The Luberon
On the northern edge of the village, this is the kind of place that inspires serious life envy. It feels wonderfully secluded, with fragrant lavender…
Must-see hotels in France
Gorges du Verdon
The Pink Farm is quirkiness and charm personified. Inside its rosy-pink, Italianate façade, you'll find a treasure trove of collectables – from vintage…
Vaucluse
A grand cru B&B to match Beaumes-de-Venise's finest wines. Built into the old town walls are five huge, luxurious rooms, each individually themed after…
Côte d'Or
To really soak up the town's atmosphere, stay at this delightful B&B housed in a fortified stone gateway dating from the 14th century. Three generously…
Limousin
Fancy a little treehouse getaway? This luxury cabin on stilts is the perfect spot to power down the mobile phone and go off the grid for a night. Relax in…
Beaune
An unexpected oasis in the middle of the city, this luxurious B&B encompasses several ample rooms, including two suites and a 135-sq-metre top-floor…
Savoie
This welcoming British-owned guesthouse has 11 individually decorated rooms spread across a gorgeous pre-Revolutionary manor house, the oldest building in…
Anjou
Built by the widow of one of Napoleon III's generals, this splendid belle époque mansion (1896) is surrounded by a 2-hectare English-style park. It's…
Vaucluse
A super hotel 2km outside Gigondas, with a modern-meets-heritage feel blending burnished wood, antique armchairs, attractive decor and minimal clutter…
Parc National des Pyrénées
This Heidi-esque hotel oozes mountain character from every nook and cranny. In business since 1913, it is deliciously eccentric, with charming old rooms…
Auvergne
Atmosphere echoes from the walls of this converted presbytery, next to Église St-Anne in tiny Vieille-Brioude. The rooms, accessed by comedy-sized old…
Lyon & the Rhône Valley
Set in a medieval town house, the 'Salthouse' features five romantic rooms that have loads of character. The decor mixes modern and vintage and the result…
Montmartre & Northern Paris
Hidden on a quiet street near Canal St-Martin, northern Paris' hottest opening doesn't disappoint. A dazzling white façade hides a sharp design interior…
Paris
Romantically set in a courtyard off Île St-Louis' main street, this contemporary four-star hotel occupies a 17th-century royal tennis court. Its 30 rooms…
The Luberon
Old outside, new inside: this country hotel marries the atmosphere of a traditional bastide familiale (family house) with spotless, modern rooms. There’s…
Arles
This Arlésian landmark has housed everyone from Picasso and Hemingway to Cocteau and Fritz Lang. Its style is 1930s opulence: wrought-iron beds, art deco…
Nice
Don’t be fooled by the staid stone exterior: inside, owner Odile Redolfi has enlisted the collective creativity of several well-known artists to make each…
Lyon & the Rhône Valley
Relax into the lap of luxury at this apricot-coloured villa overlooking La Pyramide (a 15.5m-tall obelisk dating from the Roman times). It contains…
Camargue
These pearly-white terraced cottages on a peninsula on the Etang des Launes are prime real estate for birdwatchers and romance seekers. It's so quiet you…
Arles
The traditional Mediterranean courtyard that greets you on arrival at 'The Cloister' is charming enough, but doesn't betray the inventiveness of the warm,…
Nancy
Centred on an ornately carved courtyard, this sublime Renaissance mansion snuggles down a backstreet in the heart of Nancy's Vieille Ville. The seven…
Vaucluse
If you're looking for inspiration on how to renovate a period building, this sexy chambres d'hôte is a case study. A 17th-century convent perched above a…
French Basque Country
Pay attention, class – this cracking hotel receives top marks. It's housed in Guéthary's former public schoolhouse, and the decor echoes its educational…
Paris
The Hidden is one of the Champs-Élysées’ best secrets. It’s serene, stylish, reasonably spacious, and it even sports green credentials: the earth-coloured…
Paris
Close to Paris' grands magasins (department stores), this spectacular 1908-built former bank, with preserved cash counters, original mosaics and soaring…
Marseille
This award-winning hostel shows a swanky sleep is possible on a shoestring budget – for your euro you can expect breakfast, murals by local artists,…
Aix-en-Provence
This sweet 13-room hotel slumbers in a former 19th-century mansion in one of the loveliest parts of town. Rooms are fresh and clean, decorated with a…
Besançon
Sleep in the same 18th-century coaching inn as renowned novelists George Sand and Colette. Rococo styling and ornate wallpaper add antique glamour to…
Lyon & the Rhône Valley
Such charm! If you've ever wanted to stay in a 16th-century hôtel particulier (master's house), this bijou B&B enticingly positioned in a quiet alley near…
Montpellier
A cross between a palatial B&B and a boutique hotel, this splendid 18th-century house with nine rooms has been given the full designer overhaul: original…
Côte d'Azur
This vibrantly colourful place two blocks in from the Med puts Juan-les-Pins' staider beach hotels to shame. Each of the 14 rooms has its own theme, with…
Aix-en-Provence
It's best to connect by phone to this intimate B&B on a backstreet in Vieil Aix. The creation of born-and-bred Aixois lad Luc, the breakfast room re…
Burgundy
Smack-dab in the old city in a 15th-century townhouse, this colourful, spotless B&B has five spacious, light-filled rooms, including one with fine views…
Arcachon
In the heart of Arcachon's stylish 1860s Ville d'Hiver district, this 12-room boutique hotel seduces with a trio of garden-clad houses a 10-minute walk…
Cannes
This traditional Provençal townhouse with buttermilk walls, lavender-blue shutters and a palm-lined entryway disguises a minimalist-chic interior. Almost…
Grasse
Hidden in the hills 10km east of Grasse, this village retreat began as a restaurant (now Michelin-starred) and has since expanded with a second bistro and…
Golfe du Morbihan
Forget about tacky seaside hotels, this two-room B&B on a venelle (little street) in the town centre is more like something from an interior-design…
Anjou
Gregarious Dublin natives Mary and Conor welcome you with Irish warmth to their 1727 château. The five rooms are comfortably done up (bathrooms were…
French Basque Country
Baya is one of the few hotels smack on the oceanfront in the Landes region. From the ocean-facing rooms, you'll practically feel the waves crash into one…
Troyes
Michelle and Bruno are your kindly hosts at this boutique-flavoured guesthouse, a tasteful melange of 19th-century features and furnishings and chic…
