ALBERGUE ( al ber gay) LIFE

One of the big things that made this Pilgrimage possible was the albergues all along the CAMINO. Albergue can be defined as a lodging or a shelter.  The albergues might be operated by a local government or a local parish or they might be a Private (entrepreneur/ family run) albergue.  In order to secure a bed (not a room) at an albergue, you must have a CREDENCIAL, an official document stating that you are on this journey as a PILGRIM.  I  received my Credencial del Peregrino from an organization called American Pilgrims on the Camino others got their credencial at the Pilgrim/tourist office at our starting point in St Jean Pied de Port. Each day when I stopped walking and wanted to obtain a bed at an albergue, I had to present my credencial which was then duly stamped with a Sello. The sellos are  prized collectables of pilgrims...and are a necessary seal to present to the Pilgrim Office in Santiago.

one large bunk room no cooking or dinner 

grandma's house did your laundry for a fee.

Albergue Facilities:

  Bunk beds  -  in one large room or several smaller rooms . There could be as many as 50 people sleeping in a room or as few as 8.  I always chose (insisted on/requested) a lower bunk.  Overall the bunk beds were in relatively good shape and not of the springy canoe shape of my childhood.  I quickly became adept at picking the bunk I could sit up in without hitting my head! 
In most places you used your own sheet and blanket.  Sometimes you were given a disposable sheet or there was a real sheet. Sometimes there were blankets available.

I usually made up my bed and then I put up my Bungee cord at the end of the bed.  There I could hang up my clothes to air out or my my just washed undies to dry or my towel to dry.

bungee cord drying line

this room had a balcony on the atrium

8 bunks were wedged into this small room

poles and sticks hanging at the door

Boots were required to be removed before entering the bunk room.  There were usually racks provided for boots and there were stands to place hiking poles and sticks. LIGHTS OUT 10 pm.  Doors usually locked at 10:30 pm. 

Toilets and showers -  Some were very modern and others were less so but they were always clean.  Sometimes there was one toilet and shower for 20 and other times there were three for 20.  Some albergues had a coin op  washer / dryer that could give you both for  5 or 6 Euros.  In others, outdoor sinks were provided for pilgrims to wash their clothes by hand.  Most provided outdoor drying racks for laundry.  

Meals at the albergue - Some had no facility for meals or a place for the preparation of a single or shared meal.  Others prided themselves on the kind of Pilgrim menu they could provide you... the 3 or sometimes 4 course meal to restore your energy for the next day of walking.  Or there were many restaurant choices available in the local community.  Most Albergues had some facility for breakfast. this meal was usually a coffee ( I chose Americano instead of con Leche since I prefer black coffee.  It was accompanied by baguette toast and butter or jam and sometimes a juice.

The albergues generally opened for guests between one and two in the afternoon.  Mandatory departure was 8AM the next morning.  Maximum stay one night.  NO EXCEPTIONS!

Cost per night: community or parish albergue 5 euros or a donativo (donation)
Private albergue 10 to 13 euros
Breakfast 2.50 - 3.50 euros
Pilgrim menu at the albergue usually 10 euros.
Restaurants also served a 10 or 12 Euro dinner too.

albergue breakfast room

albergue dining room

happy pilgrims at the end of a delicious meal!