Just curious! Thanks!

It's related to the word "relay" in English. In earlier times, it was a place where riders could stop to switch from tired horses to fresh ones. Naturally, these stops became places where merchants could make some money selling food, drink, and shelter. Over time, they evolved to taverns and inns and the modern version, minus the tired and fresh horses, is a hotel.

I'm always amazed how much you can learn here. Thanks once again, StCirq. I was once told that it was a form of the word "relax" which seemed to make sense to me. I had never been able to see le Relais without thinking "relax", now I know the truth.

The dictionary says: <BR><BR>The French word relais comes from the Old French relais (relaxation, discontinuance) and relaissier (to abandon, release). It is also associated with the Italian word rilascio (release, relief, relay). A supply of anything arranged beforehand for affording relief from time to time, or at successive stages; provision for successive relief. Specifically: (a) A supply of horses placced at stations to be in readiness to relieve others, so that a trveler may proceed without delay. (b) A supply of hunting dogs or horses kept in readiness at certain places to relive the tired dogs or horses, and to continue the pursuit of the game if it comes that way. (c) Also used to refer to a number of men who relieve others in carrying on some work.

This is the way this site should be all the time.

I've used this site for translating a phrase or word. It appears to work pretty well:<BR><BR>http://babelfish.altavista.com/<BR><BR>Unfortunately, it doesn't give you the interesting part of the translation like StCirq did.

Thank you to all who posted here! Not only did I get my question answered, I also had some faith restored in this forum!

I have had the idea that it translates roughly nowadays to the word "resort" (with a "z" sound).<BR><BR>But I too, was aware of the connection to the old "relais de poste" - - which raises the question: what is the origin of the word "resort"? (with a "z" sound) - - does it relate to the place that they stopped to re-sort" the mail (with an "s" sound)?<BR><BR>Pedantically yours...<BR><BR>and as always...<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

Merci, StCirq & dictionary. I'd always assumed it was related to the word "relax." <BR><BR>I'd read somewhere that a large percentage of words in the English language -- as much as 30 percent, as I recall -- stem from French, in large part due to the period of time when the Normans ruled England.

It seems to me to be used loosely nowadays for small hotels, inns or just bistros. I think it's marketing in a way, the owner thinks what name sounds classier or has more style than just hotel, restaurant or bistro.<BR><BR>I don't think it has anything to do with the word for resort, They aren't similar at all. My dictionary says that word is from the French resortir, which makes sense. Sortir is also loosely used for a lot of things, to re-sortir probably refers to the idea that if you go to a resort you are supposed to rejuvenate, rebound, come back in energy, etc.