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Villages Etapes A pause in the real France
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It was only for one night, but I fell in love with Massiac. What silence in the narrow streets of ancient, dark stone houses! What a wonderful setting, green Auvergne hills rising behind the rooftops. And how satisfyingly traditional the hotel’s restaurant, all white-clothed tables and chandeliers and a perfectly correct four-course menu for 20 euro (£14). This indeed is what francophiles seek, and sometimes wonder if it still exists. Above all, what a contrast between Massiac and the autoroute, A75, just four kilometers away, which had led me straight here with the simple exit sign, “Village Etape”. Un étape means a stage along the way, as in doing something by stages. Villages Etapes are real, live villages that happen to be close to autoroutes or other major highways and have everything needed for a comfortable overnight stop. All Villages Etapes are certified by the French Ministry of Équipement as an approved highways resource. The first villages to adopt the Village Etape title appeared in the Limousin region of central France less than a decade ago. It was a local initiative to boost the economy in a rural region where a new autoroute rushed travellers – potential tourists and customers – straight through without stopping. No sooner were the signs up than motorists began exiting the highway for a lunch break or to spend the night at authentic country hotels with their own classic restaurants, rather than lodging at characterless motel chains tailor-made for quick stops. The idea caught on in other regions suffering the same problem. In 2002, the villages got together to set up a France-wide umbrella organisation, La Fédération Nationale des Villages Etapes. Now, villages throughout the country are applying to join the scheme. Two more were approved in 2006, in Burgundy and Upper Languedoc, bringing the total nationwide to 21, with several more under consideration. An easy-to-use website (see below) shows all of them on a map – just click on a village to find details of its hotels, restaurants, even a link to the tourist office. The Federation’s own strangely precise definition requires that Village Etapes have architectural merit, a population under five thousand, and are located less than 5km from an autoroute or 4-lane major highway. Most are along the A84 in Normandy, the A20 in the Centre and Limousin, and the A75 in the Auvergne. Others are not on autoroutes, but major long-distance trunk roads like the N10 or N7. Calais to the Med makes a drive of over 1000km, and even to the Dordogne is 800km, so north-south car journeys in France require at least one overnight stop. The villages provide a tremendous new resource for travellers in the know, offering a quick stopover that’s a real break. Driving to the south-west, for example – Gascony, Bordeaux or the beaches of Biarritz – pretty little Vivonne is a Village Etape ideally placed on the N10, close to the A10, south of Poitiers. Buried in gorgeous countryside at the meeting point of three rivers, it’s a gem of old lanes and château ruins, yet has plenty of good facilities. Among them, the St Georges is a decent family-run two-star hotel with two excellent restaurants, listed in the Michelin Guide as good value for money. Or heading south-east towards Provence, canny travellers who have chosen the less expensive route along the A77 and N7 are probably also clever enough to break for the night at riverside Lapalisse. This new Village Etape (it joined the scheme last October) has three comfortable, inexpensive hotel-restaurants, such as the Bourbonnais, with double rooms at €38 and a three-course dinner from €13.50. And a night at a village in Normandy’s idyllic bocage countryside of copses and little farms is like an extra little holiday whether at the beginning or end of a trip. What’s the downside? Precisely that these are villages, not motorway amenities. True, they are unmissably well signposted and it’s not far, but to reach them you follow ordinary country roads with local traffic. The hotels are unpredictable, and it could be unwise just to turn up without first checking if there’s a room free. Expect village shops and services to be available from 8am to 7pm, with a long midday break. In summer, country restaurants serve lunch from noon to 2.30pm, dinner from 7pm to 9.30pm, with earlier closing times out of season. Hotel receptions may be closed after about 10pm. Similar times apply though, in any provincial town in France or even at motels just off the autoroute. After a delicious lunch overlooking a Mediterranean beach on the Languedoc coast, time came to set off back towards home. We took the A75 north, soaring over the Millau viaduct and winding into the high landscapes of the Cantal. It was August, height of the holiday season, and there was plenty of traffic. I had never even heard of Massiac, and had nothing booked for the night. The A75 is a spectacularly beautiful route, and toll free. Getting close to dinner time – a dangerous moment, for if you miss dinner, you’ll find not a scrap to eat until France wakes up the following morning – the exit for Massiac came into view, the words village étape beneath its name. In its main street, the Hôtel de la Poste, though a little faded inside, had a swimming pool and simple, comfortable double rooms at €56 (£40). In reception, an odd collection of thousands of keyrings is proudly displayed, product of someone’s obsession. The dining room was convivial, its neatly uniformed young waitresses briskly carrying steaming plats du jour to a score of tables. I ask for a local aperitif and am brought a small glass of birlou, which combines apple and walnut flavours. With the €20 menu of traditional regional dishes, plus a small carafe of house wine, certainly this beats anything to be found on the autoroute. In the morning, before setting off we take a stroll in the old village. In a beautiful, austere church there’s liturgical music playing, and rare religious artwork on display. A strange prayer attached to a pillar urges that you would never, ever forget your visit, and I certainly can't. Talk about a rest stop – I’m high on tranquillity. Find out
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