The Hobs : original accommodation in France
Where does the word “Hob” come from?
The Hob is a contraction of “Hotel” and “Inn”. The aim is to give travellers the comfort of a hotel and the conviviality and authenticity of an inn.
What is a Hob?
The Hob is an unusual accommodation or hotel ! And why is that? Because the Hob isn’t just a traditional hotel restaurant, it’s much more than that, and that’s what makes it so unusual !
The Hob is a real place to live on a human scale. It’s all at once a restaurant, a bar, a co-working space, a tea room, a lounge, games (baby pétanque, billiards, wood games, board games, table football, etc.) for young and old, an hotel with different categories of rooms (between 25 and 50 depending on the Hob): standard, comfort, superior and family, an outdoor swimming pool and sometimes an indoor one.
It’s also a place with very pleasant exteriors: terrace, park or French garden. In the Hob, you can discover ephemeral exhibitions by a local artist, and leave with local products or products from our partner brands in our dedicated shop.
Our original Hobs hotels in France
The Hob Fort du Pré in Haute-Loire
The features
The Hob Fort du Pré is a large, beautiful character house set in the countryside of Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid. It boasts a breathtaking view of the Ardèche highlands and fir-covered hills. You’ll enjoy a gastronomic experience in the heart of nature, with quality cuisine that’s as beautiful, authentic and tasty as it is lovingly concocted. More than a hotel, it’s a place where all your senses can be awakened for a drink, a toast, fun, wonder, enjoyment, resourcing, discovery and, if you need to, to work in the coworking space. Mélanie, the host, welcome you as if you were at home. Spacious, comfortable, cocooning rooms.
The Hob Fort du Pré, it’s :
- 29 rooms
- 1 outdoor pool with incredible views of nature
- 4ha park
- 1 80-seat restaurant with attractive terrace
- 1 wine and snack bar
- 1 co-working space
- 1 wellness area: sauna, jacuzzi, heated pool, massage rooms and gym
- 3 seminar rooms
- 1 games room (billiards, table soccer, board games)
- 1 kitchen for cooking workshops
- Temporary exhibition of local artists
- Local produce stores
- Festive and cultural events
Geographical location
Le Hob Fort du Pré is located in the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region, in the south of the Haute-Loire département, in Saint-Bonnet-le-Froid, a village perched at an altitude of 1,159 meters, and home to Les Maisons Marcon, headed by Chef Régis Marcon, one of France’s leading Michelin-starred chefs. Just 50 minutes from Le Puy-en-Velay and a few kilometers from the Ardèche region, particularly the town of Annonay.
Le Hob Fort du Pré is also 50 minutes from Saint-Etienne and 1h30 from Lyon. Saint-Bonnet le Froid is known for its gastronomic experience, its incredible nature and also for its famous Mushroom Fair, which makes the Hob’s location even more unusual.
Activities
In Saint-Bonnet le Froid, travelers and locals alike have no shortage of outdoor activities. Blueberries and mushrooms are the local specialties.
It’s also a great place for hiking and mountain biking:
– 3 long-distance hiking trails
– 3 “Short walks” trails
– 3 discovery trails
– 1 mountain bike circuit and numerous cycle tours, the village has developed a “nature spirit”.
You’ll also be able to try out visits by velorail, tourist train, quad bike, segway or pony…
The Hob Montespan Talleyrand in the Allier region
The features
The Hob Montespan Talleyrand offers travelers and locals alike an enchanted, original interlude and a wellness break. Situated on the main square in Bourbon-L’Archambault, a small thermal spa town, the Hob Montespan opens its doors and provides access to this magnificent building dating back to the 15th century. It’s the place to be for Bourbonnais and locals alike, and the ideal place for travelers in search of zenitude.
We’ll welcome you for a drink in the bar, a cup of tea in the tearoom or on the pretty patio, a relaxing moment in the garden, a relaxing dip in the pool, a convivial meal in the restaurant, a game of board games in the lounge, a cosy night’s sleep in our Rococo-style bedrooms, and a chance to take part in our events and workshops !
The Hob Montespan Talleyrand is :
- 39 rooms
- 1 outdoor swimming pool
- Biblio’Thé” tea room
- Whisky bar
- A cinema « the Hob Cinema »
- 1 80-seat restaurant
- Heart of downtown
- Gateway between the establishment and the ternes
- Ephemeral exhibition of local artists
- Local produce stores
- Festive and cultural events
Geographical location
Located in Auvergne Rhône Alpes, in the Allier region, Bourbon L’Archambault is a small town with the “Petite Cité de Caractère” label, a medieval city and cradle of the dynasty of French kings from Henri IV to Charles X, with its castle in the old town. Bourbon L’Archambault lies at the heart of a wooded, hedged landscape. The building of the Chaîne Thermale du Soleil spa is listed as a historic monument and is frequented by many historical figures.
Bourbon L’Archambault is 23 kilometers from Moulins sur Allier, 200 kilometers from Lyon, 300 kilometers from Paris and 120 kilometers from Clermont-Ferrand. Moulins is well served by train, and the bus takes you to Bourbon l’Archambault. Between Moulins, Montluçon and Vichy, Bourbon-L’Archambault is a gateway to a number of towns with character.
Activities
Hiking, mountain biking or cycling, the Allier is an ideal region for nature lovers, with its waterfalls, lakes and rivers… The greenways allow you to enjoy these magnificent landscapes. You can also go canoeing on the Sioule and Allier rivers.
But the must-see activity for families is the Le PAL amusement park. When you’re in Bourbon-L’Archambault, you’re not far from the Auvergne volcanoes in the Puy-de-Dôme.
Bourbon-l’Archambault is a must on your vacation itinerary.
A one-stop shop for original vacations
The Hob is the ideal place for an original, different and unforgettable vacation ! There’s no such thing as boredom !
All the areas of the Hob will delight your stay and awaken all your senses :
the restaurant, the music, the events, the exhibitions, the workshops (cooking classes, yoga, relaxation, pilates, art…), the games, the bar, the parties, the cocooning rooms, the outdoor and indoor swimming pools, the outdoors where you can enjoy the sun, play pétanque or badminton, or just take it easy. The welcoming atmosphere you’ll find in every Hob and, above all, the attentive staff are the cherry on the cake! And all this in a place that’s human in scale, “just like home”.
A friendly and original place for locals
Gastronomic experience
Each of our Hobs offers refined, high-quality cuisine, with a weekday lunch menu from €18 to €39 and an “à la carte” evening menu from €39 to €54. The plates are beautifully laid out and will give you visual pleasure while delighting your taste buds.
All our dishes are prepared with fresh seasonal produce, mainly from local producers. Our beautifully decorated restaurants, in keeping with the Hob’s experience, will help to make your dining experience a success and keep you coming back for more.
At Hob Fort du Pré, the wine and nibbles bar is open every day and offers refined sandwiches or platters to eat on the go for a different mood or craving.
At Hob Montespan Talleyrand, the tea room, known as “La BiblioThé”, offers sweet treats throughout the day to accompany your tea, fresh fruit juice or coffee…
Relaxation & Well-being
The Hob is a place of relaxation and well-being. You can come for a few moments to recharge your batteries over a coffee, a tea or a cold drink at the bar, in the tearoom or on our pretty terraces.
Games are available to help you relax on your own, with friends or family.
At the Hob Fort du Pré, you can book a slot to enjoy the spa (jacuzzi, sauna, indoor pool) and book a massage with our practitioner.
At the Hob Montespan Talleyrand, you have the chance to take advantage of our “Hob’Ciné”, a large room transformed into a cinema, for a romantic moment with your loved ones or family, or to celebrate an bachelorette or Bachelor party, or even your children’s birthdays.
Workspace
And yes, the Hob isn’t just a hotel or a restaurant, it’s also a co-working space for people who get bored at home and like to be surrounded and work in a friendly environment! Grab your PCs and sit down wherever you like to work in good company with a coffee, tea or whatever you like. Efficiency guaranteed 😁
Events & theme evenings
Each Hob organises events, workshops and exhibitions throughout the year.
Concerts, tapas evenings, Happy Time, Happy Hour, brunches, intergenerational workshops, yoga, relaxation, café-theatre, Escape Game, flea markets, clothing sales, open-air cinema, giant cluedo, balls, guinguette evenings, wine and whisky tastings… and lots more !
To make sure you don’t miss a single event, don’t hesitate to follow us on the social networks: Instagram #evi.hob / Facebook: Evi Hob / Hob Fort du Pré / Hob Montespan Talleyrand / Hob Cheval Blanc Jossigny.
Evi Hob’s Promise
The Hob is the promise of local immersion. In each Hobs, you have access to a digital terminal that allows you to personalise your tourist itinerary and access all the surrounding activities. It’s simple, intuitive and efficient, and the team is there to guide you !
Each of the Hobs is run by one of the hobergeurs, who are the salaried Evi Hob managers, led by a team of j’hobeurs, a multi-skilled team that you’ll find at the bar, serving in the restaurant, at reception, just about everywhere. To round off this crack team, you’ll meet the Hob’rigade in the kitchen, where you’re sure to enjoy a delicious meal. 😉
Our hotels are original because they are also places for cultural and festive events where travellers and locals meet. Have a drink, eat out, listen to music, work, play, have fun, relax, chat, discover, savour, indulge – everything is possible in a Hob and everyone can come !
In each of the Hobs, you’ll find the Evi Hob DNA: conviviality, authenticity, the different spaces, the hobbers, the j’hobeurs, the graphic universe, but you’ll have the chance to live a different experience.
Each unusual place has its own decoration inspired by its history and that of the region. That’s how you’ll have the chance to experience complementary moments or journeys with the promise of quality and fun.
The Hob is also a Dog Friendly place! Yes, it’s still hard to find a place to stay or holiday that accepts pets. We love our pooches! So look no further!
An unusual stay in a Hob : a strong commitment
Evi Hob is keen to open Hobs all over France in rural areas, in towns and villages on a human scale, with fewer than 20,000 inhabitants. We want to help revitalise these areas by giving a new, more modern lease of life to hotels that are up for sale but have no takers.
Unfortunately, more than 200 small hotels in rural areas close every year for lack of takers, even though they are popular with travellers. This has a considerable impact on the local economy. Evi Hob, together with her investors, is taking over this type of hotel in an attractive tourist area, according to the rhythm of her business and her criteria, and is introducing her original Hob concept.
Evi Hob also has projects to rehabilitate old hotels that have been completely abandoned for years, located in incredible regions and corners. Evi Hob also responds to calls for tender for public service delegation in the context of hotel projects. This is the case of Hob Orelle, where the municipality has chosen Evi Hob to run a hotel restaurant currently under construction at the foot of the Val Thorens ski resort.
Through its original accommodation called Hobs, Evi Hob is committed to developing the local economy and limiting its carbon footprint. In each of our restaurants, we are committed to making 90% of our purchases through short distribution channels. The wooden room keys, for example, were made by a local craftsman. We use local artists for our events. Our team outfits are made in France using upcycling techniques. Our products in the shop are all “made in France” or local. We also don’t hesitate to suggest car-sharing to our travellers before the trip, to compensate for the fact that we’re in a rural area and unfortunately not well served by public transport! But the sleeper trains that will serve the very small stations are coming back 😆