Gite questions on LePuy route

[Camino Chrissy]

I am highly considering doing the LePuy route in France in June of 2018 with two other female friends. We will probably stick together as we do not speak French.

My question regarding the various gites along the way...do they have rooms that accomodate three people, particularly with twin beds? If the third person in our group is "left out" of a room due to all rooms being "double", does she pay a higher rate for a different room or put in a room with a stranger? Are there pensiones or hotels that work better for three, but reasonably priced? We already know this route is more expensive than Spain and prefer to save $ where we can.
Thanks for any help!

 

[ChloeRose]

First of all, June will be such a lovely time to walk!

I walked alone, but never stayed in a single room. Most gîtes have rooms with more than one bed, most likely 4-8 beds in each (bunk-beds usually, so you'll have at LEAST 2). Finding a hostel or hotel with just one room per bed would be a luxury! I don't think you'll have to seek out places that could accommodate 3 people.

It would be worth calling or emailing a day in advance to make sure they have space for all 3 though. Some popular gîtes get booked up extremely fast.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

First of all, June will be such a lovely time to walk!

I walked alone, but never stayed in a single room. Most gîtes have rooms with more than one bed, most likely 4-8 beds in each (bunk-beds usually, so you'll have at LEAST 2). Finding a hostel or hotel with just one room per bed would be a luxury! I don't think you'll have to seek out places that could accommodate 3 people.

It would be worth calling or emailing a day in advance to make sure they have space for all 3 though. Some popular gîtes get booked up extremely fast.

Thank you, ChloeRose, for the information. So it sounds from what you are saying is that gites are similar to albergues. Good to know, as for some reason I was thinking gites were smaller, more like a Casa Rural in Spain.

 

[jsalt]

Hi, most of the gites I stayed in on Le Puy route had several beds in one room, anywhere between 4 and 20, and they were usually single beds, rather than bunk beds. Yes, more expensive than the albergues in Spain, but better value. The only time 3 of us got split up was in one town that was “full”. There was “one bed” left in the last gite we tried, so our friend took that, and my sister and I shared a caravan on the campsite out of town. The problem on Le Puy Route is that the French book ahead, but they don’t all pitch up, so next day our friend said that there were 4 empty beds in her dorm. Their loss, not ours, but still a problem you have to deal with if you don’t book ahead yourself.
Jill

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Hi, most of the gites I stayed in on Le Puy route had several beds in one room, anywhere between 4 and 20, and they were usually single beds, rather than bunk beds. Yes, more expensive than the albergues in Spain, but better value. The only time 3 of us got split up was in one town that was “full”. There was “one bed” left in the last gite we tried, so our friend took that, and my sister and I shared a caravan on the campsite out of town. The problem on Le Puy Route is that the French book ahead, but they don’t all pitch up, so next day our friend said that there were 4 empty beds in her dorm. Their loss, not ours, but still a problem you have to deal with if you don’t book ahead yourself.
Jill

Hi Jill,
We will try booking ahead as we go along in order to try and stay together. I am glad they are much larger than most Casa Rurals in Spain. What a relief.

Do you speak French? Did you use the Madam dodo guide and/or Michilen maps? I have not done research on this trip yet, as my mind is fully absorbed on April 10th when I leave on my 3rd Camino!

 

[jsalt]

Do you speak French? Did you use the Madam dodo guide and/or Michilen maps?

Hi Chris, I understand schoolgirl (a long time ago) French, so I have the basics. I used the very basic Michelin guide, which I bought in the tourist office in Le Puy. However, I am a printed map person (I wanted to be a cartographer when I left school, but it was not an option then), and I printed off a map for each day from Peter Robins’ website (not an option now), which I used much more than the Michelin guide.

Most people had Miam Miam Dodo, which is really good, and you don’t need to know any French at all to be able to “read” it, so I strongly suggest you go with that.

My sister and I never booked ahead, which freaked out the French, and our growing French “camino family” really worried about us finding a bed each night. We had a lot of fun playing on that, pretending we had slept “in a barn”, “by the river”, “behind the church”, each time we met them again a day or two later. But, seriously, it does help to know a few words of French on Le Puy route. We really enjoyed it, very different from walking in Spain.
Jill

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Hi Chris, I understand schoolgirl (a long time ago) French, so I have the basics. I used the very basic Michelin guide, which I bought in the tourist office in Le Puy. However, I am a printed map person (I wanted to be a cartographer when I left school, but it was not an option then), and I printed off a map for each day from Peter Robins’ website (not an option now), which I used much more than the Michelin guide.

Most people had Miam Miam Dodo, which is really good, and you don’t need to know any French at all to be able to “read” it, so I strongly suggest you go with that.

My sister and I never booked ahead, which freaked out the French, and our growing French “camino family” really worried about us finding a bed each night. We had a lot of fun playing on that, pretending we had slept “in a barn”, “by the river”, “behind the church”, each time we met them again a day or two later. But, seriously, it does help to know a few words of French on Le Puy route. We really enjoyed it, very different from walking in Spain.
Jill

Thanks for such great details.
We are thinking of walking as far as Mossiac or Auvillar to shorten the time frame to about three weeks possibly. I also heard from another fan of this route that the first 2/3rds are the most outstanding. What is your opinion?

 

[jsalt]

I also heard from another fan of this route that the first 2/3rds are the most outstanding. What is your opinion?

Hmm, difficult to answer that because, sure, the first three weeks’ scenery is stunning.

But, did I mention our “camino family”
. . . . well, the last two weeks were the best for companionship
. . . which we had built up over the first few weeks . . . .
Jill

 

[Kitsambler]

... the LePuy route in France in June of 2018 ...

There are several types of accommodations along the Le Puy route. In increasing order of price:
1) Gites municipal - hostel lodgings operated by the township/volunteers. Can have large (a dozen) bunkrooms as well as smaller (4x) rooms. Typically shared bath, kitchen available, sometimes laundry available.
2) Gites private - privately run lodgings, serving 8-20 in small (6x) bunkrooms, occasionally have single/double rooms also. Shared bath. Usually offer demipension ( home cooked French dinner served family style, bread and coffee for breakfast).
3) Chambres d'hotel - spiffy bed-and-breakfasts, catering to tourists rather than to pilgrims. Rooms usually sleep 2-3. Sometimes offer demipension or kitchen access.
4) Country inns/hotels. Usually private rooms with ensuite baths. Restaurant on ground floor. May offer pilgrim rates.

You have time to learn the basic dozen French phrases - use Duolingo iPhone app or Michel Thomas. The French expect that, if you are traveling in their country, you will go to the trouble to make the attempt. Once they realize you have tried, and your French is much worse than their English, they will often switch over to English.

The entire route from Le Puy to SJPP is about 5-6 weeks walking.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

There are several types of accommodations along the Le Puy route. In increasing order of price:
1) Gites municipal - hostel lodgings operated by the township/volunteers. Can have large (a dozen) bunkrooms as well as smaller (4x) rooms. Typically shared bath, kitchen available, sometimes laundry available.
2) Gites private - privately run lodgings, serving 8-20 in small (6x) bunkrooms, occasionally have single/double rooms also. Shared bath. Usually offer demipension ( home cooked French dinner served family style, bread and coffee for breakfast).
3) Chambres d'hotel - spiffy bed-and-breakfasts, catering to tourists rather than to pilgrims. Rooms usually sleep 2-3. Sometimes offer demipension or kitchen access.
4) Country inns/hotels. Usually private rooms with ensuite baths. Restaurant on ground floor. May offer pilgrim rates.

You have time to learn the basic dozen French phrases - use Duolingo iPhone app or Michel Thomas. The French expect that, if you are traveling in their country, you will go to the trouble to make the attempt. Once they realize you have tried, and your French is much worse than their English, they will often switch over to English.

The entire route from Le Puy to SJPP is about 5-6 weeks walking.

Thank you, Kitsambler, so much for providing me with some great information on lodging types. Yes, I will attempt Duolingo as I have over a year to practice!

 

[ChloeRose]

Do you speak French? Did you use the Madam dodo guide and/or Michilen maps? I have not done research on this trip yet, as my mind is fully absorbed on April 10th when I leave on my 3rd Camino!

Hey Chris, Duolingo is a good way to start for sure, but if you get stuck and don't want to use the phone to call ahead, feel free to use my email template. I used it on my trip and always received responses within a few hours confirming my reservation. Gite emails are listen in Miam Miam

 

[Kitsambler]

my email template.

I had excellent results with using emails for reservations, the second year I walked the Le Puy route. One needs to work further in advance than the one-day norm for phone reservations, though, as people weren't checking their email more than once a day, if that (in 2011 - things may have changed since).

One downside of using a grammatically correct French email template is that the gite host thinks you can speak French well...

 

[Magnara]

First of all, June will be such a lovely time to walk!

I walked alone, but never stayed in a single room. Most gîtes have rooms with more than one bed, most likely 4-8 beds in each (bunk-beds usually, so you'll have at LEAST 2). Finding a hostel or hotel with just one room per bed would be a luxury! I don't think you'll have to seek out places that could accommodate 3 people.

It would be worth calling or emailing a day in advance to make sure they have space for all 3 though. Some popular gîtes get booked up extremely fast.

We found that the hostal owners were always happy to call ahead for us, to book for the next night. We had done two previous caminos - in Spain and in Italy - and had never booked but in France it was different; the French are great hikers and so the places have general guests not just pilgrims. So they fill up, especially when there is a public holiday/ long weekend.

 

[MichaelB10398]

I am highly considering doing the LePuy route in France in June of 2018 with two other female friends. We will probably stick together as we do not speak French.

My question regarding the various gites along the way...do they have rooms that accomodate three people, particularly with twin beds? If the third person in our group is "left out" of a room due to all rooms being "double", does she pay a higher rate for a different room or put in a room with a stranger? Are there pensiones or hotels that work better for three, but reasonably priced? We already know this route is more expensive than Spain and prefer to save $ where we can.
Thanks for any help!

Hello Chris,
The answers you have received are spot on and the best you will get about the Le Puy route.

I really agree with Kitsambler's recommendation on trying to learn some French phrases. The objective is to show that you care enough about your Camino in France to have tried to learn some French. The French people in southern France are the warmest of all the French people. Having lived in several cities in southern France I think of this part of France as heaven on earth. Of all the places in the world that I call home, my heart is always there.

Bon Chemin,

 

[Camino Chrissy]

Hello Chris,
The answers you have received are spot on and the best you will get about the Le Puy route.

I really agree with Kitsambler's recommendation on trying to learn some French phrases. The objective is to show that you care enough about your Camino in France to have tried to learn some French. The French people in southern France are the warmest of all the French people. Having lived in several cities in southern France I think of this part of France as heaven on earth. Of all the places in the world that I call home, my heart is always there.

Bon Chemin,

Thank you, Michael, for confirming all the good advise I'm getting from others. I will definately try to learn a little French, too, as that seems to be high on the priority list!

 

[caminka]

you can also ask for help in the tourist offices where they generally speak some english. I met a german guy who used them for reservations for the same day and for the days in advance, if necessary.

except on the most popular parts of the route (the cele valley incl. st-cirq-lapopie, conques, cahors) I only called one day ahead and had no problems securing a bed for the night. I know of at least two gîtes that keep some beds reservation-free that are then taken on the first-come-first-get basis, Hospitalité st Jacques in Estaing (4 beds) and Abbaye ste Foy in Conques (10 beds). the last one is very very popular, call four to five days in advance.

also, if you didn't make a reservation and no one else did for that night, the owners of the gîte may take a day off. I have seen it once.

 

[Camino Chrissy]

you can also ask for help in the tourist offices where they generally speak some english. I met a german guy who used them for reservations for the same day and for the days in advance, if necessary.

except on the most popular parts of the route (the cele valley incl. st-cirq-lapopie, conques, cahors) I only called one day ahead and had no problems securing a bed for the night. I know of at least two gîtes that keep some beds reservation-free that are then taken on the first-come-first-get basis, Hospitalité st Jacques in Estaing (4 beds) and Abbaye ste Foy in Conques (10 beds). the last one is very very popular, call four to five days in advance.

also, if you didn't make a reservation and no one else did for that night, the owners of the gîte may take a day off. I have seen it once.

Thank you very much for taking the time to add more excellent advise to my questions! I appreciate it very much! It now looks like our potential trip is a definate "go"!... (provided no major health concerns for any of us three 60+ females before June 2018!)