry, point out where the facilities are along the route and confirm what time you can check in to our next accommodation etc.
COMMUNICATION
We will communicate via WhatsApp at all times. There will be two WhatsApp groups, one for general chat that everyone will have access to and the other for important information we prefer not to lose, we will all have access to this but I as admin and the guide will be the only ones that can comment.
TRANSPORTED LUGGAGE
We will discuss transporting luggage in our meetings. If you decide you want to transport luggage on the walk, we will happily arrange that for you at an extra cost of approximately €6 per day for 1 bag each, of no more than 20kgs.
You will be provided with a label by your guide, who will also have zip ties to secure the label to your transported bag. She will have extra labels should anyone lose theirs or if they get damaged.
You must not attach anything to the outside of this bag, or you will be charged extra, and although the transport company is reputable, I would not transport anything of value or that is fragile.
If you have to transport a CPAP machine or anything else that is necessary for your trip, then make sure they are wrapped up carefully in your luggage.
Try to make your luggage as obvious to you as possible with perhaps a bright coloured scarf attached to it.
The bags must be left where instructed by your guide before 8am. They are guaranteed to arrive at the next accommodation by 3pm at the latest, but they usually arrive earlier.
Check your back carefully before moving it and inform the guide if there is any damage (just to reassure you, I have never had a bag damaged in 3 years).
Just be aware that it is your responsibility to get your bags to your room from the drop of point and to return them the next day. Please bear in mind that not all accommodations have lifts so you may need required to carry them up the stairs.
WIFI
There is free WIFI available at all our accommodations and usually in the cafes and bars on the route. We will discuss this in more depth in the workshops. With regard to sim cards, we encourage you to approach your current provider first to see if they can offer you a good deal while travelling. If not, your other option is to buy a sim card when you arrive in Europe or consider an eSim.
MEALS
As a rule, meals are not included in the price, however, occasionally our accommodation does include breakfast in the price, please check with your guide. This offers you more flexibility to eat what you want, when you want. There are fewer cafes and restaurants on this part of the path except for where we are staying and there are some supermarkets where you can buy fruit, snacks and water. However, I would warn you that this section of the Camino does not have anywhere near the number of facilities you would find on the Sarria to Santiago route for example.
TAXIS AND BUSES
While we highly recommend that you prepare both mentally and physically for this route as it will help prevent injuries and increase your enjoyment, we also understand that life happens, and you may need a little more support.
There are bus routes along the Camino, but as you can imagine buses are few and far between, sometimes only 1 a day, sometimes none. These kinds of travel arrangements need to be made as far in advance as possible so that the guide can get the information required in time.
The same goes for taxis. These arrangements must be agreed with the guide at the latest, the night before, so that she can reserve one for you.
Please note that taxis cannot be flagged down in the street.
TIPS
It is customary to tip a guide in Spain if you are happy with their service, however it is not obligatory. If you do choose to tip, the amount you tip is entirely up to you but around 10 euros a day is a good guide.
It is also customary to tip waiters, local guides etc. if you are happy with their service 10% of the bill is recommended if you are eating, if you are just having a coffee then it´s normal just to leave the difference. (if it’s 1.40 euros and you only have 1.50 euros, leave the 10 cents for example).
OUR ROUTE
We begin in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (Donibane Garazi in Basque), the capital of Lower Navarre, and historical starting point for the Camino Francés. We then walk over the Pyrenees via the Napoleon Route, and on to Roncesvalles, finally arriving in the exciting city of Pamplona.
With Pamplona’s rich history all around us, we celebrate this milestone and the end of our journey together.
The following day, after breakfast, we will say our goodbyes, and wish each other ¡Buen Camino! for our journeys onwards, wherever that may be.
Can you feel the excitement building?
IS THE SJPP TO PAMPLONA SLOW STROLLER FOR YOU?
If this fully guided walk is something your dreaming of, please get in contact with Camino Confidence to reserve your spot for the inaugural trip in May 2025. There are only 4 places available.
On payment of your deposit, you will receive our comprehensive itinerary with plenty of extra information about: the route we will take and kilometres walked each day; our accommodation; things to see and do if you arrive early in SJPP; things to see and do if you want to stay on in Pamplona; and interesting sites, history, and culture along the way.
During our informative and supportive online meetings, you will meet your guides and the other ladies walking; receive advice on how to prepare including packing, Camino fitness, and the best options for travelling to SJPP; what to expect in Spain and on the Camino regarding food, drink, culture, and safety; and deal with any last-minute nerves or concerns.
If you have any questions please get in contact, we are here to support you on your journey. ¡Buen Camino!