Tom, our tour manager, met us at Toulouse, and was an absolute gem. Full of local and historical information, and kept us amused with many humorous anecdotes. Always there, but never obtrusive, and quite happy to make very minor changes to the excursions to accommodate the weather and the fact that the Monday was a French public holiday. In Serge, our driver, we were in a safe and steady pair of hands. The group gelled well and generally we all got on together.

The hotel, Grand Hotel d'Orleans, was OK, after all it was French. The lift, although small, worked, as did the plumbing. The shower was easy to use, plenty of hot water, and the pipes didn't vibrate throughout the whole hotel. The staff were obliging and spoke English, some more than others. The bed was too hard for me, as were the pillows, but I used a quilt folded on a pillow to get the right height and support I needed.

Breakfast was good. A good selection of cereals and yoghurts, cold meat, egg, tomato, toast, crossaints, and pastries and coffee or tea, and fruit juice.

The dinner we had on the first night in the restaurant was very good. On the last night we were put in the breakfast room, (no ambience in there) and for me if I had ordered the meal privately and been presented with what we were given I would have sent it back. Not a patch on what we had bought privately in the hotel restaurant the previous evening. Let me add I am not a fussy eater.

All in all, I enjoyed this experience and having already booked my next, it can't come soon enough.

Sylvia

Did you find eating out very expensive?

And how did you find the trips? The area looks awesome.

Thanks for the review. One of the trips I have looked at constantly since finding JY. I wasn't sure about the hotel though.

Did you find eating out very expensive?

And how did you find the trips? The area looks awesome.

Hi,

The hotel was fine. Clean and being in a double room had plenty of space of move around. Apart from the TV, which had two English language channels, BBC World and CNN, there was a desk and two chairs, a bedside table and plenty of wardrobe space.

Breakfast started at 7.00 and the tours started at 8.45 or 9.00 (early for someone who doesn't usually surface until 8.30!!)

Like everywhere else it depends where you go as to what you pay when eating out. The cheapest place we found, which was about 5 minutes walk from the hotel 7 of us paid 74Euros and 12 of that was for a bottle of wine. There was always the option to go back into Albi, but it was a bit far for me, so I never went. We gave the details to Tom, the tour manager, so that he could send others there. Not a "posh" place but well worth a visit.

Lunches varied, plat du jour varied from 10 - 15 euros, and a 2 course set meal in the hotel in the evening was 19 euros. I think 3 courses were 22.50.

The weather was not very kind to us, so we didn't see it at its best. But I have to add a personal comment here. I live on the west coast of Scotland, not far from Glencoe, and therefore any area has to be really outstanding to beat it. I am not really the right person to ask about the scenery, but I did hear many in the group praising what they saw.

If you fancy it, then go for it. I thought overall it was good value for money, considering the excursions are all included.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Sylvia

Thanks for the review. One of the trips I have looked at constantly since finding JY. I wasn't sure about the hotel though.

Did you find eating out very expensive?

And how did you find the trips? The area looks awesome.

Hi,

The hotel was fine. Clean and being in a double room had plenty of space of move around. Apart from the TV, which had two English language channels, BBC World and CNN, there was a desk and two chairs, a bedside table and plenty of wardrobe space.

Breakfast started at 7.00 and the tours started at 8.45 or 9.00 (early for someone who doesn't usually surface until 8.30!!)

Like everywhere else it depends where you go as to what you pay when eating out. The cheapest place we found, which was about 5 minutes walk from the hotel 7 of us paid 74Euros and 12 of that was for a bottle of wine. There was always the option to go back into Albi, but it was a bit far for me, so I never went. We gave the details to Tom, the tour manager, so that he could send others there. Not a "posh" place but well worth a visit.

Lunches varied, plat du jour varied from 10 - 15 euros, and a 2 course set meal in the hotel in the evening was 19 euros. I think 3 courses were 22.50.

The weather was not very kind to us, so we didn't see it at its best. But I have to add a personal comment here. I live on the west coast of Scotland, not far from Glencoe, and therefore any area has to be really outstanding to beat it. I am not really the right person to ask about the scenery, but I did hear many in the group praising what they saw.

If you fancy it, then go for it. I thought overall it was good value for money, considering the excursions are all included.

Hope this helps.

Regards

Sylvia

Thanks Sylvia!

So glad you enjoyed your first holiday. Like so many other people who are nervous the first time, you had a fantastic time. This holiday does appeal to me because i love France and i wish they did as many holidays there as to Italy however i think the cost for this holiday is quite high for only 6 days.

Mark