eating in Zubiri, Roncesvalles and maybe Valcarlos

[Kiwi-family]

anywhere with pilgrim's menu or do we carry food and cook at the albergue?
We will be walking from Pamplona towards Saint Jean - do we need to stock up in Pamplona if we want to cook for ourselves? Or are there tiendas in these places? Doesn't look like it on googlemaps. Bars/restaurants?

 

[djq]

There are several restaurants in Roncesvalles. The restaurant in the hotel next to the church is very good. We took most of our meals there for two days in April. We ate lunch at the municipal alburgue in Zubiri. It was adequate. Zubiri is big enough that there must be stores and other places to eat, but we did not see much when we looked around-but we also rolled through town mid-afternoon. You may have to head further off the Camino than we did.

 

[tyrrek]

Valcarlos has all options - a shop, at least one nice restaurant (I can't remember if it has a pilgrim menu), and the albergue has cooking facilities.

 

[RENSHAW]

Most has been said ,
Walking fom Pamplona , as you get to Zubiri , on your right hand side is a quaint hotel that serves a smashing silver or gold menu. There are various Hostals that serve food and there is a small shop with a Deli counter ( he sells almost every thing) , but beware of the siesta , fiestas......... he is not always open. There is an Albergue in the same street ; opposite the albergue is a great hostal with cheap rooms - Pension Usoa . This is By far the best value for money. There is a fully funtional kitchen and a great dining area. ( Google it for good pics )
I can tell you though , you have chosen one incredible uphill trek - after Zubiri that is - you may want to allow for an extra day.

 

[nellpilgrim]

All of the above plus as you reach Zubiri from the direction of Pamplona/Larrasoana (be sure to get onto the nice little track on the far side of the river -if you're tired/pushed for time the road might look tempting but the track is much nicer and safer) turn left over Puente de la Rabia walk straight up onto Zubiri's main street then turn left and, a few building along on your left, there a little bar that serves a pilgrim menu-served at about 7.30-8pm.

 

[Yallah]

All three have pilgrim menus, and Zubiri and Valcarlos both have small grocery shops. Roncesvalles does not have a shop, but the albergue has a big kitchen and I recall there were vending machines with grocery items (yogurt, microwave meals, etc.). Going in reverse, you can also pick up groceries in Burguete (3.2km before Roncesvalles in reverse).

 

[Kathy F.]

LOL! In other words, don't worry about finding food.

 

[Al the optimist]

In Zubiri I shared a pilgrim's table with about 12 others at the albergue on the right on the main street before the Municipal. A good meal with good spirit. If I stay in Zubiri again I will stay there as well as those who did seemed quite happy with it.

 

[Canucks]

Does anyone remember the name of the little cafe/bakery in zubiri on a corner when you enter? Owned by a mother and daughter, just redone and they were just starting to take pictures of pilgrims to put up on the wall in September. They gave us their Facebook name but that was lost in the ensuing 700kms.

 

[whariwharangi]

Does anyone remember the name of the little cafe/bakery in zubiri on a corner when you enter? Owned by a mother and daughter, just redone and they were just starting to take pictures of pilgrims to put up on the wall in September. They gave us their Facebook name but that was lost in the ensuing 700kms.

Streetview Google Earth renders Alimentation Bacaicoa.

 

[Anniesantiago]

There is a nice little market in Zubiri at the end of the main drag on the right.
I got everything I needed there for dinner and breakfast.
There are also several places that serve a menu.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Certainly no need to carry food then. We'll just walk and see what's open....and once we've done the uphill slog it will be all downhill to Saint Jean!

 

[Bajaracer]

Certainly no need to carry food then. We'll just walk and see what's open....and once we've done the uphill slog it will be all downhill to Saint Jean!

The Municipal Albergue in Zubiri has a kitchen and the town has a few small stores, if you are traveling with your whole family, stock up on food from Carrefour in Pamplona if you feel like carrying food.
The Big Albergue in Roncevalles has a well equipped kitchen with no stores, pick up food in Burgette or another town before.

 

[Kiwi-family]

I can tell you though , you have chosen one incredible uphill trek - after Zubiri that is - you may want to allow for an extra day.

We were thinking of Trinidad de Arre to Zubiri, then Zubiri to Roncesvalles, Ron to Valcarlos, Valcarlos to Saint Jean. Would you advise differently? And if so, what would your suggestion be? (and in case it makes a difference, we'll have travelled from NZ, had one night in Madrid, then train to Pamplona the next day and walk to Trinidad de Arre, then off up the hill on that third day. Might be too ambitious)

 

[RENSHAW]

We were thinking of Trinidad de Arre to Zubiri, then Zubiri to Roncesvalles, Ron to Valcarlos, Valcarlos to Saint Jean. Would you advise differently? And if so, what would your suggestion be? (and in case it makes a difference, we'll have travelled from NZ, had one night in Madrid, then train to Pamplona the next day and walk to Trinidad de Arre, then off up the hill on that third day. Might be too ambitious)

Well Trinidad is on the edge of what is really an extention of the city Pamplona so the entire walk will be through city blocks where it is easy getting lost walking in the recognised direction - I see it as almost pointless. I would get a taxi to Trinidad and literally as you cross the bridge , you enter countryside. Your walk will start with a steep hill and then the rest of the day to Zubiri is not really taxing at all but for a few 'blips' which are more by design as opposed to walking along side a road.
To be brutally honest the walk to Zubiri is certainly not awe inspiring to my mind . I would consider taking the daily bus from Pamplona to Roncesvalles at 18hoo and hopping off at Zubiri which is a request stop. From there it will be challenging but the scenery is breathtaking.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Thanks Renshaw. We don't actually mind "not awe-inspiring" - we'll just be getting into the swing of walking after our flight and because we're doing the loop from Pamplona back to Pamplona (via St Jean, Bayonne) we want to walk all of it! We don't mind walking to Trinidad either - I have mapped out a route that takes in places to buy knife, SIM card, food - so ti will be a gentle housekeeping day after the train from Madrid.

 

[Kiwi-family]

Oh, and Renshaw I meant to say thanks for those comments - I appreciate you taking the time to spell it out for me. Hope you don't think I'm just ignoring your suggestions!

 

[RENSHAW]

Certainly , no offence taken - Be prepared for the odd possible spot of dogma with your additional Camino that you have chosen. My very first experience of the Camino was in 2002 when I walked from Pamplona to Estella and back again as a tester to see if I was capable of the whole Frances. On my return , a lady with scary teeth refused me a bed in her albergue as I was 'Just strolling around'.

 

[Al the optimist]

Wariwarangi, it is nice to know I am not the only fan of the little yellow figure on Google Earth!