Where to stay in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, from volcanoes to the Alps

Where to stay in Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes by area

In a region this big, the simplest thing is to choose the landscape first. The thirteen places I pick sit in four areas: volcanic Auvergne, the Beaujolais and the Lyon area, the Rhône valley with the Drôme, and the Alps. Each has its own rhythm, and you don't sleep in the same place for walking as you would for skiing.

Auvergne, volcanoes and countryside

• La Forge, in Allègre. A guesthouse in a renovated former forge, in a volcanic village, with a flowery garden. It appeals to walkers and to couples looking for calm.
• Gite La Voie Romaine, in Ceyssat. A characterful house at the foot of the Puy de Dôme, with a sitting room with a fireplace and an equipped kitchen. I can see it suiting families or friends who want to walk.
• La Clé des Champs, in Grazac. A timber-frame holiday house with a terrace, a garden and a play area. It suits families and cyclists who like a quiet spot.
• Logis Hôtel Restaurant de la Dore, in Vertolaye. A hotel with a restaurant and terrace, with rooms that have a private bathroom. A good stop on the road, for walkers, anglers or anyone who likes a good table.

Beaujolais and the Lyon area

• Les Volets Bleus, in Le Perréon. A guesthouse in the Beaujolais hills, with spacious rooms and a garden with a play area. It is aimed at families, groups of friends and those who walk or cycle.
• Chateau du Breuil en Beaujolais, in Salles-Arbuissonnas-en-Beaujolais. A seasonal pool, a terrace over the vines, a restaurant and a bar. Make sure to confirm your booking before you set off.
• Hôtel Resto Ô9 Marches, in Rillieux-la-Pape, near Lyon. Simple rooms with a private bathroom, a bistro and free parking. Handy for people passing through and for business trips.

Rhône valley and the Drôme

• Hotel Paris Valence, in Bourg-de-Péage. A simple hotel with free private parking and breakfast on site. The bathrooms are shared on the landing, and the Google rating is low. I would book it for a short stay.
• Guesthouse Lou Cliou, in Cliousclat. A guesthouse with a garden, a seasonal pool and bikes to borrow. Guests appreciate the calm and the welcome.
• Chambres d'hôtes La Rialhe, in Taulignan. A village in Provençal Drôme to explore on foot, with a garden and breakfast served outside. The rooms upstairs can be noisy in the morning.

Alps

• Centre de Vacances - Chalet les Pieux, in Crest-Voland. A chalet set apart from the centre of the resort, with home-cooked meals, equipment on site and shuttles to the slopes. It is made for group ski holidays.
• Chèvrerie de Saint Michel, in Saint-Michel-de-Maurienne. A guesthouse on a goat farm, with farm cheeses at breakfast. Ideal for families and animal lovers.
• Hôtel Plein Soleil, in Vacheresse. A family hotel with a restaurant, a seasonal pool and a view over the valley. Guests praise the generous cooking and the welcome.

What types of accommodation you'll find in the region

Here you mostly stay in a guesthouse or a gîte, with a few hotels that work as stopovers. That is a sensible choice for a region of countryside, mountains and villages, where people look for a welcome more than hotel service.

Guesthouses, such as La Forge, Lou Cliou or La Rialhe, suit couples and anyone who likes talking with their hosts. Gîtes and whole houses, such as La Voie Romaine or La Clé des Champs, suit families and groups who want a kitchen and some space. The hotels are more practical than romantic, but they are useful when you are covering a lot of ground, as the Plein Soleil, the Dore or the Ô9 Marches are.

In the Alps, a chalet-style group stay is the most practical option for a group coming to ski, with equipment and meals already arranged.

Which accommodation to choose for your trip

For a weekend for two, I would look first at the quiet guesthouses. For a family or a group of friends, a whole house or a hotel with a generous table is better. The table below sums up my preferences.

When to go to Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes

The region can be visited in any season, but not everywhere at the same time. Summer and early autumn are the best moments for walking in Auvergne, cycling in the Beaujolais or enjoying a seasonal pool. Winter belongs to the Alps and their resorts.

The pools at several of these places are seasonal. If one matters to you, check it will be open on your dates. In the Beaujolais the vines change colour in autumn, a good reason to travel outside the peak season.

How to get around the region

The most practical option is still the car, especially for remote gîtes and small villages. Several places here offer free parking, which makes things much simpler.

Lyon and the main roads of the Rhône valley are well connected, and make a good starting point for trips into the Beaujolais. In the mountains, check whether your accommodation offers shuttles to the slopes, as the chalet in Crest-Voland does. Allow more time than the map suggests in the Alps and in Auvergne, where the roads wind a lot.