We'll be driving through rural France in April -- Brittany, Alsace (Colmar area), Burgundy, and Cote du Rhone hill-towns -- and would like to go at a pace without committing to hotel reservations. Is that safe to do in April?
We'll probably go with a good idea of WHERE we want to stay, just don't want to commit to WHEN.
Also, do the prices go up when you "drop in"?
Thanks for any advice.
If "where" means which hotel, maybe or maybe not. If it means a town, no problem. As point of reference, I don't make reservations since I never know when and don't have a problem any time of year.
I've never heard of two price scales based on walk-up. Seasons or events, yes.
Unless there is a particular place you want to stay (and even then), you will have no problem.
The prudent thing to do is to call ahead the morning of, but as a practical matter you can just show up most destinations and find something.
As I always do when confronted with such a question, I suggest you look at the website for Logis de France. These are small, family-owned-and-run hotels all over France and you could compile from the website a list of Logis de France hotels in the regions of interest to you. On site parking is usually available at no extra charge. Certainly the room rates are the room rates, and will be noted on the internet sites.
I just spent 3 weeks in all of the places that you list (except Brittany) last April/May, and we never had reservations. Typically, when we were ready to head to a different place, we called that morning to find a room, then started our drive. Several times we just showed up in a town and asked, no problem. You should have no problem.
I almost hesitate to admit this, BUT if you have a laptop with you, look for a McDonalds while traveling. We don't go there for the food.... we go there for the free WiFi. You can find WiFi in other places, but it takes more research. I've had good luck booking rooms at the last minute in Brittany and the Alsace areas via the internet. Are you somewhat fluent in French?
I'm fluent enough to get by, just, though reading is much better. Am usually rescued by compassionate french speakers when they see I need help (sometimes too soon for me to improve). Thanks for the tip -- I didn't realize that McD's had free wifi in France. Good to know.
