France: Accommodations Listings
Included in this section:
46. Paris: A Grand Boulevard and a Petite Lane
47. Alsace and Colmar: Vintage France
48. From France to Italy over Mont Blanc (Chamonix)
46. Paris: A Grand Boulevard and a Petite Lane
Sleeping in Paris' Rue Cler
(7th arrondissement, Mo: Ecole Militaire, La Tour-Maubourg, or Invalides)
(€1 = about $1.40, country code: 33)
The French have a simple hotel-rating system based on amenities (zero through four stars). Generally, the number of stars does not reflect room size or guarantee quality. Some two-star hotels are better than many three-star hotels. I like the one- or two-star hotels and the occasional three-star hotel. More than two stars generally gets you expensive and unnecessary amenities, but some three-star (and even a few four-star) hotels offer good value, justifying the extra cost. Unclassified hotels (no stars) can be bargains or depressing dumps.
Reserve ahead for Paris — the sooner, the better. Conventions clog Paris in September (worst), October, May, and June (very tough). There's unusually large crowds during holiday periods, so book your accommodations well in advance. In August, when Paris is quiet, some hotels offer lower rates to fill their rooms (if you're planning to visit Paris in the summer, the extra expense of an air-conditioned room can be money well spent).
Hôtel Relais Bosquet*** is modern, spacious, and a bit upscale, with snazzy electric darkness blinds. The staff are politely formal, and offer free breakfast to anyone booking direct with current edition of Rick Steves' France book in 2008 (standard Db-€170, bigger Db-€190, check website for special discounts, extra bed-€25, Internet access and Wi-Fi, parking-€20, 19 rue du Champ de Mars, tel. 01 47 05 25 45, fax 01 45 55 08 24, www.relaisbosquet.com, hotel@relaisbosquet.com).
Hôtel de la Motte Picquet***, at the end of rue Cler, is elaborately decorated with a feminine flair. Most of its 18 tiny, adorable, and spendy rooms face a busy street and don't have air-conditioning; rooms with twins are on the quieter side (Sb-€130–140, standard Db-€160, bigger Db with air-con-€190, 30 avenue de la Motte-Picquet, tel. 01 47 05 09 57, fax 01 47 05 74 36, www.hotelmottepicquetparis.com, book@hotelmottepicquetparis.com).
Hôtel Beaugency***, a particularly good value on a quieter street a short block off rue Cler, has 30 small but good rooms, a helpful staff, and a lobby you can stretch out in (Sb-€110, Db-€130–140, Tb-€168, these special rates promised in 2008 with current edition of Rick Steves' France book — mention when you reserve, air-con, Internet access, 21 rue Duvivier, tel. 01 47 05 01 63, fax 01 45 51 04 96, www.hotel-beaugency.com, infos@hotel-beaugency.com, Christelle).
Warning: The next two hotels are super values, but very busy with my readers (reserve long in advance).
Grand Hôtel Lévêque** is ideally located, with a singing maid and a slim, slow-dance elevator. This well-designed hotel has all the comforts, including air-conditioning (S-€60, Db-€90–115 depending on views and beds, Tb-€130 for two adults and one child only, first breakfast free with current edition of Rick Steves' France book in 2008, additional breakfasts aren't worth the €8 price, Internet access and Wi-Fi, 29 rue Cler, tel. 01 47 05 49 15, fax 01 45 50 49 36, www.hotel-leveque.com, info@hotel-leveque.com, helpful Christophe).
Best Budget Option on Rue Cler
Hôtel du Champ de Mars**, with adorable pastel rooms and serious owners Françoise and Stephane, is a cozy rue Cler option. This plush little hotel has a Provence-style, small-town feel from top to bottom. Rooms are little but comfortable, and an excellent value. Single rooms can work as tiny doubles (Sb-€78, Db-€86–90, Tb-€107, laptop available for guests, Wi-Fi, 30 yards off rue Cler at 7 rue du Champ de Mars, tel. 01 45 51 52 30, fax 01 45 51 64 36, www.hotelduchampdemars.com, reservation@hotelduchampdemars.com). This popular hotel receives an overwhelming amount of reservations, so please be patient.
47. Alsace and Colmar: Vintage France
Sleeping in Colmar
(€1 = about $1.40, country code: 33)
Hotels are busy on weekends in May, June, September, and October, and every day in July and August. But there are always rooms — somewhere. Should you have trouble finding a bed, ask the TI for help, or look in a nearby village, where small hotels and bed-and-breakfasts are plentiful.
Hôtel le Rapp***, ideally located off place Rapp, offers a variety of rooms for many budgets. The cheapest rooms are small but adequate; the larger rooms are tastefully designed, with queen-size beds. There's also a small basement pool, sauna, Turkish bath,and an indoor/outdoor bar-café. It's well-run and family-friendly, with a big park one block away and lazy Pastaga, the hotel hound (Sb-€75, standard Db-€87, bigger Db-€100, junior suite for 2–4 people-€135, good buffet breakfast-€9.50, air-con, elevator, free Internet access and Wi-Fi, 1 rue Berthe Molly, tel. 03 89 41 62 10, fax 03 89 24 13 58, www.hotel-rapp-colmar.com, rapp-hot@calixo.net). Its restaurant serves a classy Alsatian menu with impeccable service (closed Thu–Fri).
Hôtel Turenne** is a good though less-central value, with 83 rooms. The hotel capitalizes on its charming historic facade, though most rooms are in a modern wing. It's a 10-minute walk from the city center, a 15-minute walk from the train station, and is located on a busy street with easy parking underneath. Rooms vary in size and some have tight bathrooms. Half the rooms are non-smoking (Sb-€47–68, Db-€60–68, Tb-€68, family-friendly studios-€110, parking-€7, air-con, elevator for most rooms, cozy bar and breakfast room, Internet access and free Wi-Fi, 10 rue de Bâle; from train station walk straight out to avenue Raymond Poincaré, then turn left on rue des Americains; tel. 03 89 21 58 58, fax 03 89 41 27 64, www.turenne.com).
Best Budget Option in Colmar
Maison Jund holds my favorite budget beds in Colmar. This ramshackle yet magnificent half-timbered house, the home of a likeable winemaker and his wife (André and Myriam), feels like a medieval tree house soaked in wine and filled with flowers. The rooms are simple but adequately comfortable, spacious, and equipped with kitchenettes. Most rooms are available only April to mid-September, though four rooms are rented year-round (D-€30, Db/Tb-€42–50, huge family apartment with steep staircase sleeps up to six — Db-€90, then €5 per person, no breakfast, free Internet access, 12 rue de l'Ange, tel. 03 89 41 58 72, fax 03 89 23 15 83, www.martinjund.com, martinjund@hotmail.com). Leave your car at the lot across from Hôtel Primo. Train travelers can take bus #1, #2, or #3 from the station to the TI, walk from Unterlinden Museum past Monoprix, and veer left on rue des Clefs, left on rue Etroite, and right on rue de l'Ange. This is not a hotel, so there is no real reception — though good-natured Myriam seems to be around, somewhere, most of the time (call if you plan to arrive after 22:00).
48. From France to Italy over Mont Blanc
Sleeping in Chamonix, France
(€1 = about $1.40, country code: 33)
Reasonable hotels and dorm-like chalets abound in Chamonix with easy parking and quick access from the train station. With the helpful TI, you can find budget accommodations anytime. Outside winter, mid-July to mid-August is most difficult, when some hotels have five-day minimum-stay requirements. Prices tumble off-season (outside July–Aug and Dec–Jan). Many hotels and restaurants are closed in April, June, and November, but you'll still find a room and a meal. If you want a view of Mont Blanc, ask for côté Mont Blanc (coat-ay mohn blah). Summertime travelers should seriously consider a night high above in a refuge-hotel.
Hôtel Gourmets et Italy*** is run by quiet Erique and effervescent Christine, and is a sharp, 40-room place with cozy public spaces, a cool riverfront terrace, balcony views from many of its appealing rooms, and a small pool (standard Db with shower-€75–95, larger Db with bath and Mont Blanc view-€90–120, extra person-€16, closed late April–early June, 2 blocks from casino on Mont Blanc side of river, 96 rue du Lyret, tel. 04 50 53 01 38, fax 04 50 53 46 74, www.hotelgourmets-chamonix.com, hgicham@aol.com).
Hôtel de l'Arve** has a contemporary alpine feel, with 37 comfortable rooms, some right on the Arve River looking up at Mont Blanc. Owners Isabelle and Beatrice, wood accents, fireplace lounge, pool room, pleasant garden, sauna, climbing wall, and easy parking add to the appeal. When available, the half-pension option is a good value at €20 extra per person for a buffet breakfast and simple four-course dinner; let them know ahead if you want it (standard Db-€58–85, larger or view Db-€66–99, big view room-€76–118, extra person-€13, free parking, behind huge Hôtel Alpina, 60 impasse des Anémones, tel. 04 50 53 02 31, fax 04 50 53 56 92, www.hotelarve-chamonix.com, contact@hotelarve-chamonix.com).
Best Budget Option in Chamonix
Hôtel le Chamonix**, centrally located across from the TI and above a café, offers red carpets and wood paneling with 16 good-value rooms, but no elevator. The rooms facing Mont Blanc have great views are larger and brighter, and have little balconies...but also attracts noise from le café below, which closes at 20:00 (standard Db-€52–76, standard Db with Mont Blanc view-€58–86, Tb-€72–96, Qb-€86–110, no elevator, 11 rue de l'Hôtel de Ville, tel. 04 50 53 11 07, fax 04 50 53 64 78, www.hotel-le-chamonix.com, hotel-le-chamonix@wanadoo.fr).
Updated for 2008. For lots more information, check out our best-selling Rick Steves' France and Rick Steves' Paris guidebooks.