The welcome booklet is seen as a friendly gesture to be done when you have time. In reality, it is a document required by the three-star classification for tourist accommodation, and the only tool that prevents you from having to answer the same questions fifteen times. Here’s what it should contain, what the regulations really require, and the mistakes that cost you a fine.
Key takeaways
- The welcome booklet is a Mandatory criterion for obtaining three stars or more in the ranking of tourist accommodations.
- Local and tourist information in French and in at least one foreign language They are mandatory from one star onwards.
- The entry code has no place in a paper booklet left in the accommodation: it is transmitted via the digital booklet, linked to the reservation.
What the ranking requires, in black and white
Most articles on the subject present the booklet as a good practice. The official ranking reference, on the other hand, makes it a quantified criterion. Here are the lines concerning the traveler’s information, as they appear in the decree of November 24, 2021.
| Criterion | What he asks for | From 1 to 5 stars |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | Local and tourist information brochures in French and in at least one foreign language | Mandatory everywhere, 3 points |
| 101 | Provision of an introductory booklet | A la carte in 1 and 2 star restaurants, mandatory from 3 years old, 2 points |
| 116 | Information regarding accessibility on information media | Mandatory everywhere, 2 points |
| 121 | Accessible document made available | Mandatory everywhere, 1 point |
| 113 and 114 | Website or internet page dedicated to housing, including a version in a foreign language | Mandatory for 4 and 5 stars |
Two lessons. First of all, A property without translated local documentation cannot be classified, Even one star: this is a mandatory criterion for all categories. Then, the booklet itself becomes indispensable from the third star onwards, that is, from the level most well-equipped apartments aim for. However, the ranking raises the tax deduction from 30 to 50: % the booklet is not a luxury item; it is part of the process towards that tax deduction. We detail the calculation in our article the income from a seasonal rental.
What a good booklet really prevents you from
The interest of the booklet is not measured by compliments in reviews, but by problems that do not occur.
- The repetitive messages. The wifi, the trash, the operation of the induction hob, the time of departure: these are always the same questions, and they always come at the wrong time.
- The bad grades that came from a misunderstanding. A traveler who spends twenty minutes wondering how to turn on the water heater doesn't notice the water heater; he notices the stay.
- The avoidable damage. A glazed tile cleaned with an abrasive sponge, a dishwasher filled with dishwashing liquid: these are repairs that begin with a missing instruction manual. See our article on damage to his Airbnb.
- The call on Sunday evening. Yours, or the one of the person who replaces you.
What the booklet should contain, section by section
Arrival and departure
How to get in, where to park, at what time to leave, where to leave the keys, what to do before closing the door. This is the first page, and often the only one that some people will read. Also indicate how to contact you, and at what times you will answer.
The accommodation and its facilities
The real work is here. Every appliance whose use is not obvious deserves three lines: the water heater, the reversible air conditioning and its heating mode, the induction hob, the dishwasher, the coffee machine and the type of capsules, the roller blind that jams, the circuit breaker and where it is located. A photo is worth more than a paragraph.
The rules of housing
Quiet hours, smoking ban, pets, number of people allowed, use of the terrace. Write them down once and for all, calmly, rather than having to remind yourself of them in the middle of the night. If your residence has a by-law, the booklet is the place to mention the points that apply to a traveler.
Security and emergencies
Location of the smoke detector, the extinguisher if there is one, the water shut-off valve and the electrical panel. 112 for emergencies in Europe, 15 for the emergency medical service, 18 for the firefighters, 17 for the police. Add the nearest pharmacy and doctor: a traveler looking for this on a Sunday is already in trouble.
Accessibility
This is the criterion that everyone forgets and which is mandatory for all categories: your information materials must indicate accessibility. Number of steps, presence of an elevator and its dimensions, width of the doors, Italian shower or bathtub. These information details avoid booking that ends badly.
The neighborhood, not the tourist office brochure
This is what distinguishes a useful booklet from a decorative one. The local bakery and its closing day, the supermarket open on Sundays, the market and its days, two tested restaurants, the nearest beach and how to get there on foot, the bus stop and the line. Specific addresses, not categories.
Reminder of the reference framework: this information must exist in French and in at least one foreign language. In the Côte d’Azur, English is the minimum requirement, and Italian often proves more useful than one might think.
Sorting, trash, and departure
Where to take the trash, what days, where is the recycling point. It’s mundane, it’s the most frequently asked question after the wifi, and that’s what prevents bags from being found in the entrance.
OUR SERVICE
Welcome booklet
We rewrite the brochure for each property we manage, with our tested addresses on site, and keep it updated. Included in the complete management.
Paper or digital? Both, and not for the same things
The question is ill-posed. The two devices are not intended for the same purpose, and one does not replace the other.
The paper booklet stay in the accommodation. It is for someone who is looking for how to turn on the oven at 21:00 without a network connection. It should contain no information related to a specific reservation, and especially never the entry codeHe remains in the apartment room after room, in the sight of everyone who passes by.
The digital booklet It is linked to the booking. It is sent to the traveler in their language before their arrival and can be displayed only when the stay approaches, then it is no longer displayed after the departure. It is also the one that is corrected in a minute when a schedule changes, without having to reprint anything.
A point of caution if you publish your booklet in the form of a web page: it must be in noindex and off-site, otherwise the access instructions for your properties will appear in the search results. A complicated address is not enough to protect a page.
The most common forgetfulness
- The wifi password is written only once, On a piece of paper stuck behind the box. Place it on the first page, roughly, and check it after each change of operator.
- The accessibility information, These are mandatory, yet absent from nine out of ten booklets.
- A booklet that has never been read since its opening. The recommended restaurant has closed, the street address has changed, and the bus route has been renumbered.
- Too many pages. A forty-page booklet is not read. The vital information takes up two pages; the rest can be read later.
- No version in a foreign language, alors que c’est un critère obligatoire de classement et que la plupart de vos voyageurs viennent de l’étranger.
What we put in the booklets we write
Pour chaque logement que nous gérons dans les Alpes-Maritimes, du littoral à la montagne, nous écrivons le livret nous-mêmes, logement par logement. Les modes d’emploi viennent des appareils réels, pas d’un modèle, et les adresses du quartier sont celles que nous avons testées. C’est le même travail que celui qui alimente notre guide to the Côte d’Azur.
Nous le tenons à jour, ce qui est l’essentiel : un livret vit, il vieillit, et un livret faux est pire qu’un livret absent. Et nous restons joignables 24 heures sur 24 pour ce qu’aucun livret ne peut prévoir.
OUR SERVICE
Complete management
Livret d’accueil, accueil des voyageurs, ménage, linge et maintenance : vous ne touchez plus à rien. Et rien à payer tant que votre logement n’est pas loué.
Frequently asked questions
Is the welcome booklet mandatory?
It is not imposed by law on all renters, but it becomes a mandatory criterion for classification as tourist accommodation with three stars or more. And from a single star, the provision of local and tourist information in French and in at least one foreign language is also mandatory.
Should the entry code be put in the booklet?
Never in the paper booklet, which remains in the accommodation from one stay to the next. The code is transmitted in the digital booklet linked to the reservation, which displays it only when the stay is approaching and stops displaying it after departure.
In how many languages does it need to be translated?
The ranking system requires French and at least one foreign language for local and tourist information. In the Côte d’Azur, English is the minimum required, and Italian often comes in second.
What should a booklet primarily contain?
The arrival and departure, the wifi, the operation of the equipment that is not obvious, the safety instructions with the emergency numbers, the accessibility of the accommodation, the bins, and a few addresses in the neighborhood. The rest can wait for the second page.
Does a digital booklet replace the paper booklet?
Not quite. The digital content is perfect before and during the stay, and it updates in a minute. The paper is for the traveler who is wondering how to turn on the oven at 21:00 without a network connection. The two complement each other, with different content.
Sources and updates
Article verified on September 26, 2026: reference standard for the classification of tourist accommodation published by Atout France, taken pursuant to The decree of November 24, 2021 amending the order of 2 August 2010, and star-rated furnished holiday rentals on service-public.gouv.fr. The number of criteria cited refer to Chapter 2 of the reference framework, «Customer Service», and Chapter 3, «Accessibility and Sustainable Development».
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