There is plenty of inexpensive accommodation scattered about the centre of ChambA©ry: if you're on a budget, try the very basic Le Mauriennais , 2 rue Ste-Barbe (tel 04.69.72.42.78, fax 04.69.72.46.85; under 160F/a?¬24), or des Voyageurs , 3 rue Doppet (tel 04.79.33.57.00; under 160F/a?¬24), towards the gares . More expensive are the impersonal Revard , facing the train station at 41 av de la Boisse (tel 03.79.62.04.64, fax 04.79.96.37.26; 300-400F/a?¬46-61; restaurant from 62F/a?¬9.46), and Le Savoyard , 35 place Monge (tel 04.79.33.36.55, fax 04.79.85.25.70, savoyard@cybercable.tm.fr ; 220-300F/a?¬34-46), which is the best and most comfortable hotel, located south east of the cathedral. But for rural peace and a lovely view, head for HA?tel aux Pervenches (tel 04.79.33.34.26, fax 04.79.60.02.52; b), with a good restaurant serving menus from 95F/a?¬14.49, in the village of LES CHARMETTES , where Rousseau used to live, 2km south of the centre. The nearest campsite is Le Nivolet (tel 04.79.85.47.79) at BASSENS , reached on bus #C, direction "Albertville", from the tourist office.

Good food at decent prices is not hard to come by here. Mid-range Savoyard restaurants abound - many specializing in lake and river fish - the best of these being La ChaumiA?re , 14-16 rue Denfert-Rochereau (tel 04.79.33.16.26; closed Sun unless you reserve), and Le Savoyard in the hotel of the same name. If you fancy a splurge, however, truly exceptional gastronomique cuisine can be found at Le St-Real , in a converted seventeenth-century church at 86 rue St-Real (tel 04.70.33.49.65; closed Sun), one of the best restaurants in the dA©partement , but pricey at 190-480F/a?¬28.98-73.20. Le Tonneau on 4 rue St-Antoine (tel 04.79.69.02.78), is a good alternative, with a similar cuisine, but at half the price.