Clothes drying and other practicalities on Le Puy Route in April

[irishgurrrl]

Just wondering if this is an issue in cold weather or do all gites have adequate drying facilities? I will be wearing Icebreaker merino wool tops which should minimise the need to wash everyday (if I am stuck!) but ideally I'd like to wash my stuff every evening if I can.

Also - slightly girlie question - I've long hair and in the cold weather I ideally don't want to go out with a wet head on me (recipe for getting sick with my constitution). I'm curious as to whether the private rooms (doubles/twin rooms as opposed to dorms) in gites/chambre d'hote etc tend to have hairdryers or not (I hear you scoff - I do realise its a camino lol - I don't mind roughing it normally, especially not having a hairdryer in hot weather, but not so sure about when its very cold and damp outside - hypothermia anyone )

 

[Deleted member 3000]

A few hotels have hair dryers, but I have not seen many in bed and breakfasts or gites.

 

[irishgurrrl]

Thanks Falcon - I guess I'll just have to hope for the best that the gite is warm enough of an evening and my hair dries fast!

 

[gerardcarey]

Thanks Falcon - I guess I'll just have to hope for the best that the gite is warm enough of an evening and my hair dries fast!

Take one of those small travel models if it is important.
Regds
Gerard

 

[irishgurrrl]

Take one of those small travel models if it is important.
Regds
Gerard

I'd say I'll probably have enough to be carrying but I will check it out at any rate..... Can you imagine the slagging I would get if I brought one lol... I am meant to be a seasoned pilgrim Just will have to make sure its dry before I head outside into the cold the evenings after my walks... should be grand but good to know either way about their availability in the gites etc

 

[bokormen91]

I have short hair, so not much of an issue, as I often just put my woolly hat on and let it dry underneath, but there were a few times in smaller/private gites where I asked if they had one I could borrow, and most times they were happy to lend me one.


Digressing... I am never, ever going to laugh at anyone bringing a hair dryer again, though!!! When I walked from Le Puy (started mid April), much of the path was muddyliscious, other parts was like small brooks. One of the Swiss women I met had a travel hair dryer, which she also used to dry her socks with. There is a knack to not letting your hair dryer overheat, but I was rather envious of being able to put on dry (and warm socks). I ended up buying extra socks along the way, as it seemed to take 2-3 days for them to dry most of the time

 

[Deleted member 3000]

There were hot air hand and hair dryers in the bathroom in Cee, and after a day of steady rain, they were used so much that it popped the circuit breakers, and there was no electricity for three hours. The next morning there were signs prohibiting the dryer use!

Sometimes the issue is "what if everyone did this."

 

[irishgurrrl]

To think I am contemplating not bringing my guide books (Raju and Miam Miam Dodo) because of their weight and bring the Michelin maps set instead plus a home-made summary list of accommodation instead. Feck it, maybe I will look into a super light travel hair dryer... really don't want to catch a chill along the way if I can help it! Like you, I also have a mid-April start....

 

[karenhypes]

Just wondering if this is an issue in cold weather or do all gites have adequate drying facilities? I will be wearing Icebreaker merino wool tops which should minimise the need to wash everyday (if I am stuck!) but ideally I'd like to wash my stuff every evening if I can.

Also - slightly girlie question - I've long hair and in the cold weather I ideally don't want to go out with a wet head on me (recipe for getting sick with my constitution). I'm curious as to whether the private rooms (doubles/twin rooms as opposed to dorms) in gites/chambre d'hote etc tend to have hairdryers or not (I hear you scoff - I do realise its a camino lol - I don't mind roughing it normally, especially not having a hairdryer in hot weather, but not so sure about when its very cold and damp outside - hypothermia anyone )

Hi, When you get to a gite or chambre d'hote just ask if they have a hair dryer. You'd be surprised how many will lend you one.
Secondly, if you're leaving a guidebook at home I would make it the Alison Raju one and be sure to take the Miam Miam Dodo one. It's invaluable. Bon Chemin......Dayton and Karen

 

[irishgurrrl]

Hi, When you get to a gite or chambre d'hote just ask if they have a hair dryer. You'd be surprised how many will lend you one.
Secondly, if you're leaving a guidebook at home I would make it the Alison Raju one and be sure to take the Miam Miam Dodo one. It's invaluable. Bon Chemin......Dayton and Karen

Great - was wondering which guidebook to leave behind if any...

 

[ranthr]

Leave the hairdryer at home! with long hair you do not have to wash your hair every day.
Do not have a shower in the morning. That will make your feet more hurtable.
The camino is well marked, walked Le Puy - Figeac last May and the route was better marked than my last trip in 2009. So you need some notes about distances and where to stay.
By the way i did not see any hairdriers and i stayed in hotels or so most of the way.

 

[tangata hikoi]

could you wash your hair in the afternoon/evening rather than the morning.....and let it dry naturally inside ?

 

[alexwalker]

Drying shoes: Put paper into the shoes in the afternoon; if needed, several times. Take it out at bedtime and put your shoes in the bottom of your sleeping bag during night.
Drying socks: Put them in your armpits (!) overnight.

Remember to take a shower afterwards...

I know it sounds messy, but these are army survival techniques... Learnt by experience. Works very well. Also: In cold conditions, having your shoes in your sleeping bag will make them warm and soft in the morning.

T-shirts/underwear etc.: Pin them to your backpack with safety pins and just start walking: Wind/sun will dry them.
Bring with you a string of rope and safety pins. Tie it up on your bed and hang articles to dry overnight.

 

[Metropolly]

Drying shoes: Put paper into the shoes in the afternoon; if needed, several times. Take it out at bedtime and put your shoes in the bottom of your sleeping bag during night.
Drying socks: Put them in your armpits (!) overnight.

Remember to take a shower afterwards...

I know it sounds messy, but these are army survival techniques... Learnt by experience. Works very well. Also: In cold conditions, having your shoes in your sleeping bag will make them warm and soft in the morning.

T-shirts/underwear etc.: Pin them to your backpack with safety pins and just start walking: Wind/sun will dry them.
Bring with you a string of rope and safety pins. Tie it up on your bed and hang articles to dry overnight.

Socks in armpits overnight? Never heard that one before! Sounds crazy enough to be brilliant, though, and I'm going to give it a try

 

[Kiwi-family]

A merino beanie would weigh less than a hairdryer - and keep your head warm too!

 

[mspath]

A merino beanie would weigh less than a hairdryer - and keep your head warm too!

Rachael is SO right! A wooly hat or beanie is also most useful even INDOORS; often when it is bitter cold I wear my wooly hat to bunk resembling Goldilocks' grandmama! For further camino coiffure tips see this earlier Forum thread on drying hair.

MM

 

[Kanga]

On guidebooks I agree with Karen, forget Raju and take Miam Miam - the trail is well marked but you need Miam to book accommodation, especially if it's the weekend. We had endless cold rain on the Tours route 2 years ago in April but always managed to get clothes dry. We stayed in chambre d'hôtes mostly, occasionally gites. Our hosts were wonderfully helpful.
Take a cheap hair dryer. Then if you decide it's not worth it you can abandon it. We're all entitled one mad indulgence - one experienced pilgrim I've walked with carried a little camping chair and I envied that!

 

[Bumblebee]

I was wondering if I should bring a small hairdryer as well! Im going in a month, and am not sure if my hair will dry naturally! Its not for cosmetic reasons, I just dont want to get a chill! On a similiar note if anyone is wondering what kind of shampoo/soap to bring LUSH do amazing shampoo bars! I use them all the time, they are small, and no need to bring coonditioner!

 

[scruffy1]

I never use a hairdryer, they all make make my beard curly and stiff. Take a lot of unmentionables-they don't weigh anything the merino also weightless-and several changes of outer clothes. It's possible to go a week without doing laundry plus worrying over the drying every evening when for 6-7-8 Euro once a week everything is worry free clean and dry .

 

[irishgurrrl]

I was wondering if I should bring a small hairdryer as well! Im going in a month, and am not sure if my hair will dry naturally! Its not for cosmetic reasons, I just dont want to get a chill! On a similiar note if anyone is wondering what kind of shampoo/soap to bring LUSH do amazing shampoo bars! I use them all the time, they are small, and no need to bring coonditioner!

I used the Lush shampoo bars too on my last camino and they were great - little tip is to put the soap in an organza bag and leave it in there even if using it. It helps it stop falling apart once it gets down to a certain size

 

[NicoZ]

You could always buy one later if you find the need. I can't remember what kind of plug Ireland uses but if it's different buying the dryer after you arrive will avoid the need for an adapter.

 

[futurefjp]

Usually they have a way of drying your clothes, but it depends on how wet you get and how often you wash your merino?

 

[Thornley]

Paddy me girl,
Get MMDD and just walking.
All will work out....if the hair is fizzy................we won't look///lol

 

[irishgurrrl]

lol just read your post... well happy to report that no hypothermia issues sans seche cheveux here on.the Le Puy Route...

 

[Felipe]

Forget about a morning shower, unless you are in a hostal with a private room. In albergues, 6 to 8 AM is rush hour, everybody is going to the bathroom, we are stumbling on each other backpacks, looking for lost belongings -you get the idea. It is fun, but also quite messy. No time for enjoying a calm, pleasant shower.
About your hair dryer, I have a rule: carry ONE extra thing that makes you happy. But just one.

 

[Kanga]

lol just read your post... well happy to report that no hypothermia issues sans seche cheveux here on.the Le Puy Route...

Good to read the update. I always wonder how these things turn out!