Personalized trips to France
for independent travelers

Nice hotel, clean, solid amenities and great location

Great location, but older hotel with some issues. Lots of stairs, can be buggy

Not the best location, but clean and friendly

Odd layout made getting around a bit tough. Older hotel with some sewage issues in parts of the hotel

Still very packed and hard to get into certain areas, even in the evening

We had a large, light filled room with a pretty view over the street toward the Palais. The hotel is minutes away from the Palais des Ducs which is the focal area of old Dijon. The friendly staff was helpful with stashing luggage and giving directions. There is an elevator. Dijon is very walkable. We had to park overnight a ways away in public parking, but the walk back was through interesting streets, past the big food market, and lovely parts of Dijon.

A very comfortable and welcoming hotel. The room was clean, fresh and good sized, and the staff was very helpful. There is an elevator! The neighborhood is walkable and pretty, not far from the Rhone and a few blocks from the Saone. Lots of young people in the cafes at night and good restaurants nearby. We liked the hotel a lot, but the location requires either Uber or lots of walking along the beautiful Saone river to get to the old area of Lyon or other typical tourist sites. I am glad we stayed there or else we would have missed this more authentic part of Lyon. One great thing is that the hotel is minutes away from the transit system hub which will also get you all around the city.

Fascinating and tranquil historic hotel outside of Arles. You can only get there by car - it is about 15 minutes from the periphery of the main tourist areas. The large, comfortable rooms are colorfully decorated and painted, and the decor around the hotel is kind of exotic drawing from its 500 year history. There is a swimming pool and nooks for reading or relaxing. Delicious breakfast. I wish we had stayed an extra night.

We were in a very small, poorly lit room on the first floor. Some rooms opened onto a little balcony, but we had only a door and poor ventilation. The desk manager didn't even look up when we came in at night. The breakfast was good. It is about a 20 minute walk to the main area of Aix - not convenient except by car which is about 10 minutes to the underground parking next to the pedestrian area. There is a garage onsite. I believe if you call ahead, some of the parking is free. We didn't know to reserve ahead and so paid for parking. There are other hotels more conveniently located for exploring Aix, but fine if you are just traveling through.

The hotel is located on a quiet street not far from the Palais des Papes within the walls of Avignon. You can happily explore many untouristy areas of Avignon from here, but it is close to the highlights as well. The host is a very hospitable man who took time to explain how to get places, where to park, what to visit, etc. The room kimkim had arranged was not a good one for us since the raked ceiling beams made it impossible for my husband to stand upright, but the manager recognized this this next morning and moved us to a very comfortable room while we were out for the day. There are lots of stairs with no elevator to get to the rooms in which we stayed if that is an issue. The breakfast was quite good and there were not many other options for breakfast in the area. The Tourist Bureau is nearby which was convenient since our group and private tours started there.

This was the perfect hotel to start the trip. It is located in the pleasant hustle and bustle of Marseilles within easy walking distance to the port area for restaurants and people watching. The room was pretty, comfortable, and decent sized, and the breakfast was a delicious start to each day. The staff was very friendly and kindly let me try out my rusty french. The other guests appeared to be young professionals and happy explorers.

Needed more time. I would have liked to go into Gordes. Maybe see another town. I feel like we drove far enough from town that it would have been worth seeing other towns if they, too, are charming. I know we weren't there during lavender season, but I have read of other towns that also seemed worth a visit. This was a half- day from 9 to 2, so I understand the limits.

Handsomely appointed hotel in a restored 18th-century baroque estate with gardens, pool and sauna and two splendid restaurants, one formal, one rustic, located several km from the center of Zweibrücken. Generously sized rooms, exquisite service.

Great fun driving through the countryside, trying to find traces of ancestors who lived in these villages more than 200 years ago. First organized by Napoleon, the civil registration records for births, marriages and deaths, now scanned and available at websites of the regional archives, offered just enough breadcrumbs to follow our ancestors as they grew their families and struggled to make a living in 19th-century France. Talk to a genealogist to get started.

For me, the Alsatian Wine Tour was a delight. I knew very little about Alsatian wines, and left the area with a new appreciation of their variety. The hosts at our two vineyards were informative and eager to answer all our questions. Both afternoons were a highlight for our entire group, which ranged from wine snobs to those who know what they like but have little background in wine culture. We all learned from and loved this experience.