Opinel knife in SJPdP

Kiwi-family

{Rachael, the Mama of the family}

Time of past OR future Camino

walking every day for the rest of my life

• Apr 2, 2014

• #1

I would like to buy an Opinel knife. A variety of blogposts assure me there is somewhere to buy them in SJPdP. My problem is that I will most probably arrive on a Sunday. My past experience of shops in France is that they will be shut - however, is this different being a bit touristified? And if so, does anyone know exactly which shop will do the trick for me? Or if we walk further on one day we'd make it on the Saturday - how late would the shop be open?
Alternatively, do you know of one in Bayonne - I'll be up there midweek.

Thanks.

 

emonty

Monty

Time of past OR future Camino

Camino Frances (April-May, 2014

• Apr 2, 2014

• #2

Kiwi-family said:

I would like to buy an Opinel knife. A variety of blogposts assure me there is somewhere to buy them in SJPdP. My problem is that I will most probably arrive on a Sunday. My past experience of shops in France is that they will be shut - however, is this different being a bit touristified? And if so, does anyone know exactly which shop will do the trick for me? Or if we walk further on one day we'd make it on the Saturday - how late would the shop be open?
Alternatively, do you know of one in Bayonne - I'll be up there midweek.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

I cheated and got mine from Amazon!

 

peregrina2000

Moderator

Staff member

Donating Member

• Apr 2, 2014

• #3

Kiwi-family said:

I would like to buy an Opinel knife. A variety of blogposts assure me there is somewhere to buy them in SJPdP. My problem is that I will most probably arrive on a Sunday. My past experience of shops in France is that they will be shut - however, is this different being a bit touristified? And if so, does anyone know exactly which shop will do the trick for me? Or if we walk further on one day we'd make it on the Saturday - how late would the shop be open?
Alternatively, do you know of one in Bayonne - I'll be up there midweek.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Here's what Opinel's site say about availability in France: http://www.opinel.com/les-points-vente-opinel

 

Bajaracer

Camino Frances 2013 Jun-Jul SJPDP to Finisterre

Time of past OR future Camino

Camino Frances (2013) Jun-Jul SJPDP to Finisterre

• Apr 2, 2014

• #4

Kiwi-family said:

I would like to buy an Opinel knife. A variety of blogposts assure me there is somewhere to buy them in SJPdP. My problem is that I will most probably arrive on a Sunday. My past experience of shops in France is that they will be shut - however, is this different being a bit touristified? And if so, does anyone know exactly which shop will do the trick for me? Or if we walk further on one day we'd make it on the Saturday - how late would the shop be open?
Alternatively, do you know of one in Bayonne - I'll be up there midweek.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

Bayonne is a good size city, you'd have a better chance of finding the one you want there.
Ask for the nearest quincaillerie (hardware store)

 

Kitsambler

Jakobsweg Junkie

Time of past OR future Camino

SJPP 2023

• Apr 2, 2014

• #5

Taking a look at the site and immediately recognizing the design, I would say I saw these all over France, in hardware and kitchen stores in every largish town (one big enough to have a grocery and a bank). If you'll be in Bayonne mid-week, check with the Tourism Info office, or your hotel desk, for the nearest shop.

 

hampshire!tim

Active Member

Time of past OR future Camino

Frances (2013), Ingles (2014), Finisterre (2015)

• Apr 2, 2014

• #6

If you can't find one in SJPdP, you can get one a few days later in Pamplona

 

Laliibeans

Active Member

Time of past OR future Camino

Camino Frances (2014)

• Apr 2, 2014

• #7

I was going to wait to buy one in SJPP but then I discovered that our Scout Shop sells them here for a really good price. Might be worth getting one before you go if you are checking any bags.

 

G

gerardcarey

Veteran Member

Time of past OR future Camino

CFx2, CPx1

• Apr 2, 2014

• #8

Kiwi-family said:

does anyone know exactly which shop will do the trick for me? Or if we walk further on one day we'd make it on the Saturday - how late would the shop be open?
Alternatively, do you know of one in Bayonne - I'll be up there midweek.
Thanks.

Click to expand...

I bought one in SJPdP but can only remember it was from a rather large upmarket tourist gift shop.
Bayonne is probly your best bet as shops there would also have a larger range of the available knives than would SJPdP.
Regds
Gerard

 

xin loi

Active Member

Time of past OR future Camino

Walked May 14, 2014 from St Jean France

starting to walk again August 25, 2016 --SJPDP to Finisterre

• Apr 2, 2014

• #9

Are they strong enuff to open a wine bottle--see youtube Vid? Can you take on bus or train? In Latin America, officials check your bags and will remove knifes--heard they also do that in Spain.

 

Felipe

Veteran Member

• Apr 2, 2014

• #10

In France, almost everything (apart from hotels, restaurantes and bars) is closed on Sundays. Even tourist offices, believe it or not.
And shops don´t open early in the morning in provincial cities -they appreciate the good life and the "petit déjeuner".
Bayonne is a good option, I think. Ask locals, they are quite proud of their "opinels".

 

billbennettoz

Veteran Poster

Time of past OR future Camino

Camino Frances 2013
Camino Portuguese 2014
Via di Francesco 2015

• Apr 2, 2014

• #11

I had no problem buying an Opinel knife in SJPP. They are sold at most of the shops that service tourists and pilgrims. I would imagine that these kind of shops would be open on a Sunday.

I too wanted an Opinel for my pilgrimage, and couldn't carry one in my backpack in the plane, that's why I had to buy one in St.Jean. But I had no problem finding several stores that had them...

 

S

simply B

Guest

• Apr 2, 2014

• #12

No problem, Rachael. There is a shop just down towards the Porte Espagne from the Piñgrim welcome center. After that, I have seen them in most small shops from Burguete on.

Enjoy your trip and Buen Camino!

Currently in Los Arcos,
B

 

Kiwi-family

{Rachael, the Mama of the family}

Time of past OR future Camino

walking every day for the rest of my life

• Apr 2, 2014

• #13

billbennettoz said:

I had no problem buying an Opinel knife in SJPP. They are sold at most of the shops that service tourists and pilgrims. I would imagine that these kind of shops would be open on a Sunday.

I too wanted an Opinel for my pilgrimage, and couldn't carry one in my backpack in the plane, that's why I had to buy one in St.Jean. But I had no problem finding several stores that had them...

Click to expand...

Same scenario - I'm not checking baggage. But YOUR blogpost was one of the ones that suggested it was a little tricky finding one (though not as bad as getting the right stick!)....otherwise I would have just bowled up and taken my chances and not bothered asking first!!!!!

 

Bajaracer

Camino Frances 2013 Jun-Jul SJPDP to Finisterre

Time of past OR future Camino

Camino Frances (2013) Jun-Jul SJPDP to Finisterre

• Apr 3, 2014

• #14

Do they sell the Opinel No. 10 with the corkscrew (better known as the ultimate Camino knife) in SJPDP?