Here’s some great budget accommodation in Antibes and Juan-les-Pins on the Mediterranean coast. Both these places, located on either side of the Cap d’Antibes but a short distance apart, are particularly popular holiday destinations, so hotels tend to be relatively expensive. But there’s some good budget accommodation that I’ve discovered on my trips there.

Rates

Book as far in advance as you can to get the best rates. They will vary according to which season you choose. Generally the high season runs July and August and mostly into September. Some places give specific dates; others are vague. Remember that all prices these days are fluid, except for bed and breakfasts which have fixed prices throughout the year.

The prices shown here are for double rooms for 2 people per night; breakfast is per person. Most of the hotels, and some of the bed and breakfasts, will have triple and family rooms as well. So pick the accommodation you like the most and go from there.

I have included two hotels which are more expensive (Hôtel Juan Beach and Hôtel Mademoiselle, both in Juan-les-Pins). But they are excellent value out of season, and very enjoyable hotels at any time of the year so I’ve got these in this list as well.

Bed and Breakfast in Antibes and Juan-les-Pins

If you prefer something a little less hotel like, try a bed and breakfast. They provide good budget accommodation in Antibes/Juan-les-Pins

L’Air du Temps

There are 3 bedrooms and one small apartment in this pretty Provençal house with its sand coloured exterior and tiled floors. It was built by the present owners, the Scassus, and its delightful rooms have individual character. Mitsouko has a chandelier and a pink/red colour scheme; Vent vert’s green walls are echoed in the garden you step into from French doors. There’s a terrace to laze on, a garden to look at and a pool to swim in or take breakfast beside. Rates include breakfast.

Villa Plein Sol

This bed and breakfast has just three spacious, ground-floor rooms, elegantly decorated with antiques. Just five minutes on foot to the beaches of Juan-les-Pins, the stone-built house is restful and welcoming and has a terraced garden. Take a lazy breakfast outside, and if it rains there’s a communal room with books and games. Rates include breakfast.

Hotels in Antibes

La Jabotte

Tucked down a lane leading to the Salis beach, La Jabotte is a rare and unexpected one-off. It has just 9 rooms, 7 of them on a private terrace looking onto a shared patio, and 2 of them on the first floor of the main hotel. No TVs in the rooms around the terrace for peace and quiet, an attraction that is fiercely protected by the owner. Rooms are prettily decorated in rustic style; bathrooms are very good. There’s a delightful breakfast room which doubles as the reception area, full of odd objects on the walls. The musical can try the keyboard or take down one of the guitars hanging on the walls and don their inner folk star. They have a 24h/24h bar and snacks on site.

There’s a sauna (and also wellness massages), and private parking, plus free bicycle and kayak rental (subject to availability). They provide everything you need for the beach from parasols to towels. There’s a very cheap laundry service which is great if you’re staying some time.

Take their delightful little tuk tuk ride through Antibes. And for a late check-out, like the Hotel Cecil, there is a shower guests can use before setting off.

Hôtel La Place

Centrally located near the old town, but just enough off the main streets to be peaceful, this hotel is delightful. It’s owned by Bernadette Walberer who will probably be there to greet you. 14 rooms on three floors, each with its own fresh and muted colour scheme, are well sized and recently refurbished. Bathrooms are equally good. Book the corner bedroom with its balcony overlooking the street. Take breakfast in the downstairs restaurant or outside on the terrace. The restaurant also acts as a bar and has good plates of cheeses and charcuterie during the day. There is no lift in the hotel.

Modern Hôtel

Right in the heart of Antibes this is the place for a budget stay if you like being in the centre of the action. A few minutes from the outdoor market, the old town and the beaches, it’s near most of the small restaurants. 19 bedrooms are small, plain and functional, but pleasant; atmosphere is friendly and casual. There’s also a small bedroom with kitchenette and small bathroom on the top floor with its own entrance. It’s now run by the grandchildren of the original owners, so you’ll be greeted by Laurence, Jean-Marie or Vincent Fecheno.

Hotels in Juan-les-Pins

Beau Site

Near the small Garoupe beach on the Cap, the 29 rooms are simply but prettily decorated with old wooden furniture in a style dating back to the 18^th century. Views from the windows and balconies look to the sea or the mountains or onto the tree-filled garden. There’s a bar, a decent sized swimming pool and a shady terrace and bicycles to rent. There’s also a suite, plus a studio let by the week.

Eden Hôtel – La Baigneuse

A hop, skip and a jump from the beaches of Juan-les-Pins, the three-star Eden Hotel offers good value for money. The 1930s building looks just like a proper seaside hotel and has 17 refurbished, simply decorated bedrooms, with the ones at the front offering views down the street to the sea. You can take breakfast on the terrace. A major plus of the hotel is the warm welcome from the family who own it.

Hôtel Alexandra

Built at the end of the 19^th century, this 3-star family run hotel has high ceilings and a definite belle epoque feel. 20 good sized rooms are simply furnished in pretty colours. Some have garden views; others overlook the street. You can take breakfast in the pretty garden.

Hôtel Cecil

This is a real find and is my favourite of the small 3-star hotels in Juan-les-Pins. Bought by a Parisian couple five years ago, the hotel has been completely refurbished, re-opening as a boutique hotel a year ago. You’re welcomed by the owner, Delphine Boffy, whose expertise in décor is obvious as soon as you walk into the spacious breakfast room with its modern and quirky items. This is where you take a very good breakfast sourced from bio ingredients. Corridors are bright and airy with each room distinguished by specially commissioned wallpaper, which is echoed inside the room. Beds are a good size, there’s enough cupboard space and bathrooms are well done. One has a free-standing bath (all the rest have showers). There’s a little garden and a small terrace, and unusually for a small hotel here, an elevator.

Finally, there’s a small touch that other hotels should copy. A former single room is now a shower/WC with an iron and ironing board. Guests can use this if they arrive early when rooms are not ready or leave late after check-out. It’s free for guests and means you can have a last-minute swim, take a shower and leave for the airport on your final day. Genius!

Hôtel Des Mimosas

This pretty, three-storey hotel built in the early 1900s is surrounded by a delightful garden full of palm trees and flowering plants. The 34 bedrooms have been refurbished and are a good size and some have balconies overlooking the greenery. There’s an outdoor pool, bar and TV room. Free parking. Book for a minimum of 2 nights only.

Hôtel La Marjolaine

This modest two-star hotel has small rooms in a rather quirky building. It’s in a moderately quiet street and has a terrace-cum-garden in the front. The 16 rooms are old fashioned but delightful. There’s a small lounge and it has private parking.

Hôtel Mademoiselle

This small 3-star boutique hotel of 14 rooms is distinctive and quirky. It’s more expensive than the other hotels in this list, but worth it. Each room is different; some with bold colours; others with eccentric decorations like plaster rhino heads on the walls, or lamps that look like small clouds. It’s all done with style. There’s a small pool, an honesty bar and better than average in-room items like a Nespresso machine in each room. They can also provide meals as part of their room service, and special gluten free breakfasts.

Hôtel Juan Beach

White and blue, just like a seaside hotel should be, and close to the Juan-les-Pins beaches, this 3-star Art Deco 24-room hotel is bright, welcoming and just out of the main frenzy of the resort. Set back slightly from a quiet road, choose a room with a balcony overlooking the small heated swimming pool at the front. There’s no elevator but ground floor rooms. Take breakfast on the terrace in front of the pool or in the charming bar opposite where there’s an open log fire for chilly days. Again, it’s more expensive than most of the hotels here, and particularly during the big events like the Cannes Film Festival when it’s very popular and fully booked way in advance.

La Bastide du Bosquet

La Bastide du Bosquet is an 18^th-century, pink-washed house beautifully restored and now an elegant house to rent out for 4 to 7 nights. Pretty rooms overlook the garden of palm trees and laurels where you can take breakfast, and there’s a good library of books and family games making this a home from home, Provençale style. Guy de Maupassant wrote short stories and his novel Mont Orio while staying here in 1886.

And for a bit of sightseeing…

…You can’t come to this part of France without visiting the Queen of the Mediterranean. Here’s a short guide to what to do and see in Nice.

Check out the local Provence markets in Antibes and nearby

Guide to Provence

The French Riviera has always attracted the famous, literary, the outlandish and writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald. Read Lisa Gerard Sharp’s take on the Riviera – Great Gatsby Style and walk in their footsteps.

More on Hotels in France

Here is information on the best cheap and good value hotel chains in France.

And if you are in Normandy visiting the D-Day Landing beaches, these are the hotels to book.

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In May my partner and I, researching the Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches for a Bradt guide book, stayed in a Pierre et Vacances self-catering apartment. This was our third research trip and while we’ve stayed in great hotels in the past (and there are many along the coast), this time we needed a place where we could work when we wanted, particularly in the evening, make cups of tea and coffee when we needed and have flexibility. We needed accommodation near the beaches which had good WiFi, a kitchen and if possible a view.

I already knew about Pierre et Vacances who have holiday residences all over France. Guest writer Fiona Quinn stayed in Presqu’île de la Touques for her guide to Deauville and Trouville on the east coastal stretch of Normandy.

Pierre et Vacances Self Catering Apartments – Le Chant des Oiseaux

There are eight Pierre et Vacances resorts in Normandy, most of them near the coast. Le Chant des Oiseaux in Courseulles-sur-Mer was ideal. Not only is Courseulles in the middle of four of the Normandy beaches: Sword, Juno (a 4-minute drive or 10-minute walk from the apartment), Gold and Omaha, it’s also a delightful small resort with a lovely long sandy beach, a marina, fishing port, good restaurants and shops.  

 No problem checking in. We arrived at 6.30pm, were given our keys and information on the resort. The nearby well-stocked Carrefour Market stayed open until 8pm which meant a quick dash (3 minutes away by car) for stocking up on essentials for our stay.

Reception

The reception desk, open from 9am to 7pm, has two helpful and friendly assistants who speak English. For late arrivals, instructions are emailed in advance on how to get the keys and apartment details.

We ordered baguettes and croissants each evening for the next day and they supplied a couple of emergency coffee filter papers for the machine (we hadn’t thought that far ahead). The receptionists can order pizzas for an evening meal and make restaurant bookings for you. Reserve through them; you get a small reduction on the restaurant bill.

Our Self-Catering Apartment

Our 2-bedroom apartment was on the second floor up an exterior staircase (ground, first and second storeys). The master bedroom had a good sized double bed, a large wardrobe with hangers and a wall-mounted TV, though there’s very little space around the bed. The second bedroom, off the main kitchen/reception area, had bunk beds for kids. The apartment can sleep six with sofa beds in the main room though that would be a bit crowded.

The kitchen area was equipped with a fridge with a small freezer, hob, microwave, dishwasher and plenty of plates, glasses and cutlery, plus a coffee machine and dishwasher. In fact so many plates, glasses and cutlery that we only ran the dishwasher once – on our departure.

You sort your rubbish using one container for food waste, one for recycling paper and plastic bottles and one for household waste; bottles go into the bottle bin. Then you take it all to the waste shed. You’re in eco-conscious France. Like many French companies Pierre et Vacances has its own agenda. It follows low-carbon solutions, supports local communities, is in the process of insulating all the buildings, uses renewable energies and is partnering with SNCF to encourage train rather than car travel.

But back to the apartment: the main room has a large table (with six chairs), the two sofa beds, cupboards and shelves plus a TV. Two bathrooms, one with toilet, basin and shower, the second with bath and basin had enough hooks and shelves for toiletries, dressing gowns etc. (Sorry guys, I think the designer must have been a woman).

All apartments have bed linen, towels, a welcome cleaning kit and free cleaning on departure.

A balcony with table and chairs looked out onto the back of the resort and beyond to open fields. There’s ample parking outside each house.

Amenities

We didn’t have time to swim in the heated indoor pool, nor use the laundry room. Offered, but not taken up by us, was a weekly guided discovery tour of the area. There are also pedal and electric bicycles and if needed, trailers and baby seats (extra cost). Maybe next time.

Practical Information

You can book for one night, five, eight or however many you want depending on availability. And you can book to start your holiday any day of the week.

A seven-night stay costs from £543 for a one-bedroom apartment which sleeps up to five people and the total price includes accommodation, taxes and charges except for the national tourist tax of €1.50 per person per day (free for children up to 18 years old).

Pierre et Vacances in Normandy

Each of the eight destinations in Normandy is different, with most of them located near the beach. Some are new build; others are old renovated buildings.

Holiday Village Normandy Garden in Branville, Residence et Spa in Houlgate, Residence Les Embruns in Deauville, Presqu’Ile de la Touques also in Deauville, Le Chant des Oiseaux in Courseulles-sur-mer, Residence Les Tamaris in Trouville, Residence Port Guillaume in Cabourg and Residence Le Green Beach, Omaha Beach (a golf destination).

More about Pierre et Vacances Self-Catering Apartments

Pierre et Vacances is well known in France though less of a household name in the UK and USA. It’s been going since 1967 and now has over 383 destinations and almost 24,500 holiday accommodations in France and the Caribbean, Spain, the Canary and the Balearic Islands, Italy, Croatia, Portugal and Mauritius. The company has recently added accommodation in Montenegro, Greece, Crete, Morocco and Madeira.

To book with Pierre et Vacances tel: 0870 0267 145 or visit www.pierreetvacances.com  

Guide to Courseulles-sur-Mer

More Information on Normandy

Ferries to Normandy from the UK
Guide to Normandy
Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches
Hotels and Accommodation near the D-Day Landing Beaches

The guide book D-Day Landing Beaches Guide Book by Mary Anne Evans and Alastair McKenzie was published by Bradt Guides in March 2024.

Declaration: We were on a press trip and were hosted by Pierre et Vacances. However my opinion is my own, and we were so impressed by the accommodation we are booking another stay which we will pay for.

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Northern France has so many great restaurants that it’s difficult to pick out the best. For a start there are 16 Michelin-starred chefs in northern France. Two restaurants, both in Pas de Calais, have two stars; 14 spread through Nord, Pas de Calais and Picardy have one star.

And don’t forget the restaurants with a Michelin bib gourmand (good quality; good value). Always look out for the local estaminets which are good bistro-style restaurants often with a Flemish twist.

There are many that should be included in this list of the best restaurants in northern France. So please if you find top restaurants, bistros, small local estaminets or even places for excellent snacks, do let me know.

For this article, Northern France refers only to the Hauts-de-France region. More on Normandy restaurants later!

PLEASE NOTE: I have only included set menu prices. Every restaurant has a carte to choose from as well.

A Note about the Maps

Here is a map for the whole northern France – Hauts-de-France region. You’ll find restaurant maps for each department – Nord, Pas de Calais and Picardy at the top of each list.

I have listed the restaurants geographically. So go to the map, see where you might be staying and click on the relevant restaurant. Information of the restaurant is in each department, following the geographical layout. I hope this makes sense!

Restaurants with 2 Michelin Stars in Northern France – Pas de Calais

La Grenouillière

Alexandre Gauthier cooks up a storm at La Grenouillière near Montreuil-sur-Mer. It’s a beautiful location in an old farmhouse now transformed with two impressive metallic marquees. The view is over the extensive woods and gardens to the countryside and Montreuil’s ramparts.

Alexandre Gauthier took over from his father in the kitchen 20 years ago. One of France’s most inventive chefs, his molecular cooking is contemporary, providing a meal to savour. He has a 19/20 score in Gault Millau. He also has the new ‘Green’ Michelin star given for his local, regional credentials.
There are 4 rooms to rent in the grounds.

Château de Beaulieu

Château de Beaulieu is owned and run by Christophe Dufossé . The estate has a vegetable garden (watered by springs from the estate and the moat), citrus greenhouse, a small farm for animals, an orchard, aromatic garden and beehives. The chef is a champion of organic, self-sufficient and sustainable fish and meat. Don’t miss out on the desserts! There are two restaurants in the red brick 19^th-century mansion, the Michelin-starred dining room and a country style brasserie. He has a green Michelin star for his use of over 30 local producers like saffron and fish from the Côte d’Opale.

For more restaurants in Pas de Calais see below.

Best Restaurants in Northern France – Nord Department

Haut Bonheur de la Table – 1 Michelin Star

Perched high up on a hill with great views, this restaurant is in the charming typically Flemish village of Cassel, well worth a visit for its windmill and museum. And here you’ll find this small restaurant (20 covers only) where chef Eugène Hobraiche produces some spectacular cooking. Fish comes from Dunkirk; try grilled wild turbot or tuna for a treat.

L’Auberge – Bib Gourmand

Once a tannery, now a very good simple restaurant near Hazebrouck. Chef Antonin Maresciano champions local produce and cooks well-known Flemish classics given a light modern twist.

Auberge du Vert Mont – 1 Michelin Star

Florent Ladeyn champions Flemish food with some of his inspiration from nearby Belgium. In a dining room with exposed rafters and overlooking the West Flanders hillsides, the food is cooked on a wood fire in front of the diners. He has always championed local produce using flowers and plants to decorate his dishes and he has been awarded a green Michelin star as well. Don’t miss the fries cooked in Maroilles cheese with caramelised onion.

Nature – 1 Michelin Star

Opposite the Saint-Vaast church in Armentières, Nicolas Gautier’s cooking is classical with contemporary twists. Local specialities produce dishes like lightly smoked scallops and roast Flanders pigeon stuffed under the skin with mushrooms. Fish comes from Boulogne and Dunkirk; local cheeses are excellent and varied.

Bistro RG – Bib Gourmand

Just next door to Nature, this more casual restaurant is run by Nicolas Gautier and his brother Mathieu. The short menu is based on the cooking of their father, Roger Gautier. It’s an acknowledgement of how important their father’s cooking was. Short bistro-style menu has favourites like steak frites, mussels; service is very good.

Outside Lille

Lille, capital of the Nord department, is a foodie destination. Its proximity to Belgium has added another Flemish layer with cosy small restaurants specialising in Belgian specialities as well as some notable destinations.

Balsamique – Bib Gourmand

Benjamin Bajeux is the inspiration behind this pretty restaurant which has a terrace for summer dining. Try inventive dishes like a beetroot Baba with smoked haddock from one of the top smokeries in Boulogne; classics like magret de canard with oven-cooked boulangères potatoes are equally good.

Le Val d’Auge – 1 Michelin Star

Christophe Hagnerelle is typical of the young chefs making a name in France today. He worked with Joël Robuchon at Le Jamin then went to Beirut and later spent six months in  Connecticut. He is strong on fish and also game in season such as grouse and hare.  

Arborescence – 1 Michelin Star

In a former textile factory near the station, Félix Robert and his sommelier wife Nidta run the restaurant. The dishes are geared towards fish and vegetables often with a Japanese or Asian slant. So expect dishes like tempura and subtle curries, all given a classical French and beautifully presented.

Rozó – 1 Michelin star

In Marcq-en-Baroeul, a suburb of Lille, pastry chef Camille Pailleau and chef Diego Delbecq are cooking up a few storms in a former printing works which took 2 years to restore. The open-plan, airy loft-style dining room has a glass roof and metal beams. The chefs operate in open kitchens behind glass panes and produce some great modern dishes using local ingredients like chicory and tartes au sucre. Two signature dishes to try: mushroom medley from the chef and heather honey dessert from the pastry chef.

In Lille

Le Restaurant du Cerisier – 1 Michelin star

On the first floor of a bold contemporary building in the heart of Lille, the former chef of Le Meurin, Mathieu Boutroy, can be seen performing in a superb theatrically visible kitchen. Mixing classic technique with modern flavours. Try lamb in a ras-el-hanout crust.

Pureté -1 Michelin Star

Lille’s old town is the location for another great restaurant. Behind a conventional wooden shop front, Gérald Guille’s restaurant decor is modern with wooden floors, tables and chairs and banquette seating. At the end an open kitchen shows the chef and his team cooking classic dishes with inventive touches, using the likes of yuzu and kumqat.

La Table – Hôtel Clarance – 1 Michelin star

The Hotel Clarance and La Table are located in an 18^th-century mansion in Lille’s delightful old town. You can eat in the wood-panelled dining rooms and in the former library. In good weather, dine on the terrace looking out over the grounds. Chef Alexandre Miquel, originally from Bethune, is equally at home with fish or meat and uses local, seasonal ingredients with herbs from the hotel’s garden.

Best Restaurants in Northern France – Pas de Calais

Hotel/Restaurant de la Plage

Niece of Michelin-starred William Elliot at Le Pavillon in the Hotel Westminster in Le Touquet, Solène Elliott won various big awards including Escoffier Young Talents in 2019. In 2020 she opened her restaurant in her parent’s hotel. Championing local produce, her menus include dishes like warm cheese pastry with salted radishes and smoked herring. Main dishes might include pork loin cooked in smoked garlic and paprika with creamed artichoke, onions and broad beans. The hotel, set on  the beach, is a delightful seaside destination.

Atlantic Hotel La Liégoise – 1 Michelin Star

Take in the panoramic sea view from the first-floor restaurant in the delightful Opal Coast Atlantic Hotel, much beloved by the locals. Benjamin Delpierre concentrates quite rightly on fish and shellfish, red mullet, snails, oysters, razor clams and mussels.
There’s also the excellent Brasserie L’Aloze on the ground floor which is open for lunch and dinner daily.

Le Colegram

This small bistro which opened a year ago serves the freshest food using local ingredients. In an old house on a corner, it’s simply but stylishly decorated and has a professional, friendly staff. Attracting both locals and tourists, the good value menu includes starters from €7 and mains from €17. Don’t miss the desserts (from €6) of the young pâtissier, 24 year old Candice Declercq.

Au Soldat Laboureur

Conveniently located near St Pol-sur-Ternoise, Arras and Béthune, Al Soldat Laboureux is a great, thoroughly traditional restaurant. The red brick building has a rustic décor, complete with wallpaper and a fireplace and is particularly good for families. The traditional menu has classic patés, well cooked meat and crème brûlée.

La Cour de Rémi – Bib Gourmand

Owner Sébastien cooks everything, from sourdough bread to ice creams. Well-sourced ingredients produce dishes like pink haunch of venison with dauphinoise potatoes or scallops with parsnip mousseline. It’s good value for money. If you want to stay, book one of the excellent rooms.

L’oeuf ou la Poule 

In the heart of Arras, this buzzing, friendly and very local restaurant delivers traditional French dishes with a modern touch. Try la poule au pot or any of the chicken dishes cooked in different ways (or go for the guinea fowl or vegetable risotto). And of course any egg dishes come from happy, free range hens.

Restaurant N9UF

The Leplat family runs this new restaurant opened in August 2022 on the ground floor of the large, grand, red brick Manoir Sainte Paule in a small town near Béthune. Chef Maxime Leplat produces modern dishes like veal paupiettes with a chausseur sauce and potatoes roasted with rosemary. All ingredients are locally sourced. There’s a terrace for summer dining.

A l’Fosse 7

This family-run, joyous restaurant is always buzzing with locals. Mellow stone walls, wooden floors and beams set the scene for good value, classic cooking. Dishes might include French onion soup and pot’je Vleesch and – great idea: all mains can be ordered in smaller portions. And with vegetables from the Sallaumines market gardens 3 kms away, you don’t get much more local than here.  

Air Accueil – Bib Gourmand

Chef Franck Gilabert offers good value for money and local specialities in this large restaurant near the Bitry-en-Artois airfield. Once the officers’ mess, now the restaurant offers the likes of local trout with creamed buckwheat and celery mousse. For meat try pork loin, braised chicory and creamed mushrooms. A far cry from the past.

For more restaurants in Calais, here’s my guide to this great, unexpectedly interesting city.

Best Restaurants in Northern France – Picardy

La Clé des Champs – Bib Gourmand

Nicolas Chamoin and his wife Adéline are enthusiastic, knowledgeable and charming. The restaurant’s modern décor is delightfully comfortable rather than startling. Concentrate on the excellent fish and shellfish from the coast, though meat dishes are equally pleasing. They do take-away, and have a small shop attached.

L’Orée de la Forêt – 1 Michelin star

This family–run hotel and restaurant has a great location in a late 19^th-century mansion surrounded by wooded grounds. The restaurant was opened by the grandmother of the chef Nicolas Leclercq in 1956. From the beginning, vegetables from the large kitchen garden were used, something of a novelty back then. Nicolas Leclercq won his Michelin star in 1994 and has held it ever since. He uses top seasonal ingredients to produce classic dishes.

Auberge À la Bonne Idée – 1 Michelin star

The restaurant is in a medieval village in the middle of the forest of Compiègne, near the Armistice Museum. With stone walls, beams and a fireplace, its’ a delightful venue. Try something a little different from chef Sébastien Tantot whose dishes are chalked up on a board. Set menus are adventurous and vegetables, fruit and aromatic plants and herbs from his own kitchen garden dominate.  

Le Verbois – 1 Michelin star

Le Verbois is another very successful family-run restaurant. Located in the former Rothschild family late 19^th-century hunting lodge, the décor is modern. Guillaume Guibet is the third generation, highly successful chef offering new creative dishes often with an Asian twist.

Auberge de La Grange aux Loups – Bib Gourmand

Julie and Dorian Wicart have established themselves in this enterprise – essentially a restaurant with rooms. Design is contemporary with exposed stone walls, wood beams and a central fireplace. Come here for excellent classic dishes with modern flourishes. Try a starter like salmon terrine with ratte potatoes and herbed fromage blanc. Mains include fish and meat with modern touches like roast shrimps and Camargue rice with chorizo and fennel. There’s a terrace for summer dining.

La Grange de Belle-Église – 1 Michelin star

This is the restaurant for great traditional cooking. The pretty restaurant is classically decorated with plush and comfortable tables and chairs and there’s a garden for outdoor dining. Chef Marc Duval champions classic dishes using local ingredients: asparagus, gnocchis, escargots. Main dishes are divided into 4 fish and 4 meat possibilities. Try roasted guinea fowl cooked in its own juice and in Jura vin jaune with sweet potatoes. For fish? Go for roast turbot with morilles and asparagus.  

More about Hauts-de-France

In 2023, Hauts-de-France won the Best European Gastronomy Award. Here’s an article about why the region won – ingredients, restaurants, dishes and more.

More about Food in France

The Food of France – An Intriguing Story
Discover the Best French Regional Food
Discover the top Food Festivals in France 
Read more about Food in Burgundy
Read more about the Food of Provence
French Christmas Food

Surprisingly, the artist Toulouse-Lautrec was a great cook. He followed the seasons and local produce. More about this unexpected gourmet and the Art of Cuisine.

France Regions
France Departments
How to get to Nord, Pas de Calais and Picardy

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By Fiona Quinn

Check out where to stay on Ile de Ré. Accommodation on Ile de Ré is a mix of campsites, self-catering homes and apartments, and a smattering of small boutique hotels.

Here I highlight a few of the inexpensive options. See at the end for a few suggestions of more expensive accommodation.

Why choose Ile de Ré?

Ile de Ré, the delightful island just off the French Atlantic coast town of La Rochelle and in Poitou-Charente, is a wonderful place for a holiday. Hire a bicycle, pedal around the little villages and chill out.

Ile de Ré Hotels

Hotel de Ré

For a family with little ones, the Hotel de Ré in Sainte Marie is a good bet. It has a pool and a small restaurant where breakfast is served. The bright, colourful rooms surround the pool area or the garden with kids playground; most have terraces. All include air-conditioning, and you can book certain rooms with pull-out sofas or suites with a dining/cooking area. This is one of the best places for accommodation on Ile de Ré.

Hotel Le Galion

Tucked away at the end of St-Martin overlooking Parc de la Barbette and lighthouse, this traditional ivy-covered French hotel with pastel shutters has 29 airy rooms. Most are decorated with fresh coastal decor and have an ocean view or face Fort Vauban. Translated as a galleon, the ship theme continues in the public spaces. When the weather’s fine, you can have breakfast on the terrace.

Ile de Ré Camping

For families, a French campsite stay makes entertaining the kids so easy. A five-star resort often has everything from several pools, sporting areas and restaurants to activities such as poolside exercise classes and evening entertainment.

Sites with fewer stars will generally have a pool, onsite shop and restaurant but may lack the range of activities. However, most sites have a variety of accommodation types to suit all budgets from basic spots to set up your tent to glamping-style cabins.

Camping Le Cormoran

Considered one of the best campsites on the island, this five-star plot near the village of Ars-en-Ré is nestled in the forest alongside the beach. Spread over 7 hectares, the upscale facilities include a spa and 2 heated pools overlooking vineyards. Accommodation is in wooden cabin-tents for 2 or 4, and static caravans from basic to luxury for up to 8 people.

Camping Le Suroit

A less expensive option is Camping Le Suroit, just a short walk from Le Bois-Plage-en-Ré beach and the popular market in the centre of town. Guests use one of two pools, with an indoor pool that’s popular with small kids if you want to stay out of the sun. There’s also a cafe-restaurant where you can enjoy an aperitif on the sofa, order a pizza, or join in the occasional evening entertainment.

There are no budget hotels in the big chain groups on Ile de Ré but there are some in La Rochelle which is the departure point for the island. Check out the budget chain hotels here.

If you’re going for more upmarket accommodation, we recommend the Relais et Châteaux Hotel de Toiras in St-Martin, and its sister hotel, Villa Clarisse. South of St-Martin and on the sea, Le Bois-Plage has the delightful Les Bois Flottant.

More about Ile de Ré

Here’s more about fabulous Ile de Ré from Fiona Quinn. Read what she recommends: What to do, what to see, how to get there and what to shop for.

Ile de Ré Tourist Information

About guest writer, Fiona Quinn

Fiona Quinn is a francophile travel writer and editor. She’s lived in France on and off during the past 30 years, including as a student in Paris, ski saisonnaire in Savoie and Haute Savoie, and a home-owner in sunflower-filled Charente. 
Check out her website

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How to budget for an inexpensive holiday

It’s a no-brainer. Book overnight stays in budget hotel chains in France and you’ll have more money for the other great things. Like lunches in small bistros and dinners in posh restaurants; world-class museums to see and sights to visit. Here’s a guide to the chains worth looking at and tips on what to expect.

Categories of budget hotels

In the budget hotel chains in France there are two main choices, depending on the level of comfort you want. Either go for the 1-star category chains or go a little more upmarket with 2-star category hotels.

Rates

As with airline tickets, rates change almost daily. If you know in advance where you will be when, book as early as possible to get the best rates. There are other things to look out for. For instance, you’ll find that the closer to the center of any city, the more expensive the hotel.

French Regulations

France has a strict, government-run star system and equally strict inspection laws. But you can still find some fairly bad 1-star, individually owned and run hotels. If you stick to the chains you’ll be guaranteed a good deal, though many of them lack any great character.

PLEASE excuse the images. I have included some pictures of the budget hotel chains in France, but they are not generally inspiring. So I went off piste to include a few city shots.

You might be staying on the outskirts, but you should visit the old parts of the city you’re staying in. Justification enough!

Of course if you’re just passing through on your speedy way north, south, east or west to wherever your final destination is, the last thing you’ll want to do is spend time sightseeing. But you could always consider finding a central restaurant for dinner. That way you get the best of both worlds.

1-star hotel chains

All the hotel chains in this category offer good value for money. They have a variety of rooms, plus family rooms for up to 4 people. They offer key access if you arrive late and the reception desk is closed. They start from about 30€ per room per night for 2 people.

They are located near railway stations, airports and on the outskirts of cities. The architecture is pretty basic, but they are clean and well managed. If you’ve booked and are on an autoroute, look out for the right signs to get off!

hotel f1

hotelf1 started life as Formula 1 then took the trendy path and changed its name and upped its product. But it’s still great value for money. Owned by the giant French Accor group, it’s over 30 years old and has over 170 hotels throughout France.

This chain is one of the cheapest in France. The accommodation is pretty simple but every room has a bed with bedding (beds are not made up, and microfiber towels can be bought for 3€ each), a washbasin, table and chairs. The shower/WC area is nearby.

If you’re after something a little more upmarket, book a premium room. You get your own bathroom and made-up beds. Rooms for 2 have a double or twin bed; if you book for 3 you’ll be in bunk beds. There are hostel style rooms taking up to 6 people.  I’ve stayed on an industrial zone just outside Chartres with a fast food Courte Paille restaurant a few steps away.

They provide a basic breakfast buffet of hot drinks, cereals and orange juice, bread, butter, jam and chocolate for 3.50€ per person.
Cost of the room is from 30€ to 50€ per night for 2 people, less off season.

Check out the hotelf1 website here

Premiere Classe

Premiere Classe is part of the international Louvre group and part of Starwood Capital. They also own Campanile Hotels and Kyriad in the budget range.

Premiere Classe have 195 hotels in France. They are upgrading some of their hotels, offering rooms with private showers, flat screen tvs and made-up beds. Again rooms are small but basic, with double or twin rooms, and a table and chair in each.

Buffet breakfast of hot drinks, cereals and orange juice, bread, butter, jam and chocolate is available for 5.90€ per person in the eating areas.
Cost of the rooms are from 30€ to 55€ per night for 2 people, less off season.

Check the Premiere Classe website here

2-star hotel chains

You’re going a bit more upmarket (and paying a bit more) for 2-star hotels.

Ace Hotels

Ace Hotels has 80 hotels. Like many of the cheaper chains, they are purpose-built and many are located outside the centre. Sound proofed and air-conditioned rooms are available. All have large beds, colour TVs, desks and a chair, ensuite bathrooms with shower, washbasin and WC and free Wi-Fi. There’s 24-hour reception and free parking.
Cost of the rooms start at 56€.

Check out all the Ace Hotels here.

P.S. They have one in Arras which is the reason for the above photo. Check the Arras Ace hotel out here.

B&B Hotels

B&B Hotels have 279 hotels in France, with most of them around Paris and in the south along the Mediterranean coastline. The décor is simple but pretty and all rooms have an en-suite bathroom with shower and toilet, a writing area and chair, colour TV, free WiFi and parking. 
Buffet breakfast is 6.85€.
Cost of the rooms start at 40€ but most of their hotels are more than this .

There’s a B&B Hotel in Biot, a charming small fortified village near Antibes. Check out the Antibes/Biot B&B hotel here.

Ibis Budget Hotels

Again, part of the giant Accor groups, all the 438 Ibis Budget hotels are now upgraded with contemporary smart décor. Rooms have a double bed and bunk bed, en-suite bathrooms with shower, washbasin and WC. Rooms have a writing shelf and chair; colour TVs and free WiFi.
Buffet breakfast is 9€.
Cost of the rooms is more than other in this 2-star category beginning from 65€ per room.

Check out the Ibis Budget Hotel site here.

Like the other chains, pick your city and you’ll find an Ibis Budget Hotel. Book at Reims and save money for all that bubbly. Check out the Champagne houses in Reims here.

FastHotels

Not part of Accor, the small chain FastHotel has 80 hotels in France. Differing in size they have rooms for 1 to 3 people with overhead bunk beds in the larger rooms. En-suite bathroom have a washbasin, shower and WC and there’s a desk and chair, colour TVs, and free WiFi.
Buffet breakfast is from 6€.
Cost of rooms starts at 45€.

Check out the FastHotel site here.

P.S. There’s one in Caen just near the Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches. Check the Fasthotel Caen hotel here.

(If you’re after a more luxurious hotel on this stretch of coast, read my article on best places to stay near the beaches.)

More suggestions

University Rooms

This is a fun idea though choices are limited and I have not had a lot of success booking in France. But give it a try.

Universities throughout France offer rooms during the vacation which is mainly June to September. So if you want to get that student vibe, try the site.

They are available in Paris and also in Aix-en-Provence, Avignon, Caen, Clermont Ferrand, La Rochelle, Lyon, Mâcon, Marseille, Montpellier, Nancy, Nice, Nîmes, Perpignan, Reims, Tours, Troyes and Valbonne. If you’re coming for a long stay it’s ideal, though you can also book one night at some of them.

Check out the University Rooms site here.

And think about…

Logis Hotels

Check out the famous French Logis Hotels chain. Logis Hotels are not included in the budget hotel chains in France but they offer some of the best value for money.

With over 2,200 hotels in France the marketing organisation is very well organised. All its hotels are individually owned and reliably good. Many of them have excellent restaurants serving local produce. They have different categories of hotels, from Logis Bacchus (vineyard logis) to family friendly Logis Famille.

They vary in price considerably, as well as in star ratings, etc. But they will be more expensive than the budget hotel chains above.

They produce an annual guide which you can pick up in any of the Logis hotels for free. It’s become my bible for looking for smaller hotels in France and I never leave home without it.

Check out the Logis Hotel site here.

And finally…

Late booking sites for those last minute decisions for hotel rooms in France:
Check out lastminute.com

Check out Budget Hotels in Antibes here

Two more cheap hotel ranges:
Campanile
Kyriad

For more tips on saving money while travelling in Europe, check out The View from Chelsea: 12 Top Ways to Save Money on City Stays in Europe

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I drove round the Normandy D-Day Landing beaches on a 5-day research trip with my partner. Our hotels near the D-Day landing beaches are based on this trip and I have added a couple more recommended by friends.

There’s so much accommodation, hotels and charming bed and breakfast manor houses in Normandy I’ve only covered a fraction. You’ll have your own picks and I’d love to hear about your recommendations. So please do send them and I’ll try to get to them on my next trip.

This selection of hotels and bed and breakfast accommodation near the Normandy D-Day landing beaches runs from the Cotentin Peninsula and Utah Beach in the west along to Caen in the east.

Near Utah Beach on the Cotentin Peninsula

A piece of World War II history

The grey stone 18^th-century Château de Quinéville on the east side of the Cotentin Peninsula has seen its fair share of World War II history; Rommel, Goering and Goebbels stayed here on an inspection of the Atlantic Wall. Damaged by bombing during the D-Day landings, it was restored in the 1970s and is now Dutch-owned and run.  

Set in parkland, with a garden where the owners grow bio vegetables for the restaurant, an outdoor pool and a terrace for drinks and dining, there are 32 comfortably furnished rooms in the château and an adjacent building. Fireplaces keep the main public rooms warm in cool weather, there’s a library and bar. It’s a 14-minute walk to the beach.

The east side of the River Douve estuary

Stay in a fortified manor house

The imposing stone Manoir de la Rivière looks as if it could resist any medieval attack a jealous neighbor might have attempted in its past.

We were ushered into a stone-flagged entrance and up to our second-floor room. There are pretty textiles (a passion of Isabelle Leharivel who owns the manor house with her husband Gérard) on the generous beds and at the windows that open onto a rural scene, fireplaces (decorative only) and large beds in the generously sized rooms. Good bathrooms complete the picture.

Downstairs we sat in front of the roaring open fire in the vaulted dining room for a drink before a home-cooked dinner from Isabelle, a 3-course meal vegetables and herbs from the kitchen garden and fish straight off the fishing boats at Grandcamp Maisy.
Breakfast the next morning included unlimited amounts of coffee, freshly baked croissants and brioches, fruit, yoghurt and cooked eggs and ham on the table.

The Leharivels have been here around 37 years and know the area backwards. They sent us to the nearby La Cambe German cemetery which we would never have found on our own, and advised us on local cheese producers.

Churchill, Eisenhower or Saint-Exupery?

Located at La Cambe between two temporary airfields used by the US Air Force, the Spirit of 1944 really does evoke the past in 3 pretty rooms.

Sir Winston Churchill has a sloping roof, an en-suite shower room, an extra sofa bed and Churchill memorabilia.

Dwight D. Eisenhower is larger with stone walls, a half-timbered ceiling, black and white photos on the walls and US army items.

A large wooden wall with an old map makes Commandant Antoine de Saint Exupery seem like a briefing room. There’s a Victorian roll-top bath and shower in the en-suite bathroom.

All the rooms are fresh and bright, themed to World War II with photos, posters and old maps. It’s very well done, with L’Occitane toiletries, and…nice touch this…The Longest Day and Saving Private Ryan on DVD. More wartime books and DVDs are available from their library.

US war correspondents slept here

Located inland about 17 kms south of Pointe du Hoc and Grandcamp Maisy, the stone Château de Vouilly has real connections to World War II.

Take breakfast in the dining room which was used by General Bradley for one of his press conferences, and sleep in one of the rooms that might have been occupied by Robert Capa, Ernest Hemingway, Walter Cronkite or any of 50 World War II correspondents. They stayed here between June 10 and August 10 in 1944, sending their stories of the D-Day landings via a radio transmitter set up in the park.

Four rooms are comfortably furnished with old-fashioned cupboards, chairs and fittings; 3 have views over the gardens and parklands.

In and around Bayeux

Modest Queen Mathilda hits the spot

There are posher hotels in and around Bayeux (the best known is the 5-star Château Audrieu south east of the city) but we were delighted with the 2-star Hôtel de la Reine Mathilde.

Bayeux can be a bit of a nightmare to drive in and park so the public car park we could see from our window was a godsend. We had a ground floor room in the annexe, looking directly onto the canal. It had a large bed, and a small alcove with an armchair, was decorated in pastel colours and had a very good sized bathroom.

We had a simple dinner and breakfast in the casual bistro which also doubles as a local bar.

Rooms are from 95€ to 180€ but prices vary according to the season/demand.

North of Bayeux

One of the best hotels in Normandy

I first fell in love with the Ferme de la Rançonnière when I was researching about William the Conqueror in Normandy twelve years ago. He was all over this part of Normandy though not here; this gorgeous stone fortified farm only dates back to the 14^th to 15^th century.

Drive through the arched stone – and castellated – entrance into a large courtyard enclosed by buildings. Some are bedrooms, others make up the restaurant and bars and an old cider press.

Our room was on the top floor looking onto the inner courtyard with its tables and chairs and cars instead of horses and carriages.

It was a suite with a room which had a sofa bed and separate toilet and a large bathroom with a bath and shower, a room which was blessedly heated at all times (it was April and cold outside).

The bedroom was huge with an antique cupboard that could have come from Narnia; the dark wood furniture offset with red covers and curtains. All very medieval we decided, though luckily the WiFi was not from the same era.

Dinner in the stone-walled, beamed ceiling room with a huge fireplace at one end was a meal that was fit for a king, or in Normandy’s case, a duke. No wild boar and bones flung onto the floors, but local produce cooked to perfection: scallops, guinea fowl, seasonal vegetables, local Normandy cheeses and imaginative desserts.

We retired to the bar for a nightcap, joining a party of very jolly French and Dutch who were regular visitors.

Breakfast in yet another stone-walled room offered everything we wanted. Then we paid the bill and were astonished that the owner remembered me from all those years ago.

Okay, I have written about the Ferme before, but even so, this ticked the final box for me. Perfect hoteliers, perfect hotel. I’ll be back very soon.

Caen

Central and comfortable in Caen

Centrally located, the Hotel des Quatrans is not much to look at from the outside, but it’s welcoming with helpful staff, has comfortable, newly decorated rooms in modern style and is good value.

There’s a small breakfast room looking out onto the street, and public parking right outside and just across the street.

We ate in the evening at the delightful Le Clou de Girofle at number 12 Rue du Vaugueux on a very good value 20€ menu for 3 courses. The wine list is above-average in quality and not expensive. The street which is wall-to-wall small restaurants and bars is just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel.

More about Normandy

Normandy D-Day Landing Beaches
Normandy Travel Guide
Travel to Normandy
Impressionism and Normandy

We went to Normandy on Brittany Ferries

Book with Brittany Ferries. Regular sailings go from Portsmouth to Caen, Le Havre and Cherbourg as well as from Poole to Cherbourg. The best of all the ferry companies, their overnight sailings are more like a mini cruise.

We took the 8.15am morning ferry from Portsmouth which arrives in the French port of Ouistrehem (Caen) at 3pm and returned on the 4.15pm ferry from Caen which arrives in Portsmouth at 8.15pm.

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