Help me remember an albergue

[Zordmot]

Presently walking my third Camino. I have many Camino memories..but not in sequential order! I’m remembering a particular parish church albergue up a flight of steps that featured a communal supper prepared by peregrino volunteers, a non-sectarian time of spiritual reflection led by really wonderful parish volunteers, and everyone sleeps on mattresses on the floor. And the place is as cold as a tomb. It all sounds depressing but several of us consider it a real highlight of our Camino. Does this ring a bell for you?

 

[Former member 49149]

Is it Grañon?

 

[SabsP]

The stairs make me also think of Grañon.

Albergue parroquial San Juan Bautista | Albergue de Peregrinos en Grañón | Gronze.com

Información del albergue de peregrinos Albergue parroquial San Juan Bautista, en Grañón: Precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

Another option would be the Parroquial in Tosantos but there you have the livingroom on the groundfloor and the rooms upstairs.

Albergue parroquial San Francisco de Asís | Albergue de Peregrinos en Tosantos | Gronze.com

Información del albergue de peregrinos Albergue parroquial San Francisco de Asís, en Tosantos: Precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

 

[J Willhaus]

Also the Parroquial at Viana is up the steps, sleeping on mats and communal supper. Also a reflection the night we stayed with a reflection in the choir loft.

 

[irishrock]

Presently walking my third Camino. I have many Camino memories..but not in sequential order! I’m remembering a particular parish church albergue up a flight of steps that featured a communal supper prepared by peregrino volunteers, a non-sectarian time of spiritual reflection led by really wonderful parish volunteers, and everyone sleeps on mattresses on the floor. And the place is as cold as a tomb. It all sounds depressing but several of us consider it a real highlight of our Camino. Does this ring a bell for you?

sure seems like you're describing Granon

 

[Spammy]

Presently walking my third Camino. I have many Camino memories..but not in sequential order! I’m remembering a particular parish church albergue up a flight of steps that featured a communal supper prepared by peregrino volunteers, a non-sectarian time of spiritual reflection led by really wonderful parish volunteers, and everyone sleeps on mattresses on the floor. And the place is as cold as a tomb. It all sounds depressing but several of us consider it a real highlight of our Camino. Does this ring a bell for you?

Tosantos???

 

[Vacajoe]

Tosantos has living/dining space in the ground floor, sleeping space above that, and then a spiritual reflection area in the “attic”. Run by volunteers, but not associated with a parish.

 

[SabsP]

Tosantos has living/dining space in the ground floor, sleeping space above that, and then a spiritual reflection area in the “attic”. Run by volunteers, but not associated with a parish.

Seee my post above #3 : Tosantos describes themselves as a parroquial in Gronze.
As does Wisepilgrim.

Albergue Parroquial San Francisco de Asís | Camino de Santiago Guidebooks

Albergue Parroquial San Francisco de Asís, Parochial accommodation in Tosantos. All mattresses are on the floor, much like in Grañon. Friendly and spiritual hospitalero. Visits to nearby shrine (virgen de la peña) offered. A small prayer circle of sorts, and some singing, is usually part of the...

www.wisepilgrim.com

 

[Vacajoe]

Tosantos describes themselves as a parroquial in Gronze.

Sure, but I wouldn’t describe them as “parish volunteers” - neither would anyone who has stayed there. My point is that Tosantos is not likely the place they are describing (though it IS one of my favorite albergues!)

 

[dougfitz]

Sure, but I wouldn’t describe them as “parish volunteers” - neither would anyone who has stayed there.

Neither was Granon the night I stayed there. The volunteer hospitalera was from Italy - hardly local!

 

[RENSHAW]

If we can establish weather the clothes washing facilities were above the the roof of the church, then that would be Granon?

 

[J Willhaus]

Neither was Granon the night I stayed there. The volunteer hospitalera was from Italy - hardly local!

These albergues are served by HosVol volunteers which can come from a number of different countries.

 

[irishwalker]

I stayed in Albergue San Francisco de Asis in Tosantas. Mattresses/Camping mats on the floor. Prayers upstairs after dinner. You could leave a request/petition in a special box which they kept for 20/22 days. That was the number of days expected to reach Santiago. They read some of the petitions from pilgrims who had passed through the day before. All very nice and reminded me again, that we are all on the same path in life, with the same worries and concerns.

 

[Becky 59]

Not Grañon, where they have real beds not mattresses, when I was there last fall.

 

[trecile]

Not Grañon, where they have real beds not mattresses, when I was there last fall.

I've never stayed at Grañon, but I always thought that they had mats on the floor.

 

[SabsP]

Not Grañon, where they have real beds not mattresses, when I was there last fall.

I guess you stayed at la Casa de las Sonrisas then and not at San Juan Bautista.

 

[J Willhaus]

Not Grañon, where they have real beds not mattresses, when I was there last fall.

You may have stayed in a different albergue. There are several in town. No beds at San Juan de Bautista in Granon.

 

[Former member 49149]

Come in @Zordmot, we want to know if any of the posts are ringing a bell!!!

 

[Tandem Graham]

Sound more like the parish albergue in Viana to me.

 

[makingtrax]

Presently walking my third Camino. I have many Camino memories..but not in sequential order! I’m remembering a particular parish church albergue up a flight of steps that featured a communal supper prepared by peregrino volunteers, a non-sectarian time of spiritual reflection led by really wonderful parish volunteers, and everyone sleeps on mattresses on the floor. And the place is as cold as a tomb. It all sounds depressing but several of us consider it a real highlight of our Camino. Does this ring a bell for you?

Could it be Castro Jerez

 

[Mike55]

Did the 'boot store' look like this? If so Granon.

 

[SkyDancer]

This sounds like the Parroquial de Viana.

There was a lovely local woman cooking, don’t know if she was a volunteer.

Did the the main square look like this? (taken from dining room window)

Dorms were upstairs. I was in the smaller of the two rooms. Only one there so got several mats!

 

[dfborg]

Sounds like Longrono at the Iglesia de Santiago

 

[Vacajoe]

Logroño has beds, though (at least since 2018)

 

[dougfitz]

I've never stayed at Grañon, but I always thought that they had mats on the floor.

When I stayed, there were a small number of beds then the hall downstairs was opened up. Gym mats for mattresses.

 

[makingtrax]

Logroño has beds, though (at least since 2018)

The older albergue had mats on floor even in 2019.

 

[J Willhaus]

When I stayed, there were a small number of beds then the hall downstairs was opened up. Gym mats for mattresses.

Only three actual beds in Granon and they are in the two hospitalero rooms. Otherwise a huge stack of mats upstairs in the loft and downstairs in the large fellowship room off the choir loft.

 

[Rocco]

Presently walking my third Camino. I have many Camino memories..but not in sequential order! I’m remembering a particular parish church albergue up a flight of steps that featured a communal supper prepared by peregrino volunteers, a non-sectarian time of spiritual reflection led by really wonderful parish volunteers, and everyone sleeps on mattresses on the floor. And the place is as cold as a tomb. It all sounds depressing but several of us consider it a real highlight of our Camino. Does this ring a bell for you?

Must be Granon--the veritable heart of the Camino spirit. The only albergue in any of the Caminos I have walked that has no sello because "if it isn't stamped in your heart and soul then stamping a piece of paper would make no difference."

 

[habanerocat]

If you didn't get a stamp it's probably Granon as I didn't get a stamp when I was there.

 

[irishrock]

Neither was Granon the night I stayed there. The volunteer hospitalera was from Italy - hardly local!

this describes my experience...down to the Italians who were volunteering

 

[David Tallan]

Not Grañon, where they have real beds not mattresses, when I was there last fall.

When I was there in 2016 they had thin mats on the floor (like gym mats). Sounds like have had a significant upgrade. But I wouldn't rule out Grañon based on mats depending on when OP was in the remembered albergue.

 

[lucasNDW]

Presently walking my third Camino. I have many Camino memories..but not in sequential order! I’m remembering a particular parish church albergue up a flight of steps that featured a communal supper prepared by peregrino volunteers, a non-sectarian time of spiritual reflection led by really wonderful parish volunteers, and everyone sleeps on mattresses on the floor. And the place is as cold as a tomb. It all sounds depressing but several of us consider it a real highlight of our Camino. Does this ring a bell for you?

Eunate on the camino Aragones maybe?

 

[J Willhaus]

On another thread @Zordmot indicated that it was Granon, so the mystery is solved.

 

[trecile]

On another thread @Zordmot indicated that it was Granon, so the mystery is solved.

Unfortunately he never came back to this thread!

 

[J Willhaus]

Unfortunately he never came back to this thread!

Yes, @kirkie mentioned that to him!

 

[C clearly]

Yes, @Zordmot has been negligent. But we should give him a break, since...

Presently walking my third Camino.

When walking a Camino, one's attention span for other things can suffer!

 

[DBC]

Definitely Granon - currently sitting next to a young lady who stayed there when we were in Granon a few days ago. After the Pilgrims mass they went upstairs to the loft to cook and sleep.

 

[WGroleau]

Also the Parroquial at Viana is up the steps, sleeping on mats and communal supper. Also a reflection the night we stayed with a reflection in the choir loft.

I did not know this existed. I've been more than once at the Viana "municipal" but it has bunks. Can you post lat/long or address? Or a map image with a marker?

 

[J Willhaus]

Albergue parroquial Santa María | Albergue de Peregrinos en Viana | Gronze.com

Información del albergue de peregrinos Albergue parroquial Santa María, en Viana: Precio, plazas, características, etc...

www.gronze.com

Here is the page from Gronze.com with a map.

 

[Former member 49149]

Yes, @Zordmot has been negligent. But we should give him a break, since...

When walking a Camino, one's attention span for other things can suffer!

Indeed, even a 'camino' from the front room to the kitchen!
I often had to swivel around when almost at the top of the stairs, as a child, and go back down to ask what it was I had been sent up to get!
So yes, indeed, it was Grañon.

 

[Zordmot]

Did the 'boot store' look like this? If so Granon.


View attachment 125500

Yes, that’s one of the iconic shots at Grañon as you make your way up the uneven narrow stone steps!

 

[domigee]

Presently walking my third Camino. I have many Camino memories..but not in sequential order! I’m remembering a particular parish church albergue up a flight of steps that featured a communal supper prepared by peregrino volunteers, a non-sectarian time of spiritual reflection led by really wonderful parish volunteers, and everyone sleeps on mattresses on the floor. And the place is as cold as a tomb. It all sounds depressing but several of us consider it a real highlight of our Camino. Does this ring a bell for you?

Grañon!

 

[domigee]

Not Grañon, where they have real beds not mattresses, when I was there last fall.

No, sorry, definitely mattresses