Читать книгу The Grand Traverse of the Massif Central. by mountain bike, road bike or on foot онлайн

26 страница из 49

Hotels in France are star graded according to a system very similar to that used in Britain. A basic hotel is a one-star establishment, and usually reasonably priced, clean and comfortable. Most of the hotels in the area covered by this guidebook carry a one- or two-star grading. One pays for the room in France, so there is seldom a reduction for only one occupant, although if cycling or walking alone it is always sensible to enquire.

The French gîte d'étape has similarities with the UK youth hostel, but is operated either privately (most are family-run small businesses) or by the local community (gîte communal). Many gîtes d'étape are in sympathetically restored traditional buildings, typically accommodating between 10 and 30 people. All have hot showers. Dinner is usually provided in a gîte d'étape and this nearly always consists of excellent home cooking, often to a much higher standard than that found in tourist restaurants. Most gîtes d'étape also have a fully equipped kitchen for those wishing to prepare their own food. Accommodation is in a traditional dortoir, usually of four, six or eight beds, but increasingly these days, rooms for two are also available at a little extra cost.