Village Vacances Le Mongade (by Popinns)

Village Vacances Le Mongade (by Popinns) Overview

Look, I’ll be honest – when I first pulled up to Village Vacances Le Mongade, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was getting into. The place sits right on Route Du Col Du Bonhomme, which sounds fancy but is basically the winding road that takes you up into the Vosges Mountains. It’s one of those spots that feels properly tucked away without being completely isolated, you know? The kind of place where you can actually hear the forest settling in around you at night.

What struck me right away was how the whole setup feels more like a mountain retreat than your typical hotel. The Popinns folks have done something interesting here – it’s got this village vibe (hence the name, I suppose) where the buildings are scattered around the property rather than crammed into one massive block. Honestly, it reminded me of those old ski lodges from the 70s, but in a good way. The architecture has this rustic Alpine thing going on, and you can tell they’ve put effort into making it feel authentic rather than theme-park fake. The wood paneling actually smells like wood, if that makes sense.

Now, I won’t sugarcoat it – the 6.4 rating tells you this isn’t the Ritz, and you’ll notice that in places. Some of the rooms are a bit dated, and the WiFi can be spotty depending on which building you’re in. But here’s the thing – once you settle in, you realize that’s kind of the point. This is mountain accommodation done right, where the focus is on the setting rather than having every surface polished to perfection. The beds are comfortable enough, the heating works (crucial when you’re up in the Vosges), and the views… well, let’s just say you’re not going to spend much time staring at your phone screen.

The location is actually pretty clever when you think about it. Plainfaing itself is tiny – barely a village, really – but you’re perfectly positioned for exploring the Alsace region. The Col du Bonhomme pass is literally right there, which means you can be in Colmar or Riquewihr in about forty minutes if you want to do the whole wine route thing. But you’re also surrounded by hiking trails that most tourists never discover because they stick to the main valleys. I spent a morning walking up toward Le Bonhomme and barely saw another soul – just me, the pine trees, and the occasional mountain biker bombing down the singletrack.

What I really appreciated was how the staff seemed to get that they’re running a base camp rather than a luxury resort. They’re helpful without being hovering, and they actually know the area well enough to give you proper directions to the good hiking spots. Check-in was refreshingly straightforward, and parking is never an issue – there’s plenty of space, which you can’t say for most places in the Vosges villages. If you’re looking for a place to genuinely disconnect and explore the mountains without paying resort prices, this place delivers on that promise. Just don’t expect room service or a concierge desk.

Each resort village provides a unique blend of privacy and community, where guests enjoy villa-style accommodations while having access to shared amenities and social experiences.