Classic high route to Pamplona, with Gran Hotel La Perla for the final night. Gatwick–Bordeaux is the selected outbound; Bilbao–Gatwick is the leading return option.
The route and final hotel are settled. The only material decision still open is whether to use the Bilbao–Gatwick return.
Walk the classic high route, keep Gran Hotel La Perla, book the easyJet Gatwick–Bordeaux outbound, and provisionally use Vueling Bilbao–Gatwick for the return. Recheck the return timetable and through-connection before purchasing.
The Napoleon route in one 25 km mountain stage, followed by the standard Roncesvalles–Zubiri and Zubiri–Pamplona stages.
Key condition: confirm the Napoleon route is open and safe at the Saint-Jean Pilgrim Office; use the signed Valcarlos route only as the weather fallback.
Do the cancellations first. Flight and surface-transport prices are old quotes and need a fresh check before purchase.
La Perla is the selected final night, so this duplicate Pamplona reservation is no longer needed.
Free cancellation until Sun 30 Aug, 23:59 local timeThis Burguete reservation belongs to the rejected shorter-stage route.
Free cancellation until Sun 30 Aug, 23:59 local timeReprice easyJet U28383, then verify and book the Sunday SNCF connection via Bayonne. The rail plan must reach Maison Simonenia before check-in closes at 20:00.
Check Vueling VY7298 and the Pamplona–Bilbao coach connection together. If the through-timing works, book the flight and ALSA coach.
Arrange TN14 7RP → Gatwick on departure morning and Gatwick → SW16 3AG on return. Decide parking versus lifts/taxis.
Reserve Sunday dinner in SJPP, the Roncesvalles dinner sitting, and Zurita if wanted. Decide on luggage transfer; check weather and the high-route status at the Pilgrim Office.
No action: Casa Karrikaburu was never reserved. Keep Maison Simonenia, Posada de Roncesvalles, the Zubiri Airbnb and Gran Hotel La Perla.
These are the four stays in the selected classic itinerary. Booking.com GBP totals are approximate conversions; payment is at the property in euros.
| Night | Stay | Route | Cost | Free-cancellation cut-off |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 30 Aug | ReservedMaison SimoneniaSaint-Jean-Pied-de-Port · Quadruple room | Selected | £109 | Sat 22 Aug, 23:59 |
| Mon 31 Aug | ReservedPosada de RoncesvallesRoncesvalles · Triple room | Selected | £127 | Tue 25 Aug, 23:59 |
| Tue 1 Sep | ReservedIñaki’s balcony roomZubiri · shared kitchen and bathroom | Selected | £70.75 | Mon 31 Aug, 12:00 |
| Wed 2 Sep | Reserved · selectedGran Hotel La PerlaPamplona · Deluxe room | Selected | £196 | Mon 31 Aug, 23:59 |
Selected accommodation total: £502.75 (about £503). The Loizu and Pompaelo cancellations are listed above; re-check each dashboard immediately before cancelling.
No transport is reserved. Prices are old quotes for two adults, checked 16 August 2026, and must be refreshed. Door-to-door times are planning estimates.
Use easyJet Gatwick–Bordeaux outbound. For the return, first choice is Vueling Bilbao–Gatwick, subject to a fresh fare check and a workable Pamplona–Bilbao coach connection.
Gatwick → Bordeaux
Bilbao → Gatwick
Timing assumptions: airport arrival two hours before departure; 30–45 minutes to clear arrivals; postcode driving times from an OpenStreetMap/OSRM route without live traffic, then padded for terminal access. Rail and coach departures are indicative until tickets are selected. Check SNCF for Bordeaux–Bayonne–SJPP and ALSA for Pamplona–Bilbao.
Selected travel plan: easyJet from Gatwick to Bordeaux, then rail via Bayonne to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port for arrival around 17:00. Collect the pilgrim passport at 39 rue de la Citadelle if timing allows.
12 rue de la Citadelle — directly on the Camino. Check-in 16:00–20:00; check-out by 11:00. The reservation includes no meal.
No restaurant in the guesthouse. Le Chat Perché is almost opposite at 11 rue de la Citadelle; Café Ttipia and Café de la Paix are easy central alternatives. Reserve on a Sunday evening.
Because arrival is Sunday evening and departure should be around 07:00, buy picnic supplies before reaching town or ask the host in advance. Otherwise use an early bakery on rue d’Espagne; do not rely on the Monday market.
Climb via Huntto and Orisson, cross the open ridge, then descend steeply through beech forest into Roncesvalles. Use the Valcarlos road route instead if the Pilgrim Office advises against the high path.
At the stage end. Check-in 14:00–22:00; check-out 07:00–11:00. The reservation includes no meal, but the property itself has a bar and restaurant.
Carry a proper picnic, emergency snack and 1.5–2 litres of water. Orisson, about 8 km in, is the dependable café stop; after it, food is sparse and weather can change quickly.
La Posada serves meals on site. Casa Sabina and Hotel Roncesvalles are the other principal choices; reserve the pilgrim sitting after arrival.
Pass through Burguete, Espinal, Bizkarreta and Lintzoain before the climb to Alto de Erro and the rough descent to Zubiri. Trekking poles are useful.
Confirmed private room beside the medieval bridge; shared bathroom and kitchen. Check-in 12:00 and checkout 09:00.
No need to carry the whole day’s food: cafés and basic shops appear early in Burguete and Espinal, then again in Bizkarreta. Still leave Roncesvalles with water and a backup snack.
Bar Valentín and El Café del Camino serve pilgrim meals. The shared kitchen permits self-catering; Supermercado Arrieta and Bacaicoa carry bread, fruit, charcuterie and local products.
Follow the Arga valley through Larrasoaña, Akerreta, Zuriain and Irotz, then enter the city through Trinidad de Arre, Villava and Burlada.
Deluxe room on Plaza del Castillo. Check-in 15:00–23:59; checkout 07:00–12:00. The rate includes no meal.
Buy supplies in Zubiri, or stop at Larrasoaña (~5.5 km), Zuriain (~11.5 km) or Villava. This stage has frequent settlements, so only a light backup snack is necessary.
La Perla has Zurita, Barra y Mantel on site. Plaza del Castillo and Estafeta have many pintxos alternatives.
Exactly as Option A: arrive, collect the credencial if possible, eat nearby, and prepare snacks for the morning.
Central, on the Camino, with no meal included in the reservation.
Follow the signed valley route beside the river and road through Arnéguy to Luzaide/Valcarlos. This is a deliberately easy first walking day with time to explore and recover from travel.
Central Valcarlos apartment/room with restaurant and optional breakfast. This is the selected property for Option B, but the live rate was not flexible.
The valley route passes services around Arnéguy and reaches Valcarlos early. Carry snacks, but a full packed lunch is optional.
Casa Karrikaburu has a restaurant. Benta Ardandegia is the fallback: restaurant, café and small supermarket with fresh food, charcuterie, snacks and local products.
Climb through beech forest to Ibañeta Pass, descend briefly to Roncesvalles for lunch, then continue a gentle 3 km to Burguete.
On Burguete’s main street. Check-in 14:00–23:00; check-out 08:00–12:00. The reservation includes no meal.
Benta Ardandegia normally opens from 08:00; buy supplies the previous evening if starting earlier. Roncesvalles is the obvious lunch stop before the last 3 km.
Loizu has an on-site restaurant with a daily menu, seasonal à la carte dishes and a pilgrim menu. Burguete also has Hotel Burguete, Txikipolit and Asador Aritza.
Walk through Espinal, Bizkarreta and Lintzoain to Alto de Erro, descend to Zubiri, then taxi to Pamplona rather than adding another 20 km.
Same choice as Option A: Pompaelo as the £132 basic option, or La Perla as the £196 treat.
Buy a sandwich or picnic in Burguete; there are further stops in Espinal and Bizkarreta. Carry water for the forest sections and save a snack for the descent.
Bar Valentín or Café del Camino in Zubiri works for a late lunch while a taxi is called. For dinner, use La Galea at Pompaelo, Zurita at La Perla, or old-town pintxos.
None of the reserved room rates includes meals. This table is the working food plan; village opening hours are seasonal, so the “supplies / action” column is the fallback.
| Date | Route | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner | Supplies / action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sun 30 Aug | Selected | Before departure / airport. | In transit. | Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port: Le Chat Perché opposite the hotel; Café Ttipia or Café de la Paix as alternatives. | Reserve Sunday dinner. Bring or buy Monday’s mountain food before reaching town if possible; early Monday options are limited. |
| Mon 31 Aug | Selected | Early bakery on rue d’Espagne, or arrange food with Maison Simonenia in advance. | Carry a full picnic; Orisson at ~8 km is the only dependable café before the long exposed section. | La Posada restaurant on site; Casa Sabina or Hotel Roncesvalles as alternatives. | Leave with 1.5–2 L water, a full lunch and an emergency snack. |
| Tue 1 Sep | Selected | Use the Posada bar/restaurant or confirm an early breakfast locally; the reserved rate includes none. | Burguete or Espinal early in the stage; Bizkarreta later. Carry one backup snack. | Zubiri: Bar Valentín or El Café del Camino; the Airbnb kitchen permits self-catering. | Supermercado Arrieta or Bacaicoa in Zubiri for dinner ingredients and Wednesday supplies. |
| Wed 2 Sep | Selected | Zubiri café or self-cater in the shared kitchen. | Larrasoaña (~5.5 km), Zuriain (~11.5 km) or Villava; carry a light backup. | Zurita, Barra y Mantel at La Perla, or old-town pintxos around Plaza del Castillo and Estafeta. | Buy water/snacks in Zubiri before departure; services are frequent later in the stage. |
| Thu 3 Sep | Selected | La Perla breakfast service or a nearby Plaza del Castillo café; breakfast is not included in the room rate. | Pamplona before departure, or at the departure airport depending on the selected flight. | After arrival in London. | For the Bilbao–Gatwick plan, buy lunch in Pamplona or at Bilbao Intermodal before the airport transfer. |
Operational notes for the selected classic route and the current transport plan.
The selected outbound is Gatwick–Bordeaux, then SNCF via Bayonne. Confirm the whole rail connection before buying the flight.
The leading plan is ALSA from Pamplona to Bilbao Intermodal, Bizkaibus A3247 to the airport, then Vueling to Gatwick. Confirm all three timings together.
Ask the Pilgrim Office in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port about the Napoleon route. In poor weather, take the signed Valcarlos route. The high route is not a place to improvise.
Trekking poles are particularly useful on the descents into Roncesvalles and Zubiri. Carry sun protection, a waterproof shell, warm layer, 1.5–2 L water capacity and a lightweight emergency snack.
Express Bourricot serves the French side; Jacotrans and Caminofácil serve the Spanish stages. Book a few days ahead if we prefer daypacks.
Cancel only Pompaelo and Loizu. Before confirming either cancellation, verify the property name, dates and refund amount in the dashboard.
Accommodation status, totals and cancellation cut-offs were read from the signed-in Booking.com and Airbnb dashboards on 17 August 2026. Flight prices were carried forward from the original search checked 16 August 2026; schedules and fares must be reconfirmed on Ryanair, easyJet, Iberia, Vueling or Wizz Air before purchase. UK postcode coordinates came from Postcodes.io; base road distances and times from OSRM/OpenStreetMap without live traffic. Public logistics were checked against Pamplona’s Camino route guide, Visit Navarra, La Posada de Roncesvalles, Hotel Roncesvalles restaurant, Burguete’s municipal restaurant list, Benta Ardandegia, Esteríbar’s Zubiri services list, Supermercado Arrieta, Pays Basque tourism’s Saint-Jean restaurant list and Gran Hotel La Perla. Village businesses and opening times are seasonal: verify directly shortly before travel.
The Pompaelo restaurant, skybar and spa information was checked against the hotel’s official site; the Booking.com reservation states that spa access is extra and must be booked in advance.