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First experiences of Chambres d'Hôte


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We did two in France, both chosen at random as we randomed around in our normal randomy fashion.

One was an absolute delight.  We had the whole first floor to ourselves, 2 bedrooms, kitchen, big shiny bathroom with big shiny corner bath.   Everything spotlessly clean, decorated nicely, and a lovely generous breakfast in the morning.   Lady was friendly and welcoming.  She had to go out early in the morning, left her 12-yr-old son in charge of the house.   How easy it would have been to do a runner (but of course we didn't, because we're not like that).  It was all just lovely.  It was a Gites de France, if anyone's interested.

The other one was like something out of a bad sitcom!   A real Landlady, complete with heavily-fortified bosom and dragonish face.  Beds had those old hairy BROWN blankets on, yuck!  The bathroom was clean, and most surfaces in the room, but I suppose the aforementioned bosom prevented her from reaching the dusty bits that faced me as I lay down to go to sleep.     Breakfast was in the sous-sol, which had a depressingly prison-like air, one small window high up in the bare wall.   Crockery could have done with a good sterilise too!   And no chance of doing a runner either!    She was in the Gites de France 2003 book, she's no longer with them but is alarmingly easy to find on the internet. 

Now I want you to tell me that all of you are running the first kind rather than the second kind, and we will bring our custom to you willingly! 

 

 

 

    

    

 

 

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Hi Saligo

I should join your club I too have stayed in some lovely Chambres d'Hotes and some not so lovely ... all within a similar price range too. One had a bed which was so uncomfortable that I spent all night in the armchair at least in the chair I couldn't feel the springs digging in me..

Another I stayed in was fabulous --- clean and tidy and very welcoming hosts it was a joy to stay there..

i must add too that the first experience is hopefully on the decline as lots of Chambre d'Hotes are facing such stiff competition and customers are more and more demanding ... I know from experience some people want a lot of service for very little money..

Cheers

Barry

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Just read both your postings, although we are not withGdF, (out of choice) I  hope to give a reply to suit your standards, but being on the tail end of an 18 night without a break stint and 13 nights of dinners without a break, I'm just about AT breaking point, so will withdraw to bed and answer at a later date.   Needless to say, you both deserve the better version of what you desire, and what, I hope, people believe we deliver, but ... will elcudiate further after our first night in over 2 months of plus de 8 heures sleep, so bon nuit, a demain.

 

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SB ".....The other one was like something out of a bad sitcom! A real Landlady, complete with heavily-fortified bosom and dragonish face. Beds had those old hairy BROWN blankets on, yuck! The bathroom was clean, and most surfaces in the room, but I suppose the aforementioned bosom prevented her from reaching the dusty bits that faced me as I lay down to go to sleep. [Pinch] Breakfast was in the sous-sol, which had a depressingly prison-like air, one small window high up in the bare wall. Crockery could have done with a good sterilise too! And no chance of doing a runner either! She was in the Gites de France 2003 book, she's no longer with them but is alarmingly easy to find on the internet."

So you 'ave stayed een zee Miki stalag two and u voz unhappy, gut, still, vee 'eve vays orf getteeng yur munney ! Zer blunkets ver grunnies from zer ferst voor and she sleept weez them fur 50 yers, so eef it wurz gud enuff fer 'er, zen eet eez gud enuff fur owr gests.

U 'ad enuff bread and zer water eech moaning and still u complain ? vot do u peeps expect, vee are not zer luftwaffer u 'ave all zer luvverly zimmers and der wunderbar plates, vee r zer poor cussins u 'ave only tree epis. Ven zer season is over vee vill ask zer bonk manager for more poppy, zen vee will luk to poot unudder vindow in but eet eez zer bars zat cost der poppy. Zer lady vid der boobies eez mein weif, she eez un bluudy gud cleaner, sanks pur der verds of comfert, I vill tell 'er.

teell zer next time zen, commandant miki, stalag deux

new fer next yeer zer voolly doovays from ukraine.

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And whats wrong with BROWN hairy blankets? Brown was THE in colour back in 1958. I persnally prefer green but then we can't all be perfect . Mind you brown did go out of fashion in 2003 so thats probaly why she was no longer in GDF.

It's funny you know we have had French guests turn up with their own sheets for two week break. They are quite amazed to see we supply them and even make the beds for them. Makes you wonder .

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Not so strange really Chris, although rare of course but B&B in France is 50 years old this year (compare that to the UK !) but in real terms, I reckon it has only been the last 10-15 years that has seen any real growth.

So many folks are still being told about these wonderful new places with brown woolly blankets, nasty owners, especially us gruff and gruesome GdF baskets and they all want to have a little peek and see if it is as bad as they are told. A few still do not actually know what they might expect, thus sheets (and sometimes duvets) but it is getting pretty rare these days.

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That's that decided then, next summer I'm off to Stalag Miki. 

Looking forward to dining off a Ukrainian peasant already, and will look into suitable bosom fortifications so that I can feel really integrated.

Oh, I met my love by the salt-mine door...... 

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Cor, did I really say "more than 8 hours sleep"???  That would have been luxury!!  What Imeant was more than 6 hours!!!!

I have to say SB, when the GdF lady came to look at our house a few weeks ago she was pleased but somewhat surprised to see duvets, with white cotton covers on them.  I was equally surprised, wondering just WHAT she had expected to see - now I know, YUK.

We've just had some Americans living in Germany stay with us, who were amazed at how large their bedroom was, just for two of them (so thumb firmly on nose, and protruding tongue to you lot at GdF Manche ) because the lady told me that the accommodation they had been given when they first arrived in Germany had been a room smaller than our double for 5 of them!!!  Lesson learnt, don't B&B in Germany, they really DO put you in a Stalag 

From what I've seen of B&Bs round here the standard is extremely high and it is a never ending battle of increasing comfort and facilities to try and stay ahead of the competitors - and that includes the French owned ones too.  So try a few more out next year SB, hopefully you'll be pleasantly surprised.

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"...........Oh, I met my love by the salt-mine door...... "

What a coincidence !! OK, we were a little further in towards the pit face but nevertheless.....

It was the amples that made me also want to integrate and when Tamara Dolliski Dooveta arrives, I myself, hope to integrate that lttle bit more.

A la prochain, SB

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No Tu, she is definitely Ukrainian and has given us a sworn affer david from her brief. She can throw an hammer 60 metres, the discus 70 metres, the javelin 80 metres and troublesome guests, well over 90 metres !

So she will do for us, no need for legal beagles when Mme Dooveta is about.

Future guests from LF at stalag Miki have been pre warned

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I am now very excited - will 'Tossing the guest' become a new Olympic sport?  When I have finished building my prize winning croissant sculpture for Tarn & Garonne - very little help from that Alan, not as much as a mouldy pain au chocolat I might say - may I get in training.  Can I start by throwing them from the top of the garden, or is it cheating if they roll too far.

Chris - it is possible that I do not look as good as Miki in Lycra, but don't forget I am the woman who nicked all those performing geese for you.  (Have they arrived yet) Furthermore I do not need to hire peasants from any new EEc country to throw my guests - we girls can hurl our own.  I bet Coco will make the national finals for throwing under 10s.

Think I will go and lie down quietly now - until the new medication works.

Maggi

PS - Am fresh out of brown hairy blankets - Miki may I have name of your supplier

 

 

 

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That's the symbol.

Simple and to the point.

Guests will be t ossed should you mess with any of our members .............

Maggi,

We have bought most of our hairy brown blankets from a company in the UK called NHS. On occasion, they have arrived with a little old dear slumbering within but after a nice cup of tea and a bun, she is up and away and off back to blighty.Now Imust get down the town as a new suply of coloured Lycra has arrived and I am really happy, as they have that new red colour that matches the locals hair.

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When I have finished building my prize winning croissant sculpture for Tarn & Garonne - very little help from that Alan, not as much as a mouldy pain au chocolat I might say

 

Maggi Cant spare any I am afraid as I have come up with this great idea with the kids, we are spraying them all gold to hang on the Christmas tree in the garden along with some nice red foil bows. Hoping it might also brings some orders from the local farmers, I am sure it will bring people from miles around to see this spectacular, might even have to consider putting my rates up for december because of the demand

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