Day 6 – Saint-Étienne-de-Baïgorry to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

September 3, 2019 – Departed 8:30 – Arrived 15:15

The hike to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port was uneventful. Following yesterday’s pattern it started with 3 hours of walking uphill through various cols (passes) to the summit of Monhoa (1,021 m). The slope was not too steep, or I am getting used to it. There were great views from the summit, including of Pic d’Iparla – it was nice to see it this far and this tall and to think that I had been there the day before.

While at the top and having a snack to celebrate, a young hiker from Quebec arrived. I shared my cookies and refilled her water bottle, as she was out of water and I had plenty. She was coming from Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port and had been on the Camino starting from Le Puy for a month. She was now continuing through the Northern route, but chose to go through the mountains (rather than the valley) ‘to get better views’. A bit of a free spirit, she sleeps à la belle étoile (in the open) – I admire her true sense of adventure. Since we were going in opposite directions we exchanged tips about what to expect next on our respective ways.

The descent to St Jean was as continuous as the climb to the summit had been. It concluded with one and a half hour of a very boring road and I was glad to arrive.

Many times today the path meandered through slopes covered with ferns. In fact, looking at the mountains nearby from the top, slopes are mostly dark green from the ferns, with only occasional patches of lighter green where the ferns have given way to grass meadows. I was told by the farmer’s daughter the other day that they actually harvest ferns, to use as bedding for the sheep in winter (just as straw is used in other places).

Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is a pretty village. I will have more time to explore it tomorrow as I will take a full day of rest here. Walking though the streets as I was waiting for the auberge to open I have seen a throng of hikers – dozens and dozens, mostly people doing the Camino. All sorts of languages can be heard, with French, Spanish and English the most frequent. The village is the starting point for the Camino Francés, one of the most popular routes to Santiago.

Tonight I will take care of mundane things – the wonderful auberge where I am staying has a clothes washer already running with all my stuff from the past six days. Since there is a kitchen here I will also cook for myself. It’s been great relying on the auberges for dinners so far but the diet is not well balanced: French fries every single day, and barely any fruit. Time to take a breather!