Parc National du Mercantour
A sweet hotel with decor dabbling in the town's Mexican connections, from sunny pictures to papier-maché cats, multi-coloured bathroom tiles and a…
Must-see hotels in Provence & the Côte d'Azur
Vaucluse
This old wine estate makes a fittingly upmarket place to stay in the middle of the Rhône's most upmarket appellation. Renovated in 2015, it has four…
The Luberon
In Lourmarin’s village centre, this character-rich house, built 1582, surrounds a tiny flower-bedecked courtyard, with adjoining summer kitchen for guests…
Nice
This two-star in a blue-shuttered villa north of the train station offers good value for money. It's closer to the centre than you might think at first…
Var
The same family has run this hub, Collobrières' most popular watering-hole, since 1886. Above the convivial bar there are 15 excellent-value, very…
Avignon
It sits on a rather shabby side street, but the owners' infectious enthusiasm and the colourful rooms at this small hotel compensate; try for themed rooms…
The Luberon
Don't go expecting many luxuries at this bargain-basement hotel above a pizza restaurant – but if price is more important than frills, it's a decent…
Var
Run since 1921 by the island’s oldest family, this bustling portside hostellerie (inn) sports five bright rooms facing the water; the best have balconies…
Arles
Hotel, spa and restaurant, this cosy bolthole opposite the Théâtre Antique has bright rooms and an inviting stone-walled garden. Breakfast is a buffet in…
Villefranche-sur-Mer
What a charmer this little hotel is, five minutes from the beaches. The 10 rooms, though small, have lots of character – colourful fabrics on the bed,…
Vaucluse
Four cosy rooms and a button-cute gypsy caravan are on offer at this friendly B&B, which also has a great pool and a perfect location near the village…
Côte d'Azur
A breath of fresh air, this tasteful two-star hotel with wrought-iron balconies and a hibiscus-laden summer patio perfect for breakfasting is hard to…
The Luberon
This pretty little hotel occupies a 19th-century house just outside the old town centre. Rooms aren't huge, but they're attractively appointed with a mix…
Côte d'Azur
This simple caravan and campground just off Plage de Pampelonne offers one of the few ways to live cheaply and still get a chance to hang out in one of…
Parc National du Mercantour
Right in the middle of Barcelonnette above a popular cafe, this central hotel offers smart (if rather small) rooms with fun design touches to liven things…
Var
In a quiet area to the north of La Motte village, this is a very pleasant spot from which to go wine tasting in the region. Perfectly clean, well…
Vaucluse
Frills, swags and canopies abound at this grand old dame of a hotel, where the old-style decor takes its cue from the 18th-century architecture…
Côte d'Azur
One of Fréjus' fanciest options, a traditional family hotel bedecked in Provençal decor complete with garden, pool and upmarket restaurant. The duplexes…
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
This converted farmhouse sits atop a wooded hillside 14km north of Ganagobie. Wood beams and stone walls make the whitewashed rooms feel extra special,…
Menton
Hôtel Lemon sits in an attractive 19th-century villa with a pretty garden, opposite a school. Its spacious minimalist rooms are decked out in shades of…
Avignon
A charming, quiet old-city address, this 19th-century private home, converted into an elegant guesthouse, has a walled garden and rooftop views. Rooms are…
Vaucluse
On a quiet, tree-shaded square, this simple hotel makes a pleasant-enough base in Orange, with 20 bright, colourful rooms, livened up with jolly fabrics…
Avignon
Live like a local in a 17th-century stone house converted into a small apartment-hotel. Scrupulously maintained, each has a kitchenette, ideal for…
The Luberon
This simple, homey chambre d'hôte is a very cosy option, with yellow paint-washed walls, bunches of dried lavender hanging from the ceiling and views over…
Vaucluse
The herb-themed rooms at this little town-centre B&B are simple, but the walled garden and lovely pool make it a relaxing refuge. Free parking.
Var
This hotel mixes traditional rooms with self-catering apartments. The icing on the cake: a terraced garden with fountain pool and sunloungers.
St-Tropez
This elegant town house with a lush central courtyard is decked out along luxe Indian themes. Swan about like a raja.
Var
Sleep aboard a sailboat in Île de Porquerolles or along mainland calanques after a day out sailing.
Toulon
Station hotels can be hit-and-miss in France, but this pleasant little place is a cut above the norm. It’s clean and modern, with plain white rooms,…
The Luberon
Quiet and friendly, this chambre d’hôte is hidden in the hamlet of Les Huguets, 4km south of Roussillon. Spotless rooms are decorated with pretty…
Alpes-de-Haute-Provence
With its shuttered frontage and rambling corridors, this town-centre hotel just downhill from Forcalquier's main square is a classic of its type –…
St-Tropez
Hôtel Byblos remains a perennial favourite among Hollywood A-listers, who come for the exclusive atmosphere, uphill from the more 'mixed' parts of St…
Arles
Prim, plain and proper, this straightforward hotel has some of the most reasonable rates in town (it's equidistant from the station and the town centre)…
Camargue
This whitewashed cottage hotel, festooned with an abundance of flower pots and just steps from the sea, is truly a steal. Its 14 rooms – three with their…
Camargue
Right by the beach (yet lavishly embellished with an onshore water park), this large and well-equipped campground sports a range of accommodation options:…
The Luberon
A friendly base on the edge of Lourmarin, in a colourful 16th-century farmhouse surrounding a fig-shaded central courtyard. Rooms are cosy and feminine:…
Côte d'Azur
Rooms are nothing to write home about, but the setting of this three-star hotel at the entrance to Peillon village is truly spectacular, with sweeping…
Nice
This old-town favourite has 17 rooms, each individually decorated to evoke a different artist – Niki de Saint Phalle, Vaco, Klein and so forth. Riviera…
Auberge de Jeunesse Fréjus-St-Raphaël
Côte d'Azur
This is a rambling, basic HI-affiliated hostel set in 10 hectares of pine trees and parkland, where you can also pitch your tent. Take bus 2 or 3 from St…
Côte d'Azur
Original modern pieces adorn the walls at this sweet hotel 7km east of Beaulieu-sur-Mer, run by a multilingual family of artists. Rooms have charm, with…
