Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Directory A-Z
Accommodation
From fairy-tale châteaux to cosy
chambres d'hôte
(B&Bs), Provence's accommodation op-
tions tend towards rural and intimate. On the coast, midsize hotels appear, and Monaco is
mostly towers. Many lodgings close in winter. All share one detail: tile floors. Pack slip-
pers.
Air-conditioning
Air-conditioning (
la climatisation
, or just
la clime
- pronounced 'cleem') is rare. Don't ex-
pect high-power systems, but room air-conditioners of varying force, usually with complic-
ated remote controls - learn their buttons at check-in, not bedtime.
Categories
Hotels in France, by definition, have more than five rooms and are rated by the government
with one to five stars, based on amenities. Two stars can be quite comfortable, but usually
lack space or extras. Three stars are reliably comfortable, often a town's best lodging. The
difference between four and five stars is typically degree of service; top-end hotels are
common along the coast, less so in rural Provence. Elevators are rare. So are king-size beds
(except at luxury hotels).
Chambres d'hôte
(sometimes called
maisons d'hôte
) are, strictly speaking, B&Bs with
five or fewer rooms on an individual owner's property. They include breakfast, and vary
from bare-bones bedrooms to swanky cottages. All have personality, for better or worse.
Some include dinner (
table d'hôtes
) for a fee, a bonus in rural areas with few restaurants;
ask when you book. Don't assume B&B necessarily implies old ladies and doilies - they're
some of the best accommodation options.
Half-board (aka modified American plan; in French,
demi-pension
) includes breakfast
and dinner, and is charged per person, usually at a discount from buying each service separ-
ately.
Auberge
means inn.
Gîtes
are weekly house rentals, but
gîtes d'étape
are basic moun-
tain lodges for hikers, often with dorms.
Gîtes de refuge
are mountain huts.
