Gîte Beilari

If you are looking for the best place to start the camino, you should definitely book at Gîte Beilari. The owners are incredibly helpful and supportive. They create a family atmosphere at the dinner table, and help you with practical advise and mental support to get through your first stage of the camino ;)

This is a well run and organised gite with cheerful volunteers helping out. Joseph was away when I stayed unfortunately. I understand why the rules are in place and they aren't that onerous anyway. Due to an issue out of my control, the host arranged for me to move to a room on my own so as not to disturb others as I had to leave early, sadly missing breakfast. The dorm rooms and bathrooms are very clean. There is no kitchen to use and the deal is only for demi-pension. Despite these positives, I found the gite was aimed at people starting on the Camino Frances rather than those finishing their camino or on the GR10. There was a focus on games before dinner and discussing the meaning of camino, which would be a great introduction to a camino. I was exhausted though after walking for 5 weeks and the games and preachy discussion (no, you can't comment like that, I told you to comment in this way) didn't fit with how I felt finishing. There were actually only a couple of people starting on the CF, 2 of us were finished, 2 were on the GR10 and others had arrived from the Via Podiensis. I'd walked 28km that day and hadn't had lunch and while dinner was at 7:30pm, with the games and long discussion, we didn't start eating until nearly 8:30pm. Dinner was finished around 9pm, leaving 1 hour before the doors were locked and then lights turned out and silence. If you're starting your Camino Frances in SJPdP, then it'd be the perfect place to stay. I wish I'd jumped on a train to Bayonne instead.

Wow! What an experience! A staple piece of hospitality on the Camino francés and the best start you can imagine! The communal dinner, the hospitalier and the surroundings make it very special. If you have the chance of starting here, I highly recommend!