Hostel availability

[karlykarl]

I'm presently walking the camino de Santiago , from Le Puy to st Jacques. I've found that a lot of the hostels en route are closed, especially at the weekends. The season seems to start on the 15th march, and before this date most places are closed or have limited availability. Weekends are the most difficult, and there's a lot of snow above 900 mtrs. I've had a few days where I've been up to my knees in snow. So please be aware of the situation. The weather below 900 mtrs, is amazing , the scenery beautiful, and it's nice and warm. As a matter of caution, only pack essential requirements, as your pack gets heavier as you go along. I started with a tent but after waking up in -4 and my tent covered in snow, I ditched it, and decided to rely on hostels. I've come across a few closed ones, and had to opt for the nearest hotel. The charges are sometimes quite high, especially if on a budget like me. Most hotels are a minimum of 50 euros, food if eating out costs around 12-20 euros. A lot of cafés offer a menu du jour , 3 courses including coffee for 12 euros. Food elsewhere is around 20 euros a meal. I was charged 33 euros at one gite, but it included breakfast, washing facilities, and an evening meal en famile. My best stop so far.

 

[Felipe]

I'd add that making a reservation a day before you arrive is kind of mandatory in France. "Le randonnage" (trekking) is a very popular activity. And sometimes there are clubs of "randonneurs" who occupy almost all the places in a "gite" (albergue) or hostel.
Ah, walking in France in March...so beautiful, so lonely. Maybe next year...
Buen camino, karlykarl.

 

[Anniesantiago]

And may I suggest that when you pay for your gites in France, you ask for a receipt each time?
We were requested to pay twice at one place, and luckily, another pilgrim saw us pay the first time, and stood ground with us.
The hospitalera/owner had INSISTED that we had not paid.
From that point on, I asked for a receipt and danged if that didn't happen a second time -
If you don't want to carry the paper, you can take a photo of the receipt with camera or phone.

 

[Mark M]

I'm presently walking the camino de Santiago , from Le Puy to st Jacques. I've found that a lot of the hostels en route are closed, especially at the weekends. The season seems to start on the 15th march, and before this date most places are closed or have limited availability. Weekends are the most difficult, and there's a lot of snow above 900 mtrs. I've had a few days where I've been up to my knees in snow. So please be aware of the situation. The weather below 900 mtrs, is amazing , the scenery beautiful, and it's nice and warm. As a matter of caution, only pack essential requirements, as your pack gets heavier as you go along. I started with a tent but after waking up in -4 and my tent covered in snow, I ditched it, and decided to rely on hostels. I've come across a few closed ones, and had to opt for the nearest hotel. The charges are sometimes quite high, especially if on a budget like me. Most hotels are a minimum of 50 euros, food if eating out costs around 12-20 euros. A lot of cafés offer a menu du jour , 3 courses including coffee for 12 euros. Food elsewhere is around 20 euros a meal. I was charged 33 euros at one gite, but it included breakfast, washing facilities, and an evening meal en famile. My best stop so far.

Hello Annie,

I m walking too. Where are you up to at present. I walked thru sauvage this afternoon. The weather wasn't too good.

Lots of places closed!