A “ravishing building”, a 17th-century château, with pepperpot tower, moat with swans, “hens and cockerels strutting in the grounds.

'What a remarkable place,' says a visitor to this designer hotel in the lively narrow streets of the trendy St-Jean quarter of Vieux Lyon.

“A wonderful antidote to faceless mid-Atlantic hotels”, this beautiful Renaissance château stands in its own lovely park on the eastern edge of Alençon.

'Superbly restored' by owners Jean-Yves and Christine Marivin, and with 'furnishings tastefully selected to create an authentic contemporary ambience', this stone-built manor house was found 'delightful' by regular Guide correspondents: 'Our welcome could not have been warmer.'

Against a background of the craggy Dentelles de Montmirail, this old-fashioned hotel has a superb setting high in a wooded valley, near some of the best Côtes du Rhône vineyards.

The largest, and most easily accessible, of the three Îles d”Hyères, the island of Porquerolles (the name means “lavender port”) is a car-free national park, with wooded cliffs and sandy beaches.

'Not cheap, but the style, decor, service and fabulous location make it a winner': this 17th-century mansion is within easy walking distance (via Pont Neuf) of the Louvre and Notre Dame.

In an area of the Perigord, rich in geese, plum trees and pigeonniers, this traditional chateau hotel stands in country surrounded by forest.

Below Mont Ventoux, in a tiny Provençal village perché, this smart hotel is much liked.