Accommodation in France

Travelers should definitely consider short term villa/apartment/studio rentals as an alternative to other accommodations options. Short term can be as few as several days up to months at a stretch. Summer rentals are usually from Saturday to Saturday only (July & August). This type accommodation belongs to a private party, and can range from basic to luxurious. A particular advantage, aside from competitive prices, is that the accommodations come with fully fitted kitchens.

Hundreds of agencies offer accommodation for short term rentals on behalf of the owner, and can guide you into finding the best property, at the best price in the most suitable location for you. An internet search for the location and type of property you’re looking for will usually return the names of several listing sites, each of which may have hundreds or thousands of properties for you to choose from. There are plenty of sites in both English and French, and the rental properties may be owned by people of any nationality.

France is a diverse and colourful country, and you’ll find everything from stunning log chalets in the Alps, Chateaux in the countryside and beach front villas on the Riviera…plus everything in between!
Hotels come in 4 categories from 1 to 4 stars. This is the official rating given by the Ministry of Tourism, and it is posted at the entrance on a blue shield. Rates vary according to accommodation, location and sometimes high or low season or special events.

As of 2004, the rate for a *** hotel listed in a reliable guidebook falls between 70 euros (cheap) and 110 euros (expensive) for a double without breakfast.

All hotels, by law, must have their rates posted outside (or visible from outside). Bargaining is not the norm but you can always ask for a discount.

Hotels located in city centers or near train stations are often very small (15 to 30 rooms) which means that you should book ahead. The newer hotels, business oriented, are found in the outskirts of cities and are sometimes larger structures (100 rooms or more); they may not be easy to reach with public transportation. Along the highways, at the entrance of cities, you find US-like motels ; they are very often reachable only by car. When visiting Paris, it is essential to stay in the city. The Latin Quarter is a good location if you plan on visiting a variety of attractions. Some motels have minimal service, if you come in late you find an ATM-like machine, using credit cards, which will deliver a code in order to reach your assigned room. The newer hotels are often part of national or international chains and have high standards. Many older hotels are now part of chains and provide standardized service but they retain their own atmosphere.

 

Throughout France, mainly in rural areas but also in towns and cities, you can find B & B’s and gîtes. B&B’s are known in French as “Chambres d’hôtes”, and are generally available on a nightly basis, possibly with breakfast but not always; gites or gites ruraux are holiday cottages, and generally rented out as a complete accommodation unit including a kitchen, mostly on a weekly basis. There are very few near or in the cities. Finding them requires buying a guide or, for greater choice, using the internet, as you will not find a lot of signposts on the road.

Traditionally, gites provided basic good value accommodation, typically adjacent to the owners household or in a nearby outbuilding. More recently the term has been extended, and can now be used to describe most country-based self-catering accommodation in France. Hence it includes accommodation as varied as small cottages and luxury villas with private swimming pools.

During peak summer months most self-catering gites require booking several months in advance.

There are thousands of B&Bs and gites in France rented out by foreign owners, particularly British and Dutch, and these tend to be listed, sometimes exclusively, with English-language or international organisations and websites that can be found by keying the words “gites” or “gites de france” into any of the major search engines.

There is a large number of organisations and websites offering “gites”. Literally the French word gite just means a place to spend the night; however it now largely used to describe rental cottages or self-catering holiday homes, usually in rural parts of France.

A France-wide cooperative organisation, Gites de France (Note the capital letters), regroups on a voluntarily basis more than 50,000 rural accommodations and was the first in France to offer a consistent rating system with comprehensive descriptions.

Despite the name, Gites de France offers B&B as well as holiday rental (gite) accommodation.The average B&B price for two including breakfast is €45-50. It is possible to rent just for a weekend, and in a group of 4 or more this becomes very cheap, especially outside the summer months. There are many gites to rent for under €150 for the whole weekend, that will sleep 5 or more people comfortably.

The “Gites de France” rating system uses wheat stalks called Epis (equivalent to stars), based on amenities rather than quality - though generally the two go together.

Through its extensive (confusing ?) English and French language websites, bookings can be done directly with owners or through the Gîtes de France booking agency (no extra fee for the traveler). Prices are usually competitive since they are initially geared to the local market. 25% non refundable payment is standard policy, and yes they want you to sign a contract. Some French language skills might be necessary. In case of dispute with the owner the organisation will mediate since its rating system is at stake.
Camping is very common in France. Most campsite are a little way out of the city centre and virtually all cater not just for tents but for Camper Vans/Caravans also. While all campsites have the basic facilities of Shower/toilet blocks, larger sites tend to offer a range of additional facilities such as bars and restaurants, self-service laundries, swimming pools or bicycle hire. All campsites except for very small “farm camping” establishments must be registered with the authorities, and are officially graded using a system of stars.

In coastal areas, three-star and four-star campgrounds must generally be booked in advance during the months of July and August, and many people book from one year to the next. In rural areas, outside of popular tourist spots, it is usually possible to show up unannounced, and find a place; this is particularly true with the municipal campsites that can be found in most small towns; though even then it may be advisable to ring up or email in advance to make sure. There are always exceptions.

In France it’s forbidden to camp:

in woods, natural, regional and national parks
on public roads and streets
on the seaside
less than 200 meters from watering place used for human consumption
on natural protected sites
less than 500 meters from a protected monument
everywhere where it’s forbidden by local laws
on private properties without the owner’s consent.