Accommodation during Rugby World Cup

[Amby]

I've seen a couple of FB posts from people who hadn't pre-booked accommodation and are having difficulty finding anything in September, apparently, due to the Rugby World Cup matches. I'm setting off on my own on September 26 from Le Puy and have booked Montbonnet but not beyond. I hadn't anticipated that World Cup would affect accommodation as the nearest venue is Toulouse. I'd be very grateful for any information on this question.

 

[Pafayac]

I would be very surprised that Rugby World Cup would affect accomodation on the Compostelle ways. Games are located in Bordeaux, Lille, Lyon, Marseille, Nantes, Nice, Paris, St Etienne, Toulouse.
Among these towns, only Bordeaux and Paris (via Turonensis), or Toulouse (via Tolosana) are on one of the ways in France. However, they are so huge towns, that this could not have impact on accommodations.

 

[Amby]

I was surprised to read about the accommodation problems some pilgrims were having on the Via Podiensis/GR65 during the World Cup. But the route does cross a part of France where rugby is very popular indeed. What's more, unlike the albergues in Spain, the gîtes in France are under no obligation to give priority to pilgrims.

 

[Pafayac]

Rugby is very popular in south of France (especially in south-west), but do you really think that a Rugby fan coming from New Zealand or South Africa, ready to pay tenth of euros to go to a stadium in order to watch 80 minutes of game, is looking for a not-so-comfortable gite in Lectoure or in Navarrenx, then to drive tenth of kilometers in order to go to this stadium ?
I am sorry, but this seems quite absurd.
Being myself a fan of rugby, I must admit that this game is quite weird, but not at this point !

 

[Amby]

Rugby is very popular in south of France (especially in south-west), but do you really think that a Rugby fan coming from New Zealand or South Africa, ready to pay tenth of euros to go to a stadium in order to watch 80 minutes of game, is looking for a not-so-comfortable gite in Lectoure or in Navarrenx, then to drive tenth of kilometers in order to go to this stadium ?
I am sorry, but this seems quite absurd.
Being myself a fan of rugby, I must admit that this game is quite weird, but not at this point !

I suspect that it is more likely to be French fans who can't find reasonable accommodation in Toulouse but can around, for example, Cahors. In fact, this is where a couple of elderly pilgrims were finding it very difficult to find beds.

 

[Pafayac]

I suspect that it is more likely to be French fans who can't find reasonable accommodation in Toulouse but can around, for example, Cahors. In fact, this is where a couple of elderly pilgrims were finding it very difficult to find beds.

Cahors is 115 km far from Toulouse.
In Toulouse, there are cheap accomodations (F1 hostels, for instance) for less than 50€ per night.
The truth is that September remains high season for Podiensis, rugby or not rugby.

 

[TravellingMan22]

I can’t comment specifically on the Rugby World Cup but I have been to 7 or 8 Football World Cups spanning 30 years and people do end up in some remarkably remote, unusual and downmarket accommodations!!! Organisers, sponsors, tour groups often block book the better, more central, more up markets accommodation, leaving a scramble for anything where you can lay your head!

 

[Pafayac]

Next summer in France there are the Olympics Games: you shoud book your accomodations now because probably all the spectators will try to occupy pilgrims albergues ! ;-)

 

[C clearly]

do you really think that a Rugby fan coming from New Zealand or South Africa, ready to pay tenth of euros to go to a stadium in order to watch 80 minutes of game, is looking for a not-so-comfortable gite in Lectoure or in Navarrenx, then to drive tenth of kilometers in order to go to this stadium ?
I am sorry, but this seems quite absurd.

The OP asked a valid question. Your direct answers in posts 2 and 6 are more helpful than this one. It does not seem absurd to me, to ask the question.

Next summer in France there are the Olympics Games

Yes, people should keep this in mind, as discussed in this thread.

Big events can definitely affect availability of accommodation for quite a distance.

 

[julia-t]

I was in le Puy 2 days ago, France were playing Uruguay (watched it on tv in a bar).
We had no problem finding a small apartment just down from the cathedral steps - booking it only last week.
In fact the main focus of the city was the festival of The King of the Birds, which apparently causes accommodations to be booked up. Loads of people in medieval costumes, even the schoolchildren, and hippocras (spiced wine) on sale.
It was great fun!
PS I’m not here for the Camino/Chemin - I’ve been accompanying my son on a road trip between rugby matches in Bordeaux and Lyon. However we seem to have very much followed the Chemin, visiting Rocamadour, Figeac, Cabrerets, st Cirq Lapopie, and le Puy en Velay. Also passing through many small villages along the way, seeing pilgrims and walkers.

 

[BlackRocker57]

I've seen a couple of FB posts from people who hadn't pre-booked accommodation and are having difficulty finding anything in September, apparently, due to the Rugby World Cup matches. I'm setting off on my own on September 26 from Le Puy and have booked Montbonnet but not beyond. I hadn't anticipated that World Cup would affect accommodation as the nearest venue is Toulouse. I'd be very grateful for any information on this question.

I think that you will find [in reality] the accommodation difficulties faced by a few folks who are walking the Le Puy route at present have exactly nothing to do with the Rugby World Cup ...

 

[BlackRocker57]

I was surprised to read about the accommodation problems some pilgrims were having on the Via Podiensis/GR65 during the World Cup. But the route does cross a part of France where rugby is very popular indeed. What's more, unlike the albergues in Spain, the gîtes in France are under no obligation to give priority to pilgrims.

no, that’s true, but they DO give priority to hikers / pilgrims / walkers