In the footsteps of Hemingway and pilgrims

Whatever your feelings about bullfighting, following Ernest Hemingway to Pamplona is a chance to learn about a rich and nuanced local culture - and have some fun. It's also on the pilgrimage route to Santiago de Compostela and we can follow that route by coach over the Pyrenees. You could even walk some of it if you have the legs and not too much luggage.

Eurostar to Paris

Take a morning Eurostar from St. Pancras to Gare du Nord and head over to Gare Montparnasse. You could take the Metro but why not take the bus? Number 91 runs between Gare du Nord, Gare de Lyon, Gare d'Austerlitz and ends up at Gare Montparnasse.

Loaf around Paris

After the First World War, Hemingway scratched out a living as a reporter based in Paris and like other expats and artists looking for a cheap bohemian place to live, he made for Montparnasse. While knocking out articles for the Toronto Star for his day job, he was looking for ideas that might form a book. He decided that he would write about bullfighting and went on a jaunt to Pamplona for the San Fermin festival.

He took the train down to Bayonne, along with his wife and friends and we can do the same, but first we have to time free in Paris and how much time depends on whether you catch an evening or night train.

Evening train or night train to Bayonne?

At the time of writing, there's a 6pm train from Gare Montparnasse to the Spanish border at Hendaye, calling at Bordeaux, Bayonne, Biarritz Saint-Jean de Luz - all worth hopping off the train to see.

So, depending on which Eurostar you caught, you should have some time to loaf around Montparnasse with its nearby bars and restaurants. If you're feeling energetic, you could head over to the Luxembourg Gardens or down to Les Invalides or the Eiffel Tower. Closer to the station is Montparnasse Cemetery which is well worth a stroll and is especially wistful in Autumn. At the end of the Cemetery are the Catacombs, which you will need to book in advance.

However, in the summer you could take the night train from Gare d'Austerlitz which gives you a full evening in Paris.

If you'd like some more information about Paris, including some strolls, have a look here. 

Bayonne

Bayonne is a proudly Basque city with a long history full of culture and cuisine. Why not spend some time here and see if you can take in a game of pelota. If you'd like to know more about what to see and do in Bayonne, have a look here.

Hemingway stopped in Bayonne where he and his friends got a car to Pamplona along the practical coastal roads. But there’s another way - with hills.

Train to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port

Take the train to Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (Donibane Garazi in Basque), which is a pretty town in the foothills of the Pyrenees that is the starting point for the Camino Frances - the most popular route to Santiago de Compostela. Why not spend the eveing here with the pilgrims who are getting ready for their 800 km adventure. Maybe you'll be tempted to join them, at least for the first few kilometres.

Here is some more information on what to see and do in Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port.

Bus to Pamplona

From here you can get the afternoon bus to Pamplona across the densely-forested Pyrenees. Note - it doesn’t run all year so check by booking a ticket on https://alsa.es

Alternatively, you could join the pilgrims for the first 25 km stage of their journey to Roncesvalles and stay overnight there - or if you get up early and get a move on you could even catch the same bus to Pamplona.

Set up base in Pamplona

The Basque speaking Navarrese city of Pamplona is famous for its San Fermin Festival which was brought to the world's attention in Hemingways first novel, The Sun Also Rises. He came for the festival and to write a book about bullfighting but ended up crafting a sensitive novel about relationships... What happened?

Let's talk to Mikel of Destino Navarra to find out more and get an insiders view of this fascinating city.

As well as exploring the city, Pamplona also makes a good base for doing other things:

• Visit the dramatic desert of Bardenas Reales, the place the place that made and broke Terry Gilliam's first attempt at Don Quixote

• Go full medieval in Olite

• Spend time in the sophisticated and fun resort of San Sebastian

• Visit the home of Goya - Zaragoza.

• If you want to go a little off the beaten track, why not try out Tudela or Tolosa?

Going home

A nice way back from Pamplona is catching the bus (it's actually a Wifi-enabled coach) to San Sebastian and either take the train to the border (Irun/Hendaye) or another bus back up to Bayonne or Biarritz and train to Paris.