Chambres d’hotes France- What are they really?

When it comes to chambres d’hotes, France has been in prime position for a long time as these have been part of French history and heritage for many centuries. That said many people aren’t exactly clear about just what French Chambres d’hotes really are.

What are Chambres d’hotes

For the French and many who have adopted this particular phrase –chambres d’hotes has a specific meaning. Literally, translated from French it means « bedroom of the host » and quite specifically means that you will be sharing accommodation – although normally having exclusiveuse of a bedroom – in the house of the person or family you’re staying with. Common practice amongst those who run chambres d’hotes means that as well as having the use of a bedroom quite often you will also have exclusive use of a bathroom and most times this will be ensuite. But in older establishments that may not always be true. Again, it’s normal that when you rent a chambres d’hotes you will also be given breakfast — but that is not always necessarily the case. Whatever arrangements are offered you can be sure that the price will vary in accordance with what you are given i.e. the better the facilities — normally the higher the price will be. For chambres d’hotes in France, there will also be some regional and seasonal variations in pricing with busy times being anything up to 2 or three times more expensive than the off-season. That said, generally speaking the facilities offered in chambres d’hotes are gradually getting better and better with many proprietors taking great pride in the level and standard of services offered.

Table d’hote

Often going hand-in-hand with chambres d’hotes are the offer of an evening meal — normally at a fixed price which is known as “tabled’hote”. Table d’hote literally means « table of the host » and in most cases it exactly that as you will be sitting down with the family eating the same meal as them. However there is a growing trend amongst many chambres d’hotes establishments where guests and family are fed separately. Each situation has advantages and disadvantages. If you cannot speak French for instance, then having to hold a conversation or mime your way through a conversation for an hour or two may be a bit tiring. However, if the language barrier is only slight them being able to talk to the host family about the village or town and area you’re staying incan often provide an immense wealth of useful information.

Regulations for chambres d’hotes in France

In many instances particularly in country areas you’ll find that quite a few of the establishments may have only two or maybe three rooms that they let out to paying guests. Many of these may be on farms, in villages or other countrified situations — but there are quite a few to be found even in some of the larger towns. In cases like this you really will be considered as part of the family or at the very least as honoured guests and the money that you spend with them will often be supplemental to the main household income. Other establishments may have more than just two or three bedrooms but never more than six as under French law if an establishment rents out more than six bedrooms it is considered as a hotel and as such has to follow much stricter regulations. If you stay in an establishment that does have more rather than less bedrooms, then this will quite often mean that at least one member ofthe family is deriving a full-time income from running the chambres d’hotes and as such the services offered maybe higher. Larger establishments may also have a restaurant or something like that associated with them which obviously means that you can take advantage of what is quite often good quality and reasonably priced food and not have to worry about getting home again afterwards — if the wine was particularly drinkable.