Château & Country, an association of owners of castles (see Accommodation Information), interested in preserving the French heritage, publishes a list of châteaux offering accommodation suitable for families.

Room and all meals, ie full-board or pension terms, are usually offered for a stay of three days or longer. Half-board or demi-pension (room, breakfast and one meal) terms are usually available outside the peak holiday period. Hotels charge around 30 per cent extra for a third bed in a double room. For children under 12, many chains will provide another bed in the room of the parents for free. Logis de France are small- or medium-sized, inexpensive and often family-run hotels which provide good, clean, basic and comfortable accommodation with a restaurant attached. Hotels in Paris: Hotel bookings can be made in person through tourist offices at stations or at the Paris Tourist Office. Guides: Regional lists of hotels are available, as well as the Logis de France guide and various chain/association guides from the French Government Tourist Office (see Top Things To Do) and bookshops. The Tourist Office publishes guides to hotels in Paris and the Ile-de-France, available free of charge. Grading: Hôtels de Tourisme are officially graded into five categories according to the quality of the accommodation, which are fixed by government regulation and checked by the Préfecture of the Départements: 4-star: Deluxe. 3-star: First class. 2-star: Standard. 1-star: Budget. Logis de France are subject to a specific code usually above basic requirements for their grade and are inspected regularly to ensure that they conform to the standards laid down.

Gîtes de France are holiday homes (often old farmhouses) in the country, all of which conform to standards regulated by the non-profitmaking National Federation. Villas, Houses and Apartments Rental: Villas and houses can be rented on the spot. Local Syndicats d’Initiative can supply a complete list of addresses of local rental agencies. Tourists staying in France for over one month may prefer to live in an apartment, rather than in a hotel.

There are 7000 campsites throughout France. A few have tents and caravans for hire. Prices vary according to location, season and facilities. All graded campsites will provide water, toilet and washing facilities. Touring caravans may be imported for stays of up to six consecutive months. There are 100 British companies offering camping holidays in France. The French Government Tourist Office has a full list of tour operators who run all types of tours, including camping and special interest holidays.

There are hundreds of these in France, offering very simple accommodation at very low prices. There are hostels in all major towns. Stays are usually limited to three or four nights or a week in Paris. Hostels are open to all members of the National Youth Hostel Association upon presentation of a membership card. Lists are available from national youth hostel organisations.
Note: Visitors are usually asked to pay a tourism tax (variable or flat-rate) which is fixed by the local authority and values from €0.15 to €1.07 per person per day, according to the quality and standard of the accommodation. Where the tourism tax is a variable percentage, children under four years are exempt and children under 10 are charged half the rate. This tax is collected by the owner of the accommodation and will be included in the hotel bill or rent.

Fédération Nationale de l’Immobilier
129 rue du Faubourg St-Honoré, 75439 Paris, France
Tel: (1) 4420 7700.
Website: www.fnaim.fr

Fédération Nationale des Gîtes de France
59 rue de St Lazare, 75439 Paris, France
Tel: (1) 4970 7575.
Website: www.gites-de-france.fr

Fédération Française de Camping et Caravaning
78 rue de Rivoli, 75004 Paris, France
Tel: (1) 4272 8408.
Website: www.ffcc.fr

French Youth Hostels Federation (FUAJ)
FUAJ Centre National
27 rue Pajal, 75018 Paris, France
Tel: (1) 4489 8727.
Website: www.fuaj.org

Fédération Nationale des Logis de France
83 avenue d’Italie, 75013 Paris, France
Tel: (1) 4584 8384.
Website: www.logis-de-france.fr

Union des Métiers et des Industries de l’Hôtellerie
22 rue d’Anjou, 75008 Paris, France
Tel: (1) 4494 1994.
Website: www.umih.fr

Paris Tourist Office
127 avenue des Champs-Elysées, 75008 Paris, France
Tel: (8) 9268 3000.
Website: www.parisinfo.com or www.paris-on-line.com

Châteaux & Country
25 rue Jean Giraudoux, 75116 Paris, France
Tel: (1) 4720 1827.
Website: www.chateau-accueil.com