Rick Steves' France, Belgium & Netherlands: 2003
Please share any ways we can improve or fix this guidebook. Are there recommendations in this book that disappointed you? Do you have any new experiences or new places we should consider? Any warnings or tips for people traveling with existing edition? Here's what you thought about the 2003 edition:
Philippe Allo Taxi , Toulemon B&B
& sites in Dordogne
I concur with Shonn of Maryland. My young son & I also stayed at Toulemon
Chambres d'hote in Sarlat in April, and Philippe, with his Allo Taxi service,
provided our transportation and arrangements to see cave paintings and
fortress castles from the 100 Years War. I can't remember now if I found
Pierre-Henri'and Toulemon thru Rick's book or on the internet, but it
was an atmospheric and inexpensive place to stay in the center of Sarlat.
As we told everyone at home, we stayed in the newer part of their home:
15th century! The only drawback was allergies, probably to the 15th century
dust in the crevices between the ancient floor boards.
Ask Pierre-Henri for a restaurant recommendation for dinner. I can't remember the name of the restaurant, a close walk from the B&B. It was not in Rick's book but it was wonderful and not expensive. Half-way through our 2 weeks in France we realized that it is true: the "plats" are a very good value.
I know I found Philippe and
Allo Taxi through Rick's book, and I'm grateful. He is a warm and charming
man and helped us make the most of 2 days of touring in the area. Philippe
helped create an itinerary suited to the tastes of my 11 year old son,
and arranged for us to tour Font de Gaume and Laxcaus II in our tight
schedule. I recommend seeing both Font de Gaume (or another authentic
cave with Cro Magnon paintings) and Lascaux II. Being in the actual cave
and seeing the very paintings done by artists 14,000 years ago is thrilling.
Then, seeing the replica at Lascaux II of what the paintings looked like
before the fading and degradation that has taken place in the last few
decades, makes the paintings even more amazing.
Kate <email>
Seattle, USA 12/09/03
Arles and Sarlat in November
In November, after visiting Paris for a few days, I continued on our vacation with my wife, two daughters, mother-in-law and sister-in-law to Arles, in southern France. Strange thing is, the Mediteranean climate we were hoping for totally abandoned us. It was actually warmer and sunnier in Paris. The friendliness of the operators of our hotel, Hotel du Musee (hotel-du-musee@wanadoo.fr) more than made up for the cool, somewhat rainy weather. Although we were obviously Americans, and they could speak English very well, they allowed us to use our French. In fact, that is what we experienced on our entire trip. Perhaps the observations that the French are linguistic perfectionists and do not want to speak another language less than perfectly is true. However, they kindly did not hold us up to the same standards. It was actually fun to speak in another language. We found the Hotel du Musee to be a winner at $96/night for a very comfortable, spacious room for four. The hotel is a sprawling old home, with courtyards and an old world charm that was very enjoyable.
The sites of Arles were great, to include the Musee de l'Arles Antique and L'Amphitheatre d'Arles. However, the best time for us was probably the one with the least tourists: the Saturday market. There were stalls after stalls with cheeses, breads, olives, produce, live chickens, fish, and on and on with nary another American in sight. How authentic! That's what real traveling is to me. The sites around Arles are really fantastic too. Pont du Gard (a Roman aqueduct) and Les Baux (a really old cliff-hugging town) are well worth the easy drives from Arles. Only negative was renting a car from the totally indifferent and somewhat incompetent rental car agent from Hertz in Arles. Not exactly many choices though, when trying to rent a car on a Saturday afternoon in November — like no other choices!
After enjoying the beautiful Provence region, it was off to the somewhat remote (by train anyway) Dordogne region. Sarlat was absolutely fantastic. Our hotel owner (Pierre-Henri) was so kind. He met us at the train station and drove us to his chambres de hotes; a welcomed treat after being on a train most of the day. His B&B, Toulemon (p-h.toulemon@wanadoo.fr) was very homey and charming. We had a huge room for four, with bathroom, for $78/night with breakfast. His place is very centrally located on the town's central square. He again offered to take us to the train station when we left. A really nice guy amongst a country of really nice people. Sarlat's market day was as enjoyable as Arles', although it had different wares. All things walnut and of course goose liver pate, was the emphasis. Sarlat's sites are more subtle but still worth an easy walk around the town. The sites surrounding Sarlat are another matter entirely. Castelnaud and the various cave paintings of Combarelles, Font de Gaume, and Lascaux II are not to be missed. What made getting around even more pleasant was the nicest man you could ever hope to meet: Philippe, our taxi driver (allophilippetaxi@orange.fr) and new friend. He made cave reservations for us, provided a running commentary of the region, and did it all for the same cost of a rental car for a comparable time. We enjoyed him so much that we have invited him to stay with us if he ever comes to America.
I loved the French. They get a bum rap in this country. They are ever so polite, and friendly at the appropriate times. Pardon them for not turning to war as a solution for everything, after experiencing first-hand what war can do to a people. Granted, my wife's and my limited abilities to speak French may have opened some doors for us but we have traveled to enough countries to get a sense that the French are in a special class. I have to admit that I was a bit choked up to leave. They have left me with such a favorable impression that I actually have it as a long-term goal to buy a place there someday. I miss France and the French in a very profound way.
Shonn
Havre de Grace, MD USA 12/08/03
Untouristy Alets-les-Bain near Carcassonne
If you are going to spend any time exploring the Languedoc region and have
a car, you might want to consider staying in the very small village of Alets-les-Bains
which is about 30 km sw of Carcassonne (just west of Limoux). There is the
Hostellerie de L'Eveche which is a hotel in what was originally a 12th or
13th century palace. The grounds are simply lovely, there is a river flowing
by, and you will find yourself nestled in a charming valley of the lower
Pyrenees but still in easy driving distance to Carcassonne, Collioure, and
many of the Cathar castle ruins. The hotel is not fancy but very comfortable
and runs about 45 E a night for 2. The local church bells ringing the hours
and the rooster crows are priceless. Rennes le Chateau, Peyrepertuse and
Queribus are not far away. A word of warning: If you are going to climb
to the Peyrepertuse ruins, make sure you have good walking shoes and can
handle fairly rough walking terrain. It's worth the effort though!!
We spent about a week of our trip in the Languedoc area. We loved Albi
and stayed at the Hotel St. Clair in Rick's book. We also ate at Le Vieil
Alby and had a very enjoyable dinner. Cordes sur Ciel is a wonderful place
to spend an afternoon in September. We even went to Rocamadour despite
heavy warnings in guidebooks that it was mostly a crowded tourist trap.
Well, we thought it was a charming town to visit and found no crowds on
a weekday. The day we went to Carcassonne, our friends went to Collioure
as they had visited Carcassonne before. We had a lovely uncrowded visit
on even though it was a Sunday but our friends couldn't find a place to
park in all of Collioure so they were disappointed. All of us agreed though
that it was like stepping out of this world into a marvelous fantasy world
when we saw the hilltop castle ruins with clouds blowing through them.
Just an amazing experience.
Linda Lovejoy <email>
Seattle, WA USA 11/03/03
Hire a D-Day tour
We usually prefer self-guided tours, but after attempting to see the D-Day
beaches on our own this past May, I'd urge paying for a guided tour. The
D-Day beaches string along 50 or so miles of modern French beach towns.
While signage and memorials are plenty, you really have to sift through
a resort atmosphere to find remnant evidence of the invasion that occurred
60 years ago. If you attempt this on your own you'll have to be good at
finding an obscure turnoff to see Point d'Hoc; find a place to park to view
the Pegasus bridge and know which dirt road really leads to Omaha Beach.
We had good luck, but this was one instance where paying for a guided tour
would have saved a lot of time and confusion.
Doug
Portland, OR USA 11/01/03
Wine Tasting Tips
Several random tips I've heard and read recently, plus experiences from
my Beaune-area tour in August 1999:
1) One book by an importer published in late 1980s is definitely biased against Bordeaux (vs. Beaune) for Bordeaux's haughtiness, inaccessability to the actual winemakers, and the inability to buy wines on site vs. at "negociants." I'd love to hear if others found this true more recently, and if buying on site is a problem for we small, individual buyers?
2) Consider alternatives to the organized minibus tour if you want a deeper/longer wine experience in the Beaune countryside, some with lower cost. Car/railpass combos, renting a bike, or combining hiking/hitching out one-way, then catching the 2-4x/day bus back to Beaune are all options. I did the hike-bus combo to reach Pommard from Beaune (3k?), which is by far one of the best appellations in all Burgundy. This let you see the countryside, vines and grapes up close for lovely photos (but please, don't trespass or sample grapes, even from grapes on the ground).
3) As a solo-daypacker last time, I suspect larger/non-backpacker looking groups may get better attention, as the cheap-looking group may be (wrongly) expected not to buy.
4) Avoid August! In addition to being European vacation month, August was harvest/labeling/shipping season in Beaune 1999, and many, maybe even a majority of winemakers in Pommard just couldn't spare the time for a tour/tasting, or weren't even open.
Happy travels to you! Would love to hear Bordeaux tips by email!
Stephen <email>
USA 10/24/03
France
I just returned from a wonderful 2 weeks in France. I do want to encourage
everyone who wants to try a B&B in Provence to go to Le Pigionnier in L'Isle
sur la Sorgue. It is just lovely and the hosts (Corrine and Gilles) are
fabulous. They go out of their way to make you feel welcome. This year they've
added a gite and it is so beautiful and spacious.... perfect for a longer
stay. L'Isle sur la Sorgue is a delightful little city and the Sunday market
is fabulous!
Naomi Chester <email>
Spokane, WA USA 10/19/03
France
Just returned from two weeks in France and Spain and want to recommend the
La Ferme de la Sauzette in Carcassonne. Chris and Diana are wonderful hosts,
warm and welcoming in every way. The home cooked dinner was fabulous.
Also, we stayed at the Le Pigeonnier in Isle sur la Sorgue which was
lovely, as was the owner Corinne Manni. She went out of her way to help
us with sightseeing and dinner plans. Everyone we met had Rick's book
and were pleased with all his recommendatioins. One place we would not
recommend is La Table Ronde in Carcassonne as the waiter was rude and
the food was so-so.
Tom and Linda <email>
Sewell, NJ USA 10/18/03
bed and breakfast in dordogne region
We stayed in a beautiful villa near baynac in the dordogne region They are
located in vezac france. The owners Phil and Anne were very gracious. Their
website is www.nineyrol.com
Lynn Wright <email>
SC USA 10/14/03
France
My husband and I just came back from a 3 week trip to France. It was a great
trip, with only a few glitches. We discovered (the hard way) that just because
you think you have a reservation and you have the email to prove it, doesn't
mean you actually have a room. This happened to us twice. Once at the Hotel
Bonnet in Beynac and at the Hotel Des Grand Ecoles in Paris. At both places,
they had no record of our reservation. Not the news you want to hear after
travelling all day! Fortunately a room was found at Hotel Bonnet but we
had to find another hotel in Paris. Great food at the Hotel Bonnet. Just
don't be in a hurry.
We rented a gite for a week near Beynac which gave us some time to explore the Dordogne are. Rick recommends the canoe trip down the Dordogne River and we agree. This is a fantastic experience. We highly recommend it. The town Brantome is soooo cute. It's really worth visiting. A good place to eat in the area is La Flambe in Dome. Prices and food are both good. While in the Dordogne, you'll find the restaurants serve, duck, duck and more duck.
Another highlight of the trip was the caves at Gouffre Padirac. Just make sure you get there before lunch (or after). Les Milandes (Josephine Baker's place) is OK, but if you're running short of time, give it a pass.
We also went to Amboise. Great town. We stayed at Chateau de Nazelles.
This is a fabulous place. Can't say enough great things about it and the
lovely hosts. The market in Amboise is the best we have seen in France.
The Chateau d'Amboise was also good — no tour groups, unlike Chenonceau — yikes!
Stephen <email>
Vancouver, BC Canada 10/11/03
France outside of the Ile de France
Cassis is a picture postcard village and, as Rick says, the boat trip to
the Calanques is worth the money. The Bar Canaille is as he says. Good,
fresh sea food. For Italian food, try D'Angelina's, about a block away from
and visible from the Hotel Cassitel. Angelina knows how to work a room so
to speak and make you feel you have just become her all-time favorite customer.
She does it with charm.
The Hotel Cassitel, recommended by Rick is best described by the French phrase, "quel boui-boui." which translated means the place is not the "cute and cozy" place Rick endorses. Street facing rooms are blessed with the 6 a.m. garbage collector banging and slamming whatever he touches. Across the very narrow street is a bar/cafe whose help is also very good at making noise, at 11 p.m. There are 2 market days per week, which means you'll have to get your car out of the adjacent parking lot by 6 a.m. Perhaps one of the 4 enclosed garage parking spaces the hotel has will be open. Add another 12 euros to your bill. The guys at the desk and the pretty 33 year old young woman night clerk are helpful though. One of the fellows openly reveres Americans who try to speak some French no matter how imperfectly we do it.
Avignon hotels inside the wall are pricey. A bit cheaper, but with free parking is the Hotel St. Roch, run by a young couple (he is a former Foreign Legionnaire). There are large baths, but with or without wine in my gullet, my bed sloped at one end and the headboards had to be braced to avoid banging about with the slightest movement by the occupant.
Other changes in Avigion: the park near the tourist office is cemented over or fenced off for the most part, I guess to discourage vagrants and druggies from over-nighting there. I never came across a more civil group of unwanteds than at that park. They've moved to various doorways about the area now, or perhaps died or gone to Nice where they can be harrased by police with shinnier shoes than in Avignon.
The Au Petit Nice, on the Place d'horologe is now just one of many places serving so-so overpriced food. The 3 sisters who gave the place a smiley atmosphere are gone. Flunchy is a cafeteria where you can get fair to middlin' food but at a really good price. In Avignon go west on rue Raspail in the centre ville. You get all the overcooked veggies you want with an entree.
Annecy, one of Ricks recommendations in the Haut Savoie, is pleasant and you can get Leffe beer there. A much acclaimed dish is raclette, a great dish if boiled unimaginative potatos on to which you try to drip some melted cheese sends your taste buds into a frenzy. Local wines seem pricey but some of the Alsacian ones were very tasty and not more costly. The Etage restaurant, a Rick recommendation I think, gave us such a large dose of "attitude" (seating us next to three young men very cool and chic with their hats on backwards, blowing smoke evenly throughout the room, and with a dog who had the run of the place after I asked for the no smoking, no dogs section, or at least where dogs were not allowed to soil the floor near your table.) We got such a dose of Gaullic displeasure that we moved to another table and requested a different waitress — and never went back. The drive around the lake is a neat trip. The church at St Seyvier is small and relatively modest, but a place where you can feel God really does know you are there.
Orange: the Roman ruins are ruined nicer than in Arles. The management
of the theater provides a good presentation, and has a worthwhile store
attached and a museum across the street. There is a decent restaurant
(something like Yaki) adjacent but eat inside or the zoomies on their
motos will leave tire tracks on your table cloth. The owner speaks no
English, but exudes personality. His young waiter is proud of his command
of English and a good waiter to boot. The young woman, an agent de police
in training, who artisticly prepared our desert, beamed because I made
a small comment that she had done a good job. I loved her for thinking
my desert was worth all that work, then I realized the pleasure for her
was doing her best and in knowing someone knew she had tried. So much
for cultural differences.
Harvey <email>
Chicago, Il USA 10/10/03
Sept France trip
I agree with the earlier comment about Etratat. Rick should mention Etratat
in his book. A great side trip from Rouen, which was only 45 min away. It
was one of our trip highlights, we hiked around the cliffs and got dinner
in Etratat that evening before driving back to Rouen.
Anneka
SLC, UT USA 10/10/03
Non-helpful TI at Vaison la Romaine
I don't know what happened at the local tourist office since Rick last visited,
but I found it to be the most unhelpful tourist office I visited in France.
They claimed no brochures were available, and when I requested what information
they had on wine tasting tours or vineyards, the clerk just shrugged and
said I had to go to the individual vineyards, and no they had no maps showing
the locations. They had no information regarding the village or the roman
ruins in English, and nothing except a list of local hotels & restaurants.
"But they're probably all filled" she said sourly. I don't think it was
because I was an American, or even an English speaking tourist, Because
she was just as rude to the French patron before me.
I did start the conversation in French and was asking for informational
brochures in English for my friends. I was told to translate for them.
I loved France and will be going back next year. I was always treated
very well, and found the French people to be lovely, kind and welcomine,
but this surly person at a tourist office was completely disappointing.
I will never let one person's bad attitude spoil my memories of my vacation,
I met too many wonderful people along the way to fall into that trap.
But it may be time for Rick to revisit this "Ofice de Tourisme" before
he recommends it so highly.
Tristen <email>
Hudson , NH USA 10/09/03
D-Day Tours
I took a D-Day Tour with Normandy Sightseeing Tours this summer, and it
was GREAT! The guide was enjoyable and knowledgable, we had enough time
for each sight, and also enjoyed hearing those little anecdotes which add
so much more to a tour! I highly recommend this company. Their website is
www.normandywebguide.com.
Ronald Norres
San Franciscos, L.A, LA USA 10/07/03
France May 2004
My wife and I spent 2 weeks in France travelling through Normandy and Brittany
before going to Paris to watch the French Open tennis tournament. Stayed
at the Hotel de la Cathedrale in Rouen, Hotel Dauphin in Honfleur, Hotel
d'Argouges in Bayeux, Hotel Mere Poulard in Mont St. Michel, Logis du Jerzual
in Dinan, Hotel Agnes Sorel in Chinon and the Hotel Leveque in Paris. I
don't hesitate in recommending these places to stay.
Best/excellent meals were at the Au Petit Mareyeur in Honfluer, Les Annees 30 in Chinon and La Varangue in Paris in the Rue Cler. Strongly recommend spending a night on Mont St. Michel — regarless of the cost. All the tourists are gone. You can walk the ramparts and see the Abbey lit up at night. Great experience. Also loved staying down near the old port in Dinan and walking the river at night.
I think the D-day beach sights are a little overrated. While in Honfluer
I highly recommend driving to Etretat and hiking the cliffs along the
Falaise d'Aval. Not in Rick's book but should be.
Peter
Salem, OR USA 10/07/03
France trip July 2004
Spent 2 weeks in France following the first stages of the Tour de France.
Started trip in Paris. Stayed at the Hotel Leveque. Great location; great
price.
Spent 2 nights in Semur-en-Auxois at the Hotel les Cymaises. Very nice hotel with friendly owners and convenient, private parking. Highly recommend eating at the Le Calibressan — best meal we had on the tip. Host Jill was wonderful and made a wicked marguerita. Semur makes a good base to spend a day visiting the Fontenay Abbey and Flavigny-sur-Ozerain and just following the road along the Burgundy canal.
Spent 2 nights in Chamonix at the Hotel l'Aiguille du Midi. If this isn't
the best 2-stay hotel there is, I want to know where a better one is.
Room with a view of Mt. Blanc, swimming pool, and outdoor restaurant selling
great food. 2nd best meal of the trip. The trip to Aiguille du Midi and
across to Hellbronner Point should not be missed. I nearly used up all
the space on my memory card just taking pictures of the mountains and
the gondolas gliding across the glacier. Stayed at some other places following
the tour but these were the highlights by far.
Peter
Salem, OR USA 10/07/03
Paris, August 2003
I spent four days in Paris from the 24th through the 28th of August, having
taken a train from Frankfurt, Germany to Gare l'Est in Paris. The trains
are clean and efficient, but I learned for my return back to Germany to
stock up on something to drink and bring something to eat, as the train
takes six+ hours to get from Frankfurt to Paris, and doesn't stop. I was
parched and starving when we got to Paris.
In Paris we stayed at the Armstrong Hotel far out in the outskirts near the Port De Montreuil Metro Station. It was not bad, not luxurious by any means, but good enough with a small shower and comfortable bed. I had booked everything from the States and found the hotel from a site called "Cheap Hotels Paris" that I found months earlier through a Google search.
The train tickets I booked through Raileurope.com. They even sent the actual tickets to me before I left Nevada.
Once in Paris I got a Metro 3-day pass for 18 Euros and with the metro map, figured out how to get around Paris, which was fast and efficient, though the subway stations are HUGE and cavernous with tunnels going up, down, sometimes up and down, and often with electrical wiring and cables suspended barely overhead. I learned to read my Metro Map by subway line, ours was 9, and judge direction as the destination is named by the last station on that line. So, just go the direction of the station at the end of the line you started at.
People were friendly and we got everywhere we wanted to go. Paris was
beautiful and there were no real crowds. I hardly saw any other Americans,
which was particularly convenient when I checked out St. Michel and the
St.Germaine districts, by far the most beautiful and enchanting in my
opinion. There's also a great shopping place on Haussmann Boulevard at
Galeries Lafayette, where I'd been told by the desk clerk (who was alternately
charming and then crying at times) at the Armstrong that Louis Vuitton
goodies would be a lot cheaper than at their Champs Elysees store, and
they were. The food was excellent and the people great. The weather was
still pretty hot, and there was little air conditioning, none where we
stayed, but with a window open all night, it cooled off. I can't wait
to go back!
Matthew Paulsen <email>
Las Vegas, NV USA 10/06/03
Hotel Lafayette
Just back from our third trip using Rick Steve's guidebooks. We're usually
very happy with his hotel recommendations. However, I would recommend you
stay away from Hotel Lafayette in Nice. Our room was dirty, the toilet didn't
flush right, the sink didn't drain (and gross gunk kept coming up from it)
the mattresses were worn out and we slept with mattress springs pushing
up against our backs. Definitely not worth saving the money if you have
to have a sore neck and back for the rest of your trip! I have no idea why
Rick gives this place such a good recommendation.
Jennifer
San Diego, CA USA 10/06/03
Driving around France, August,2003
My wife and I just got back from a driving trip around France (2,000 miles
in 16 days). Some of our observations: every French person we spoke to about
the U.S. loved Americans and America, but not necessarily our president.
We couldn't agree more. Mere Poulard in Mont. St. Michel may be a wonderful
place to eat, but paying $31 for an omelette was outrageous! Honfleur may
be the perect French coastal city. Stayed at La Ferme du Pressoir in Villers
Bocage (near Caen) Absolutely first rate in every way. See TripAdvisor.com
for more information on this excellent B&B. We agree completely with another
writer re: Hotel des Recollets in Sarlat. Not worth a stay, especially because
of the rude owner. The Montmorency Hotel in Carcassonne is HIGHLY recommended.
They even have free internet use, and are right next to the old city.
Collioure was charming. Stayed at Hotel Le Bon Port, only
a five minute walk from town.( Yes, Cassis is charming too, but Collioure
has so much more to offer.) Beaune was a real treat, especially the Hotel
Dieu. Thanks to Rick's book we had another fabulous trip to France. We even
slept in two beds that Rick had occupied on his earlier visits. How about
that?
Robert Carrelli <email>
Thousand Oaks, CA USA 09/21/03
Tarn Valley
Part of my April 2003 trip to France was a 4 day drive with my sister-in-law.
We planned a loop from Toulouse to the Med to Provence, then northwest to
Figeac & down the Lot Valley, back to Toulouse. We "touristed" at Carcassone,
Minerve (a RS aside & well worth the short drive off the main road's scenic
countryside into a stark canyon — zap!), Avignon, Vaison La Romaine and
St Cirq Lapopie. We slept at Palavas (on the Med), Vaison La Romaine (l'Hermitage
Chambres, in Provence & in the RS book) & Aguessac (Le Rascalat Hotel, in
the Tarn Valley). The drive was beautiful and we absolutely loved each medieval
town & Roman ruin. We also stopped at a fascinating, unadvertised stone
circle outside Vaison La Romaine.
For me, one of the highlights of this route was the unexpected bonus of a drive down the Tarn Valley (did not see Tarn Valley in RS book). We found out about the valley from our friendly B&B owners. During breakfast at l'Hermitage Chambres, the owners asked where we were going next & we told them our plans to drive to Figeac & down the Lot Valley. They suggested we add their favorite Tarn Valley drive to our plans & gave us very good directions from Vaison La Romaine thru Ales to Florac, to start the drive. Then we went through Ste Enimie & down to Millau.
The valley was stunning, with a beautiful river below & winding roads
clinging to the sides of cliffs & snaking through small villages. It took
over half the day to finish our route, & that was without stops at any
of the interesting villages. This valley was a wonderful, scenic, relaxing
drive in April, in perfect cool & dry weather, but I saw lots of evidence
of heavily advertised canoe trips and other tourist activities that could
easily turn the road into one long hot headache during the summer. At
the end of the drive, we backtracked a little to Aguessac, where we found
a nice roadside hotel, Le Rascalat. The prices were reasonable & the restaurant
was very good. Thank you l'Hermitage Chambres, for your generous suggestion
& perfect routing to a gorgeous valley!
Janyce Myers <email>
West Des Moines, IA USA 09/17/03
D-Day Beaches
Left Paris about 8 am to spend a day at the D-Day beaches. Followed all
R.S. recommendations. We visited 3/20/03. It was early and not a lot going
on. Taxis wanted 95e to go to one beach spot. Buses ran on 4 hour schedule
not 1 hour. There is a tour called Normandy Tours that operates out of Hotel
de la Gere. Cost us 31e each, used minivans, and our guide was great. Made
5 stops starting at Arromanches and ending at Pointe du Hoc. We easily had
enough time to see everything and we were guaranteed to be in time for the
last train to Paris and we were! I'd highly recommend them.
When we boarded the train in Paris we received 2 card like tickets. Saw
everyone punching them before getting on the train. Handed my wife one
and we each punched a card and got on. Wrong move! One card was for BOTH
of us going and the other BOTH of us returning. So we validated them both
on the way there. A very nice, helpful gentleman we met in are train compartment
talked with the conductor and fixed our goof.
Keith E Miland <email>
Winona, MN USA 09/11/03
SAFARI TOURS, Beaune
On a recent visit to Beaune (August 14), we went on Tour #3 with the Rick
recommended Wine Safari Tours. Our guide and driver was Philippe, who was
a pleasure to listen to, as he not only is a driving encyclopedia on the
region and its wines, but patiently entertained all manner of questions
from his little group. There were just 5 of us, so, the tour had more of
the feel of a family outing, but without the arguing of the kids in the
back seat. Our outing was enhanced by the chance arrival of the vineyard
manager while we were stopped to "wosrhip" at the "hollowed ground" of Romanee-Conti.
He and Philippe seemed to know each other well and the two spoke at some
length about the extended heat wave and its effect on this year's harvest.
Philippe's enthusiastic translation included the news that the harvest would
begin on August 26th. Absurdly early by normal standards, but then, this
summer's weather has been absurdly hot and unrelenting. We had an amazing,
fun, learning experience. If you can get on a tour with Philippe, go for
it.
Sonia Botos <email>
Mt. Laurel, NJ USA 09/08/03
Lack of Loire chateaux tours on Sundays
Not knowing any better, we chose a Sunday in August to take a morning train
from Paris to Amboise, with intentions of booking at the TI for a visit
to one or two of the chateau biggies in the Loire Valley. we arrived well
before noon, only to learn at the TI that the only chateaux tour running
that afternoon was already fully booked.
We swallowed our disappointment and visited the Chateau D'Amboise. then Leonardo's home, Le Clos Luce, which looks much closer to the Royal Chateau in Rick's map than it was to walk in 95 degree plus weather!
A highlight of our day in the Loire Valley was joining in with a number of other sightseers insoaking our overheated bodies under the sprinklers watering the royal grass at the Chateau D'Amboise. I can still hear the squels of delight from the youngsters who kept running back and forth through the sprinklers.
If Chanonceau or Chambord are must-sees for you, take Rick's advice and
book ahead at least a couple of days, and don't go on a Sunday! Word to
Rick: It would help if you would put into your France guidebook that an
extremely limited number of chateau tours are available from Amboise on
Sundays.
Sonia Botos <email>
Mt. Laurel, NJ USA 09/01/03
We stayed at the L'Ecole Buissonniere bed and breakfast in Provence.
I would have to say this was the most pleasant place we have ever stayed
at. The innkeepers were the most welcoming couple! The place is fabulous
and the owners remodeled it themselves. We wish we had stayed there longer!
An excellent value too!!
byron ling <email>
san francisco, ca USA 08/24/03
Please stay away from The Danieli Hotel in Avignon. Even though the staff was very nice, the rooms were not. They advertised air conditioning,but all we had was a machine on the floor that was no better than a fan and noisier. So we left the window open a bit as it was suffocating in the room and at 6am I awoke to see a burglar standing in the window 2 feet from my bed. We were on the 2nd floor ! He reached down and stole my camera and jumped to a delivery truck.
We vacated and found a lovely place a few doors away at the Mercure.
It was not much more expensive and there was no comparison. Both Mercures
in Avignon are quite nice. In Arles we stayed at Le Calendal . It was
great. We had a huge room with a separate bedroom , living room , beautiful
bathroom and a terrace. It was the most expensive room ,but only about
98 euros. Also had wonderful whisper quiet air conditioning. The people
in Arles were so helpful. Good restaurant: Le Cricket near the Arena.
Diane O <email>
Kent, WA USA 08/23/03
We got lost in Provence and stumbled on a wonderful place: Jacky et
Anny Millias, Restaurant Lou Castolas, R.N. 7 — 13660 Orgon, Tel. 90.73.03.73
The people were so unbelievably friendly and gave us such personal attention!
We spent hours there enjoying their home cooked meals and desserts and wine.
It was very reasonable and they were soooo happy we chose to come to their
place. They are a handsome and very warm couple who take pride in their
restaurant. Jacky took my hand and thanked me for enjoying his restaurant!!
It was a very special adventure in our 5 weeks of travel. It was personal
(they took much time to sit and talk with us), delicious and unexpected.
Linda Samson <email>
Newfane, NY USA 08/20/03
Normandy WWII Battle Tours
Two thumbs up for the Battlebus tours in Normandy. The owner, Paul was outstanding.
We spent 10 hours (full day American Tour) visiting St. Mere-Eglise, Utah
Beach, Pointe Du Hoc, Omaha Beach, American Cemetary, and Arromanches. Paul
is English and knows his stuff! He participates as a WWII re-enactor in
his spare time (like the American Civil War buffs, he eats, sleeps and talks
battle information). If you're planning a Normandy vacation and want a great
historical trip signup with battlebus! We paid 195 Euro's for 3 people,
our tour group was 5 people total, riding in a comfortable minibus. Also,
we stayed at Hotel d'Argouges in Bayeux and had comfortable rooms with front
door pickup for our tour. Bayeux was a great little city to sightsee in.
Happy traveling!
Gary Kupferschmidt <email>
Afton, MN USA 08/09/03
On a recent trip to Amboise, we stayed at La Breche because of Rick's
recommendation. It was the worst hotel of our trip!. The owners were very
polite and welcoming and the restaurant was lovely, but... our room was
horrid. We reserved in early March for June 30, 2 nights and I believe they
gave us the worst room in the place! The carpet was dirty, the desk table
was not wiped clean and the shower wasn't clean either. The room was up
under the eaves with a single window in the corner. Very dark and dingy.
Because the owners were so nice and we were so tired we didn't complain
and figured we had just made a bad choice, but the next morning we saw another
room being cleaned with the door open and it was lovely! We are very disappointed
with them and feel they gave us the bad room because we booked so early
and kept the nicer rooms in case of "walk-ins" so they would have a nice
room to show. It ruined our stay in Amboise because we hated being in our
room for even a moment. Luckily our other stays in France were much better.
Avoid this hotel!
Marie Lewis <email>
Vancouver, BC Can 08/06/03
Comments on Paris Trip
I was in Paris for three days in the middle of July. It was my third trip
and my mother's first. The Eiffel Tower, for her, was magical; we bought
postcards near our hotel and stamps on the way, then wrote them on the first
level of the Tower and mailed them. Fabulous! The cost to walk up is only
3.30 euros. It seemed to me that a lot of the prices in the Rick Steves'
Paris book had been rounded up. The Hotel Lyon-Mulhouse was just fine (great
location, good beds, very hot water, decent price) except for two major
things, noise and the heat. Yes, the guide warns about the noise but I have
never had a noisier room (room 25!). It was right on the street and the
street never got quieter, even at midnight on a Sunday night. And it's so
noisy regular earplugs did not help. So ask for another room if you get
a street-view room there. If you must take it, make sure to open as many
windows as possible. We found we could only get a breeze in the room if
we opened the window above the toilet (cross-ventilation). Took the Paris
Vision D-Day beach tour. Outrageously expensive but it was very nice.
Kyla
Ypsilanti, MI USA 08/06/03
Don't bother with the museum near Port Winston in Normandy. Not interesting
and packed with people. Also, we rented a car while in Europe (France was
a sidetrip from Holland). I don't think I would do this again. Traffic was
awful, tolls and gas terribly expensive, etc. Although we did have a certain
amount of freedom, it took us over 8 hours to drive from Paris to Amsterdam
because of the terrible traffic.
USA 07/31/03
Burgundy wine tours book only multiples of 2 — yeah, just like the
ark!
I'm an American living in France, a former Seattleite and Rick Steves' Scandinavia
8/01 tour alumnus. While vacationing in Beaune, Burgundy this week, I tried
(unsuccessfully) to help some of your readers out of a jam and hope you
can add a disclaimer on page 409 of the 2004 France guidebook to save others
similar disappointment in this wonderful wine region. These nice folks had
done everything right; they'd arrived by train, walked to their hotel, dropped
their bags, and with your book in hand, lined up at the TI early...only
to be told that reservations for wine tours of the countryside, including
tours on Wine Safari recommended in your guidebook, can be made only for
parties of 2, 4, or 6!
Nowhere in the companies' brochures, nor in your book, is this stated. I was in line behind them and tried intervening in French with the TI staff, but no luck. The absurd suggestion was to show up the next day and if, by remote chance, another single person showed up, they could book them "together." The visitors were completely insulted by this, and I can understand why.
So, if you're 3 adults traveling together, or a family of 5, or a solo
traveler, staying in Beaune, and want to visit vineyards in the surrounding
villages, punt on the organized wine tours. Rent a car, rent bikes (my
choice), or go by bus. You can hire a private guide/van for the day, but
I understand it costs the earth. Hope this is useful. Many happy travels
in France to fellow Rick fans!
Jeanette Herting <email>
Paris 75004, FRANCE 07/31/03
Definitely liked the Hotel Vallee Blanche in Chamonix. It's a three
star hotel on the river just opposite the casino. Our reservations were
refused at the Hotel Clocher and the folks at Valle Blanche helped us out.
They gave us a 10% discount so we paid just a little more than we would
have at the 2 star Clocher. The rooms were neat, clean and quiet. The 4th
floor singles which could be used as small doubles have access to a rooftop
terrace.
Gerry Schmitz <email>
WI USA 07/29/03
Cassis
Do yourselves a huge favor and put Cassis on your list of places last. Once
you see the coast from a resturant over the best Bouillabase you will ever
had you will not want to leave. Try the place with the green awnings. They
are all great but this place (don't remember the name) is superbe. As for
the dress code just remember everyone there in Cassis has on a Hawaiian
shirt. Our daughter, who went to school in Paris, told me to just wear what
I do at home. That means Levis, Hawaiian shirts, and cowboy boots. Everywhere
we went the French were dressed this way! We found wonderful people in the
country side as always and they really seem to miss the American money.
If they can they really go out of the way to be helpful. In Paris the pace
is much to hectic but so is Seattle!
Rick <email>
Bellevue, Wa. USA 07/28/03
We just returned from 2.5 weeks in France July 3- 21; Paris 6 days, Provence 7 days and French Riviera 4 days. While in Paris, we stayed at the Best Western Derby Alma right around the corner from the Eiffel Tower for $115 US a night. The rooms and desk service was excellent and we would stay there again. One night a Cafe Du Marche, they had wrong lower prices posted and even though we brought this to the attention of the waitress, she did not honor what was posted and said it was a mistake. Croque Del Sel in Rue St. Dominique was much better service and food for very reasonable prices. The Metro was easy to learn and use. Had no problems getting into the Louvre on Sunday...went right in.
Provence we used Arles as our base camp, doing day trips to Carcassone (worth a day trip), Avignon (festival was cancelled due to strikes), Gord (nice and windy hill town), Cassis (beautiful beaches; doing the 3 clanque boat trip was very nice). Arles has a beautiful coleseum and we watched the running of the bulls (poor bulls). Arles is exciting if you like to visit the cafe inn that he painted as well as the other 200 paintings he did while there. They have markers of his paintings strategically located around town and along the river.They had a great fire works display on Bastille day. While in Arles, we stayed at the Acacias Hotel (easy 10 minute walk from train station) and give it three stars even though it is rated two stars. Breakfast was plentiful and buffet style with great service. The rooms were clean, had air conditioning and all the rooms have been recently renovated with excellent plumbing in the bathrooms. We paid $79 a night which included the daily breakfast. Ate at La Boheme in Rick's book and the food was great, although not easy to find. The market place in Arles had higher prices than in the tourist shops in town. This may be because they expect you to haggle prices, but since we did not speak French, that's hard to do. So unless you have done your homework and looked at the local shops first, hold off buying at the market place.
French Rivera, Nice is a sea of people which we did not expect. Stayed at Hotel Star and room was nice and clean. Great desk service with Franciose.Star Hotel is an easy 6 block walk from the train station. We worried a bit since there seemed to be quite a lot of graffitti around the block, but it seemed safe enough while we were there. Rocky beaches we did not expect. Monaco was an easy $3.70 r/t bus ride every 15 minutes from Nice with no passports needed. Ville France was a nice day trip if you like nice clean beaches with fine pebble sand and also a cheap bus ride from Nice $1.70 r/t and only takes 20 minutes.
We bought a six day Eurail Flexipass and wish we had bought a few more
days for the extra $25 a day. Trains are incredibly on time and TGV is
the way to go. Always book first class as it's not much more. We did not
experience any anti-american sentiments from locals, but we did see "US
Go Home" graffiti in some places in Arles. When returning to US via Charles
De Gaulle Airport, we were not impressed with the long lines for security
checks. I guess they are understaffed. If you get tired of French food
like we did, there is always MacDonalds just about every where you go,
for lunch grab a pannini from a street shop and for dinner get a pizza
and salad. Paris, hotel Porte Doree does not have air conditioning, so
we would not recommend staying there in summer time, although the rooms
are nice and bathrooms are spacious. While in Paris, Cafe Brioche Doree
is a great cheap place to have a croissant, coffee and OJ for only $2.95
any morning. Summer packing for France. We found that sandals and a good
pair of light shorts is all you need in southern France. Instead of T-shirts,
we recommend cotton short sleeve shirts, easy hand wash and quickly dries
overnight. We tried doing Internet at one shop but was not able to contact
our local email service so we would highly recommend you use a global
hotmail email address while overseas. Don't book day trips until you get
to your destination.I tried booking a full Paris day tour online before
we left and it got goofed up. Luckily, we got a full refund back. Please
feel free to email me with any questions. Happy Travels!
John <email>
Murrieta, CA USA 07/27/03
Lyon
In your books you still list Lyon as the second largest French city. Marseille
has been the second largest since the early 1990's. Since you don't include
Marseille in your books, you may not have kept up with the changes.
Liz Phelps <email>
Pittsburg, CA USA 07/13/03
observations on travel in France
I've been reading the notes from travellers to France in anticipation
of our trip this Sept. We last went 3 years ago but I was struck by some
impressions and opinions expressed by recent travellers. Re; Dinan. Yes
the Duchesses Anne is seedy, but charmingly so. I recommend having a cidre
with Giles, or 4 or 5. He was very pleasant to us though we were several
hours late.
Re Avignon, I am familiar with the "needle park" that so offended one traveller. Actually I spent part of an early June evening talking to a couple of the folks there in my broken French. They spoke English a bit to help me when I faultered, and we split one of those egg and fries sandwiches they sell across the street and down a bit. Disgusting? No. Dirty, yes, but interesting to no end for they are humans also. I never felt at risk. I love Avignon. Perhaps it shows. I also have a fondness for the three sisters who run Au Petit Nice at 14 place d'horlogue. Food is good, but Jamie (pronounced as if it were an English name)speaks English and has an open,honest personality.
Orange, 15 minutes north of Avignon is a gem, a good base as an alternative to the usual ones of Avignon and Arles. With the tgv gare, it is only 2.5 hrs to Paris g.d.Lyon. If you are 65 or older, check the Air france site for great ($56) flights from Avignon or Marseille, a bit more, as with Aix. Under 65, forget it. Easy Jet has decent prices, but book early. For whatever reason, the price increases as one gets close to flight date.
For current travellers staying at a Holiday Inn at CDG or Orly, check the prices on sidestep.com. You have to request a free "boarding pass." BUT prices for September and early October are about $62 (no mis-print) less than the AARP discount. I've learned it's easy to get better rates without their discont. Do your homework. (faits votre devoirs.)A word
to the wise from the current issue of the Frommer budget travel magazine.
A reader reports a scam at ATM's in Europe in which a pronged object of
some sort is jammed into the slit for the ATM card. The thief watches
as you repeatedly punch in your PIN. You are prompted by the machine to
do so. The ATM, the reader wrote, eats your card. Should you leave, the
thief knows how to get the card out, has your PIN, and all the money in
your account. The trick is to feel for the prongs before inserting the
card. Do not use the machine if prongs are in the slot.
H. Gintzler <email>
University Park, , IL USA 07/11/03
Provence Hotels
If choosing between Avignon and Arles, choose Arles. The Hotel du Musee
is one of the best places we stayed at on our trip. Very charming, good
breakfast, and very helpful staff. Arles is small and charming, during the
summer you can see the "bull races" on Wednesday afternoon in the ancient
Roman arena, and there is a great market on Wednesday morning. Only stayed
one night in Avignon, but was very disappointed. It is the dirtiest city
I have been in Europe. Pathetically dirty. It's the only place in Europe
where we saw a drug addict shooting up on the street in plain view. The
annual festival was getting underway and all the recommended hotels were
full, we booked a room at Hotel de Garlande, center of town. Stay away.
It looks nothing like what they advertise on their web site (guess France
does not have truth in advertising like we do?. Do yourself a favor, see
the palace and bridge and leave Avignon for the beaches in the south or
the lavendar fields in the mountains, you will be much happier.
Mark <email>
Columbus, OH USA 07/11/03
France: the good and the bad
In Dinan, avoid "Hotel de la Duchesse Anne". I'm surprised it was in Rick's
book as it was dirty and depressing (although cheap and well-located). In
Chenonceaux, beg, borrow and steal for "La Roseraie". If you're there in
the summer and cannot get a room there, at least go back for a meal. Maybe
the best in my life. However, avoid "Relais Chenonceaux" across the street
if it's hot — very unpleasant. In the Dordogne, try hard to stay in Cenac
at "La Touille Chambres". The rooms are charming and cheap and the owners
are extremely welcoming. Easy parking too.
Liza Bonner <email>
Ann Arbor, MI USA 07/06/03
Chamonix, Chalet Beauregard
Let me first say that my wife and I were "back door" travelers before there
was a Rick Steves. We are not spoiled nor have unreasonable expectations.
Having said that, I must disagree with the recommendation for Chalet Beauregard
in Chamonix. Characterizing it as "cushy" in Rick's France 2003 book is
beyond belief. "Cramped" perhaps, or "confined" would be much closer to
the truth. Some rooms do have wonderful views and breakfast was family style,
so you get to meet others. Still, the label "cushy" is, in our opinion,
a gross misrepresentation.
David Marchand <email>
Baltimore, MD USA 07/05/03
Best-Ever Normandy Tip!
For all of you considering "how to" see Normandy, I have just returned from
the best-kept secret of the region. To make a long story short, a recommended
Rick Steves' guide was not available to do a group excursion but he forwarded
my request to Mr. Roel Klinkhammer. Our correspondances began, with Roel
encouraging me to bring my group of 5 the night before to stay at his newly
renovated chateau B&B, with the following day being a full-day private excursion
of the Landing Beaches, etc. Not only did Roel pick us up at the train station,
but entertained us with cocktails that evening and an overview of what to
expect the following day. His chateau is out of a fairy tale picture book!
It can be visited at www.lignerolles.homestead.com He is currently updating
his website. Prior to leaving the U.S. I did several requests for information
on Roel's tours on Rick's helpline but got no responses. I was leary, but
decided to take the risk...not like me to go without someone's first-hand
recommendation. Roel is passionate about WWII history and it shows. He gave
us the education of a lifetime, and turned our 8hr tour into 9hrs so we
wouldn't have a long layover at the rail station for our return to Paris.
I will definitely be going back for a repeat with my group next year. Please
take advantage of this NON-packaged/generic tour. Then write me and thank
me...I am certain you will. By the way, Roel's wife will make you a hearty
breakfast before you head out for the day!
Laurie
WI USA 06/25/03
Nice — Hotel Star
Stayed at the recommended Hotel Star in May 2003. The room was nice with
a little balcony, Francoise was nice to us, BUT on two separate occasions
we overheard her speaking to her staff about the *%&$# Americans — I cannot
repeat what she said here, but it was extremely anti-American and rude.
It made us wonder what she may be saying about us while we weren't standing
at the reception. Also, make sure you bring your own soap and don't use
the ones given in the room — she had very nasty things to say about people
who didn't bring their own soap too.
Sonia <email>
Saskatoon, SK Canada 06/19/03
Southern France (Provence — Oui / Nice — Eh)
PROVENCE — The only way to really see this region
is by car (or bike if you're hardy — a lot of steep hills). We stayed
at a chambre d'hote near l'Isle sur la Sorgue for a week (in an old farmhouse
with horses and a swimming pool). We ate dinner there most nights. What
we lost in various restaurant excursions was more than made up by the
experience of sharing a table with our hosts and the other guests (all
French). Not the cheapest option but the best way to immerse yourself
in the culture ("parler francais" is required to get the full benefit).
NICE — We cut our planned itinerary in the Riviera short in order to extend our Provence stay. We're glad we did. Nice is less "European" than other cities — after one day walking through the town, it got kind of boring. The Riviera is really densley packed (with heavily traveled roads right by the beaches).
We found Cassis (near Marseille) to be a more attractive beach town.
Monaco was a bit surreal (although worth the 4 hours we gave it). One
thing from Rick's guide that we felt was misleading was his description
of the MUSEE MATISSE in Nice. I'm working off an older edition of Rick's book, so maybe the Musee Matisse
description has changed. He said he doesn't '"get Matisse.'" Well,
if you want to see good Matisse, go to New York or St. Petersburg. The
stuff they chose to put in the Nice museum was second rate. My wife teaches
art history at a local college and is a big Matisse fan and she was outraged
that anyone could put this collection together and have the audacity to
call it "Musee Matisse." So it isn't a matter of "getting" Matisse— it's a matter of this stuff needing to be put in storage (and we climbed
that darn hill to the museum because the buses were on strike). (By the
way — the Matisse-decorated chapel in Vence is really neat and a must
see for Matisse admirers!) P.S. The museums in Nice don't have cafes
and there wasn't anything to eat in the Matisse neighborhood — plan ahead
if you still want to go.
Patrick Murray
New Brunswick, NJ USA 06/17/03
Nice
My sister and I recently returned from our first trip to France.
In Nice we stayed at the Hotel Clemenceau (Tel from US (011-33) 04 93
88 61 19). Our twin room was clean, maybe a bit worn, and a decent size.
The bathroom was a reasonable size. There is no elevator — it is one long
flight upstairs to the Hotel desk and then another flight to most of the
rooms. The entire staff were very helpful. The location is fairly close
to the train station and about a 15 minute walk to the beach and the flower
market. There was a transportation strike, so we had to stay in Nice an
extra night. The hotel staff was most understanding about our situation,
even though they were totally booked, they found one last room for us.
When we didn’t know if we still needed another night, they held a room
for us. At 53 Euros a night, I would definitely recommend the Hotel Clemenceau
(provided you can carry luggage up the stairs).
We took the bus to Grasse to the perfume factory and found the view along
the way was spectacular. In Nice we walked along the Promanade des Anglais
and went inside the Hotel Negresco to see the tsar’s chandelier. We had
a very good dinner at Milo’s near place Massena. The Flower Market was
fantastic as was strolling and shopping our way around old town. We took
a half day minivan tour of Eze, Monaco and Monte-Carlo through Med Tours
(www.med-tour.com). Our driver was very nice and knowledgeable with a
sense of humor. The views of the ocean, coastline, and Monaco harbor were
again spectacular. We were driven around the course of the Grand prix
of Monaco (held shortly after our stay). I thought the tour was worth
the 49 Euros. Nice and the surrounding area were wonderful!!
LA Meharry <email>
Vancouver, WA USA 06/17/03
D Day Beaches
Le Memorial tour quality is based on the guide. Our guide
barely spoke english. The guides knowledge of the battle was spotty, the
guide did not know as much as the the signs posted at each sight. The tour
covers 80k in a minibus — our guide did not talk while driving — so very
little information about the battle was imparted. I would use a different
tour company listed in Rick's book to avoid any possibility of getting our
guide.
John B <email>
Milwaukee, WI USA 06/13/03
A GEM in Arles: Interhotel Mireille
It’s hard to imagine a more delightful, enchanting experience in Provence;
this hotel exceeded all our expectations. A beautiful small facility, it
is located not far from the center of Arles, just across the Bridge of Tranquility
– and within easy walking distance of most all of the major sights (including
the best ice cream shop in Arles). From the moment we arrived, we were enveloped
in the warm corals and golds typical of the region. From the table linens
and large outdoor umbrellas on the pool terrace, to the canopy, drapes and
bed linens in our spacious room, it was an exquisite visual treat. Mireille
herself is a diminutive dynamo with an extraordinary attention to detail
that seemed to us motivated much more by pride than profit. This pride was
also evident in her small but dedicated group of staff, who went out of
their way to provide warm, cheery, humorous, and attentive but not intrusive
service. Each afternoon as we returned, we felt as if we were “coming home”
and quickly fell into the habit of dining every night at the excellent restaurant
there. Check out the prices on their website. From $97 a night, including
a sumptuous breakfast, we found it to be an extraordinary value for a 3-star
hotel and can’t wait to return.
Marjorie A. Biddle <email>
Lawrenceville, NJ USA 06/03/03
No anti- Americanism in France
Just back from a month in France — Dordogne, Lot (both are great), Carcassonne
(mostly shops with s.o.c.- Siena and Rothenburg are much better. also stay
out of town — Caunnes-Minerve), Collioure (ok but Cassis is better) and
our highlight — the French Pyrenees near Gavarnie (Rick really should include
this in his book. The hiking rivals that around Jungfrau,Zermatt,Engedin,Dolomites,
Austria,Val Malenco or others). This was our 2nd trip to France this year.
Any anti-American sentiment one may fear is simply not there — in fact they
miss us! The French people are NOT Mr. Chirac nor do they necessarily emulate
his views. In fact every day we saw people with Amerecan flag logos on hats,shirts,etc.
and they were all French! The only person we saw who was obviously an American
was a guy who looked just like Steve Smith carrying a "Rickster" book in
Collioure! Even the Parisians, who are always a little "Froggy" seemed a
little more cheerful. Originally, we were a little hesitant to return to France
du to their lack of support and were ready yo move right along back to Italy
if we were not well received but their people are not reflective (necessarily)
of their government. So go to France and enjoy!!
R&K <email>
Sammamish, Wa USA 05/29/03
hotels in Brittany
We recommend a hotel in Dinan which is just a block outside the old walls.
It is the Hotel De La Porte Saint-Malo... owned and operated by a bright
young couple who just bought the place and are fixing it up: Dephine and
Roland. They speak English and Spanish and are quite efficient. Rooms are
terrific and reasonable There is a bar, pool table and snack service.
Mauri Moore <email>
Edmonds, WA USA 05/25/03
hotel smokiness rating/Hotel Residence, Lyon
Here’s a place I think Rick should check out to add to his book: Hotel Residence
in Lyon, on a pleasant pedestrian-only (for the most part) street a block
from Place Bellecour, and 2 blocks from an even nicer plaza in the other
direction, with fountains and plantings. It was in the 70 euros range for
a nice double room. We worried about smoky hotel rooms in France because
many of the small hotels did not have non-smoking rooms (and some hotel
managers were a little snippy when asked about it, i.e. “In France we do
not make laws about things like that. In France we are free; you understand
free?” I put that remark down to strained political relations, and hoped
that face-to-face we would have no problems. And we didn’t.) We did not
notice smoke in any of our hotel rooms or chambers de hote, including Hotel
du Champ de Mars in Paris, recommended in your book — a really pleasant
little place, nicely located. It would have eliminated some worry if you
addressed that issue in your books, but it turned out fine.
Kate <email>
WA USA 05/21/03
Amboise: Hotel Belle-Vue
Hotel Belle-Vue in Amboise was terrible. The owner was extremely unfriendly
and unpleasant. The rooms smelled of mold and mildew.The whole hotel seemed
dirty and depressing. We travel by Rick Steves philosophy of respect and
good manners (plus I grew up in France) so I know the owner's sour attitude
was nothing to do with us personally. I highly recommend staying somewhere
else!
Susan Russell <email>
San Francisco, CA USA 05/17/03
American Cemetery in Normandy closes at 5!
Perhaps it serves me right for using the 2002 edition, but I was surprised
to find that the American cemetery in Normandy (St. Laurent or Colleville-sur-Mer)
closes at 5 p.m. I arrived at 5:15 on Saturday, May 10, to take some photographs
in the early evening light. The place was all locked up. I had thought that
the trail to the beach might be closed, but not the cemetery itself. I stopped
at a nearby farm that advertised cider and calvados tasting to drown my
sorrows, and the lady told me that they had started closing the cemetery
early because of the dramatic drop in tourism after September 11. So, I
missed my photo op. But, I got some great cider and apple jelly to bring
home!
Susan
TX USA 05/17/03
France '03
I recently returned from a 2 week sojourn in France (Paris, Provence, Riviera)
and want to make some recommendations and dis-recommendations. In Paris,
just near Rue Cler is a great little hotel called Hotel St. Dominique. I
stayed there 4 days and loved it. 78 euros/night if booked on Orbitz.com,
it is very much worth it.
In Avignon, I stayed one night at one of Rick's recommendations (a lukewarm recommendation, though) and found it utterly awful. When I arrived, I noticed the bed linens had not been changed, as there were all manner of hair and crumb in the sheets. I aksed at the front desk to have the sheets changed, and the host didn't believe me, took me down into the musty basement, and loaded my arms with new sheets, instructing me to put them on myself. I would never return to Hotel Medieval. The following night I stayed at Hotel Kyriad on Place d'Horloge, and even though it's a chain, it was lovely.
In Isle sur la Sorgue, my sister and I stayed at a lovely chambre d'hote, which was recommended by someone on this site. It's called La Pigionnier, and it was fabulous,in beautiful country surroundings, nice as can be hosts, and to die for breakfast on the patio. All for 58 euros a night. This summer they're adding a gite, essentially an outbuilding on the property with a kitchen and lots of space, which would be great for families. You can find it on provenceweb.fr. Very highly recommended
In Antibes, I ate at Chez Juliette, a Rick recommendation, and it was
great. I would also recommend l'Aubergine, which is across the street
from Chez Juliette.
Robin Bonebright <email>
Portland, OR USA 05/15/03
Chartres tour price increase
Malcolm Miller's tours at Chartres Cathedral are now 10 euros (a new Dean
at the Cathedral has required this) and that fee includes rental of a headset.
The price seemed a bit steep for a one-hour tour, but it was nevertheless
fascinating to listen to his explanations of the stained glass and all of
the symbolism in the various statutes and carvings surrounding the portals.
Mark
Cleveland, OH USA 05/14/03
Sleeping Great in Nice
In Nice, France, Hotel Felix (04-93-88-67-73) on rue Massena is a great
budget hotel centrally located only one block from the beach and in a fun
pedestrian zone next to the old town. The people running it are very nice — with a cute dog! My room was €36 for one person, and included private
bathroom, TV (with BBC and CNN in English) and telephone — a great deal
in expensive Nice!
S. Straub <email>
Thomasville, GA USA 05/12/03
Try more of rural France
To Shelley: You've had a taste in Provence of what it is like, but it's like that in
many places. Rural and small-town France reminds me of rural and small-town
Italy — which is wonderful. There is a book available which I highly recommend.
Le Guide Routard Guide to French Hotels and Restaurants. It is published
in English annually by Rough Guides, and is required reading for auto touring
in France.
Don S <email>
London, UK 05/11/03
First-time France Report
We're "Italia-philes" (we have family there), but have recently returned
from our first visit to France. Provence is beautiful, and the people were
gracious, friendly and helpful. Our hotel in St. Remy de Provence was spectacular:
$145.00 US per night, plus breakfast. They also served superb dinners for
only $25.00 US per person, plus cost of any wines. Dinners started with
complimentary aperitifs, then on to gourmet, Provencal "appetizers", entree,
fromage & salad and then divine desserts. We're sorry we didn't spend more
than 5 days in Provence. Rick, next time you do Provence, stop in St. Remy
and check out Le Mas Des Carassins — an old country Provencal house, 12
regular rooms, 2 suites, nice grounds & a beautiful pool for the right weather.
It's for those who don't mind spending a few more dollars.
Then on to Paris for 5 days. The art was great; I preferred the Musee d'Orsay for the impressionist work over the Louvre. I was surprised that the French are not as loving of their "antiquities" as the Italians, or the Irish for that matter. Chunks of the Louvre were missing, Notre Dame desparately needs cleaning.
The problem was, unfortunately, the rudeness of most Parisians. I went with a totally open mind against any reports, and did exactly what Rick Steves advised: always greet with Bon Jour Madame/Monsiuer/Madmoiselle, ended with Au Revoir, etc.
The food, also, was less than spectacular, and we went to some very good restaurants. We did try a Rue Cler restaurant, recommended in the book.
Another big problem is constant "dog poop alerts." The Parisians take their dogs everywhere, into restaurants, etc. There is no "pooper scooping" or curbing the dogs so it's all over the sidewalks.
Next year we're going back to Italia, then on to Ireland. Spain is also
on the wish list. Another visit to Provence definitely, via Milan or Geneva
by car. We will never if at all possible travel through a Paris airport
again. Continental Airlines will be receiving a letter about their French
staff.
Shelley Panzarella <email>
FL USA 05/05/03
D-Day Beaches
Le Memorial does a great bus tour for 2pm to 7 pm — book on their website.
Our guide was wonderful and had time to run on Omaha Beach, Pont Du Noc
and other sites. Easy train conncections make this an easy day trip form
Paris. Take the 9 am out of St. Lazzarre and the 8 pm from Caen. Taxis will
get u from the station (there is no direct bus). The day Tikrit surrendered
we were on Omaha Beach — very appropriate.
Marc <email>
greenwich , USA 04/20/03
Primo 99 is now Primo One
We just got back from France and I think my entire family is sick of hearing "thus saith Rick!", but the 2003 guide was such an integral part of our
travels! One word of advice: Primo 99 in Colmar (pg. 444 of 2003 Guide)
is now Primo One. Knowing this would have saved a large argument in our
van as to whether or not we should stop there (we didn't and drove in circles
for an extra hour before stopping in desperation and finding they did, in
fact, have our reservation!) We stayed at Andre and Madeleine Sebires' working
farmhouse (pg. 173)in Ryes (Normandy) and LOVED it. We had such a warm welcome
and would recommend it most highly, though you should bring your own soap
since none was provided.
Rebekah <email>
Grand Rapids, MI USA 04/15/03
Bring a compass
We spent severals days driving in the south of France and used Rick's France
guide exclusively. In Arles, we stayed at the recommended Hotel Regence.
It was great. The staff was very nice and helpful. Also, the driving directions
to the hotel were perfect! In Arles, we ate at a couple of restaurants recommended
by the guide: La Giraudiere and L'Arlatan. Both were excellent.
In Nice, we wanted to stay at the Hotel Star, but it was "complet." However, Francoise volunteered to call around for us and found us another two star hotel in the area which was fine.
One thing that you might add: drivers should have a little compass with
them. When you're trying to get out of Lyon or trying to find the "gare"
to return a rental car, it helps to know what direction you're driving
in. Also, getting out of Nice was a little challenging. with the compass,
at least we knew whether we were headed in the right direction or not!
Jane <email>
Rochester, NY USA 04/14/03
Le Gourmandin Beaune, France
Just a little tip. Le Gourmandin restaurant and hotel in Beaune, France
is no longer a lowered priced hotel. They have upgraded the rooms and now
rent them for 120 euros per night.
Vicki <email>
Chicago, IL USA 04/12/03
Hotel la Roseraie
We at the Hotel la Roseraie in Chenonceaux want to let you know our web
site charminghotel.com does not work anymore. Please use charmingroseraie.com.
We apologize to all of you who tried to reach us with never any response.
Sophie and Laurent Fiorito<email>
Chenonceaux, FRANCE 04/05/03
Normandy & Loire Valley
We took the train from Paris to Chartres and rented a car for 8 days to
travel to Normandy and Loire Valley. We drove to Isigny-sur-mer to visit
the Omaha Beach sights and American Cemetery. We visited here our last trip
and this time was no less awe inspiring. Stayed again at the Hotel de France,
basic rooms with newly remodeled large bathrooms (great showers)in Isigny
and Madam Petit was again just a wonderful host. At 43E twin double & 34E
single it is a great bargain. Their restaurant is also very good.
Then it was on to Le Mont-St-Michel. Our room at Le Terrasse Poulard had 3 single beds and a nice bathroom, 160E. Again the staff was very helpful and had a nice stay. I agree with Rick that you should stay right on the island. We were able to arrive at the Abbey gate when it opened and beat by several hours the crowds from the tour busses. It is also very special walking the sidewalks in the evening with hardly anyone around.
Then on to Chenonceaux and our stay at the hotel La Roseraie! If in the Loire Valley, stay here! Laurent and Sophie are two of the nicest people you can ever meet. Their restaurant had the best food we had on our trip and the service is 5 star. We stayed in their family room (2 adjoining rooms with bathroom in the middle), 120E. If you want a friendly, qualnt, French experience, La Roseraie is perfect! I can't say enough. By going to Chenonceau early we about had the place to ourselves.
Then it was back to Chartres to turn in our car, staying a night at La Chatelet. Chartres Cathedral is unbelievable. Next morning we train back to Paris for 1 last day of sightseeing in Paris, and a night at the Hotel Muguet. Both of these hotels had very friendly staff and reasonable prices.
We would not hesitate to stay again at any of the hotels we stayed at, and even with the world situation, to travel in France.
P.S. 15 days in France, 10 minutes of rain. Marveilleux! Go and enjoy!!
Glenn Leary <email>
Bloomington, IL USA 03/26/03
Beautiful Normandy
If you are looking for a part of the world that you thought only existed
in your imagination, take a road trip through Normandy. Lush, green pastures,
mystical castles, tiny, quaint little villages, sea-side towns and breath
taking views over the English Channel. I fell in love with Paris because,
well it's Paris! But I fell in love with France because of Normandy.
In June 2001 my husband and I rented an apartment in Paris for a month; our Normandy side trip was definitely a highlight. The information Rick Steves provides in his books was invaluable in Paris, so we followed his recommendations for Normandy. We visited the largest castle/fortress in all of Europe at Fougeres. Traversing the ramparts was like stepping back in time. And it's not like Carcassone (crawling with tourists). We more or less had the place to ourselves — in June! We stayed at heavenly Mont. St. Michel and experienced the splendor of it in the late afternoon after tourist crowds were gone — it really does make a world of difference. We stayed at Rick Steves' pick, La Vielle Auberge, which had cozy and very clean rooms and a lovely waterfront view of the beach. Visiting D-Day invasion sites such as Pointe du Hoc and Omaha Beach was an experience I'll never forget, especially Pointe du Hoc with its dramatic views over the Channel.
And speaking of views, for all you golfers out there, you have to play
a round of golf on the stunning, cliffside golf course in Etretat. Monet
painted this place for a reason! We also stay at Rick Steves' pick for
Honfleur, Hotel du Dauphine. We were given a nice and large room. The
hotel is right off the main square; everything was within walking distance.
It is so lovely — not to be missed! Now, whenever I think of France, I
picture Normandy and not Provence.
Cindy Vitkauskas <email>
Vancouver, BC Canada 03/19/03
French Alps, Annecy, Chamonix, Evian, Switzerland
Chamonix — we have recently visited the French Alps, and stayed at a super
Chalet where you can choose to have Self-catering or B&B. We self-catered — the place is superb, close to all the sights to see and very very quiet.
Their website is : www.vrbo.com/18404
Barbara Kennedy <email>
Michigan, USA 03/19/03
Paris hotel
Just returned from Paris and the best buy in the city is the Hotel L'Esperance!
Rated only 2 stars but every bit a three star hotel. Clean bright rooms
and very reasonable. The owner is a hoot!
Anthony Ambrose <email>
Louisville, KY USA 03/18/03
Nice hotels
The Hotel Trianon in Nice, France is no more. The address is now occupied
by the Hotel Aria, 15 Rue Auber. Looks very nice. Good experience with the
Hotel Le Oasis one block over on Rue Gounod. Very accessible to the train
station making a cab ride unnecessary.
Anthony H. Ambrose <email>
Louisville, , KY USA 03/18/03
Le Gourmandin rate change, Beaune France
During recent reservation request for our France trip I found out that the
rates listed for Le Gourmandin in Beaune France in the 2003 book are incorrect.
The rate is now 120 euros per night and not 50 — 70. I guess they renovated
the rooms.
Tim Guerrette <email>
Edmonds, WA USA 03/16/03
Reconsider France
Given the current anti-American attitude of the French government I think
that we should all re-think our travel plans. Unless you agree with them
you might want to support those who do support us and avoid France in favor
of countries such as Spain and the UK.
Jeff Keller <email>
Post Falls, UT USA 03/12/03
Chartres
Sorry to report that if you want to see or walk the Labyrinth on the floor
of the cathedral, it is covered by chairs. What a shame. Also the Chapel
of the Veil of the Virgin is being re-done and the veil is covered. The
stained glass is outstanding. Work on the chapel should be compeleted in
early June. But the Chartres visit was still worth it and it was nice to
get out of Paris for a few hours.
Robert <email>
Clemmons, NC USA 03/11/03
Hotels in Avignon, Beaune, Lyon and Paris
Just returned from a trip to France in which I used Rick's recommendations
for a couple hotels. In Avignon, the Hotel de Blauvac was indeed a good
buy. The rooms with lofts are very good for three people. In Beaune, however,
I would avoid the Hotel au Grand St. Jean. While the price and location
are right, the walls are ridiculously thin. It's literally like the people
next door (and across the hall) are in your room. I got no sleep while listening
to regular coughing spells, bathroom trips. In the morning, I could literally
hear my neighbors swishing around in their bath tubs. In Paris, I would
recommend the Hotel Valadon in the Rue Cler section. It's a boutique hotel
in a great neighborhood and the rates are good. If you go to Lyon — which
Rick doesn't review — the Hotel La Residence is the place to stay. Good rates,
good location and a great breakfast.
SZ
Washington, DC USA 02/20/03
Le Maupassant Cafe
There is a wrong fax # for Le Maupaussant Cafe in Beaux. It is 02-31-92-35-40.
Also, the email is: maupassant14@hotmail.com They were very responsive and
got right back to me (after I figured out the right fax #)
steve <email>
chicago, il USA 02/09/03
Antibes
Just wrote a lenthy comment and forgot to speak of Antibes. Stayed at the
Hotel Relais Du Postillon. Lovely people. Awesome food (although at the
time of our visit in June 2002 they were no longer running a full service
restaurant). I would definitely stay there again. However, the lack of air
conditioning (and I don't usually use it) was an issue. It was so hot and
the room so small that by the time you got dressed and out of the shower
the second person in the shower had heated up the room to an unbearable
degree.
Also — The Festival of Music (I don't believe this is mentioned in Rick's
book) was awesome. Occurs on the same date in June all over Paris. We
happened to be in Antibes that night and saw at least 7 different types
of music at different areas throughout the city. Very fun!
Kathy <email>
Northboro, MA USA 02/07/03
France Comments
We traveled to Paris, Amsterdam, Bruges, Antibes, Arles, and Chamonix during
the summer of 2002 using Rick's book. [For comments about Amsterdam and
Bruges, see the new Amsterdam/Bruges/Brussels board]. Here are my comments —
1. Hotel du Musee in Arles was by far the nicest hotel we stayed at during our trip! Would highly recommend it. The air conditioning was particularly welcome. (It was terribly hot even in late June.) And we spent a couple of memorable afternoons in the courtyard conversing with people from all over the world.
2. Our dinner at L'Oliver in Arles was are most memorable and exquisite during our trip. And compared to what we would pay in Boston for such a meal...it was truly a deal. $90 Euros including a very nice bottle of local wine and dessert!
3. The difference between Arles and Avignon was dramatic. After visiting Avignon we decided we would have preferred to have stayed there. Much more cosmopolitan. However, then we would not have stayed at the aforementioned Hotel du Musee and may not have eaten at L'Olivier. Hmmmm......
4. Chamonix — the Hotel de l'Arve was awesome. Definitely splurge on the rooms with the view and balcony. We had our breakfast on the balcony every morning. FYI — room service breakfast is the same price as the buffet.
5. Also in Chamonix — one of the restaurants in Rick's book was closed (out of business it appeared) at the time of our trip. If memory serves me correctly it was La Boccalatte, but I could be mistaken. That was may months ago now. However, we were also there a couple of days before the real tourist season started. Perhaps it simply had not opened for the season yet.
6. Paris — we stayed in an apartment in Les Halles rented on the internet
through a private party. This worked much better than a hotel as my son
was staying with us for that week and was only a little more than $100
USD per night. The web address is parisapartments.com.
Kathy <email>
Northboro, MA USA 02/07/03
B & B in Normandy
We also stayed at La Callerie this past summer. There have been widely differing
experiences there based on other postings here. Ours ran more to the "nice
accomodations but felt the owners didn't really want us there" variety.
They seemed very anxious about having children there — lots of rules with
specifics about kids' behavior (ours were 12 & 15). Very poor breakfast.
Also — be sure that you plan to be out of the house for most of the day
as they prefer that you vacate the entire premises between 9:00 and 4:00.
Fortunately this is easy to do as the Normandy region is fabulous and the
D-Day sites were both interesting and moving. For a real contrast in B &
B hospitality the French hosts at La Renaudičre or La Roseraie, both in
the Loire Valley, go out of there way to make you feel welcome.
Karen <email>
Atlanta, GA USA 01/27/03
B&B Normandy
I stayed at La Caillerie in Normandy in August 2002. I was visiting the
D-day beaches on my own. The hosts fell over themselves to keep me happy — they even cooked me evening meals and I ate with them (at no extra charge)
The property is delightful and well worth the visit — it is in the perfect
places for visiting the beaches, Mont St Michel, Bayeux etc ...
Trevor Stakes <email>
USA 01/26/03
Reclaiming the VAT
After several trips to France, I have finally concluded that one never ever
gets the Value Added Tax back. No matter how carefully you fill out the
paperwork, the French bureaucrats have a road block for you. So, freely
buy whatever you wish and expect to just pay the tax. Once I realized this
reality, my expectations fell into line, and I relaxed at the airport.
mike spring <email>
san rafael, ca USA 01/25/03
Bed and Breakfast
We spent 4 nights in August at Melchoir in Vallabregues. (melchoir@avignon-et-provence.com)
Emmanuel our host is most interesting and ambitions. No Name the welcoming
dog is always ready for a walk. Our only disappointment was that we had
to leave to go home. Truly a France through the Back Door place.
Barney and Jan Valder Offerman <email>
Charlotte, NC USA 01/24/03
Car touring in France
When doing a driving tour in France we have learned to visit the big cities
and towns but to stay in small towns instead. The exception of course is
Paris, in which a car is nothing but an encumberance. The 'Rouge Guide'
sells an English translation of the le Guide du Routard which is a singularly
wonderful (and unique) resource for this kind of touring. Small untouristy
french towns and villages are almost invariably cheaper, easier, more charming,
and offer better value than accomodations and eating in cities and tourist
centers do. Rick's guides sometimes does this very well (the Provence section
was excellent) but elsewhere tends to focus on the target cities to the
exclusion of the periphery. Perhaps necessarily so.
Don Stadler <email>
London, UK 01/02/03
Dordogne & Lot
This is a wonderful rural area of France and really requires a car to appreciate
properly. We visited Beynac and while it looks a fun place, to be honest
we saw many other villages we liked much much more. Without a car you cannot
drive around and see this wonderful area. We enjoyed Cahors and Rocamadour
as much or more than we did Sarlat.
Don Stadler <email>
London, UK 01/02/03
Dordogne
In the Dordogne we stayed in a place named 'Hotel-Restaurant La Table Du
Terroir' in the countryside south of the Lascaux caves near the village
of La Chapelle-Aubareil (about 7 miles south of Montignac). Follow the signs
from the village. A small hotel on a farm and a serious bargain at E 34-36
a night or E 48 per person half-board. A good inexpensive restaurant if
you're in the area to see Lascaux. This place has a great swimming pool
with a wonderful view of the hills and so is a candidate for 'vacation from
your vacation' status. Sarlat was nice but unexceptional compared with Dinan,
Carcassonne, or Uzes (near Nimes and Pont Du Garde). We stayed and ate at
La Bastide Bleue in Seguret and loved the room. The food was satisfactory
but we've eaten better elsewhere. We loved Nyons' olive trees and plan to
spend more time there on a second trip to the area.
Don Stadler <email>
London, UK 01/02/03