Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
St Jean Pied de Port (which means "at the foot of the pass") lies at the foot of the pass through the Pyrenees from France to Spain.
It has become an important town because of its strategic position on the pilgrim route of the Camino de Santiago de Compostella, also known as the Way of St James. The routes from Paris, Vezelay and Le Puy converge here and then rise up and through the pass to the Monastery of Roncevaux (Roncesvalles) in Spain. For those walking the Compostella this is the hardest days of the pilgrimage.
The old town of St Jean Pied du Port is really one old cobbled street, the rue de la Citadelle which runs down hill from the 15th century Porte St-Jacques to the Porte d'Espagne. The street crosses the River Nive on a lovely old stone bridge and the view of the river and the old stone houses stretched along it is lovely.
Up above the town is the citadel. The citadel held great importance in St Jean Pied du Port. The original citadel was badly damaged in the 16th century when the Spanish laid siege to the town. After that it was fortified under the direction of the knight Deville and St Jean Pied du Port became a strategic stronghold for French troops. In the 17century Sebastian Vauban was commissioned by the king Louis XIV to reinforce the kingdoms defensive mechanisms. Following his report further paths and ramparts were added to the town’s defences. Today the citadel houses a school.
The Notre-Dame gateway, the Porte Notre-Dame, is the best preserved of the gateways to the town. The entrance to the hospital was next to the Porte Notre-Dame and the stone seats embedded into the walls on either side are for the poorer pilgrims to sit and wait for the hospital to open and give out food and aid. Next to the Notre Dame Gate is also the Notre Dame du Bout du Pont, the towns fourteenth century church.
St Jean Pied du Port is very geared up for the pilgrims with restaurants offering pilgrim menus, a good value meal at a special rate for pilgrims, and shops selling anything you might have forgotten. The pilgrim office gives out pilgrim passports which you need in order to stay in the refuges (albergues) along the way and also have maps and useful advice.
Look at our picture of refuges (see more Photos of St Jean Pied de Port) to get an idea of what you have ahead of you if you are planning to walk the Camino. Though at the next stop there are about 120 bunk beds in one room so this one is luxury in comparison!
Visit Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (Aquitaine, Pyrenees-Atlantiques) travel, gites and hotels
Best Prices on Hotels in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port - Guaranteed
(see guarantee details) Reserve online, pay at the hotel
The Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port hotels listed feature descriptions, guest reviews, ratings, location maps, online booking etc. as well as the 'best-price' guarantee. The search for hotels in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port is provided by booking.com. General holiday / vacation options- See Aquitaine gites for Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port holiday rentals - Holiday villages in Aquitaine Holidays nearbyLooking for something close by? See a wide choice of hotels, holiday villages and holiday rentals at: Places to Stay near Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port Car HireFind locations offering car hire nearby at Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port car hire VisitSee Visit Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port for places to visit near Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port including: a detailed map, villages in bloom and most beautiful villages DiscussAsk questions or leave a comment about Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port in our Aquitaine forum Airports near Saint-Jean-Pied-de-PortBiarritz airport at 46 km Pau airport at 93 km Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port property for saleSee Aquitaine property for sale
|
|
||||||||||||
Tourist Classifications for Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port
- approved Station Classée (resort paying particular attention to facilities for tourism)
Places to visit near Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France
Explore places of interest within about 70 kilometres on a map at places near Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.
Some places to visit within 30 km: 
28 km: Cambo-les-Bains (attractive town and gardens) 30 km: Espelette (chilli village) 26 km: Itxassou (pretty village)
See also Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (version Francais)
