Travel Glossary · Islands & Resorts
Pension de Famille
Definition
Pension de Famille: A pension de famille is a small, family-run guesthouse; in French Polynesia, it is often the main or only style of lodging on remote islands and atolls.
French Polynesia’s pensions range from a few simple rooms in a family home to garden or beach bungalows with private bathrooms. Hosts often serve home-cooked meals, frequently on a half-board basis, with fresh fish, breadfruit, and poisson cru on the table, and many meet guests at the airport or boat dock.
On islands such as Maupiti, the Marquesas, and many Tuamotu atolls, pensions are the main way to stay, since large resorts are few or absent. They offer a direct connection to island life and local knowledge you won’t find at a resort, usually at a lower price. In return, expect simpler facilities: air-conditioning, Wi-Fi, and card payments are not guaranteed, so confirm before you go.
Pensions pair well with a resort stay on Bora Bora or Moorea, giving a trip both comfort and a strong sense of place. See French Polynesia island hopping and our Maupiti guide.
Example: After four nights in an overwater bungalow on Bora Bora, a couple spends three nights at a family pension on Maupiti, eating dinner with their hosts each evening.
Related terms
Go deeper
- French PolynesiaMaupiti Island GuidePlan Maupiti, a tiny Society Island with a stunning lagoon and no big resorts: getting there, family pensions, the summit hike, manta rays and how many nights.
- French PolynesiaMarquesas Islands GuidePlan the Marquesas, French Polynesia’s remote UNESCO-listed archipelago: which islands to visit, tiki sites, flying vs. sailing the Aranui 5, and when to go.
- Travel GuidesFrench Polynesia Island Hopping: The Best Island CombinationsHow to island-hop French Polynesia: how many islands to visit, getting between them, and the best pairings, from Moorea and Bora Bora to the Tuamotu atolls.
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