B&Bs in France
This item appears on page 32 of the March 2014 issue.
When taking road trips in Europe, my wife, Liz, and I look for B&Bs with kitchen facilities for guests because that enables us, if we choose, to prepare a meal at the end of a long day of sightseeing.
In France, we found two excellent B&Bs that have much in common: the gracious hosts speak excellent English and have a thorough knowledge of the surrounding area; breakfasts are ample and creative; rooms are spacious, comfortable and moderately priced, and they’re in quiet locations.
• Les Feuillantines (Capudie, 24220 Saint-Cyprien, France; phone +33 [0] 5 53 30 45 64) is located in the countryside near the town of Saint-Cyprien, in the upper part of the Dordogne Valley. Nearly all the sightseeing attractions in this part of the Dordogne are less than an hour’s drive away, including the prehistoric caves at Lascaux, fewer than 15 minutes away.
This B&B has a separate kitchen-and-dining area for the exclusive use of guests, plus a swimming pool and barbecue area. Minutes away are shops and grocery stores. We stayed there in May 2011. (In 2014, a room costs €60-€70 [near $82-$95] per night plus €5 if only one night.)
• Ambiance Jardin (12 rue de l’Abbé, Wendling, 67230 Diebolsheim, France; phone +33 3 88 74 84 85) is located in the small village of Diebolsheim, in the upper part of the Alsace, close to the Rhine River and less than an hour’s drive from Strasbourg. It is also a short free ferry ride across the Rhine from Freiburg, Germany. The southern part of the Black Forest is an easy day’s outing.
What distinguishes this B&B is its superb garden, with topiaries and flowering bushes, which the family has cultivated for over 25 years. Guests breakfast in a large dining area overlooking the garden.
Our kitchen facilities were a bit limited, as there was no oven, but simple meals could be prepared, and there was coffee and tea available 24 hours a day. We stayed there in May 2012. (In 2014, rooms run €85-€95 per night.)
We would be happy to answer any questions about these B&Bs and the areas concerned. Email me through ITN.
JACK & LIZ KAUFMAN
Lake Quivira, KS