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Hostels Guide > Western Europe > France > Normandy - Lower > Bayeux Hostels > Family Home Hostel

Family Home Hostel

Bayeux, Normandy - Lower, France

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Hostels in Bayeux

Address

39, rue Général de Dais, Bayeux Map

Location/Contact

Details

This is a Hostelling International (HI) hostel. A membership card isn't required, but an extra fee will apply for non-members. You can get a membership card before your trip here.

Their Description

The Hostelz.com Review

Family Home is the only hostel in Bayeux, France and ideally situated for visiting the D-Day beaches in Normandy. It is about ten kilometers to the closest beaches and the hostel has information about various tours leaving to the beaches. Additionally, it is only about a five-minute walk to to the tourist information office in Bayeux. In fact, in this town of about fifteen thousand, everything you need is a short walk. It is easy to find from the train station (which has regular trains from Paris) -- there are signs directing the way and if that doesn't work, just head towards the spires of the always-visible Cathedral Notre Dame.

Facilities available include a TV/video lounge, kitchen, patio, laundry, and giant chessboard in one of the patios. A night's stay includes the cost of an excellent continental-style breakfast with coffee. If you don't feel like cooking, an excellent option is the home-made French multi-course dinner with wine (for a very reasonable price).

The Family Home hostel includes a mix of rooms of various sizes from doubles to dorms, but no lockers. All rooms seem to cost the same price (although this is an HI/YHI hostel so there is a discount with card). The facilities are clean, if a little worn down in places. It definitely has the "family home" feel in parts. On the main floor there are showers in a separate room. On the second floor, they are in a hallway between sections of the house. Some rooms have en-suite. Toilets are scattered around the house.

The owner knows little English and will be much more friendly if an attempt is made to speak in French. Possibly because of this, there is little information provided upon check in on breakfast time (starts at 8 a.m.) and dinner time (7:30 p.m.) and it is not clear as to whether an indication needs to be made for one's presence at dinner. However, for a budget option at the D-Day beaches, this hostel cannot be beat.

-- Exclusive Hostelz.com Review

Your Comments

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Comment by Clive Jones, British

August 2008

Good hostel
I have worked at this hostel. I think the food is good (generous portions) and the building is great -- spiral staircases, exposed beams, period features. It does indeed have a "Family Home" feel to it, which I found endearing. Location convenient for centre of Bayeux and for tours of D-Day beaches. It's true the patronne doesn't speak a lot of English but she does a little. There is bike storage space if you need it. Overall -- characterful and authentically French! Not expensive either!

Comment by Michael, USA

May 2008

Generally good
I toured Europe in the summer of 2005 and found this to be the best hostel I stayed at, for both price and character. As many others have pointed out, the old lady's English skills aren't so good, but my French is horrible and we were able to communicate. The food was good and the atmosphere was excellent! I hadn't made reservations, so I ended up with a bunch of Canadian college students in the attic loft, which was relatively clean and comfortable. Everything you'd want to see is within a short walking distance. I'd recommend this hostel to anyone traveling to Normandy.

Comment by Haley, Canada

April 2007

Be prepared for the fact that the woman who runs this doesn't speak much English. Not that you should expect her to, you're in France after all, but she was one of very few hostel owners in my europe trip who didn't, and my french was not adequate to the task. The place is old, obviously, but it was fairly clean. The location was fine, given that the city is small. I managed to end up with a room to myself, even though she had lost my reservation which I had made five weeks in advance by phone and called to confirm two weeks in advance. Luckily she wasn't full (which was shocking considering I was there for D-Day). She does have some strange lockout policy that I can't remember now, but be prepared.

Comment by luke radko, Canada

April 2007

i recently visited Family home on a school trip back in march. i had the opportunity to be fed some traditional meals while i was there and they were amazing. i found the rooms fairly nice, with a good view ( at least from my room #15 ). the location was wonderful, located within walking distance of the downtown shops, the cathedral, and a shopping center. i found the people pretty nice, although you do need an understanding of french to understand most of what they say.

Comment by Gloria

February 2007

This is the most disgusting place I have ever stayed in the women who owns it, is a complete freak, crazy if you ask me.The hole place was a disgrace -- the windows wouldn't close in over three of the rooms the floors looked like they had fleas, me and my boyfriend left the place after four days (even though we paid in advance for a week) with bites all over our bodies! the toilets were horrid even after me and my best friend tried to clean it up with things we had to buy from the near by town. and mine and my friends shower did not work and a person that we met on the trips shower didn't go hot. personally I would never return to this place and would not tell people about it in a good way. me and steph also believe that we saw a rat or two on our stay however we can not be sure because we just heard and thought we saw them.

Comment by Brent

May 2006

Beautiful town, beautiful building, and comfy bed. Horrid bathroom in my room, no toilet seat, cobwebs everywhere, crappy shower, glad I was only there one night. The only hostel in Bayeux though so live with it. I suppose worst of the seven hostels I stayed in.

Comment by Chook

November 2005

I stayed here in August 2005. It's a very good hostel to stay in when visiting the D-Day Beaches. Very clean, good facilities. (The kitchen needs a bit of a clean, though). Good social areas. The only problem was trying to find someone who works there, like other reviews have said. Try talking in French to the lady who runs the place, you might actually be able to get her to speak in English and smile. It's within walking distance to the main street of the city.

Comment by Monika

April 2005

This place is heavy on character but maybe too much! I stayed here in early March 2005. This place was empty during our visit. We entered mid afternoon and for 30 minutes couldn't find anyone at all. The first room offered had a window that didn't close, which let in the below-freezing weather. We were given a choice between two other rooms. The rooms were all different and even in different buildings. But the in-room bathroom was separated from the sleeping area only by a half-tall wall and no door. This made things awkward for a party of 4 who were not all related. I've stayed in many hostels and this one isn't that great. I appreciated the character. Those worn-down stone stairs just get you thinking about the history. The place has some beautiful elements to it. But it was absolutely freezing. There are even signs posted that "if you're cold, put on a sweater." We slept with our winter coats on, two layers of clothes and still it was the coldest night I've ever spent indoors. The lady who worked there was cold at first as well. She does warm up if you try! But like other reviews point out, you need to try in French. Breakfast was fair. The room was clean but the bathrooms were only okay. Another thing: we returned after dinner at 9:30 to find the place locked up tight. We rang the buzzer and after a few confused moments realized we needed to walk around to the very dark side entrance. Between the cold and lack of bathroom door our party chose to skip showers. We found a great beautiful hotel in another town for about the same price. I wouldn't recommend this place at all in the winter and also not to people who enjoy using the toilet without an audience. Otherwise, it's very interesting and beautiful, with Old World charm in the front buildings. I can't say about the back areas when things are crowded.

Comment by Anonymous

February 2005

I really liked this place, and I don't say that often about HI hostels! Nice atmosphere, great breakfast, comfy beds and close to everything. Just learn a little French before you go!

Comment by Lauren

February 2005

I was at this hostel in 1999 with my family when my brother and I were 12 and 10. My whole family loved the experience of this hostel. We were in the main building (I wasn't aware that there was a different one). Our room was up a tall winding tower and the whole air about the place was romantic and exciting. At the time, we had dinner in the main room, with about six courses served to us, and afterwards we were able to relax and chat with other travelers from around the room in their living/dining room area. The rooms were amazing too, very clean, comfortable and interestingly decorated. I would definitely go back here, to stay in the main place if possible, although it really helped that my dad spoke French. Try booking a family room if possible, as they are extremely nice.

Comment by BC

September 2004

Good points: great breakfasts; decent-sized rooms; good price; and it has a bed-and-breakfast-style atmosphere. Bad points: disorganized check-in; there's little English spoken; the showers are poorly placed; the washer-dryer is sketchy; there's zero security; and the woman who runs the hostel can be aggressive. Summary: if you're interested in seeing D-Day sites try a hostel or a B&B that is closer to the beaches. I won't be coming back, regardless.

Comment by K

September 2004

I've got mixed feelings about this hostel. When we arrived we were ushered onto a bus by a woman babbling French at us! She took us about 2 km away from the main hostel to a hostel which was practically in the middle of nowhere with no security at all! However, this second hostel (owned by the same company) was fantastic. It was decorated with Peter Pan, the little mermaid, and 3 little pigs! The woman was moody and didn't speak English. For an experience, stay at the second hostel!

Comment by Phil

August 2004

I was there in June for three nights. It's in an excellent location: near the amazing cathedral, as well as the main shopping/eating/drinking drag in the town. It has rooms with character, though not enough bathrooms for the size of the hostel. Rudimentary French is highly recommended at this hostel. The language barrier may lead to confusion if you are forced to change rooms (as I was). A great place nonetheless.

Comment by Shelley

August 2004

The large chessboard in the courtyard was awesome! The food was plentiful and fabulous. This was our favorite hostel in all of France, and Bayeux was my favorite town, as well.

Comment by Anonymous

July 2004

The hostel was awesome. It felt nothing like most HI hostels; it had much more of a Bed & Breakfast kind of feel. English isn't their strong point, so knowing French helps, but it's also kind of fun to stumble your way through a place. It had one of the most interesting mixes of people I'd seen: American teenagers, Canadian backpackers, and middle-aged guys following the Tour de France. Great rooms, too.

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Hostels in Bayeux

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