Gite Le Francillon

From the dining room’s slate tiles to the old farmhouse itself, the building has a fascinating, authentic feel, typical of these summer pastures. We stayed in February 2025 and found it enchanting. The surroundings of the Mézenc mountain are breathtaking. We could see the Alps and Mont Blanc.

The hosts were friendly, and the setting is lovely, with charming buildings just outside Les Estables. But check-in isn’t until 5 pm, and dinner has to be booked ahead. If you haven’t arranged it, you’ll need to go back to the village, since there’s no flexibility. The rooms were a problem for us. There’s no soundproofing, and with everything made of wood, the new parquet creaks at every step. Noise and an uncomfortable mattress made for a poor night’s sleep. Breakfast starts at 8:30 am, which doesn’t work well for hikers, so we ended up staying at another hotel.

The rooms are comfortable and authentically decorated, and the couple were warm and welcoming. It’s a remarkable building in a sublime setting at the foot of Mont Mezenc. We were disappointed by both dinner and breakfast. Dinner was expensive for such simple cooking, and it didn’t match the character of the place. Breakfast included lots of good local products, but we would have liked something like cold cuts or cheese for more variety.

The view is beautiful and makes it feel like you’re in another world. That helps redeem an otherwise very disappointing stay. The building has plenty of charm, and some of the many paintings on the walls are for sale, but the prices seemed exorbitant for their quality, like a case of delusions of grandeur in everything. The hostess’s welcome was very peculiar. There was a nauseating smell of fuel oil when we came in and on the upstairs landing. The rooms were pretty and fairly spacious, but you could hear neighbors even when they spoke quietly. Everyone tried not to disturb anyone, sometimes whispering, while the floorboards creaked with every step. It may be typical and authentic, but that’s more than a little disappointing for a bed and breakfast. And don’t forget your shower soap. The famous breakfast was a stale baguette, a couple of soggy rusks, rock-hard butter, cheap juice and tea, and so on. We waited patiently while everyone tried to butter their bread, or not. It was €10 per person. At that price, you’re better off going to the village bakery. At least we didn’t have dinner there too. I’m leaving a negative review because I can see I’m not the only one who felt this way. I just wish I’d read the other reviews sooner.