Suseia01
Saint-Jean → Orisson
km 0 – 7.8 · 7.8 km
You leave through the Porte d’Espagne and the mountain road starts straight away. It is the steepest section of the day: take it slowly and stop to drink in Honto and Orisson.
Home › Camino Francés › Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port – Roncesvalles
Camino Francés · Stage 1 of 33
The hardest stage of the whole Camino and one of the most beautiful. You climb from the French Basque town of Saint-Jean to the Lepoeder pass, above 1,400 m, among pastures, vultures and free-roaming horses, then drop through the beech forest to the collegiate church of Roncesvalles.
Profile
About 20 km of almost continuous climbing, with the steepest ramps before Orisson. From the Lepoeder pass, a short but very steep descent to Roncesvalles.
Town by town
Every town with services along the way. Out of season some bars and albergues close; the app shows you which ones are open near you as you walk.
Pilgrim office on Rue de la Citadelle
The steep ramps begin
The only albergue on the mountain: book well ahead
Viewpoint over the valleys
Last reliable fountain before the descent
Highest point: about 1,430 m
Collegiate church and a 180-bed albergue
The route
You leave through the Porte d’Espagne and the mountain road starts straight away. It is the steepest section of the day: take it slowly and stop to drink in Honto and Orisson.
Open pastures, the Virgin of Biakorri and the border at the Cross of Thibault. No shade and plenty of wind; in fog, always follow the waymarks and stay on the track.
There are two ways down: the direct one through the beech forest, very steep, or the gentler one via the Ibañeta pass. Both end at the collegiate church of Roncesvalles.
Tips
The Napoleon Route is closed from 1 November to 31 March and in bad weather. Then you go via Valcarlos, longer but safe.
After the Fountain of Roland there is nowhere to refill until Roncesvalles, and the climb is long and shadeless.
Orisson has few beds and fills up months in advance. The albergue in Roncesvalles also takes bookings.
Choose how many kilometres you want to walk each day and Suseia splits the route from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port to Santiago into stages based on the albergues in each town. Free and without signing up.
Common questions
About 24.2 km on the Napoleon Route and about 24 km via Valcarlos. It takes 7 to 8 hours.
Yes. Most people who split it sleep in Orisson (7.8 km) or Honto and walk on to Roncesvalles the next day.
Do not take the Napoleon Route: the pilgrim office in Saint-Jean reports on its condition every day. The Valcarlos route runs next to the road and carries no risk.