Accommodation in the Cantal

We aim here to discuss "walker-friendly" accommodation. What do we mean by this? In general it means establishments where walkers (and other outdoor pursuits enthusiasts, for example cyclists) are welcome, have facilities for drying wet clothes and boots, can be provided with adequate sized meals and are not treated as an undesirable element of society. In our own travels around France we have certainly experienced both extremes of treatment. In some cases we have been treated with extreme caution and even rudeness. The opposite has also happened where we were made to feel welcome and our "habits" were treated with respect, help and co-operation.

Most villages in the Cantal have camp sites, generally run by the local Commune. The sites usually have good facilities and, in some cases, meals are available. Because of the nature of the terrain the sites are generally restricted to the June to September period. See Cantal Camping for lists but most sites are marked on the IGN 2435OT map ("Monts du Cantal").

A gîte d'étape is very like a youth hostel with bunk beds, a kitchen, showers and very often have a warden who will offer meals. The 1:25,000 IGN map 2435OT (Monts du Cantal) has about a dozen gîtes d'étape marked, with most of them manned. Overnight charges are small, usually a few pounds per night. The national list www.gites-refuges.com lists more than 30 gîtes d'étape/refuges in the Monts du Cantal (of which 25 are gîtes d'étape).

Gîtes, dwellings for rent, vary from apartments for 2 people to villas for 20! They are very popular in France and are available everywhere. They are usually for weekly rentals but there may be flexibility in the off-season. Comprehensive lists are difficult to find because of different letting agencies. The Gîtes de France site has the most comprehensive list but local tourist offices will also have local information. There are various letting agencies in the U.K. and many gîtes are advertised in the travel sections of weekend newspapers.

Chambres d'hôte are rooms in private residences offered as guest rooms. They are the equivalent of the Bed and Breakfast establishments in the UK. The region has a number of such establishments in most villages. Again the prices are very reasonable, usually in the region of £10 for a room or £17 to £18 for dinner, bed and breakfast. Most of the chambres d'hôte in the Cantal offer meals to order. Consult the chambres d'hôte list.

Many walkers would not consider staying in hotels for cost or "unacceptablility" reasons. However, in the Cantal, there are a surprisingly large number of hotels which exist because of the winter skiing in the region. The prices are amongst the lowest in France with room rates down to almost £10 per night and half board rates as low as £20 per person per night.

A major problem with hotels is to know whether they accept walkers as normal civilised members of society--or otherwise. We have experienced both extremes. We would be happy to pass on our experiences by e-mail. A list of hotels in the Cantal (with web sites) is available, by town or village, in the "Cantal Hotels" listing.

WARNING

Most hotels in France with websites have a section in English. This has been provided as a service by the web designer. (Sometimes the English translation is good, sometimes hilarious!). The existence of this English website is no guarantee that anyone in the hotel speaks English. There are many examples of this being blatantly untrue. Check before you make this assumption if it is important to you.