La maison de Mathilde, guest rooms in central Alençon
La maison de Mathilde is a guesthouse in the heart of Alençon, Normandy, with a small garden and quiet rooms despite the city centre. It suits travellers who want to walk to everything and don't need hotel-style comfort, as long as they accept stairs, a bathroom that may be shared and self check-in.
Written by Valeria Romano
Published .
Updated
Mapiola is a travel blog: this is not the official website of La maison de Mathilde.
Where La maison de Mathilde is in Alençon
La maison de Mathilde is a guesthouse in the heart of Alençon, on Rue des Tisons in Normandy. Its big advantage is the location. Several guests say they did everything on foot, restaurants included, and a bakery nearby is a good fallback for breakfast.
One guest also mentions a car park, which matters if you arrive by car. Despite the city centre, reviews describe a quiet house with a small garden. The Halle au Blé is just around the corner, an easy landmark for finding your way around town.
What the rooms are like
The rooms at La maison de Mathilde are described as big, clean and well equipped, with comfortable beds. They don't all feel the same, so it's worth knowing which one you're booking. Reviews mention a Garden room, which one guest recommended for complete quiet, a blue suite, and even a studio for a group.
In practice, there's a Senseo coffee machine, but you need to bring your own pods, and one guest notes that the listing does say so. On the other hand, the studios have no cooker, which disappointed a group who had come to cook for themselves. Don't count on cooking on site.
The atmosphere is closer to a family home than a hotel chain. One family says their little boy loved sleeping in a big bed piled with cushions, which sums up the place well.
What guests remember
Opinions are split, with a Google rating of 3.2 from 84 reviews. Enthusiastic guests and disappointed ones don't describe quite the same house, so here are the points that come up most.
- The welcome. Several guests talk about a warm welcome, easy communication and quick replies. Some have come back more than once.
- The calm. Despite the centre, several reviews describe quiet nights, especially on the garden side.
- Breakfast. Opinions differ. Some praise a generous, carefully served breakfast, or a zero-waste tray brought to the room. Others say there was only tea and coffee, or find it expensive for what it offers.
- Noise and cleanliness. One recent review complains about poor soundproofing, creaking floors and cobwebs in the room. Others find it clean, even very clean. Weigh it up for yourself.
What to know before you book
The weak points come up again and again, and they matter. Better to know them before booking than to discover them on arrival.
| What guests like | What may bother you |
|---|---|
| City centre, everything is walkable | Many stairs to reach the rooms |
| Warm welcome, easy communication | Self check-in by phone and codes, according to recent reviews |
| Big, comfortable rooms | A bathroom shared between several rooms in some cases |
| Small garden and quiet nights | Poor soundproofing, according to one guest |
Self check-in is the first thing to know. Recent guests say they didn't see anyone and had to phone for their room code. If you like the key handed over in person, this isn't the place.
The second point is the stairs and the shared bathroom. Several reviews mention a bathroom serving several rooms, with the fridge and toilets shared too. If you're travelling with heavy luggage or have limited mobility, ask before you book.
Who this guesthouse is for
I'd choose La maison de Mathilde for a short stop in Alençon, when you want to sleep in the centre, park the car and walk to dinner. It suits people who like houses with character and don't mind sorting things out themselves, with a code and a phone call.
I'd steer clear if you want someone to greet you in person, a guaranteed private bathroom, total silence or a kitchen to cook in. My advice is to write before you book to ask for a room with a private bathroom, and the Garden room if quiet matters to you.
Things to do around Alençon
Alençon is easy to explore on foot from the house, with the Halle au Blé close by. Sports fans can also head to the Alençon-en-Arçonnay golf course, a little way out of town.
By car, the Normandie-Maine Regional Nature Park and the Château de Carrouges make good day trips. Just plan on breakfast at the bakery round the corner, since the house's breakfast isn't guaranteed according to reviews.
Passionate about travel and about the kind of places that turn a getaway into something unforgettable. I love writing about hotels, country houses and charming hideaways, helping every traveller find the perfect place to rest and feel at home.
