Hotel de France is right in the middle of the local centre. No tourist zone here at all. Right above the most busy terrace in town (not so busy after 9PM) and with restaurants right at your doorstep. The lobby is one of the best I have seen. It has been made 'original' Tunisian and is occupied by local men drinking tea who have a good chat about the daily excitements. Endearing.
The rooms are reasonable sized, the bathroom a good size and the sheets are clean.
It is all a bit on the edge of rundown with the plumbing a bit wobbly, the bed a bit worn and the curtain partly out of the rail but it is clean, cheap (29 dinar per person= $12) and Tunisian, including an early wake up call from the minaret.
A surprisingly good fresh strawberry juice (smoothy) at breakfast !
A good place for one night in a lively neighborhood while the marina was completely deserted after 6PM.