Normandy, Brittany & the Best of the North_ With Paris (Fodor's) - Fodor's [183]
CATEGORY
Paris
All Regions Excluding Paris
$$$$
over €250
over €215
$$$
€176–€250
€146–€215
$$
€121–€175
€106–€145
$
€80–€120
€65–€105
¢
under €80
under €65
APARTMENT AND HOUSE RENTALS
If you know the region you want to visit, contact the departmental branch directly and order a photo catalog that lists every property. If you specify which dates you plan to visit, the office will narrow down the choice to rentals available for those days. Be sure to plan early: renting gîtes has become one of the most popular ways to discover France.
Individual tourist offices often publish lists of locations meublés (furnished rentals); these are often inspected by the tourist office and rated by comfort standards. Usually they’re booked directly through the individual owner, which generally requires some knowledge of French. Rentals that are not classified or rated by the tourist office should be undertaken with trepidation, as they can fall well below your minimum standard of comfort.
Vacation rentals in France always book from Saturday to Saturday (with some offering weekend rates off-season). Most do not include bed linens and towels, but make them available for an additional fee. Always check on policies on pets and children and specify if you need an enclosed garden for toddlers, a washing machine, a fireplace, and so on. If you plan to have overnight guests during your stay, let the owner know; there may be additional charges. Insurance restrictions prohibit loading in guests beyond the specified capacity.
Contacts: At Home Abroad (212/421–9165 | www.athomeabroadinc.com). Barclay International Group (516/364–0064 or 800/845–6636 | www.barclayweb.com). Drawbridge to Europe (541/482–7778 or 888/268–1148 | www.drawbridgetoeurope.com). Fédération Nationale des Gîtes de France (01–49–70–75–75 | www.gites-de-france.com). French Government Tourist Office.
(Visitor Information, below). Homes Away (416/920–1873 or 800/374–6637 | www.homesaway.com). Interhome (954/791–8282 or 800/882–6864 | www.interhome.us). Villanet (206/417–3444 or 800/964–1891 | www.rentavilla.com). Villas & Apartments Abroad (212/213–6435 | www.vaanyc.com). Villas International (415/499–9490 or 800/221–2260 | www.villasintl.com). Villas of Distinction (707/778–1800 or 800/289–0900 | www.villasofdistinction.com). Wimco (800/449–1553 | www.wimco.com).
BED-AND-BREAKFASTS
Reservation Services: Bed & Breakfast.com (512/322–2710 or 800/462–2632 | www.bedandbreakfast.com) also sends out an online newsletter. Bed & Breakfast Inns Online (615/868–1946 or 800/215–7365 | www.bbonline.com). Chambres Hôtes France (03–87–37–53–97 | www.chambres-hotes-france.org). Fédération Nationale des Gîtes de France (01–49–70–75–75 | www.gitesdefrance.fr). Hôtes Qualité Paris (08–92–68–30–00 | www.parisinfo.com).
HOME EXCHANGES
With a direct home exchange you stay in someone else’s home while they stay in yours. Some outfits also deal with vacation homes, so you’re not actually staying in someone’s full-time residence, just their vacant weekend place.
Exchange Clubs: Home Exchange.com (800/877–8723 | www.homeexchange.com); $99.95 for a one-year online listing. HomeLink International (800/638–3841 | www.homelink.org); $110 yearly for a Web-only membership; $170 includes Web access and two catalogs. Intervac U.S.
(800/756–4663 | www.intervacus.com); $95 for membership; $195 includes two consulting calls from an Intervac rep.
HOTELS
The quality of accommodations, particularly in older properties and even in luxury hotels, can vary greatly from room to room; if you don’t like the room you’re given, ask to see another.
Hotels operate on the European Plan (EP, with no meal provided) unless we note that they offer a Breakfast Plan (BP), Modified American Plan (MAP, with breakfast and dinner daily, known as demi-pension), or Full American Plan (FAP, or pension complète, with three meals a day). Meal plans, which are usually an