Burguete

Vista aérea de Auritz - Burguete - Wikimedia Commons / Nafarroako Gobernua

Of all the routes that make up the Camino de Santiago, one that stands out both for its length and its historical relevance is the French Way. This usually starts from both Saint Jean Pied de Port and Roncesvalles, and amazes pilgrims from the first villages it passes through, one of them being Auritz - Burguete.

It is a small municipality of just under 250 inhabitants located in the Navarrese Pyrenees, more specifically in the Merindad de Sangüesa, one of the five into which the Autonomous Community of Navarre is divided and which is in the Basque-speaking area. 

Separated from Pamplona by only 45 kilometres, it is a village that was founded in the Middle Ages around the old pilgrims' hospital of Roncesvalles, a municipality with which, together with Valcarlos, it borders to the north. It is, therefore, the first village that pilgrims visit after leaving Roncesvalles.

What to see in Auritz - Burguete? Heritage, monuments, etc.

Although it is a small town, the reality is that Auritz - Burguete hides an incredible charm, and if anything stands out in this place it is the Parish Church of San Nicolás de Bari, which is located on the main street.

It is the only parish church in the municipality, and in addition to having been built during the Jacobean phenomenon, it has a direct relationship with the collegiate church of Roncesvalles. It is so important that UNESCO itself has recognised it as a World Heritage Site. 

Furthermore, if we pass through Auritz - Burguete, we must pay special attention to all the houses that make it up, both in the Barrio de Arriba and in the Barrio de Abajo, as they are historic buildings in which popular architecture stands out.

Iglesia de San Nicolás de Bari - Wikimedia Commons / JLVwiki

Auritz - Burguete Festivals: Dates and traditions

Being less than 300 inhabitants is not a problem for holding festivals throughout the year in Auritz - Burguete. In addition to the patron saint's fiestas, this municipality celebrates different fairs and pilgrimages, in which residents of all ages take part.

• Olentzero: Evening of 24th December. The Olentzero, a character from the Basque Christmas tradition, arrives from the mountain and is paraded with the children to the Casa de la Cultura, where he greets them.
• San Nicolás de Bari: 6th December. He is the patron saint of the parish and is celebrated with a mass, a popular meal, dancing and children's theatre.
• Livestock Fair: Mid-September. Livestock farmers exhibit their livestock and every 4 years a competition is held.
• Craft Fair: 15th August. Sale and tasting of craft products, both food and non-food, in the village square and along the main street. 
• Pilgrimage to Roncesvalles: One Sunday between May and June, no fixed date. A walk to Roncesvalles, where a mass is held and an aperitif is eaten. Later, the Virgin is bid farewell and the pilgrim returns to the village church, where she is sung to. 
• Carnival: Carnival Sunday and Tuesday. The villagers dress up in costume to make a karrikadantza around the village and dance the Ingurutxo, a regional dance of the municipality, in the square. 
• San Juan: 23rd and 24th June. On the 23rd, at night, the young people dance the "Tribuli" dance in front of the authorities and then jump over the bonfires, which is repeated four times throughout the village. The 24th is the patron saint's festival and there are open-air dances and different events.

How to get to Auritz - Burguete? Main connections

To get to Auritz - Burguete we must first get to Pamplona, and from there we must travel from there. This first step is quite easy, as Pamplona has an airport, a train station served by the AVE high-speed train and a bus station.

Once we are in the capital of Navarre, we have two options. One of them is to take a bus directly to the Auritz - Burguete station, but there are very few routes that connect the two places. 

The other is to travel first to Roncesvalles, which is a place from which many pilgrims begin their adventure, the connections are better. Here we can get from Pamplona by bus, which generally has one trip a day, except in summer which offers two. Once there, less than 3 km separate us from our destination, so we will have no problem walking or taking a taxi.

Auritz - Burguete and the Pilgrims Way to Santiago de Compostela

Although the real starting point of the French Way is in Saint Jean Pied de Port, crossing the Pyrenees at certain times of the year can be very difficult, which causes many pilgrims to decide to begin their journey in Roncesvalles.

Once they start walking from this town, Aurtiz - Burguete will be the first village they find, so it is always a must for all of them. In addition, the long historical route of the French Way has meant that hundreds of thousands of pilgrims have passed through this village at the beginning of their journey, which gives it a great Jacobean tradition.