Gites Alps

Why not buy Gite in the French Alps. A great place to have a holiday or vacation in in France. A French Gite would be a good idea. With class and status.

A gîte is a French holiday home that is available for rent. Gîtes are usually fully-furnished and equipped for self-catering. Many owners choose to handle their own rentals and you can find these by searching online on the multitude of gite listing sites or by checking with the local tourist information office.

Technically speaking to be called a gîte a owner must live close by to provide help, assistance and a warm welcome to guests. Gîtes are often old farmworkers' cottages or converted outbuildings and barns within proximity of the owners' principal residence. This type of holiday accommodation is sometimes regarded as 'basic' in terms of facilities, however most gîtes are generally very well kept and a growing number will have excellent facilities such as fully fitted kitchens, en-suite bathrooms, TV, DVD and access to a swimming pool or other sporting activities. The term gîte nowadays encompasses most forms of holiday cottage and even holiday flats or apartments.

The Alps (French: Alpes; German: Alpen; Italian: Alpi; Romansh: Alps; Slovene: Alpe) is the name for one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east, through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west. The word "Alps" was taken via French from Latin Alpes (meaning "the Alps"), which may be influenced by the Latin words albus (white) or altus (high) or more likely a Latin rendering of a Celtic or Ligurian original.

The highest mountain in the Alps is Mont Blanc, at 4,808 metres (15,774 ft), on the Italian-French border. All the main peaks of the Alps can be found in the list of mountains of the Alps and list of Alpine peaks by prominence.

The French Alps are those parts of the Alps mountain range which lie in France. They are within the regions of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur and Rhône-Alpes.

The specific subranges of the Alps that are at least partly in France include (from south to north):

Maritime Alps
Cottian Alps
Dauphiné Alps
Belledonne
Massif des Écrins
Graian Alps
Mont Blanc Massif
Vanoise Massif
French Prealps

Mont Blanc is the highest point of the French Alps (and of the Alps as a whole).

Notable towns include Grenoble, Chamonix and Chambéry.

Gîte classes

Gîte Rural
Offers self-catering accommodation located in the countryside, by the sea, or in the mountains. The gite is completely self contained with one or more bedrooms, a lounge or dining room, a kitchen and bathroom facilities.
Chambres d'Hôtes
Bed and Breakfast (B&B) the French way. Stay as a guest in a private home with a full breakfast provided. Some hosts offer Table d'Hôtes which provide either full or half-board. If Table d'Hôtes is not available there is usually a local restaurant available for evening meals.
Gîtes d'Enfants
Holidays for children. During the school holidays host families provide lodging for children of various ages with a wide variety of activities. Children's gîtes are regulated and inspected to ensure a safe and secure environment for each child.
Gîtes d'Etape
Stopover and holiday getaways off the beaten track for groups of walkers or cyclists. The English equivalent is most probably a youth hostel.
Chalets-Loisirs
A complex of wooden cottages set in the countryside providing various activities, such as, fishing, horse-riding, archery, cycling.
"Gîte equestre"
A staging post for people or groups travelling across France on horseback; or gite offering normal gite facilities, plus stabling for horses

The original term Gite means quite simply a form of shelter. Gites today vary from being luxury holiday homes to very very basic apartments. Some Gites don't provide linen as standard, so many gite holiday makers take their linen with them. However many gite owners do include linen or at least the option of linen.

Gîtes are encouraged by the local tourist board and planning authorities as they attract investment and tourism.

All gîte owners are required to ensure that their gites are safe and comply with the necessary rules, regulations and insurance requirements.

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