Our Stay at Philippe Papadimitriou's Place

Good spirits, creativity, and a healthy life philosophy are the driving forces behind this flourishing enterprise. If you thought you had experienced all the charms and perks of hiking accommodations in France but haven't yet discovered L'Etoile, think again. If your travels bring you here, be prepared to raise your expectations. Whether you arrive by car or by train, you will receive a warm welcome and enjoy an unforgettable experience.

Philippe Papadimitriou, the host, seems to have been born under a lucky star—which explains why he couldn’t have chosen a better name for his guesthouse (L'Etoile means "The Star"). From the moment you arrive, this tall gentleman puts you completely at ease with his natural warmth and lack of pretense. He perfectly blends the common sense and wisdom of his Belgian mother with the cheerfulness, creativity, and touch of exuberance inherited from his Greek father. This successful fusion shields him from narrow-mindedness and fuels his natural curiosity and open-mindedness. Initially, nothing destined him to settle in this mountainous corner on the border of Lozère and Ardèche.

And yet, after many adventures—including a stint as a gold prospector in California—our globetrotter was crossing the Cévennes on horseback along the ancient Regordane Roman road (GR®700) when he discovered an old holiday hotel. Nestled on the banks of the Allier River in a shaded park in La Bastide-Puylaurent, the building captured his heart. From that moment on, he had only one goal: to gather the funds needed to buy the old hotel, restore it, and bring it back to life.

Philippe hasn’t entirely given up his thirst for travel and adventure, though. Embracing the "global village" era and driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, he leveraged the internet to create a growing network of international innkeeper exchanges. This allows him to travel during the off-season to discover new hospitality practices, people, and cultures. During our stay at L'Etoile, my husband and I were thrilled to meet and bond with a Mexican family from Oaxaca—a beautiful testament to the establishment's international reach and the spirit of openness cultivated by its owner.

The amazing week we spent there allowed us to enjoy the wholesome, varied pleasures of this hiker's crossroads, while also getting to know its extraordinary host. Philippe is a dynamic modern entrepreneur, a tireless worker, a welcoming host, a casual philosopher, an imaginative cook, an entertainer, and a captivating musician all rolled into one.

Philippe has thought of, planned, and organized everything: every guest arriving at L'Etoile is guaranteed a warm welcome, a comfortable room, a relaxing setting, and plenty of advice to help them succeed in their hikes or other regional activities. But the greatest pleasure comes in the evening. After a long day of walking, guests gather at the communal dining table, which Philippe has transformed into a pinnacle of conviviality and wholesome gastronomy. It is here that his culinary skills and sense of organization truly shine.

The meals, prepared entirely by him from start to finish (his homemade bread alone is worth the trip), are both high-quality and generous, satisfying gourmets and hungry hikers alike. In short, at Philippe’s, you feel at ease. Conversations flow freely, and you can simply enjoy the scenery and tranquility while sitting under the large linden tree in the riverside park. When the time comes to leave, you promise yourself you'll return to relive this wonderful experience. But the true admiration sets in when you realize this smoothly running hotel business is entirely managed by one man. Philippe handles everything from A to Z: finances, maintenance, supplies, cooking, and more.

Of course, he occasionally hosts an intern to train in hospitality, and I witnessed how well he integrates them into the hiker community. As my husband and other returning guests can testify, Philippe has been known to host up to sixty guests at his communal table while maintaining perfect calm, good humor, and joy! This speaks volumes about his organizational skills, management ability, and tremendous capacity for work, as well as his life philosophy grounded in wisdom and optimism.

This made me wonder about the true key to L'Etoile’s success. The convivial atmosphere, the host's availability, the delicious cuisine, the pleasant decor, and the variety of hiking activities all contribute to its reputation, of course.

But there’s a special "plus" that I have rarely found elsewhere. Between Philippe and each hiker, an implicit, immediate pact forms without the need for words. Both parties feel equally involved in the smooth running of the guesthouse. It’s a well-understood reciprocity where everyone benefits, seemingly inspired by the saying, "to receive, you must know how to give." This creates a human connection far superior to the usual customer-innkeeper relationship.

Thanks to his gift for interpersonal relations and honed communication skills, Philippe invites his guests to share in his adventure. In return, he draws on their energy to manage busy periods seamlessly, all while keeping the mood relaxed and cheerful. In their own way, everyone contributes to the smooth running of L'Etoile and its communal table, the guesthouse's crowning glory.

Personally, I believe that this implicit solidarity is the foundation of L'Etoile's immense success. Through it, Philippe Papadimitriou has created a harmonious symbiosis between his ideal of fraternity and the demands of his business. It is a brilliant way of blending his Greek and Belgian heritage into something uniquely his own. By Sol Villaceque