trail markers and the ways over the Pyrenees.

[Robert Spenger]

Dear Pieter,

Thank you for the detailed description of the various alternative routes from
St. Jean to Roncevaux.

I should clarify my comments about going west from St. Jean. The road that I
had in mind is the D 15. It actually goes out of St. Jean at about 20 degrees
north of west  (i.e. a corrected compass reading of 290 degrees). According to
my map, it leads to St. Etienne. From there, the road to the west is the D 949
which leads to the Col d'Ispéguy. In Spain this road has the designation NA
2600 and ends up about 40 km north of Pamplona and a long way from any well
marked pilgrim path. I suppose that there is a possibility that pilgrims have
used it, but it seems unlikely.

While I was at it, I checked out the headings of the routes you describe. The
carretera goes out at about 30 degrees west of south - a 210 degree heading -
and the D 301 is about 30 east of south - a 150 degree heading.

Starting From St. Jean, the Camino Francés doesn't really go directly west
until after Puente la Reine. The alternative route from Somport, the one that I
am familiar with, goes more or less straight south to Jaca where it makes an
abrupt turn to the right and goes west from there on to Santiago - with a great
many wiggles along the way.

regards,

Robert

pieter pannevis wrote:

> Dear all,
>
> The way over the Pyrenees from St Jean is threefold.
>
> Ultreya to you all and good preps!
> Pieter from Holland