The Fast Track to Basque Country

Up early, mainly because I'm still a bit on Island time. Headed out via an award winning boulangerie for a final Parisian breakfast, hopped the Metro at peak hour (yuck) without getting pick pocketed and arrived nice and early at Gare Montparnasse for my trip to the deep south.

Got slightly sea sick on the upper deck of the bullet train, know as the TGV to the French, as we clocked the 600km to Bordeaux in two hours. Bordeaux - did someone say red wine?

Took a slightly slower pace further south to Bayonne and boarded the bus to St Jean Pied de Port. That's St John for you heathens. Les Mis fans will know from Jean Valjean.

Since the 12th century pilgrims have flocked to the Basque Country from all over Europe. Many routes converge on the cobbled streets of St Jean prior to the dangerous climb over the Pyrenees, used in times of old to avoid the bandits in the valley.

St Jean is a glorious old town, a walled citadel sits on top of the hill and the town is nestled in the foothills of the mountains. I collected my official Pilgrims credential and bought my new walking poles and am now cosy and comfortable in my traditional French house stay. And I saw my first Camino way marker.

"When the beating of your heart
Echoes the beating of the drums
There is a life about to start
When tomorrow comes!" Les Mis

Well, there'll be a lot of heart beats going up those hills come morning time.Lue lisää