Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Left
Gîtes
sign
Middle
Camping
Right
A hotel in the Formule 1 chain
Accommodation Tips
High and Low
Season
If you plan on visiting
Normandy in high season,
whether you want to stay
in a grand hotel or on a
campsite, it would be
wise to book well ahead.
Normandy is a popular
destination from spring
to autumn, but from early
July to late August the
resorts in particular are
at their busiest. This is
especially true of Deauville
during its August season,
and weekends throughout
the year are always very
busy there. Some smaller
hotels in rural areas close
from November to March.
On a Budget
Hotels in France can
be surprisingly good value
(see p131)
.
Fermes
auberges
and
chambres
d'hôtes (see below)
are
also sources of inexpen-
sive accommodation. The
best way to save money
is to travel off-season.
Hotel Chains
France pioneered the
“limited service hotel”
offering clean, comfortable
rooms at budget prices -
and not much else. Chains
such as Etap, Formule 1,
Campanile and others
cluster at motorway
junctions and airports,
and on the outskirts of
cities. Although lacking in
character, they can be
ideal for the first and last
nights of your stay.
Bed and Breakfast
Accommodation in
private homes
(chambres
d'hôtes)
, from simple to
stately, is available across
Normandy. Owners who
belong to the Fédération
Nationale des Gîtes
Ruraux de France are
regularly inspected; their
accommodation is graded
on a scale of one to four
using ears of corn as
symbols.
Ferme auberges
- working farms with
simple restaurants and a
few bedrooms - are
indicated on the roadside
by a yellow sunflower.
For details, contact the
relevant local tourist
office
(see p118)
.
Relais et Châteaux
The hotels in the
Relais et Châteaux group
are independently owned,
but they are all expected
to measure up to high
standards of food, service
and accommodation. The
buildings in which they
are located are of historic
importance. There are
several in Normandy.
d
www.relaischateaux.com
How to Book
You can book accom-
modation direct by phone,
fax or, increasingly, by
e-mail and via the web;
www.franceguide.com
provides useful links.
Sometimes a deposit may
be required; in large
hotels and campsites, you
can usually pay by credit
card or by money order.
Self-catering
Accommodation in
gîtes
is plentiful. Often
they are pretty cottages
or farmhouses - most of
them privately owned.
Crockery and kitchen
utensils are supplied, but
you have to bring your
own bed linen and do your
own cleaning
(see p133)
.
Camping
Norman campsites
vary from small, low-key
establishments in unspoilt
countryside to large,
well-equipped sites close
to towns, with pools,
playgrounds, café-bars
and, often, a mini-market
and morning bread
delivery. They become
crowded in July and
August, and most close
their gates by 10pm.
Independent camping is
discouraged, as is
sleeping on beaches.
Families
Normandy is
particularly well geared
to family tourism, both
on the coast and inland.
Many hotels will provide
an extra bed for smaller
children, or a cot for
babies, at a nominal cost.
Gîtes (see p133)
and
camp sites
(see p132)
also offer excellent value
for families travelling on
a budget. Most camp-
sites have facilities and
activities for children.
Apartments
Holiday apartments
can be found in resort
areas, particularly along
the Côte Fleurie between
Deauville and Cabourg.
Few offer the facilities of
a
gîte
, and most are
geared to long stays.
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