What to eat between St Jean and Roncesvalles

[Damian McGrath]

i am about to start my first Camino and I am very unsure about what to do for food on my first day. What do most people take with them from St Jean for that 25km hike to Roncesvalles?

Thanks to everyone for the wealth of knowledge and experience shared on this forum. Over the last six months, I have learnt more than I could imagine from your reflections.

 

[Deleted member 3000]

You can eat at Orisson or Valcarlos.

 

[mspath]

As Falcon noted both Orisson and Valcarlos have bar/restaurants. However after those stops there is no food until Roncesvalles. Be sure to carry enough water for your hike. As for hiking snacks firm cheese, some fruit and chocolate are good choices. At the monastery of Roncesvalles there are a few bars/restos. In the albergue vending machines sell snacks. However there is no food store as such in the complex.

Buen camino!

 

[Peter Fransiscus]

i am about to start my first Camino and I am very unsure about what to do for food on my first day. What do most people take with them from St Jean for that 25km hike to Roncesvalles?

Thanks to everyone for the wealth of knowledge and experience shared on this forum. Over the last six months, I have learnt more than I could imagine from your reflections.

Hi ,as Falcon stated and be sure that you have enough water with you .
Wish you a Buen Camino , Peter .

 

[Icacos]

In 2013 there was a man who set a little shop on the Prynees. About 5ish km from Orrisson. (I think)
He sold boiled eggs, fruit..and .CHOCOLATE!!! It was like an oasis.

I took a ham and egg sandwich each day. (St Jean to Orrisson- then Orrison to Roncesvalles)
But I didn't really have an appetite when I was walking. So ate these each night after I showered.

Orrisson had refreshing fresh orange juice. Yum!

I also took some boiled lollies.

Like those above have suggested. ....take plenty of water.

I know what a lollipop is, but what's a boiled lolly?

 

[3walkingtoSantiago]

I think a boiled lolly is just a lollipop. That kind of candy is sometimes called a boiled sweet...

 

[Icacos]

I think a boiled lolly is just a lollipop. That kind of candy is sometimes called a boiled sweet...

You're right, thank you. (I did Google it for confirmation tho'.)

 

[whariwharangi]

i am about to start my first Camino and I am very unsure about what to do for food on my first day. What do most people take with them from St Jean for that 25km hike to Roncesvalles?

Thanks to everyone for the wealth of knowledge and experience shared on this forum. Over the last six months, I have learnt more than I could imagine from your reflections.

Hiking food. Bring chocolate, nuts, raisins, and hard cheese. There is a sandwich shop at the cathedral in SJPdP ... buy a sandwich. I find soft candy such as jujubes indispensable on a wet cold day as a ready source of sugar energy.

Bring something to sit on. Everything is covered in sheep dip.

There is a well stocked store at Burguete for resupply.

 

[Mark Lee]

As advised already, just bring some stuff with you to eat for lunch and snack on. Also, there are no shops in Roncesvalles to buy snacks, etc. Until dinner time, you are on your own.

 

[Robo]

GORP. good old raisins and peanuts. ...

I always have a small bag in my pack belt pocket. Good energy snack for walking.

 

[scruffy1]

Do be careful since on a nice sunny day chocolate quickly turns to butter and bananas always become pudding so very quickly. Raisins, nuts, other dried fruit, even pepitas will work. The raisins will give you a jumpstart until the others kick in later.

 

[waveprof]

Idiazabel and Txakoli. Maybe some aged jamon.

 

[Cailin O Eire]

Hi I did this trip last Sunday. I had breakfast in St Jean Pied de Port, lunch at Orrison (although it was maybe 10am or 11am) I had packed two bananas and some cereal bars to have after this, ended up stopping at the camper Van selling snacks towards the top and had my bananas and cereal bars there where you could get coffee, tea etc
Rita

 

[Icacos]

Hiya

☺Sorry....in NZ we call hard candy like worthers orgininals ...boiled lollies.
Other examples are: barley sugars, acid drops, and blackballs.

Kinda like a lollypop broken up into little pieces.

☺

Mmmmm, Werther's Originals .......now, that is some good stuff!!!

 

[Damian McGrath]

Thanks everyone for the responses.
I wasn't sure if I could eat something at Orisson - do they also sell a bocadillo or somesuch to take on the way?
I will have some trail mix and energy bars - but there's 17kms between Orisson and Roncesvalles - that's a lot of ground.
Again, thanks for taking time to respond.

 

[Icacos]

Thanks everyone for the responses.
I wasn't sure if I could eat something at Orisson - do they also sell a bocadillo or somesuch to take on the way?
I will have some trail mix and energy bars - but there's 17kms between Orisson and Roncesvalles - that's a lot of ground.
Again, thanks for taking time to respond.

Buen Camino

 

[Mike Savage]

Buen camino Damian!

 

[Barbs]

Hi We will be setting off from St Jean on Sunday 14th and am told that nothing is open on Sundays. Can anyone tell me if Orrisson would be open for hot chocolate and coffee in the morning?
Tam

 

[Cailin O Eire]

Hi We will be setting off from St Jean on Sunday 14th and am told that nothing is open on Sundays. Can anyone tell me if Orrisson would be open for hot chocolate and coffee in the morning?
Tam

Orrison was open last Sunday for tortilla coffee tea and other bites. Also at the top if the climb there was a food wagon selling bananas snacks tea coffee, not sure are you guaranteed he will be there every day. But Orrison will be open on a Sunday. I picked up some cereal bars and some bananas in Saint Jean from the supermarket in Saturday evening and put them on top of my pack they were good when I needed a snack after Orrison.
Rita

 

[Kristine Flood]

I always carry nuts with me, along with a piece or two of fruit and ample water I fine that I am fine until I reach my destination. The meal in Roncesvalles satisfied my appetite.

 

[Rellrog]

I always carry a package of dark chocolates with me. Also, I purchased a bocadillo at St. Jean, ate half of it there and carried the other half to Roncesvalles. That was all that was needed. What to bring in terms of food and drink is purely personal. Let your past experience be your guide.

 

[Gerard Hazelebach]

i am about to start my first Camino and I am very unsure about what to do for food on my first day. What do most people take with them from St Jean for that 25km hike to Roncesvalles?

Thanks to everyone for the wealth of knowledge and experience shared on this forum. Over the last six months, I have learnt more than I could imagine from your reflections.

We did it last year in September. We found a butcher in SJPDP who sold VERY good dry saucisses. We took 4 with us. They lasted about two days. You can't get the same in Spain!! I remembered a guy somewhere high up in the Pyrenees with a van and nice warm stuff you could buy between SJPDP and Roncevalles. There a few watertaps on the route, but take enough water (or anything else you'd like to drink).

BUEN CAMINO and don't forget : HAVE FUN!!

And we also had our "Emergency Ration" with us : A big bag (500grmms) of Nuts.

 

[Damian McGrath]

Again, thank you to everyone for the advice. My mind is much more at peace.

I hop on a plane this afternoon in Australia and in several days time (!!!) I begin my camino.

I am looking forward to it immensely (it should have happened in 2003).

 

[HalfDomeOrBust]

Again, thank you to everyone for the advice. My mind is much more at peace.

I hop on a plane this afternoon in Australia and in several days time (!!!) I begin my camino.

I am looking forward to it immensely (it should have happened in 2003).

Buen Camino Damian and enjoy your time in Spain!!!

 

[Angelo]

Buen Camino!