January  30, 2003

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Georges Le Mener decorated with the
prestigious Chevalier of the National Order of Merit

DALLAS – (January 30, 2003) – Georges Le Mener, president and CEO of Accor North America, received the Chevalier of the National Order of Merit from Denis Simonneau, Consul General of France in Houston, on Monday at the Hotel Intercontinental in Dallas.

Each French Consulate nominates individuals within their geographic boundaries and the French Government makes the final selection. Recipients of this honor typically demonstrate high achievement in their careers, have personally invested in their local communities and help promote the image of France abroad.

Upon accepting the award, Le Mener said, “To be recognized with the Chevalier of the National Order of Merit is personally a great joy and honor. More importantly, I see this as a team award. The invaluable contributions from my colleagues at Accor make this honor more meaningful.”

Le Mener oversees Accor North America, which operates more than 1,200 upscale and economy properties throughout the U.S, Canada and Mexico. Accor North America brands include economy leaders Red Roof Inns, Motel 6 and Studio 6, the upscale Sofitel and mid-scale Novotel and Ibis hotels.

Le Mener joined Accor in 1969 as the food and beverage manager at the Novotel in Marseille. In 1983, Le Mener became president of Accor North America and Pacific, directing these organizations from the company’s New York headquarters. In 1990, Accor purchased Motel 6 and in 1992, Le Mener became president of Motel 6, steering the company on a strategic course emphasizing quality. His efforts led to an extensive renovation program and refocused the company on profitability, growth and the guest experience. Under his leadership, Accor began franchising in the U.S. and Canada, introduced a new extended stay budget brand, Studio 6, and acquired Red Roof Inns in 1999. The company is now in its final stages of consolidating its North America operations into one central headquarters, scheduled for completion in July in Carrollton, Texas.

About Accor

With 147,000 associates in 140 countries, Accor is the European leader and one of the world's largest groups in travel, tourism and corporate services, with two major international activities:

 hotels: 3,800 hotels (425,000 rooms) in 90 countries, travel agencies, restaurants and casinos;

 services to corporate clients and public institutions: each day, 13 million people in 31 countries use a broad range of services (Food Vouchers, People's Care, Expenses

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