The descent into Roncesvalles is steep, but beautiful.

     When we arrive at Roncesvalles, we have our first experience with an "Albergue", as the hostels are called along the Camino. The 120 bed Albergue "Itzandegia" in Roncesvalles is staffed by volunteers from Holland from the end of March to November, and is run by monks in the winter.  Most hostels are run by volunteers who have hiked the Camino. I found these Dutch volunteers to be warm, friendly, and helpful. To gain admittance to this, or any official Albergue,  you must show the Credencial you were given at the Camino office in St. Jean Pied De Port.  A volunteer will stamp it with the seal of their albergue.   When a pilgrim arrives in Santiago de Compostela (500 miles later) they present their Credencial at the Perigrinos Office for review. Only then will they issue a "Compostelanas" a certificate verifying that they have completed the pilgrimage. The stamp for Roncesvalles is the blue oval, bottom left.

    You get what you pay for! The fee for your stay here is only 6 Euros. Some find the Albergue at Roncesvalles to be overwhelming, but most begin to develop relationships with the rest of the Community on this amazing shared experience.   With 120 beds it's best to have earplugs. After an 8 hour hike, I had no trouble falling asleep.