Day 41 - The end of the Road (for us) : Orisson to Roncesvalles

The alarms in the dormitory in Orisson began going off at around 5 am, even though breakfast wasn't being offered until 7. Quite a few people had decided that they needed to get an early start and didn't have time for breakfast. Although we can still remember what it was like to feel as though there was a rush to get there, this attitude was never present on the French part of the way. Our decision to head out before breakfast to avoid some of the worst heat was treated as scandalous, and I think some of our fellow hikers on the Le Puy way were worried for our survival.

We stayed for breakfast, and to collect our picnic lunch, and when we finally headed out around 7:30 we were treated to a truly spectacular sunrise!

As we climbed it felt like no matter where we looked there was incredible beauty.

We remembered some of the contours of the path from the fall, but the views were entirely new and stunning.

We also finally saw the Madonna statue that is featured in so many photos, but which we missed the first time around because she was lost in fog. As we climbed it got increasingly windy and cold. It also began to feel more rugged and rocky.

Around mid morning we came upon a snack truck parked in the lee of the mountain, and stopped for a coffee. By this point we had passed or caught up to most of the people who had left before breakfast.

After the short break there was another 1 km stretch of climbing.

After this there followed a relatively flat area, where we came to the fountain of Roland, and the Spanish border.

The descent from the peak was longer than we remembered it, and somewhat less magical without the mist, although it was still very beautiful.

When we finally came to the point just above the last very steep descent into the valley, we realized we could look down into the valley and see the monastery in Roncesvalles!

We made the descent down through the steep forested path, and arrived around noon at the monastery. We were not able to check in until 2 pm, so we went to the bar at Casa Sabina and had a coffee, hung out in the courtyard and visited the gift shop. When we finally checked in we discovered that our bunks were in a very similar location to ones we occupied last fall.

While we showered and submitted our laundry it poured rain and hailed enough to leave drifts of ice in the courtyard. How lucky we were not to be among those caught on the mountain!

Later in the afternoon a fully loaded donkey arrived in the courtyard. While his master waited to check in we kept the donkey company. He was very patient and good natured, and had apparently been on the road for 30 days.

We visited the church, and also the cloister, which we hadn't seen before. It was very beautiful, and seemed different, and more Spanish than any we have seen in previous days, although it is difficult to explain why.

We had dinner at the Roncesvalles hotel with a wonderful group of English speaking pilgrims, many of whom we had met in Orisson. I sat next to a man who had walked all the way from Slovakia, and who was heading back home. What a journey that must have been!

It was good to be back on the Camino Frances as we remembered it, and we knew this would only make it harder to leave!

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Practical Information:

Distance: 16.2 km

Cumulative ascent: 770 m

Cumulative descent: 333 m

Max Temperature: 15˚C

Accommodations: Albergue de la Colegiata Real