The Hotels

THE HOTELS

5/11-5/13: HOTEL LA MOTTE PICQUET, 30 Avenue de la Motte-Picquet, 75007 Paris

TV, refrigerator, street view, shower, amiable English-speaking staff, small room, a little light on charm, owner a bit pushy. [345 francs]

5/14: ALTEA K-MOTEL, Route du Mont St Michel BP 8, 50170 Le Mont-Saint-Michel (nka Hotel Mercure)

New U.S. style, 3-star hotel with TV, full bath (sans shower curtain). Very large room without balcony or refrigerator. Friendly staff. [380 francs]

5/15: HOTEL LA BRECHE, 26 Rue Jules Ferry, 37400 Amboise (from R. Steves)

English-speaking family run hotel with medium sized, average charm rooms. Very nice view of garden out of large sit-in window. With bath, no TV. Comfortable bed. Very pleasant owner. [400 francs, included breakfast and dinner]

5/16-5/17: HOTEL MARCEL, nka Hotel le Madrigal, 8 Avenue de Selves, 24200 Sarlat (from R. Steves)

Charming hotel a few blocks from the center of town. Exquisite room with TV, bath, toilet in separate room, view of back yard. Sweet and very French owners. Overcharged 50 francs. [210 francs]

5/18: ARAGON HOTEL, 15 Montée Combeleran, 11000 Carcassonne

Hotel within fifty yards of La Cite. Very modern room with television, air conditioning, refrigerator, large bath, and nice purple decor. Run by a pleasant couple. Great coffee for breakfast. [300 francs]

5/19: HOTEL IBIS, 268 Rue de l’Hostellerie, 30900 Nimes

Large modern U.S. style hotel. Room with television, bath, and very little character other than pine furniture. [305 francs]

5/20: LE MANOIR, Quartier Salignan, (D 201), 84400 Apt

Country style inn in a rural setting. Smallish room with television, shower, walnut veneer furniture, and bay window with a good view. Very pleasant owners. [300 francs, included breakfast]

5/21: HOTEL CAP, 190 Avenue Georges Guynemer, 06700 St. Laurent

Hotel similar to the Ibis only more so. Cramped, entirely characterless room, with television, shower, two single beds, and view of a huge shopping mall. [346 francs, included breakfast]

5/22: LE BELEZE, 1 Place Collette, Eze Village, 06360 Eze

Average looking hotel within 35 yards of castle. Room with broken toilet seat, zilch character, no television and the most obnoxious, rude lout for a manager in the country. Breakfast was a disaster. [300 francs, included breakfast]

5/23: HOTEL CHRISMA, 25 Avenue de Grenoble, 05300 Laragne-Montéglin

Large, empty hotel in small, quiet town run by a proper lady, who was quite helpful and pleasant about showing rooms. Very large room with television, shower, extra blanket, and not much heat. [250 francs]

5/24: HOTEL DU PORT, Rue du Quai 6, 1844 Villeneuve, Switzerland (approx. 5 miles from Montreux)

Across the street from Lac Leman. Large, bright, modern room with TV, high-powered shower, and balcony with lake view. Excellent hotel with delicious breakfast and pleasant owner. [130 Swiss francs]

5/25: LE HOME, 138 Route de Dijon, 21200 Beaune (from R. Steves)

Country style inn with gregarious English-speaking owner. Charming carriage style room in light green decor with television and bath. Breakfast extra and only so-so. [340 francs]

5/26: HOTEL CERF, nka Hotel L’Europe, 15 Route de Neuf-Brisach, 68180 Horbourg Wihr

Spacious, rustically modern hotel with rude and charmless manager. Very comfortable, spotless room with shower and good view but no television. [280 francs]

5/27: RENAULT 5, Autoroute service plaza a few mile outside Reims

I had the front seat, Sharon took the back. It was cold and cramped. [0 francs]

5/28: HOTEL DE FRANCE, 102, boulevard de la Tour-Maubourg, 75007 Paris

Medium-sized hotel in good location. Comfortable room with television, mini-bar, shower and view of other apartment buildings. [380 francs]