Author Topic: French youth hostels  (Read 1270 times)

French youth hostels
« on: 12 September, 2011, 02:08:50 pm »
Anyone have any experience of these?
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gordon taylor

Re: French youth hostels
« Reply #1 on: 12 September, 2011, 03:49:58 pm »
Cherbourg, Angoleme (sp?), Carcassonne, Poitiers + two others that I forget in the Loire valley. One dorm had a rooftop balcony somewhere, though. Off the top of my head, I think that only Cherbourg had a bike store - but the bike was always accomodated somewhere inside.

Carcassonne is sensational (if you can get a booking) - think of Hogwarts and you'll get the idea. Others are fine, perhaps less sociable than UK hostels, but fine overall. Some didn't have kitchens, but served breakfast - I was taught how to dunk my baguette in my coffee by a French footballer sxomewhwer too.

As always, in hostels everywhere, it's the other people in the dorm who can be odd. I've shared with two oddities out of six or seven nights. That's about the same weird ratio in the UK, probably. I'm comfortable with that, others less so.

I can look up my diaries when I get home to check the names of where I've stayed - but if I was going to France again, I'd certainly use the hostels, no problem.

Re: French youth hostels
« Reply #2 on: 12 September, 2011, 04:08:06 pm »
Recently used the hostels in Lille and Dunkerque. The Lille hostel I often use, very conveniently located nearly next to the town hall (Befroi), if you arrive by bike in the dark the lit up befroi is a great beakon to head to. All night reception, bikes are stored inside, in a storeroom. Dunkerque hostel is under reconstruction now. Very flexible staff in the old hostel, I did a 400 there last year with an evening start. I could drop off my panniers before the start, they stored them untill my return the next day without an extra charge.

Karla

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Re: French youth hostels
« Reply #3 on: 12 September, 2011, 04:14:06 pm »
Bourges was a standard city type hostel, a nice, light, airy and inexpensive place if nothing special.  St Etienne was out of town, set in a stunning location in the mountains by the Loire. 

Regulator

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Re: French youth hostels
« Reply #4 on: 14 September, 2011, 07:31:51 pm »
Recently used the hostels in Lille and Dunkerque. The Lille hostel I often use, very conveniently located nearly next to the town hall (Befroi), if you arrive by bike in the dark the lit up befroi is a great beakon to head to. All night reception, bikes are stored inside, in a storeroom. Dunkerque hostel is under reconstruction now. Very flexible staff in the old hostel, I did a 400 there last year with an evening start. I could drop off my panniers before the start, they stored them untill my return the next day without an extra charge.

Is the Lille one still in the old maternity hospital?  I was last there about 5 years ago and there was talk of moving it.

Back to the OP, I've also used a number of French AJ, including ones in Paris, Boulougne and Carcassone.  Horrendous during school holidays but nice in less busy times - although the average age of the clientle goes up significantly.
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Re: French youth hostels
« Reply #5 on: 14 September, 2011, 08:50:58 pm »
Is the Lille one still in the old maternity hospital?  I was last there about 5 years ago and there was talk of moving it.

Yes, same old place.