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The Easter weekend and the first two weeks of May and the first two weeks of September are the busiest pilgrimage periods of the year at Roncesvalles. Inevitably, pilgrims who have neither booked nor arrived early enough during the day to obtain a "walk-in bed" have been and will be turned away and need to either walk on or get a taxi to find accommodation elsewhere.1. From what I can see you don't have to book a bed but would it be advisable to do so for the coming May.
The booking system of the Roncesvalles albergue is here: https://www.alberguederoncesvalles.com/index.php?idioma=2 (in English)2.When booking is there a website you use and what is it ,if its just by email what is the address.
No religious order but a small number of priests live there who serve Roncesvalles and neighbouring communities. The Roncesvalles complex belongs to the Diocese of Pamplona. During the main season from March to October, the pilgrim albergue is managed by volunteers from the Netherlands, under the supervision of Spanish staff employed by the Church.3.Just out of interest is it still run by a religious order or is it state or community run.
Maximum number of albergue beds is around 180. How many of these albergue beds will be available in May 2022 will depend on the general public health situation and on government regulations at the time.4.How many beds are likely to be available that time of year and what changes has covid made to the operation of the hostel.
Details are on https://www.alberguederoncesvalles.com.5.Is there any limit on the arrival time at the hostel.
If Roncesvalles is really busy/full during peak times there is always the option to take the Valcarlos route and stay at the very nice Albergue in Valcarlos itself. It is a fairly easy 3 hour walk from SjPdP and an excellent option if arriving on the noon train at St Jean where lack of beds may also be an issue. You can then walk the next day through/passed Roncesvalles and walk another easy 6.5Km or so to Espinal which has numerous options for food/lodging. This leaves you able to get a two hour head start the next morning on the Roncesvalles stay pilgrim crowd and you can decide 4 hours of walking later if notable choke point at Zubiri has available beds or you can walk on even further towards Pamplona.Hi everyone
I have a couple of questions re the Albergue in Roncesvalles ,have searched the forum and threads go back to 2017 so wondering about the present state of play;
1. From what I can see you don't have to book a bed but would it be advisable to do so for the coming May.
2.When booking is there a website you use and what is it ,if its just by email what is the address.
3.Just out of interest is it still run by a religious order or is it state or community run.
4.How many beds are likely to be available that time of year and what changes has covid made to the operation of the hostel.
5.Is there any limit on the arrival time at the hostel.
Apologies if I am slow responding to your replies as I can only dip in and out to the forum at the moment
Or at the new Auberge Borda, which is about one km past Orisson.It is prudent to book in Roncesvalles and it is vital to reserve in Orisson if you are taking the route in two parts..
I always opt for my dinner choice at La Posada, you will eat at table for 8 and get to strike up a nice conversation about your first or second day on the Camino.You might find gronze.com useful for your planning gronze.com. Here is the link to Albergue de Peregrinos de Roncesvalles.
I think it would be a good idea to make a reservation for the night. I have not included the breakfast, and hiked to the next town where there is a cafe. I did include dinner ... you can attend the pilgrim mass either before or after dinner dependent on your seating time.
Definitely choose La Posada.I always opt for my dinner choice at La Posada, you will eat at table for 8 and get to strike up a nice conversation about your first or second day on the Camino.
Thank you. I wanted to mention this somewhat new albergue also but you beat me to it. I will add that it appears that La Borda is much, much, much better at responding to reservation requests than Orisson.Or at the new Auberge Borda, which is about one km past Orisson.
They are accepting reservations via email right now.
Auberge Borda, Pyrénées-Atlantiques | Albergues y Hoteles | Gronze.com
Albergues, Hoteles y Servicios para Peregrinos en Auberge Borda, Pyrénées-Atlantiques, en el Camino de Santiago.www.gronze.com
Thank you. I wanted to mention this somewhat new albergue also but you beat me to it. I will add that it appears that La Borda is much, much, much better at responding to reservation requests than Orisson.
If I’m staying at Hotel Roncesvalles do you think I need to reserve dinner ahead of time?If you are reserving a bed, include dinner. When I stayed there in early May 2019, it was packed. I did not have a reservation, but got a bed. I paid for dinner and breakfast at the same time. I was glad I did, as the Roncesvalles albergue had booked all of the sittings at the local restaurants. I ran into a number of people who had not booked a meal, and when they wanted to eat, were told that the only option was vending machines. When you check into the albergue, if you ordered a meal, you will get a ticket for one of the restaurants and a specific meal time. By the way, the restaurant I was assigned to for dinner and breakfast was very nice and much nicer that the normal pilgrim meals.
Yes. Do reserve because their dining room is popular with regular tourists besides pilgrims.Their bar also has good food. Buen camino.If I’m staying at Hotel Roncesvalles do you think I need to reserve dinner ahead of time?
They are also on booking.comThank you. I wanted to mention this somewhat new albergue also but you beat me to it. I will add that it appears that La Borda is much, much, much better at responding to reservation requests than Orisson.
Staying in Roncesvalles in 2017, there was a local guide who gave a tour of the monastery and the vaults and it was fascinating, I don't know if such a tour is still available but well worth checking out when you arrive.Hi All,
Thank you so much for your replies . I will take all that you have said on board . I have walked this section of the Camino Frances before but stayed in Burgette and always regretted not staying at the monastery in Roncesvalles due to its Camino history that I didn't know much of at the time but know some more now .
Someone mentioned the pilgrim mass at 7.00 pm and that would interest me as well .
I am unexpectedly going with my son in May (covid permitting) only as far as Pamplona so a short stint but really looking forward to it
I believe the Mass was at 8:00. So reserving the 7:00 dinner allows you to attend Mass afterwards.Hi All,
Thank you so much for your replies . I will take all that you have said on board . I have walked this section of the Camino Frances before but stayed in Burgette and always regretted not staying at the monastery in Roncesvalles due to its Camino history that I didn't know much of at the time but know some more now .
Someone mentioned the pilgrim mass at 7.00 pm and that would interest me as well .
I am unexpectedly going with my son in May (covid permitting) only as far as Pamplona so a short stint but really looking forward to it
Well, it would be hard to be worse!… it appears that La Borda is much, much, much better at responding to reservation requests than Orisson.
So true. In mid-April 2015 I arrived at the municipal and had no problem getting a bed (although it was my worst experience that year). In mid-April 2017 when walking the Frances again, we had pre-booked a new private albergue a little further away. We stopped in Zubiri for a snack and noticed a large bus parked in town and loaded up with many pilgrims. The driver was hoisting all the backpacks in the hold and they were being taken to a different location as no beds were available.Now Zubiri is a different matter.
Don Valentin, one of the priests in residence, used to do a tour of the church and if you were lucky, the church tower too. Around 6pm, before dinner and/or mass. I hope he is still there, as I'm looking forward to my third volunteering time in June this year, at magic Roncesvalles! If you're there when I am, you are invited to join the 'stretch and relax' Yoga for Pilgrims I offer every day.Staying in Roncesvalles in 2017, there was a local guide who gave a tour of the monastery and the vaults and it was fascinating, I don't know if such a tour is still available but well worth checking out when you arrive.
My sister and I started 9/12/19 and were told don’t book any accommodations, just go with the flow and enjoy. Well, 8 nights later we had to very sadly end our Camino as there were no available.We were extremely creative during those 8 days. However, we deemed it unsafe to just sleep in the plazas. So, after all that planning and preparation, we ended our Camino.Hi everyone
I have a couple of questions re the Albergue in Roncesvalles ,have searched the forum and threads go back to 2017 so wondering about the present state of play;
1. From what I can see you don't have to book a bed but would it be advisable to do so for the coming May.
2.When booking is there a website you use and what is it ,if its just by email what is the address.
3.Just out of interest is it still run by a religious order or is it state or community run.
4.How many beds are likely to be available that time of year and what changes has covid made to the operation of the hostel.
5.Is there any limit on the arrival time at the hostel.
Apologies if I am slow responding to your replies as I can only dip in and out to the forum at the moment
HelloDon Valentin, one of the priests in residence, used to do a tour of the church and if you were lucky, the church tower too. Around 6pm, before dinner and/or mass. I hope he is still there, as I'm looking forward to my third volunteering time in June this year, at magic Roncesvalles! If you're there when I am, you are invited to join the 'stretch and relax' Yoga for Pilgrims I offer every day.
I believe the 7pm dinner is better for the 8pm mass (unless the schedule changed). Don't know about the tour - but someone above said it is at 6pm - so again the 7pm dinner would work better.Hello
I will be coming to the monastery on 17/4/22. I would love to do the tour then the mass. Is the priest there to do the tour this year? Also is it best to take dinner at 7pm or 8.30pm if you are doing the tour and mass? Many thanks in advance. Valerie
Hello
I will be coming to the monastery on 17/4/22. I would love to do the tour then the mass. Is the priest there to do the tour this year? Also is it best to take dinner at 7pm or 8.30pm if you are doing the tour and mass? Many thanks in advance. Valerie
Do you know what time the mass will be on 2nd May 2022? It's a Monday so I thought it might also be the May public holiday in Spain.Don Valentin certainly is still there, you will see him during the Mass.
But you will be arriving on a Sunday. On Sundays the Mass is at 6 pm, and there will be no tour unfortunately. The dinner at 7 pm is OK for you, as the Pilgrim's Mass takes shorter than an hour.
On weekdays it is always at 8 pm. I do not suppose it will be different that day, but on arrival ask the hospitaleros in the albergue.Do you know what time the mass will be on 2nd May 2022? It's a Monday so I thought it might also be the May public holiday in Spain.
On Saturday and Sunday the pelgrims mass is at 6pm, Monday till Friday at 8 pm.What time is mass on Saturdays (6pm or 8pm)? I will be there on May 27.
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