France Travel Guide

The French government rates hotels on a one- to four-star system. One-star hotels are budget accommodations; two-star lodgings are quality tourist hotels; three stars go to first-class hotels; and four stars are reserved for deluxe accommodations. In some of the lower categories, the rooms may not have private bathrooms; instead, many have what the French call a cabinet de toilette (hot and cold running water and maybe a bidet). In such hotels, bathrooms are down the hall. Nearly all hotels in France have central heating, but in some cases, you might wish the owners would turn it up a little on a cold night.

For apartment, farmhouse, or cottage stays of 2 weeks or more, Idyll Untours (888-868-6871; www.untours.com) provides exceptional vacation rentals for a reasonable price -- which includes air/ground transportation, cooking facilities, and on-call support from a local resident. Best of all: Untours -- named the "Most Generous Company in America" by Newman's Own -- donates most profits to provide low-interest loans to underprivileged entrepreneurs around the world. At press time, Untour's French offerings included lodging in Alsace, Provence, and Paris. Also check out www.venere.com for more information on accommodations.

Relais & Chateaux -- Now known worldwide, this organization of deluxe and first-class hostelries began in France for visitors seeking the ultimate in hotel living and dining in a traditional atmosphere. Relais & Châteaux establishments (there are about 150 in France) are former castles, abbeys, manor houses, and town houses converted into hostelries or inns and elegant hotels. All have a limited number of rooms, so reservations are imperative. Sometimes these owner-run establishments have pools and tennis courts. The Relais part of the organization refers to inns called relais, meaning "post house." These tend to be less luxurious than the châteaux, but are often charming. Top-quality restaurants are relais gourmands. Throughout this guide, we list our favorite Relais & Châteaux members, but there are many more.

For a catalog of member establishments, send $12 to Relais & Châteaux (tel. 800/735-2478; www.relaischateaux.com).

Bed & Breakfasts -- Called gîtes-chambres d'hôte in France, these may be one or several bedrooms on a farm or in a village home. Many offer one main meal a day (lunch or dinner).

La Maison des Gîtes de France et du Tourisme Vert, 59 rue St-Lazare, Paris 75439 (tel. 01-49-70-75-75; www.gites-de-france.fr), lists at least 6,000 gîtes-chambres d'hôte. Sometimes these B&Bs aren't as simple as you may think: Instead of a bare-bones farm, you may be in a mansion in the countryside.

Condos, Villas, Houses & Apartments -- If you can stay for at least a week and don't mind doing your own cooking and cleaning, you may want to rent long-term accommodations. The local French Tourist Board might help you obtain a list of agencies that offer this type of rental (which is popular at ski resorts). In France, one of the best groups of agents is the Fédération Nationale des Agents Immobiliers, 106 rue de l'Université, Paris 75007 (tel. 01-47-05-44-36; www.fnpc.fr).

In the United States, At Home Abroad, Inc., 163 Third Ave., Box 319, New York, NY 10003 (tel. 212/421-9165; fax 212/533-0095; www.athomeabroadinc.com), specializes in villas on the French Riviera and in the Dordogne as well as places in the Provençal hill towns. Rentals are usually for 2 weeks. You'll receive photographs of the properties and a newsletter.

New York Habitat (tel. 212/255-8018; fax 212/627-1416; www.nyhabitat.com) rents furnished apartments and vacation accommodations in Paris and the south of France. Bookings should be done at least 3 months in advance (even farther out for the south of France) and can be arranged online or over the phone. Prices in Paris range from 300€ to 8,000€ ($390-$10,444); in the south of France 55€ to 10,000€ ($72-$13,000).

CyberRentals is a worldwide vacation rental website (tel. 512/684-1098; www.cyberrentals.com) that lists vacation homes, condos, luxury villas, cabins, chalets, and other real estate available for rent by owner. For example, you can find properties such as one typical -- and lovely -- villa in Gordes in the Provence region that sleeps six and rents for between $1,500 and $3,000 per week, depending on season.

If you want to rent an apartment in Paris, the Barclay International Group, 6800 Jericho Turnpike, Syosset, NY 11791 (tel. 800/845-6636 or 516/364-0064; fax 516/364-4468; www.barclayweb.com), can give you access to about 3,000 apartments and villas throughout Paris (and 39 other cities in France), ranging from modest modern units to the most stylish lodgings. Units rent for 1 night to 6 months; all have TVs and kitchenettes, and many have concierge staffs and lobby-level security. The least expensive cost around $95 per night, double occupancy. Discounts are given for a stay of 1 week or longer. Rentals must be prepaid in U.S. dollars or with a U.S. credit or charge card.

Hometours International, Inc., 1108 Scottie Lane, Knoxville, TN 37919 (tel. 865/690-8484; hometours@aol.com), offers more than 400 moderately priced apartments, apartment hotels, and villas in Paris. On the Riviera, you can rent villas, with pools, at reasonable rates.

Hotel Chains -- One good moderately priced choice is the Mercure chain, an organization of simple, modern hotels throughout France. Even at the peak of the tourist season, a room at a Mercure in Paris rents for as little as 85€ ($111) per night (admittedly, a rarity). For more information on Mercure hotels and its 100-page directory, call (tel. 800/221-4542 in the U.S.; www.mercure.com).

Formule 1 hotels are basic but safe, offering rooms for up to three people for around 29€ ($35) per night. Built from prefabricated units, these air-conditioned, soundproof hotels are shipped to a site and assembled, often on the outskirts of cities such as Paris (27 in the suburbs). There are 150 of these throughout the rest of France.

Mercure and Formule 1 are both owned by the French hotel giant Accor, parent of Motel 6, which Formule 1 resembles. Formule 1's low cost makes it unprofitable for the chain to allow customers to reserve rooms from the United States, so you'll have to reserve upon arrival. For a directory, write to Formule 1/ETAP Hotels, c/o Sishe Hotel, 6-8 rue du Bois-Briard, Evry Cedex 91021 (tel. 08-92-68-56-85; www.hotelformule1.com).

Other worthwhile economy bets, sometimes with a bit more charm, are the hotels and restaurants of the Fédération Nationale des Logis de France, 83 av. d'Italie, Paris 75013 (tel. 01-45-84-83-84; www.logis-de-france.fr). This is an association of 3,000 hotels, usually country inns convenient for motorists, most rated one or two stars. The association publishes an annual directory.

House-Swapping -- House-swapping is becoming a more popular and viable means of travel; you stay in their place, they stay in yours, and you both get a more authentic and personal view of a destination, the opposite of the escapist retreat many hotels offer. Try HomeLink International (Homelink.org), the largest and oldest home-swapping organization, founded in 1952, with more than 11,000 listings worldwide ($75 yearly membership). HomeExchange.org ($50 for 6,000 listings) and InterVac.com ($69 for over 10,000 listings) are also reliable.