petite dejuner?! breakfast at the gites?maybe not

[zammy]

would you pay 5 euros for breakfast which generally means day old bread, some jelly and butter,very weak coffee and maybe orange juice? too expansive and not worth it.
if you are near a bar and boulangery eat your breakfast there even if it means walking some miles to it or buy the essentials day before.
it is about time gite owners realise that we don't need them for breakfast
we walked from Auvillar to Air sur ladour. we booked private gites with dinner, we were disppointed at the low quality dinner served at most of them. I recommend finding a restaurant near by instead.

 

[crackmrmac]

Zammy, you write this from your experience. Yes, €5 is a lot of money and one expects something decent in return. Usually you receive a good breakfast if you sleep in same establishment. I think you are one Le Puy chemin, if sleeping you are fed well in evening with comfortable bed and hearty breakfast for less than €40 euro. Would this be accurate? I understand not all pilgrims would have this amount of finance on the way.

Bon Chemin.

 

[Annette london]

would you pay 5 euros for breakfast which generally means day old bread, some jelly and butter,very weak coffee and maybe orange juice? too expansive and not worth it.
if you are near a bar and boulangery eat your breakfast there even if it means walking some miles to it or buy the essentials day before.
it is about time gite owners realise that we don't need them for breakfast
we walked from Auvillar to Air sur ladour. we booked private gites with dinner, we were disppointed at the low quality dinner served at most of them. I recommend finding a restaurant near by instead.

I agree with Zammy but it's the same in many parts of France. Even 6 or7 euros for coffee and bread and jam. We never buy the breakfasts but get something the night before and we usually have jam in a plastic pot brought from home. When we were on the via de la plata a lovely German man gave us an element that we put in a cup of water and presto!! Coffee or tea .i always bring my own tea bags as like a cup later in the day as well. When in Spain however the prices are more reasonable so just go to local cafe or wait till one is open. In France the food is a rip off. Just our opinion!!

 

[AJ]

In France the food is a rip off. Just our opinion!!

This is not my experience, I have found the food to be very good and not overpriced - remember this is France, not Spain. I have walked several routes in France, but I have not walked Le Puy

 

[Annette london]

This is not my experience, I have found the food to be very good and not overpriced - remember this is France, not Spain. I have walked several routes in France, but I have not walked Le Puy

Exactly! We walk a lot in both countries and find that Francehas become very expensive in the last few years but there you go. We pay the piper if we want towalk there. In the Le Puy route, the gites are for mainly tourists and not just pilgrims. So the prices reflect this. Of course in Spain the Camino cafes and restaurants are mostly geared to pilgrims and we are amazed at what is offered for 10 or 12 euros. Great value . Best wishes Annette

 

[galliano]

It is interesting that we can have so incredibly different experiences.
On our Camino from Geneve to Santiago via Le Puy and SJPdP we stayed mainly i B&B, Gites and 2 or 3 star hotels.
What we experienced was, especially in the B&B and Gites really good homecooking with regional food, and lots of it.
Breakfast in France is not my favourite (I like bacon and egg), but at least 90% of the time we got fresh (often warm) bread and croissants, jam and somethimes ham or other meat.
Orangejuice and youghurt was also mostly available.
Day old bread? Rarely, but on sundays or mondays, sometimes, fresh bread is actually not available in a lot of small villages. When that was the case the landlord toasted the day old bread and that was totally okay.
Weak coffee? Well, not in my opinion.
I agree however that the price often is to high.

Just my opinion

 

[Felipe]

My report: Piedmont way, France: "continental" breakfast (meaning coffe or tea, toasts, jam), included in the albergue price (9e.), or sometimes 3,50 (with orange juice) additional. Very little and isolated villages, so frequently there are not other options. I thought it was fair.
Actually, I found the last stages before Santiago much more costly than France.

 

[Bernice M]

would you pay 5 euros for breakfast which generally means day old bread, some jelly and butter,very weak coffee and maybe orange juice? too expansive and not worth it.

Agreed. Also that gite owners think that this is enough to sustain a morning's walk. In Spain (Frances) it's no better, often worse, with cellophane wrapped sweet things with a shelf life of years and crisp toasts that crumble when touched. At The Meeting Place, Hornillos del Camino, this morning we had stewed coffee from an urn (probably reheated), sliced white bread, two jams, margarine, and juice, for €3, all of it awful. The nearest cafe was 11kms away. This place is new (July 2014) so I assume that they might have a thing or two to learn. Or am I being too charitable?

 

[Anniesantiago]

I've walked from Lourdes on that route, and for me, every place that I took breakfast was just fine.
It is more expensive than the Camino Frances, as has been posted.
That said, I've found the best option for breakfast is just to carry my own food.

Also, people might be reminded that a pilgrim is grateful for even a stale crust of bread and a cold cup of coffee.

If you don't have the money or don't like what is served, simply carry your own food or buy elsewhere. I found LOTS of great picnic options along the route.

 

[JabbaPapa]

5€ is a pretty normal price for breakfast, and coffee black or white with yesterday's bread, butter and jam is THE traditional French breakfast, orange juice optional.

But it should definitely be jam, not jelly. Thing is, you really should get as much bread and jam, at least, as you need, at whatever price. Extra butter and coffee can't always be asked for, but that varies from place to place.

If that's not enough for some people, fair enough, but as zammy says, alternatives do exist !!

 

[NavyBlue]

Hello,

coffee black or white with yesterday's bread, butter and jam is THE traditional French breakfast, orange juice optional.

An insider's view :

• Yes, definitely the normal treat in a french family. If you like it and look for energy, you may ask for milk and cocao powder ("chocolat chaud") instead of coffee.
• Stale bread is usually toasted. In a baby boomer's education, from parents who starved during WW2, bread is not to be thrown away. And if there is no baker in the vicinity, fresh hot bread might just be defrozen one.
  
• Fruit such as redcurrant, blackberry or quince are not prepared as jam but jelly (i.e. filtered jam), same energetic content.
• Only in high-end hotels or chambres d'hôtes, or specially caring gites, you will have cake, yoghurt or fruit salad.

So, yes, if you don't like it as it is, buy your own.

 

[JabbaPapa]

• Fruit such as redcurrant, blackberry or quince are not prepared as jam but jelly (i.e. filtered jam), same energetic content.

hmmmm, I'm quite aware of the vocabulary differences concerning jam & jelly between US and UK, I mean I'd never want to eat a peanut butter and jam sandwich, hehehe, but the difference between confiture and gelée in France is a lot more rigorous than either UK or US, as the second term (gelée) is reserved for the products containing gelatin. But confiture cannot be translated otherwise than as "jam", except in some cases among Americans.

All well and good, and to each his own.

BUT this is French confiture we're discussing, so that jelly as a term referring in French to something else is, in my opinion, inaccurate, even in an International context such as this one.

---

Besides, proper redcurrant, blackberry, or quince jam over here just isn't filtered as you suggest --- the quince takes a bit of getting used to LOL

(and if you've never had unfiltered blackberry jam, you've been missing something)

 

[JabbaPapa]

cripes, maybe I should just carve "pedant" onto my staff LOL

 

[newfydog]

It is interesting that we can have so incredibly different experiences.
On our Camino from Geneve to Santiago via Le Puy and SJPdP we stayed mainly i B&B, Gites and 2 or 3 star hotels.
What we experienced was, especially in the B&B and Gites really good homecooking with regional food, and lots of it.
Breakfast in France is not my favourite (I like bacon and egg), but at least 90% of the time we got fresh (often warm) bread and croissants, jam and somethimes ham or other meat.
Orangejuice and youghurt was also mostly available.
Day old bread? Rarely, but on sundays or mondays, sometimes, fresh bread is actually not available in a lot of small villages. When that was the case the landlord toasted the day old bread and that was totally okay.

We have done a trip in France every year for the last ten.

Our experience has been exactly as described in this excellent post.

 

[NavyBlue]

BUT this is French confiture we're discussing, so that jelly as a term referring in French to something else

Just for reassuring those who would fear potentially gelatinous mixtures in french breakfasts...

In French, "gelée" refers to :
- a salted/gelatine preparation : oeuf en gelée (egg in aspic), poulet en gelée (chicken in jelly ?) etc.
or
- the type of jam I mentioned before. No gelatine involved. Just fruit juice, sugar + pectin, lemon, water.
Want to cook your own gelée de mûres ? http://www.marmiton.org/recettes/recette_gelee-de-mures_29428.aspx

 

[marbuck]

Demi pension is the norm on the Le Puy route. Bread and jam is also the norm for breakfast, it's not good most times but hey' we are in France and this is breakfast so enjoy it, it's all you are going to get.

 

[peregrina2000]

I haven't walked in France for years, but this thread looks like a good place for me to recruit new members to the Electric Coil Club.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ric-coil-changed-my-life-on-the-camino.19167/

 

[grayland]

There is a basic difference between the French Gite system and the Spanish albergue system.
The Gites are like B&Bs with single beds (usually not bunked) in rooms of 3 to 6 beds. They are often in the owners home.
I never saw a huge room of 20-30 bunk beds like Spain.
They are very often located in a more isolated area without easy access to bars or restaurants...thus demi-pension is the norm.
The price was 35-40 euro a few years ago.
The dinners are usually very long with people standing up and talking in French between each course.
Makes for a long night if you do not speak French and just want to eat and get some sleep.
The family often eats with the guests.
I did not find the food to be particularly good or bad...nothing special..
I do not recall that breakfast was charged as a separate item.
Coffee is often served in the traditional bowl rather than a cup.
This is my experience in 2012 and things may have changed.

 

[aghamore]

I go to France once or twice a year and I walked the Piedmont route a couple of years ago staying in chambres d'hote and small hotels from Pamiers to St Jean.

If I stay in a hotel in France or Spain, I rarely have their breakfast if I'm in a town of any size. You can nearly always get bread, jam, croissants, coffee or tea cheaper in a cafe, bar or boulangerie within walking distance. The hotel may well provide a big buffet at a reasonable price and if you want the choice provided then you pay for it. If you don't, look for a cafe. The only time I'll have the hotel job is if it's included or very cheap.

Having said that, my experience in bed and breakfast places in France and especially on the Piedmont route has been generally excellent-fresh bread, croissants, home made jams, fruit and good coffee. Special mention goes to Maison Zazpian at Mauleon-Licharre and Maison Carriquy at Barcus, but pretty well everywhere was good apart from a hotel near Escaladieu where everything came out of a packet.

My favourite breakfast in Spain was at Casa Pacios near Triacastela - 5 Euros, which is twice a basic desayuno but lavish and served at communal tables in a welcoming atmosphere. Spot on.

 

[Annette london]

I haven't walked in France for years, but this thread looks like a good place for me to recruit new members to the Electric Coil Club.

https://www.caminodesantiago.me/com...ric-coil-changed-my-life-on-the-camino.19167/

Best invention ever! Has saved us a fortune over the years. We were given one as a present for our anniversary and birthday by a German pilgrim years ago. Best birthday present I ever got! Not available now in UK but we found one in Spain when I managed to burn out the first one!! They are available in USA as well. We bring 2 plastic mugs plus a supply of ties bags and coffee and powdered milk. Very little weight really.tend to use them in France more as the cafe con leche on Camino not too expensive and also give the opportunity for lots of rests! Maybe people do not know about their availability as I have never seen anyone use them. If they did, I think you might just convert a multitude!!!

 

[NavyBlue]

They are available in USA as well.

Just check they can be used on 230 V supply.

 

[Annette london]

Just check they can be used on 230 V supply.

Yes they send a variety of adaptions as well. We found it really good and more lightweight than the European one. Best wishes Annette

 

[JabbaPapa]

Bread and jam is also the norm for breakfast, it's not good most times but hey' we are in France and this is breakfast so enjoy it, it's all you are going to get.

It's the basic -- not the norm.

Croissants, brioche, pains au chocolat, and other such delicacies are quite common, pain aux raisins, doughnuts, savouries, eggs, pâtés, cheeses, and so on and so forth -- but the basic is still bread/toast, jam, possibly a yoghurt or similar, coffeee/milk/chocolate, because you just can't expect people to provide anything other than the minimum of their own ordinary breakfast.

BTW & just for some perspective, my own appraisal of the typical US, Spanish, and English breakfasts is negative, except the very VERY traditional English one, and some New England variant(s) thereof.

The basic French breakfast anyway, with any tip-top bread, butter, jam, beverages, and any necessary alcoholic pick-me-up or local savoury or meaty addition is quite pleasurable ...

 

[marbuck]

It's the basic -- not the norm.

Croissants, brioche, pains au chocolat, and other such delicacies are quite common, pain aux raisins, doughnuts, savouries, eggs, pâtés, cheeses, and so on and so forth -- but the basic is still bread/toast, jam, possibly a yoghurt or similar, coffeee/milk/chocolate, because you just can't expect people to provide anything other than the minimum of their own ordinary breakfast.

BTW & just for some perspective, my own appraisal of the typical US, Spanish, and English breakfasts is negative, except the very VERY traditional English one, and some New England variant(s) thereof.

The basic French breakfast anyway, with any tip-top bread, butter, jam, beverages, and any necessary alcoholic pick-me-up or local savoury or meaty addition is quite pleasurable ...

If you don't think its the "norm". I suggest you walk the Le Puy route and find out.

 

[newfydog]

If you don't think its the "norm". I suggest you walk the Le Puy route and find out.

Or perhaps learn a little French, tell your hosts that a hiker needs a good breakfast, and see if they go out of their way to help. I remember one cold morning when we asked if we could pay for an omlette or something extra. The propriétaire thought the concept of an omlette for breakfast was hilarious, but he cranked out a couple of three egg masterpieces, and served them giggling. When we tried to pay for them he wouldn't hear of it.

 

[JabbaPapa]

If you don't think its the "norm". I suggest you walk the Le Puy route and find out.

My point was that there's a difference between the basic and the norm.

The norm is that breakfasts are varied -- but the basic breakfast is still bread, butter, jam, and coffee.

 

[Kitsambler]

And my point is that this is a poor breakfast for the heavy work of long walks - no protein, no fiber, high in sugar. By all means arrange your own supplementation as best you can. This will require some planning, due to the invariably inconvenient store closing days.

 

[AJ]

And my point is that this is a poor breakfast for the heavy work of long walks - no protein, no fiber, high in sugar.

We are all different. I manage perfectly well on the French "basic" breakfast, which incidentally I have found to be the norm on various routes through France.

 

[oursonpolaire]

And my point is that this is a poor breakfast for the heavy work of long walks - no protein, no fiber, high in sugar. By all means arrange your own supplementation as best you can. This will require some planning, due to the invariably inconvenient store closing days.

I tend to agree with you and for years swore that I could do nothing without a good (fit for Canadian weather) breakfast but found out that I could somehow manage on little, although I took care to avoid the sugar-laden items-- I usually had some shop-bought fruit or yogourt to start with. I found that casas rurales (not hostals or hotels or pensions) would often provide eggs and or meat with breakfast but, failing all else, after cafes opened sometime after 9 or so, I would often be able to order a boccadillo with tortilla francese (an omelette stuffed into a baguette) which was very satisfactory. In a cafe in Belorado, I once sat near some businessmen having an early morning snack of liver cooked in red wine--- they hospitably offered me some-- while it was tasty I think I will not seek it out in future.

 

[marbuck]

We stoped for coffee around 10.30 am in a French village one day. While ordering my coffee I noticed a dozen egg in a container in the kitchen. I asked if it was possible for them to cook me an omelette. 'NO WAY' they replied, the eggs are for the lunch menu. Come back at midday and we will cook you an omelette. That's France, it may drive you mad but we love France. We are going back next year to walk the RL Stevenson so it cant be too bad.

 

[newfydog]

Not too many choices of where to eat on the Stevenson, but they do tend to have a hikers breakfast, and many of the places will pack a picnic lunch as well, which you may find is a good "second breakfast" (just before "first lunch")

 

[BrienC]

As usual, a great thread. Perhaps though I could suggest a different tangent. We should always be aware of our funds, of our Camino budget. And, these forums are great places to share experiences for others to gauge to theirs. However, the pilgrims path is not meant to be one of comfort and constant pleasure. I agree that those plastic wrapped croissants aren't much for culinary delight, but it will get you to the next village. Seldom does the modern day pilgrim have to suffer bad coffee, stale bread and high prices for long. If day upon day you do so, stay one night in a hotel with a real restaurant that offers a full breakfast and indulge. The experience is in the whole, not the last piece of stale bread.

 

[newfydog]

However, the pilgrims path is not meant to be one of comfort and constant pleasure. .

And just who issued that decree? We enjoy every minute of or pilgrimages. We don't think discomfort is something which builds character, or that it is a penitence we need, it is because we made a mistake in planning around food, gear, weather etc......and we avoid those mistakes.

We go back over and over because we are living well, not suffering well.

 

[BrienC]

And just who issued that decree? We enjoy every minute of or pilgrimages.

Then I retract the statement. And, shall edit it to say, "in constant comfort", or some such. Because, how do we "enjoy" if we never suffer a little. It is in the whole of the experience that we find solace.

 

[newfydog]

Fair enough........The only part I should have quoted was the "path is not not meant to be". It is something different to everyone. There are those that go out there knowing they will suffer and revel in the fact they survived. They have little concern as to whether the French wine is beter than the Rioja!

My trips of physical and mental challange don't take place the pilgrimage trails. We have no problem enjoying a Camino with out suffering. To each his own.

Now, back to finding the perfect breakfast!

 

[marbuck]

Now, back to finding the perfect breakfast!

Let me know if you find it in France newfydog. And thanks for the update on the Stevenson.

 

[zammy]

I am pleased watching how a simple breakfats thread got so much attention..
I want to make clear that I am ready to pay 5 Euros for breakfast but it better be worthy. 5 is a lot to pay for a 1 Euro worth cup of "not esspresso" coffee, 1 croissant, a small piece of butter, a few slices of simple bread and cheap jam.

 

[marbuck]

There is a basic difference between the French Gite system and the Spanish albergue system.
The Gites are like B&Bs with single beds (usually not bunked) in rooms of 3 to 6 beds. They are often in the owners home.
I never saw a huge room of 20-30 bunk beds like Spain.
They are very often located in a more isolated area without easy access to bars or restaurants...thus demi-pension is the norm.
The price was 35-40 euro a few years ago.
The dinners are usually very long with people standing up and talking in French between each course.
Makes for a long night if you do not speak French and just want to eat and get some sleep.
The family often eats with the guests.
I did not find the food to be particularly good or bad...nothing special..
I do not recall that breakfast was charged as a separate item.
Coffee is often served in the traditional bowl rather than a cup.
This is my experience in 2012 and things may have changed.

No, nothing has changed. If you don't want breakfast that's too bad as you have to pay for it with your demi-pension price. No other option. And the coffee is always cold.

 

[newfydog]

No, nothing has changed. If you don't want breakfast that's too bad as you have to pay for it with your demi-pension price. No other option. And the coffee is always cold.

Quite an amazing thread. We have been to France every year for the last ten, and just don't have these experiences. I would suggest that you go somewhere else or stay home if the place is really that miserable.

 

[Dave]

My reaction to the price of breakfast on the Le Puy route was initially in line with the dissatisfaction noted above. It's worth noting, though, that a cup of coffee commonly costs 2 euros in a cafe along this route, and a café au lait will often run you 2.5 euros. If you're lucky enough to hit a bakery in the morning, you can get some delicious pastries or breads at a very affordable price. If not, though, your options for food can be very limited. If there's an accessible kitchen and you're able to find an open grocery, then sure, that's definitely the most budget-friendly option. But on the Le Puy route in particular, your choices are often few.

Given that I enjoy multiple cups of coffee in the morning, it was immediately clear that 5 euros is actually a budget saver when kitchens are not available. What I was pleased to discover in many cases was a wide variety of homemade jams, often produced with locally grown fruits. We often received home-made yogurt as well. Admittedly, some breakfasts were more spartan than others, but some were outstanding. I fondly recall the municipal albergue in St. Come d'Olt (for both great dinner and breakfast), Accueil St. Pierre in Marcilhac for its freshly baked croissants, and the lavish spread at Gite Ultreia in Moissac.

 

[marbuck]

Quite an amazing thread. We have been to France every year for the last ten, and just don't have these experiences. I would suggest that you go somewhere else or stay home if the place is really that miserable.

I think that is a bit harsh, nowhere have I said that I find France miserable. We love the place and are going back next year. It's just that if I pay for something I expect to get what I have paid for, no matter where I am be it either here in Australia or in France.

 

[newfydog]

I think that is a bit harsh, nowhere have I said that I find France miserable. We love the place and are going back next year. It's just that if I pay for something I expect to get what I have paid for, no matter where I am be it either here in Australia or in France.

Sorry, I should not have put words in your mouth. As for harsh, let me quote you exactly:

. And the coffee is always cold.

I think "always" is a bit of an exaggeration, and harsh to all the French people who work hard at getting it right. Have you tried politely asking if they could warm it up a bit? As to expecting foreign countries to give you just what you would get in Australia, well, you might try leaving some of your expectations at home when you are guest in another country. In Indonesia, for example, an "orang bule" like me should expect to pay considerably more than the locals would. Just the way it works there. If you bring your culture on the road with you you'll just get angry over little things.

 

[oursonpolaire]

The breakfast thread still goes on! I once had bad coffee in France, but my French friends tell me that, should the guillotine be restored, the makers of weak coffee will be the first to go. I do recall the only bad cup I had in Spain, in 2001, west of Portomarin. Still, the zumo out of the little machines in every bar made up for it.