Vegetarian Food on the Puy Way

[Lucy Longpath]

Does anyone have any recommendations for gites or other places to stay that are especially good for vegetarians? Also does anyone know of any restaurants/cafes along the route? We are planning to book demi pension at most places and say that I am vegetarian when we make the booking, and then say it again when we arrive. Any advice would be much appreciated.

 

[mspath]

For some earlier Forum posts re vegetarian choices on the Le Puy camino see here.

 

[mla1]

Very good vegetarian meal for the communal supper at Gîte d'étape L'Alchimiste in Naverrenx.

While most gites did serve meals centred around meat (lots of lentils and sausages), some offered a good mix of dishes - Gites a la ferme in Sauges was the best of these.

If you are a strict vegetarian you may want to ask whether the legumes or vegetables have been cooked in duck fat.

 

[Lucy Longpath]

Very good vegetarian meal for the communal supper at Gîte d'étape L'Alchimiste in Naverrenx.

While most gites did serve meals centred around meat (lots of lentils and sausages), some offered a good mix of dishes - Gites a la ferme in Sauges was the best of these.

If you are a strict vegetarian you may want to ask whether the legumes or vegetables have been cooked in duck fat.

Thank you Mia, I will make a note of these two Gites.

 

[Lucy Longpath]

Thank you, I will check out this thread.

 

[Lucy Longpath]

Ok, I checked out the older thread from 2014. I have a list of 4 Gites now which is a good start. Anymore suggestions of specific places would be welcomed. We do plan to tell all the Gites I am vegetarian when we phone to book Demi pension, so hopefully can negotiate then. Still good to aim for any places that are more likely to welcome vegetarians though.

 

[Kitsambler]

You might try email (in French). If you keep your sentence structure and vocabulary simple, and avoid figures of speech, then Google Translate et al work well enough for your purposes. You can email about a week in advance (or more - I booked about 2 months in advance when I last walked the Le Puy in Sept 2011). Work up a generic short paragraph and just substitute the town name and date. Leaving things until th elast minute will narrow your options to the point where you often do not get the special diet you seek.

 

[Lucy Longpath]

You might try email (in French). If you keep your sentence structure and vocabulary simple, and avoid figures of speech, then Google Translate et al work well enough for your purposes. You can email about a week in advance (or more - I booked about 2 months in advance when I last walked the Le Puy in Sept 2011). Work up a generic short paragraph and just substitute the town name and date. Leaving things until th elast minute will narrow your options to the point where you often do not get the special diet you seek.

Did you book the whole Chemin two months in advance? We are thinking of booking for the first few days or maybe one week, but prefer to leave some flexibility for taking rest days in case of illness and injuries etc. I would also probably find myself worrying that they will have forgotten I am vegetarian if I book too much in advance and then feeling I need to phone and remind them perhaps. Is it normal to pay when booking or to pay on arrival for the majority of Gites on the Puy way? Or a bit of both?

 

[Kitsambler]

Did you book the whole Chemin two months in advance? ... Is it normal to pay when booking or to pay on arrival for the majority of Gites on the Puy way? Or a bit of both?

I booked the entire three weeks in advance, the second year, so that I would be able to stay in the English-favored places that served my purposes better. I planned a rest day each week, in the reservation planning, and that seemed to be enough. There's always the option of hitching a ride with the bag transport truck if you need to make up a day. At any rate, this system worked for me. And in the gites in France, one generally pays upon departure (or sometimes after the evening meal), in cash.

 

[NavyBlue]

Hi,

I have been served a vegetarian dinner at "Gite Compostella" in Montréal-du-Gers, but I don't know if it is their permanent practice.

Regarding payment, french gites owners often ask a deposit ("arrhes" or "acompte") if you book weeks or months ahead by mail. Done by cheque by the French ; more complicated and expensive from abroad, unless the gite has a full-fledged internet site with payment features.

When booking some days ahead by phone, I have never been asked a deposit. That's why cancelling is crucial if you change your plans.

 

[marbuck]

This has to b

While most gites did serve meals centred around meat (lots of lentils and sausages), some offered a good mix of dishes - Gites a la ferme in Sauges was the best of these.

This has to be one of the best places to stay on the Le Puy Camino. She is a gem. The food and wine is also some of the best on the entire route. The home made yogurt in the morning is to die for.