Paris - Looking for a "pension"
Dec 2nd, 2003, 11:07 AM
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Paris - Looking for a "pension"
I am looking for the name and/or address of a particular Paris "pension" (boarding house)that I read about in a guide book several years ago. It was owned/run by an elderly French lady. Even though she spoke no English, Brits clammored for reservations there. This write up said this house had been in her family for years, always operated as a boarding house. Unfortunately, I did not buy this guide book at the time and now cannot remember the title or the author's name. To the best of my memory, it was a budget guide written by a British fellow or possibly by a British man and woman team. Pretty sure I saw it at Border's bookstore in New Orleans.
Does anybody know about this place or have any experience staying in the few pensions that I find listed with the Paris Bureau de Tourisme? Thanks for any information you might have to share.
Does anybody know about this place or have any experience staying in the few pensions that I find listed with the Paris Bureau de Tourisme? Thanks for any information you might have to share.
Dec 2nd, 2003, 11:47 AM
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I don't know if it qualifies as a boarding house, but could it be the Esmeralda? Alastair Sawday (British guidebook writer) lists the Esmeralda in his Paris Hotels books. Madame Bruel, the owner, has indeed been there forever.
Dec 2nd, 2003, 11:59 AM
#3
There are 4 Boarding houses :
PENSION AU PALAIS GOURMAND
120, Boulevard Raspail 75006 PARIS
Vavin
01 45 48 24 15 - Fax : 01 42 22 33 41
PENSION LADAGNOUS
78, Rue d'Assas 75006 PARIS
Vavin
01 43 26 79 32
PENSION LES MARRONNIERS
78, Rue d'Assas 75006 PARIS
Vavin
01 43 26 37 71 - Fax : 01 43 26 07 72
PENSION RESIDENCE CARDINAL
04, Rue Cardinal Mercier 75009 PARIS
Place de Clichy
01 48 74 16 16
PENSION AU PALAIS GOURMAND
120, Boulevard Raspail 75006 PARIS
Vavin
01 45 48 24 15 - Fax : 01 42 22 33 41
PENSION LADAGNOUS
78, Rue d'Assas 75006 PARIS
Vavin
01 43 26 79 32
PENSION LES MARRONNIERS
78, Rue d'Assas 75006 PARIS
Vavin
01 43 26 37 71 - Fax : 01 43 26 07 72
PENSION RESIDENCE CARDINAL
04, Rue Cardinal Mercier 75009 PARIS
Place de Clichy
01 48 74 16 16
Dec 2nd, 2003, 07:27 PM
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Mon Dieu! Merci mille fois! It is Sawday, Alistair! As soon as I saw the name, I knew! He was the author of the guidebook, but that book is no longer in my local Borders in New Orleans.
Thank you for taking the time to reply. This has been driving me crazy. I spent the entire weekend in Borders, Booksamillion and Barnes and Noble looking thru travel guides. I will be on the phone soon to check out if she is still around and still renting and if I can afford to stay with her!
In the meantime, I will be on Amazon.com trying to order this guidebook!
Merci encore! Tally Ho Travels
Thank you for taking the time to reply. This has been driving me crazy. I spent the entire weekend in Borders, Booksamillion and Barnes and Noble looking thru travel guides. I will be on the phone soon to check out if she is still around and still renting and if I can afford to stay with her!
In the meantime, I will be on Amazon.com trying to order this guidebook!
Merci encore! Tally Ho Travels
Dec 4th, 2003, 07:58 AM
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I had a reservation there many years ago, but did not end up staying there because my train arrived late from Alsace in a snowstorm, and the owner would not give me the room. It turned into a mini-nightmare, with police involvement, etc. It's just as well, because the place reeked, there were dogs and cats running around, the management was appallingly rude, and thanks to the gendarmes I ended up at the Duquesne Eiffel hotel, which is now one of my favorites.
This was, as I said, many years ago. The place could be fabulous now for all I know. I've never wanted to give it another try.
This was, as I said, many years ago. The place could be fabulous now for all I know. I've never wanted to give it another try.
Dec 4th, 2003, 08:39 AM
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WillTravel:
The last time I posted about this, several years, ago, someone slammed me for telling a story that was so many years old, so please do understand this was 14 years ago.
I was pregnant, traveling alone, arriving in a snowstorm from Alsace. There is apparently some archaic rule of French law (or was at the time) saying a hotel could give up a reserved room if the client did not show up or call by 6 pm. I arrived after 6 pm because my train was delayed in the snow. I had not been able to call the hotel because I was on a train (pre-cell phone era). I had prepaid the hotel room for two nights by international draft. The owner would neither give me the room nor refund my money, citing this law. We argued over this for 20 minutes or more. She would not tell me whether she was just keeping my money or actually had already given the room away to someone else.
At any event, while we were arguing in the lobby I saw a police car and two policemen just outside the hotel, so I popped outside and asked them to come in. They gave the owner a hard time, but she insisted that by law she had the right to refuse me and keep the money, and they said there was indeed such a law but that no one but a scumbag would enforce it under these conditions. They wrote up a short report, then took me in their cab to the Hotel Duquesne - a friend of one of the gendarmes worked there.
The police recommended that I write to the French Government Tourist Office, which I did. I also checked with a friend of mine who was/is a tourguide in Paris to see if she had ever heard of this law. She said yes, she knew of it, but had never known of anyone enforcing it.
I don't know if the law still exists.
The last time I posted about this, several years, ago, someone slammed me for telling a story that was so many years old, so please do understand this was 14 years ago.
I was pregnant, traveling alone, arriving in a snowstorm from Alsace. There is apparently some archaic rule of French law (or was at the time) saying a hotel could give up a reserved room if the client did not show up or call by 6 pm. I arrived after 6 pm because my train was delayed in the snow. I had not been able to call the hotel because I was on a train (pre-cell phone era). I had prepaid the hotel room for two nights by international draft. The owner would neither give me the room nor refund my money, citing this law. We argued over this for 20 minutes or more. She would not tell me whether she was just keeping my money or actually had already given the room away to someone else.
At any event, while we were arguing in the lobby I saw a police car and two policemen just outside the hotel, so I popped outside and asked them to come in. They gave the owner a hard time, but she insisted that by law she had the right to refuse me and keep the money, and they said there was indeed such a law but that no one but a scumbag would enforce it under these conditions. They wrote up a short report, then took me in their cab to the Hotel Duquesne - a friend of one of the gendarmes worked there.
The police recommended that I write to the French Government Tourist Office, which I did. I also checked with a friend of mine who was/is a tourguide in Paris to see if she had ever heard of this law. She said yes, she knew of it, but had never known of anyone enforcing it.
I don't know if the law still exists.
Dec 4th, 2003, 08:52 AM
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Ack, StCirq. What a nasty experience. It sounds as if it's still the same owner, so one more strike against the Esmerelda.
The Fodors Rants and Raves about this hotel make it sound rather bug-infested.
The Fodors Rants and Raves about this hotel make it sound rather bug-infested.
Dec 5th, 2003, 05:44 AM
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I am not sure which "pension" you are thinking of, it may be "Les Marroniers", which I think is contained in a British hotel book called, I think Charming Hotels Guide or Charming Small Hotels Guide, by Duncan Peterson. The guide book itself has not been updated for awhile, but if you search by his name , you will find the website.
Also, I think that Fodor's/Rivages guide book on B&B's in France, has a section on Paris.
Hope this helps.
Also, I think that Fodor's/Rivages guide book on B&B's in France, has a section on Paris.
Hope this helps.
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