french consumer protection laws question
 

So our trip to Provence is coming up in a few days and I just goy an email from one of our hotels cancelling our booking because of a wedding party wanting our room. They offered to facilitate our booking at another nearby hotel for the current rate on offer at that hotel (which, by the way, is the same price but for a smaller room). Do we have any protection under French law? Or are we just screwed? If I had wanted the other hotel, I would have booked it in the first place, but at this late date, most other acceptable options in a wider area (Chambery, Annecy, etc.) are booked. After expressing my displeasure at the situation, they offered a bottle of local wine if we wanted to drive the 15 kms to the original hotel for dinner. I'm not going to sue or anything but this leaves a really bad taste in my mouth. I would think a corporate hotel might offer a bit more to make it right but this is a small independent property.

I cannot really help with legal matters but you might take a look here. This information states that if a hotelier cancels, he must reimburse you double your deposit.

You might have a greater impact with an online effort to show your frustration. Trip Advisor or Fodor´s might be places to start.

It is indeed extremely disappointing and annoying, but besides any law, rights or whatever you may ask yourself what will be the best for you : insist to stay at your originally booked hotel or go elsewhere ? Having stayed myself once in London in a hotel with a wedding party and being the only guest of the hotel not part of the wedding : NEVER AGAIN if I am aware of this situation. This was a totally sleepless night with drunk people shouting everywhere and slamming doors all night, helpless night guardian, etc. I refused to pay but they of course charged my CC and I couldn't do anything.
So if I were you, accept the alternative booking or find yourself another alternative and propose it to the hotel.

Thanks for the link. I tried searching but came up empty.

The hotel's website originally said that the room was non refundable but the confirmation said we could cancel up to one week before without penalty and I don't think they ever took a deposit. I will check my bank statements.
Makes sense. At this point, although disappointed, I won't push to stay there. The biggest problem is that the alternatives are all more expensive. But such is life.

Yes, I have stayed twice in hotels mostly occupied by a wedding party, and it is definitely something to be avoided at all cost.

If there had been comething really contestable about the cancellation of this reservation, the official authority to contact is the DGCCRF (Direction Générale de la Concurrence, de la Consommation et de la Répression des Fraudes) -- https://www.economie.gouv.fr/dgccrf

Well, when we got to the replacement hotel, Le Chateau De Candie, they had no record of our reservation transfer from the original hotel (Domaine Saints Pères). The manager at the Chateau was very cordial and helpful and found us a nice junior suite that met our needs (at a very good price) and they were also able to get us a last-minute reservation at their restaurant, L'Orangerie (I think we got the last table or else they moved people around to accommodate us). All in all we were very happy with the alternative and enjoyed our short stay at the hotel and our dinner.