Eating in the albergues / gîtes

[gb]

The next question concerns eating in the albergues / gîtes.

Has it been the experience of those who have travelled the route that supper and breakfast has been available in most of the albergues in Spain and the gîtes in France (on the Via Podiensis)? If not, are restaurants to be found locally in villages (excluding towns where I would expect to find restaurants) where the lodgings are to be found?

Graeme

 

[William Marques]

Supper and Breakfast

The Gites d' Etapes in France will supply supper and some sort of breakfast at a price.
In Spain the number of refugios providing breakfast is much smaller I know that Castrojeriz and Rabanal do and I imagine there are others but the majority do not. This is not a problem however as it give you a good excuse to stop after an hour or two of walking at a cafe/bar in the next village for a cafe con leche and a pastry or tortilla.
Very few provide supper Granon is one and I imagine Thomas must at Manjarin, again this is not a problem as there is nearly always a cafe/bar in the village serving a cheap set price Pilgrim's meal.
Buen Camino
William

 

[gb]

Eating in albergues / /gites

William, thank you.

Not much information forthcoming from others, though!

gb

 

[ivar]

Hi gb,

I don't know much about France, but in Spain there is usually a Bar in every small village that will serve you at least a coffee and some tortilla. Spaniards are, as you may know, known for spending much of their time outside their homes, in bars and small cafés and due to this, most small villages have these establishments where you can get something to eat.

Ivar

 

[gb]

Eating in albergues

Thank you, Ivar, for the encouraging news!

gb

 

[Hugo]

Hi Graeme,

As Ivar said (but he didn't walk the Camino ;-)), there is a bar in every town that you sleep in. The only problem might be the opening times: not every bar is open at 7 pm, the hour that you might decide to leave the albergue, and not every bar serves meals at 20 am, the time that you might be really hungry. But they will have bocadillos that are of convenience at almost any time and if you are lucky, nice tapas.

Buen Camino, Hugo

 

[gb]

Eating in albergues

Thank you Hugo.

I'm not sure that I will be wanting a bar at 7 in the morning or 7am, but I will be wanting a meal at 8pm or 2000hrs!

gb

 

[William Marques]

Bars

Graeme
The bars that Hugo was refering to are not just for alcohol in small villages they are the coffee shops, gossip centres, pensioner's hang-out, etc. Having said that it is not uncommon to see a local have a glass of Brandy with his coffee first thing in the morning.
Buen Camino
William

 

[ivar]

You are right William, a bar in the US (and Norway for that matter) is a different thing. In Spain people take their kids to the local bar to have a sandwich, or just to hang out.... I like to go there and have a coffee and read the paper (they usually have a few papers laying around for customers to read).

They usually have something to eat as well, some even hot dishes...

Ivar

 

[Paulus]

GB,

Our experience is that eating in the evening in Spain is nowhere a problem: there's always a place to eat!
More difficult is to get a breakfast in the morning: most cafe's, bar's etc are not open when you leave at 7.00. We had some days that we could have a breakfast in the albergue or make one. Mostly breakfast in bar's after 09.00.

Buen Camino,
Paul

 

[gb]

Albergues / gites

Thank you for the info re bars. I have some experience of Spain but usually not quite as early as at 7am. However, that will be changing in October when I get there, but probably not to the extent of a brandy at breakfast! I have seen Frenchmen taking brandy / wine / anything early in the morning so that could influence me.......

gb