Hotel la Bougnate

Wonderful boutique hotel and restaurant under shady trees in a picturesque village. Very quiet stay in this lovely place. Proprietor speaks good English and very efficient. Try the restaurant which is superb. Only improvement I would make is a better working TV but in such a lovely place who needs a TV?

Hôtel La Bougnate is a gem in the unspoilt village of Blesle. Blesle reminds me of a quaint Provençal town only without the crush of tourists. We happened upon the town and hotel by accident, looking for an overnight stay not too far from the motorway but not on it. What a delight! There was a night market setting up next door as we pulled in and parked directly across from the hotel. We had a drink at the excellent bar across the street from the hotel and listened to the live music at the market. Then we had a gorgeous meal at our hotel restaurant before heading up to bed. It was like out of a dream, we couldn’t believe our luck. Only one English speaker in the town other than us. It’s getting harder to get off the beaten path these days. Stop here to remember how travel used to be. The rooms are basic but clean, but you're not here for the rooms so much as the experience. The small reception room downstairs has character. This is truly a mom and pop affair that reminds me of my travels through Europe 20 years ago. In a great way. Our only issue was with the bath. Our particular room had a bath with a shower head but no shower, which isn’t ideal. But it was clean, and the staff were so friendly. There was no air conditioning in our room but the town is ideally situated and it got cool at night so we were comfortable despite traveling in July.

A gorgeous small hotel in a stunning village. We stopped over here, en route to the Côte d’Azur. And it was a welcome oasis. A beautiful village, just a few kms from the motorway. The hotel has a lovely restaurant, with a picturesque terrace in the centre of the village. A comfortable, clean room with pleasant views from the windows made it a superb choice for a rest. Would definitely come back to spend more time.

We arrived in Blesle in the early evening and were lucky enough to be able to book a table for two at La Bougnate. I cannot understate the quality of the food but what we will remember most is the genuine warm welcome and hospitality of our host Dominique Dubray who provided us with a fantastic 3 course meal and insisted we try some of the local Verbena liquor as a digestive! I cannot speak for the rooms as we were staying elsewhere, but you will find it difficult to experience a meal of this quality in such a fantastic setting.

Pretty village in the Auvergne volcanic area. The must is their restaurant. The outside seating area is enchanting at night. The food is excellent throughout. The service very friendly. The cheese course to die for. Tried local red wine which was very good. Definitely a place to recommend and certainly would return if passing by

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