Where to leave a car, worry-free?

[Tom Priestly]

This information, from some research I have made,  will probably not be of
use to most of the (North American) Camino list members, but if any are
Europeans or - like me - are joining up with a European for the pilgrimage,
it should be very useful. In my case, I shall be joining my friend in
Klagenfurt (Austria); we aim to start walking in St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port
("SJPP") next fall sometime.

To get to SJPP without recourse to the great expense of airplanes, we can
either go by train or bus, or drive a car. I have not looked into buses,
but suppose they will be about as efficient as trains, at best. The
shortest train journey  - with six transfers! - takes 27 hours and will
cost about 100 euros ($US 107) each way for each person. The drive will
also take along time - it is 1875 km (1165 miles) - but will cost less
(with two or more in the car) ***depending on the "parking" factor.***

Obviously, we have to leave the car in a safe garage or car park for a
month. Walking the Camino should not be marred by worries about finding a
de-hub-capped, de-stereo'ed or ransacked car, or worse: no car at all, when
we return to our point of departure.

Having scoured the list archive, I asked the members of the list for advice
about this problem a year or so ago; the best, and very detailed, advice
was from Judith Nollar (Pasadena CA); she suggested that I write to the
hotels in SJPP and also the tourist office in that city. I also contacted
some airports in the vicinity, hoping that one would have a guarded
long-term car park.

I faxed four SJPP hotels. Two replied: one was non-committal, the other
("Les Pyrénées") asked for 10 euros a night ($US 323 for the month).
Ridiculous.

Airports:
Pau airport charges 39 euros a month; it is unclear how well it is guarded.
Biarritz-Anglet-Bayonne airport has three carparks: the least expensive
costs 61 euros a month. It is not patrolled at night but has double exit
gates.
Pamplona airport  has free parking but the parking area is not "under
vigilance" (what a beautful phrase).
Of course one would have to factor in the cost of the train or bus ride
from these airports to SJPP or wherever one wants to start walking.

Finally, the SJPP "Office du tourisme". I wrote a regular letter and
received an e-mailed response. In translation: there is a safeguarded
garage; the cost is 30.49 euros per week. It is called 'Garage Arrayet' and
its phone number is 05-59-37-00-57.

My thanks to Judith and all the others who gave advice!

Tom Priestly



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Tom Priestly
9215-69 Street
Edmonton AB
Canada T6B 1V8
phone 780-469-2920
fax 780-492-9106
e-mail: tom.priestlyaualberta.ca
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