Day one on the Camino del Norte

I decided to start my walk from the lighthouse in Biarritz after the woman whose place I stayed at told me how lovely the walk along the coast is.

It definitely was beautiful and there were tons of gorgeous old mansions along the way. The route that I took is the sentier littoral (coastal path) and the Camino pretty much followed it.

It was a fairly easy walk along pedestrian walkways under blue skies and perfect temperatures.

Several times along the way I enjoyed the fragrance of jasmine and honeysuckle. There were may locals and tourists out walking, and three different women asked me if I was walking to Santiago and wished me "bon courage" and "buen camino.". But I didn't see anyone else specifically walking the Camino.

I passed by beaches full of surfers, surf schools, and many beach side cafes, stopping at one for a second breakfast of beignets and freshly squeezed orange juice.

I'm spending the night at a pilgrims gite in the resort town of St Jean de Luz. They don't accept reservations and I'm happy that I arrived in time to get one of the ten available beds, which are €12 per night. If I had to get a hotel here it would be at least ten times the cost.Read more