Rating the Accommodations - Bourg d'Oisans

Le Velo Jaune, July 14-17, 4 nights

http://www.bourgdoisansbandb.com/index.html

Alan & Lynne Coldray
Le Velo Jaune Chambres d' Hotes
Le Clapier d'Auris
38142 Auris en Oisans
France

A great find--the Coldray's are originally from England. Alan was a mechanic, Lynne was involved in the hospitality industry. They were active cyclists, took a trip to the Alps one year not too long ago, fell in love with it and decided they'd like to live and work in France. So they did, buying a house, renovating it, and opening it as a B&B. God bless 'em. Their knowledge of the area is superb and, they speak English!!

Location: ~3 miles south of Bourg d'Oisans on N91, between l'Alpe d'Huez and Les Deux Alpes (plus you have Galibier, Glandon, Telegraph, Croix de Fer, Ornon, Madeleine, and countless others so close by). Beautiful setting. Because the B&B backs right up to N91 you'd think there would be a lot of traffic noise. We didn't hear a thing.

Rate: we paid 65 euros for both Linda and I, for bed & breakfast. For 18 euros apiece, dinner was also an option--which we took advantage of on 3 of the 4 nights. I thought it was a tremendous bargain, but Alan said it was right in line with the rates of many other B&B's in the area. Truthfully, I thought the rate was too good to be true and I was a little nervous about what I'd find when we get there. Completely unfounded. The total rate, including dinner, was just 101 euros--the lowest rate we paid the entire trip.

The Coldray's accept cash only, which was not a problem at all. What was very convenient, and superior, I thought, to trying to get credit card information to the hotels, was their use of Paypal for the deposit. Quick, easy, immediate, no mysteries, and no fees if you pay from your checking account.

Rooms: if I recall correctly, the Coldray's said they had 4 guest rooms, and could accommodate up to 8 people. I know they had one guest room upstairs, and I thought they had 4 downstairs, but maybe it was only 3, because I'm sure I'm recalling the "up to 8 people" number correctly. Anyway, if you're going with a group of more than 8, double-check. I remember they said they went 1-2 people over that once when a group showed up with a couple extra people.



The building is a converted barn. The rock walls are at least 18" thick--perhaps as much as 24". They provide great insulation from the heat and cold (though we had mostly cold while we were there) and they shut out almost all outside noise. We slept like logs.

I thought that the rooms were comfortable, a good size, and offered plenty of room. The rooms were recently partitioned into their current configuration after the Coldray's bought the place a couple of years ago so everything's new. I remember Lynne said that this is their first full season of operation (a partial season in 2009). The Coldray's garage was the bike storage area.

Meals were in the Coldray's main living area. TV was available there, too, but not in the rooms. Wifi was also available.

Food: Alan and Lynne trade off meal duties. Both are very good cooks and do a wonderful job with both the menu, and the amount! Being cyclists, they know what to serve up. Who'd think a truck mechanic could cook? Dinners were 3 courses each night. Before we arrived at Le Velo Jaune I thought that 18 euros was kind of steep (about $23). I don't drink, but Linda was offered wine and it was included in the meal. In retrospect, the dinner meals were fairly priced and very good. Breakfasts were standard fare and met expectations.

Beer and soft drinks were in a small fridge in the hallway operated on the honor system. Thumbs up.

Staff: Staff would be Alan and Lynne. They were great to visit with at mealtime and were a wealth of information about where to ride, what to expect, where to find some new rides you may not have considered. There's more than l'Alpe d'Huez.

Language: English! And they speak enough French to be able to answer questions about things you may have seen--signs, etc.

Recommend? Wholeheartedly, unequivocally, yes. Downside (if it can be called that) it is a 3 mile walk to town. You'll want to ride your bike or have a car. If you have a group larger than 8 they may not be able to accommodate you.