Chambre d’hôtes reference® certification

There are two options for guest house owners who want to showcase their accommodation:

Join a label: Accueil Paysan, Bienvenue à la ferme, Clévacances, Gîtes de France, etc.
The “Chambre d’hôtes référence®” qualification, offering an alternative to traditional labels

A reminder What is a bed and breakfast?

According to article L324-3 of the French Tourism Code, “chambres d’hôtes” are furnished rooms located in the home of the owner with a view to welcoming tourists, for a fee, for one or more nights, accompanied by services”. Article D324-13 of the same code defines bed and breakfast rental as “the grouped provision of overnight accommodation and breakfast”, with a limit of 5 rooms and a maximum capacity of 15 people.

“Accommodation must be provided by the owner himself. Each room must have access to a shower room and toilet, and comply with current health, safety and hygiene regulations. Household linen must also be provided” (article D324-14 of the Tourism Code).

Chambre d'hôte reference A guarantee of quality

The Chambre d’hôtes référence® scheme, a guarantee of quality and confidence, offers owners an alternative to these brands and labels, to guarantee the quality of their service by complying with a national reference system.

By joining the scheme, hosts will benefit from :

official recognition and national consistency of the quality of their room(s) for a period of 5 years
the assurance for customers of a high level of quality and comfort
the possibility of affixing a statutory sign or sticker (for a fee)
integration into other schemes for which qualification of the offer is compulsory, such as Accueil vélo

How do you obtain the label?

To obtain the Chambre d’hôtes référence® qualification, you must

Order the visit* from one of the organisations present in the region by returning the visit request file, the description, the charter of commitment and the declaration receipt to the town hall.
Alençon Tourisme organises a visit to the structure to check that it complies with the standards.
The application is presented to the regional commission, which issues an opinion
The accommodation provider receives an opinion, a certificate of compliance and the “chambres d’hôtes référence ®” certificates. It must be made available to guests, either by displaying it in each room or by placing it among the existing documentation.

*Prices for a visit:
Inspection visit + one room €100
Visit to an additional room (same owner and same site) €10