Laundry on the Francigena

[camster]

Hello! I'm starting research on the VF and, having walked the Camino Francés, I wonder how laundry/hand washing facilities and situations compare on the Francigena.
I know there are more private accommodations, and not that many albergues, so I wonder. Do hosts offer to wash your laundry sometimes? Are there facilities to hand wash, etc? How does it compare to the Francés, or not?
Thank you!

 

[Rex]

Hand wash and hang dry is the most common option. I'm starting the last leg from Lucca to Roma in 2 weeks, having walked from Canterbury to Martigny in 2022 and Martigny to Lucca in 2023. In France, there are very few accommodations that have any laundry facilities, so I wore only quick drying technical t-shirts and shorts. Wash in the sink and hang dry immediately after getting to your room. I also carry a tiny cord (bought at REI) that weighs about three ounces but is 12 feet long and can be strung up as a clothesline in almost any room. Six wooden clothes pins do the trick for securing your clothes to the line and they weigh almost nothing. There were more laundry options in Switzerland and Italy, but I mostly ignored them and did my own wash and dry each day. Since the primary substance on your clothing will be body sweat, you will not need much (if any) soap as most soaps are hard on technical fabrics anyway. Good luck and buen camino.

 

[Vince Rollason]

Hello! I'm starting research on the VF and, having walked the Camino Francés, I wonder how laundry/hand washing facilities and situations compare on the Francigena.
I know there are more private accommodations, and not that many albergues, so I wonder. Do hosts offer to wash your laundry sometimes? Are there facilities to hand wash, etc? How does it compare to the Francés, or not?
Thank you!

Hello Camster

This is not a direct reply to your query but if you are making plans this website may be of assistance to you.

Buen Camino

Vince

Pilgrims to Rome | The Via Francigena

Pilgrims to Rome is a registered charity that aims to encourage and inform those making a pilgrimage to Rome along the Via Francigena.

pilgrimstorome.org.uk

 

[Rex]

Hello Camster

This is not a direct reply to your query but if you are making plans this website may be of assistance to you.

Buen Camino

Vince

Pilgrims to Rome | The Via Francigena

Pilgrims to Rome is a registered charity that aims to encourage and inform those making a pilgrimage to Rome along the Via Francigena.

pilgrimstorome.org.uk

This is a generous group and wonderful resource. And they made my start in Canterbury, then on across France, a smooth walk with all the tips and postings from their group. Money well spent to support them and use their knowledge base.

 

[MichaelC]

I ended up using laundromats a few times between Lucca and Rome. Even when there was a washing area, the drying area would often be a rack near an open window, but not exposed to the sun. I never had a host offer to wash clothes for me.

 

[OZAJ]

I always hand washed my clothes on the VF. Indeed I have always hand washed on any of the Caminos I have walked. I do not wear "technical". I have had no problems. Taking a drying line is a good idea. I generally use the same soap for my clothes as for my body.

 

[PaulG]

Hello Camster

This is not a direct reply to your query but if you are making plans this website may be of assistance to you.

Buen Camino

Vince

Pilgrims to Rome | The Via Francigena

Pilgrims to Rome is a registered charity that aims to encourage and inform those making a pilgrimage to Rome along the Via Francigena.

pilgrimstorome.org.uk

Many small towns have a lavandaria - coin operated laundry.