Le Gîte du Velay

We left with wonderful memories of our stay, thanks to Valérie and David's warm welcome and kindness. Their gîte sits in a peaceful little hamlet, and our spacious, spotless room was just what we needed to rest after hiking. The meal was delicious, and their advice and trail information were invaluable for the rest of our journey.

The room was nice, but the bathroom and toilet were outside it, which was a shame. Meals and breakfast were both pretty minimal. We were even told we'd had too much coffee. For our packed lunch, we got a butter and cheese sandwich with not even a small piece of ham, for the same price as guesthouses where the sandwiches were much more generously filled.

The rooms were spacious and clean, with a beautiful setting, good water pressure, and a hot shower. But it was bitterly cold inside, and the owner flatly refused to turn on the heat, even though it was 4 degrees outside and 10 degrees indoors. All the pilgrims kept their coats on, and the bathroom was cold too. Dinner was grated carrot salad, a chicken thigh, mashed potatoes, and apple pie. They agreed to make coffee. At breakfast there was sliced bread, jam, butter, oats, and cereal, but we had to ask for a baguette since it was in the freezer. We also had to ask for more coffee, and they asked how many cups we planned to have. Ugh. My first night in a hostel on the Camino de Santiago was discouraging, and I have to admit this wasn't the best choice. I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS HOSPITAL unless it's below 20 degrees Celsius.

The evening meal was excellent, and the setting was calm and relaxing. The neighbors talked a bit loudly at times, though that was beyond the guesthouse's control. A shame the staff were rigid and unfriendly. Breakfast was just a small amount of coffee and two slices of bread.