Auvergne guest houses offer a comfortable and relaxed hotel alternative for winter holidays
July 5, 2010 // 0 CommentsHave a cozy vacation at a bed and breakfast or chalet in beautiful Puy-de-dome
A bed and breakfast in France sounds like a lovely holiday at any time of year. But a winter holiday in the beautiful district of Puy-de-Dome in the Auvergne region fairly cries out for the relaxed accommodations of one of these traditional guest houses in France, with the warmth of a personal welcome and a cozy place for family and friends to make themselves at home after a day in the snow. These Auvergne guest house accommodations, known in France as chambres d’hotel (literally, “rooms at a host’s”) or gites are a much more comfortable and convivial choice for a ski or hiking vacation than a commercial hotel. They also often include some meals, featuring wonderful regional specialties.
The Gites de France website for Puy-de-Dome offers an interactive map so that you can browse all the accommodations on offer and their various levels of luxury and amenities. Since the properties are all privately owned and operated, they are all different with their own unique character, yet are vetted by the Gites de France high standards for quality, comfort, authentic decor and hospitality, so you can be confident of finding your perfect Auvergne guest house or chalet. Outdoor activites abound in Puy-de-Dome, with the star being winter sports such as downhill and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, showshoeing and climbing. Typical of these guest houses in France, these gites in the Auvergne are very much a part of their surroundings, and your host will likely offer sage advice on the best skiing spots and hiking trails. In keeping with the tradition of the bed and breakfast in France, you may even find yourself conversing with your host about art, history, crafts or other interests and passions of your own. Gites de France understands how much this personal interchange can add to stays in guest houses in France, so on their website for the Puy-de-Dome region and others, you can even click on “Talents and Passions” to choose a host with whom you have common interests to talk about!
Winter is not the only time that is beautiful in Puy-de-Dome. The hiking trails and the gorgeous mountain scenery make it a terrific tourist destination year-round. Hikers and nature lovers can choose an Auvergne guest house right along some of the most glorious walking paths and hiking trails in France. you hosts will be able to advise you on walks of a day or even longer. There are also trails and roads for motorcycling and mountain biking in Puy-de-Dome, and you can find a bed and breakfast in France that caters to these as well on the gites de France website. There are even guest houses that cater to the sybarite, with spa facilities near the famous volcanoes for which the Auvergne is also known. You can even stay on a real working farm! You won’t be required to to any milking or egg-gathering, though your host may show you if you ask.
The history of the Puy-de-Dome region is as rich and colorful as its present is inviting. Clermont-Ferrand, where the volcano for which the region is named has its summit, saw the launch of the Crusades and is now home to an International Short Film Festival and a number of universities and colleges. Issoire boasts castles, Romanesque churches and quaint villages perched over its valleys of wildflowers. The Combrailles country with its rivers and streams has welcomed fishermen since time began. And the Sancy range displays a fascinating array of volcanic topography for the visitor. All this and more can be explored from the warmth and comfort of your Auvergne guest house where you will always have a convivial welcome awaiting you when you return for your adventures.
Services:
Gîtes de France du Puy-de-DômePlace de la Bourse
63038 Clermont-Ferrand cedex 1
Tél. : +33 (0)4 73 42 22 61
Fax : +33 (0)4 73 42 22 65
Email : Contact form
Web : http://www.gites-de-france-puydedome.co.uk
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