Superlative Locations, Hotels, Dining etc in France  
Hotel Restaurant "Le Pressoir"  at St. Chinian, 
(Herault region of the Languedoc)
 http://www.hotelrestaurantlepressoir.com/
This is one of the best value hotels I have stayed in in France, set some 20 miles inland from Narbonne and Beziers. The hotel consists of 15 rooms, six of them on the ground floor that open out onto an elegant terrace, garden and swimming pool.
The whole hotel and terraces are tastfully decorated and equipped.
The hotel is surrounded by the AOC vinyards of St Chinian with the Haut Languedoc mountains nearby and is approximately 1km north of the town.
The table d'hôte menu at 12.50euros is excellent with a good a la carte menu, and good local wines are offered by the bottle or pichet.
The hotel costs 42 euros per night for a double room, the rate rising by 10 euros in high season (mid June to mid September) half pension is only 80 euros  per day for 2 people in low season.
I would imagine the rooms being very hot in high summer, however fans are supplied.
The hotel ideally situated for exploring the Parc Naturel Régional du Haut Languedoc, the Orb valley and Roquebrun, and the Canal Du Midi, to mention just a few of attractions in the area.
see http://www.decouvertes-herault.fr/  for much more information
 
view from lower rooms lower rooms & terrace pool
     
(Only twenty miles  to the north of St Chinian, via St Pons is the Parc Naturel Régional du haut Languedoc. Contrasting scenery with lakes at La Salvetat and Fraisse sur Agout make this an interesting excursion. Water sports and outdoor recreation are popular at these two locations, La Salvetat is a hilltop location with narrow winding streets.)
Sauveterre en Rouergue  in the Aveyron region
 18 miles south west of Rodez, on the Rodez- Albi route
This one of the most stunning of all the Plus Beaux villages in France and retains most of its original features. Section of the the original town walls remain in places with the entry gates intact. All the restoration has been done carefully and the village is a good example of a medieval bastide. There is a hotel next to the village and a camping site also.
The village could do with an injection of commerce, most of the shop units are unoccupied and I am sure that with more to offer, more people would visit.
more pictures
Hotel Restaurant "Les Voyageurs"  at Naucelle -Aveyron
Near Sauveterre listed above, this is another very good value hotel. Not in the same class as the "Le Pressoir" but the food choice quality and prices were excellent value. The hotel is as you would expect for 30 euros a night and is run by a cordial family. This region in France is well known for its good value and whilst the food is not exactly gastronomic, we were impressed. Set in a sort of citadel in the centre of village, the hotel seems to be one of the focal points of the village.
We had the following -vegatable soup, filet of fish, beef steak "Marchand du Vin", huge cheeseboard and ice cream. all for 13euros plus wine.


 Hotel de Agriculture at Gannat -60km N of Clermont Ferrand
Very old hotel in town centre, the hotel is a little delapidated, but has Logis rating.
What a surprise the restaurant gave us. The food was excellent, with local jambon cru, excellent lamb, a good local cheeseboard, dessert and good local wine from St Porcain, and all in very nice surroundings for 20euros each plus drinks. There were cheaper and more costly menus on offer, the 12.50 menu was popular. At lunchtime there was a menu at 10euros and it seems this is the place to eat in town.
The hotel has clean rooms if a little dated with private facilities at 38euros.
The whole nights stay only cost 89euros with dinner & breakfast.
I originally had selected the Hotel du Chateau as a place to stay, in the same square, but when I inspected the rooms they were depressing and looked unclean, so we opted for the Hotel griculture instead.
 
back to index page