Hotel Ranc or Hotel du Parc
Built in 1926, the Hotel du Parc experienced its golden age during the 1930s when wealthy families from Cannes, Nice, and Marseille came to enjoy the fresh and healthy air of La Bastide-Puylaurent at an altitude of 1,024 meters. Escaping the summer heat of the French Riviera, they took the direct train "Le Cevenol" to this first mountain resort in Lozère. They fished for trout in the Allier River, picked mushrooms in the surrounding woods of the Abbey of Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, and strolled through this unique village reminiscent of the holiday resorts, family boarding houses, and chic second homes of a prosperous bygone era.
The former Hotel Ranc features beautifully designed architecture. This characterful inn is spacious, pleasant, bright, airy, and comfortable, offering a garden that overlooks the Allier River—which forms the natural border between Lozère (Occitanie) and Ardèche (Rhône-Alpes). The sources of the Allier are located 14 km away on the summit of Moure de la Gardille near Chasseradès on the watershed divide. Since 1991, Philippe Papadimitriou has undertaken the adventure of transforming the hotel into a guesthouse featuring spacious and comfortable rooms. It is an ideal place for a relaxing stay.
The atmosphere at L'Etoile is restful, relaxed, and friendly. Enjoy a piano tune, a crackling fire in the fireplace, a good Belgian beer, the aroma of homemade bread, and comfortable wicker armchairs perfect for conversing or reading in the large dining room. That is, unless the fine weather draws you out to the terrace or into the park under the shade of the linden tree, accompanied by the soothing sound of the flowing Allier. A large veranda dating back to that era allows you to soak in the last rays of the sun before dinner.
Contact: L'Etoile Guesthouse, Philippe Papadimitriou, 37 Route de Mende, 48250 La Bastide-Puylaurent, Lozere, France. Tel: 06 83 99 70 86,