Fontaineblhostel

The garden is lovely, with grass, trees, and birds, and the hostel staff and atmosphere are great. But the nearby road is so noisy that it spoils the stay. I’m surprised other reviews don’t mention it. You really need good earplugs to sleep, and if you can’t get comfortable wearing them, you’ll have a rough night.

The welcoming feel here is what keeps bringing me back. Even when the big kitchen, dining, and living area is nearly full, people have greeted me warmly, including when I showed up alone among a lot of new faces. You can make the stay as quiet or as lively as you like. I first picked this place three years ago because it was near the crags and had pads. Now I return for the staff, the community, and the energy. It’s also easy to get to and from Paris, with a good bakery nearby. A few things could be better: the shower is oddly combined with the rest of the bathroom, so water gets everywhere; the fridges are packed; and opening the windows can leave you covered in mosquito bites. Thanks, Patricia and Patrick :)

When I got injured climbing, the hosts offered medical help and support, which made a tough situation much easier to handle. Everyone was very friendly and went out of their way to make our stay special. The hostel itself is lovely, and you can walk to the climbing areas at Elephant and Dame Jouanne. A big thank you to Natacha and Patricia. I’m looking forward to returning once I’m healthy!

The price is hard to justify for the basic standards here. For camping, I’d find 5-10 Euro per person per night reasonable, but we paid about 112 Euro for two people, three nights, camping in one car, which works out at almost 20 Euro each per night. There are prettier, cleaner, cheaper camping options in the area, so we won’t be back anytime soon. The garden is attractive, with blossom trees, birds, and a grassy patch. You can hear the main road, especially at busy times, but that was only a minor issue for us. Facilities are limited: campers share just three showers and three working toilets. There’s one kitchen tap for everyone, which isn’t enough when people are cooking, washing dishes, and filling bottles at once, though the kitchen is fairly well equipped. The staff are friendly and make an effort to clean, but the place gets dirty quickly and seems impossible to keep clean. I didn’t like the smell in the common room and kitchen, and avoided those areas when I could. Yes, it’s a hostel, but at this price I expected more. Sorry, Fontainebleau Hostel & Camping.