Breakfast Advice Please | Cake Stop | Road | Forums - BikeRadar

chateaubev · **Posted** Wed Nov 4, 2009 10:02 pm

Hello
I'm new on here I'm sorry but I don't ride but transfering our business from a small bed and breakfast to a small hotel in the Pyrenees.
We shall be open for Spring next year and need some advice on Breakfasts and anything else you think I need to know about what food to serve.
We have been having mainly walkers to our b&b and not many cyclists so any advice would be great.
Do you need a lot of space for clothes? on trips away do youbring a lot of luggage? I know you need a secure room for your bikes would you need anything else as far as the bikes are concerned.

Many thanks Fay

john-e-big-guns · **Posted** Wed Nov 4, 2009 10:06 pm

A Goblin tea's-maid would be handy Wink

No Pain; No Gain;

http://www.flickr.com/photos/john-e-big-guns/

johnfinch · **Posted** Wed Nov 4, 2009 10:09 pm

Porridge. Fruit. Wholemeal bread for toast.

chriskempton · **Posted** Wed Nov 4, 2009 10:13 pm

softlad · **Posted** Wed Nov 4, 2009 10:14 pm

full english.....

1footedninja · **Posted** Wed Nov 4, 2009 10:14 pm

a really, really, really, really, comfy bed.

access to make a flask of hot drink up to take with me when I plod off again. and nice scran.

a very welcoming low room price.

laughter.

'since the flaming telly's been taken away, we don't even know if the Queen of Englands gone off with the dustman'.
Lizzie Birdsworth, Episode 64, Prisoner Cell Block H.

markwalker · **Posted** Wed Nov 4, 2009 10:19 pm

speak to these guys http://www.kingofthemountains.co.uk/Info.asp theyve got the whole cycling thing sorted, lots of food lots of repeat custom. great place and English

Rouler. Not Climber

Geoff_SS · **Posted** Wed Nov 4, 2009 10:20 pm

If you're catering for cycle tourists then somewhere to dry wet gear is always welcome as is under cover bike storage.

I like French breakfasts - especially if they include croissants and (best of all) pain au chocolat Smile

My wife is a great porridge fan and I think lots of cyclist (and walkers) like it at the start of an energetic day.

I'm assuming your hotel is on the way up the Col d'Aspin from St Marie de Campan? If that's the Payolle you mean then you're in a very beautiful area. We were there last year. Make sure you advertise the location when the Tour is due to pass by. I'm sure you'll be full.

Good luck

Geoff

Old cyclists never die; they just fit smaller chainrings ... and pedal faster

Escargot · **Posted** Wed Nov 4, 2009 10:33 pm

Bonjour Fay

Normalement je mange porridge pour le petit dejeuner. Je le prends avec une tasse de the.

Je ne suis pas sur si les francais mange porridge mais je sais qu'ils n'aiment pas le the. Tous vos clients seront anglais ?

Je pense que porridge est le petit dejeuner de choix pour les anglais. Peut etre avec miel ou confiture. Je le prends avec un peu de sucre.

Quelquefois j'aime les ouefs mais souvent je ne pas le temps de les faire.

A+

Harry182 · **Posted** Wed Nov 4, 2009 10:41 pm

My ideal pre-ride breakfast options include -

eggs - scrambled, poached or boiled
pancakes (not crepes)
soya milk option for cereal, museli, porridge, etc
fruit selection (or at least bananas)
fruit juice (preferably apple)
black coffee (lots of)

FCN 8 - SS'd + slicked mtb

Harry182 · **Posted** Wed Nov 4, 2009 10:47 pm

[quote="Escargot"]Peut etre avec miel ou confiture. Je le prends avec un peu de sucre.[/quote

or maybe with a bit off salt for our Scottish friends.

FCN 8 - SS'd + slicked mtb

greasedscotsman · **Posted** Wed Nov 4, 2009 11:08 pm

Alpen

idreamoftailwinds · **Posted** Thu Nov 5, 2009 8:50 am

deptfordmarmoset · **Posted** Thu Nov 5, 2009 12:43 pm

I think you could also do lunch packs - for cyclists who aren't planning a café lunch. Energy drinks, and fairly compact food such as siègle bread, saucisse, some of that non-pasteurised Pyrenean cheese that's so strong it makes your socks curl off and cower in a corner, that sort of thing.

timb64 · **Posted** Thu Nov 5, 2009 1:29 pm

Banana and peanut butter on wholemeal toast sprinkled with cinnamon and brown sugar-food of the gods!

dmclite · **Posted** Thu Nov 5, 2009 1:39 pm

pneumatic · **Posted** Thu Nov 5, 2009 2:01 pm

Hmmmm

Sorry to be a purist, but when I go to France, I quite like to eat what the locals eat. My heart sort of sinks when I see Corn Flakes on the continent.

Most French people just have a bowl of coffee and a tartine of bread and jam. However, when preparing for a day in the saddle, I suspect that is supplemented with other good local produce.

My son and I stopped in Chamonix a couple of Summers ago at a hotel that did breakfast for the outdoor types.

Essentially it was a vast buffet with a whole range of foods:

A variety of breads (baguettes are quite insubstantial but good pains de campagne can be as good as a bowl of porridge in themselves)
A variety of pastries (croissants, pains au chocolat, pains aux raisins)
A variety of dairy produce (milk, yoghurt, cheeses)
A variety of fruits, fresh, canned, dried and pureed.
A variety of fruit juices
A variety of meats (hams, sausage, pate)

There was also a fabulous egg station, where a chef stood making whatever version you fancied on the spot in front of you (fried, poached, scrambled, omelette) or you just popped your own into the communal egg boiler.

Really good coffee is essential (self service - I hate having to wait for the silly ritual of having it brought to the table) and/or tea for those who prefer.

As regards picnics, the policy just needs to be clear. Either you can or cannot take a doggy bag out of the breakfast room. If you are allowed to, I wouldn't object to paying an extra charge for it.

--------------------------------------------

Fast and Bulbous

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hammerite · **Posted** Thu Nov 5, 2009 2:14 pm

Agree with what most of the others have suggested.

The usual continental breakfast type stuff (and like pneumatic says, clear guidance on whether you can make lunch out of some of the ingredients!), porridge, fruit,, eggs. range of juices, tea and coffee.

I don't think many people on a cycling holiday will be too worried about their diet or carb loading (unless they're out there for an event/race).

Bike storage, drying room, and the usual for storing kit and normal clothes. Maybe investing in a set of tools, workstand etc.... might be a nice touch, or perhaps offering lifts or guiding (at an additional cost) to some areas a little bit further out from your place. Cycling maps of the area.

chateaubev · **Posted** Sat Nov 7, 2009 10:27 am

Thanks Guys

Taken all your advice on board and quite surprised that we do most of it already, Did not think of porridge, and will contact King of the mountains too.
As far as beds yes they do have to be comfy, when we bought our first property we were told that walkers and cyclists will sleep anywhere, however we did not take any notice of what we were told and bought really comfy kingsize and double beds, I would not let my guests sleep in a bed I would not sleep in myself.
As far as a low room price yes to that too we have been looking at prices and we are cheaper than all the other companies in the area with out bringing the standard down. We have decided to have a dormatory style room to make sure we keep a low price for cyclists and walkers.

Geoff yes your right it is a beautiful area we are between St marie de Campan and Col D'Aspin you obviously know your stuff and with the Tour passing our front door, fortunately we are already fully booked for the Etape.

Once again many thanks for all your advice

Fay

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