Stage 1: Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Roncesvalles

Stage 1 – the day that never ended

Start: 6:15, 12 ºC, rain

End: 14:15

Distance: 24.2/24.2 Km

Stayed at: Roncesvalles Pilgrims’ Hostel

I have never been a morning person, my entire life. Today, everything changed: I woke up before 6:00, a brand new habit which I didn’t even hope to maintain for more than a couple of days.

The early worm gets the early bird

There are two options for your first stage: the hard path or the wimps’ path.

The first stage of the CF possibly includes its most physically demanding part. In a few hours, the Camino climbs from SJPP to Napoleon’s Pass, then descending into Spain’s Navarro region.

To make sure I had the right attitude for a pilgrimage, I injured myself halfway through, on the descent into Roncesvalles. A strained ankle, plus my very first blisters – what more could I wish for?

Food regime for the Camino de Santiago

Since this very first stage, I made sure to manage my “food stops” as efficiently as I could.

For the first and last time, I had breakfast at the albergue. It wasn’t too bad: I could sit down at 6:30 and get out before 7:00. Still, most albergues won’t serve breakfast before 8:00. By that time I usually have already covered 8km, around a third of that day’s distance: to waste all that time is unthinkable.

Speaking of which…

Orisson: because you are worth it

I was simply amazed when I discovered that Orisson is considered a potential “end of stage 1” for some pilgrims. Le Refuge Orisson is around 8 km from SJPP.

Eight. Fucking. Kilometres.

Two hours. Inconceivable. Unthinkable.

Still, some “camino users” do ponder over Orisson.

It’s a 800 km walk, and the big idea is to stop after 1% of the distance?

How.

Is.

This.

Possible.

Now you can see why this website is called “Camino for Closers”. Here we are all about starting and finishing the camino.

No room for one-percenters.

The Man With a Van

Your final sello in France comes from TMWAV, whose services you’ll very much need in preparation for your entry into Navarro.

With all that fog, I almost got lost. Rachel, the Legendary Rachel from Canada, was a Canadian pilgrim who spectacularly missed Roncesvalles, walking more than 40 km on her first day. Don’t be like Rachel.

Be like me.

I was definitely getting lost, walking off into oblivion, when a lovely couple from Maine called me back, showing I had to walk across the field, to the right, abandoning the road we had been following uphill. Thanks, Maine friends.

Into Navarro

The descent into Roncesvalles is not short, and is not easy – especially for your first day of CF. My advice is: take it easy, and mind your ankles.

The Roncesvalles albergue is a bit of a “processing plant”, a former monastery which now processes hundreds of pilgrims per day. The dormitory is open throughout the floor, meaning that in Roncesvalles one single snorer can keep up 50 people at once. Efficient.

Remember: don’t leave home without earplugs. Your health depends on it.