The pilgrim office in St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port. This is where to get one’s “pilgrim passport” and information for crossing the Pyrenees.

The town of St.-Jean-Pied-de-Port, France. This is the typical starting point for beginning the Camino Frances (French Route) to Santiago.

These were my hosts at the pilgrim refuge in StJPP, L’Esprit du Chemin.

My destination for the first night: Refuge Orisson. Only 8 kilometers (5 miles) out of StJPP, but a climb of about 600 meters.

Out of the thick fog! Orisson appears.

The common table in Refuge Orisson. Strangers from Korea, Italy, Germany, UK, France, Netherlands, Brazil, Russia, US, and Portugal gathered, laughed, drank, and ate. Great fellowship and fun as we all worked around languages and leg pain.

On the climb out of France to Spain over the Pyrenees.

Just at the signs ahead, the Camino leaves the pavement and continues through that “notch” to the right. Although our weather was perfect, it can turn dangerous rapidly. That’s a grave marker to the right.

Exciting vistas. Note the stone emergency shelter against the rock outcrop.

Just past the Font of Roland (see Wikipedia), that pipe grate in the path marks the border crossing into Spain.

That white building in the center distance is the monastery hostel at Roncesvalles.