Named after the scrub-like bushes which cover Corsica and gave their name to the French Resistance, this “very well-run hotel” is a collection of buildings by the sea.

In a picturesque village in the forest of Compiègne, Yves Giustiniani”s restaurant-with-rooms was liked by visitors: “A lovely suite with large bedroom, very nice bath and shower, large sitting room. Lovely food too.”

“We very much enjoyed our stay,” say visitors to this half-timbered post house in a small town at the end of the Route des Vins west of Strasbourg.

The magnificent white beaches of Île de Ré, offshore from La Rochelle, attract hordes of French holidaymakers in season: advance booking is essential for Anne and Frederic Latour”s charming hotel.

In a pretty riverside town in northern Burgundy, Pascal and Marie-Jeanne Leclerc run a stylish B&B hotel in a white 1850s mansion.

Informally run by the Rambaud family is this stylish inn located in a 'pleasing stone building' set back from the road, in 'fairly spacious' grounds with olive and almond trees and a vineyard.

Near St-Germain-des-Prés, this small, luxurious B&B hotel is in a 16th-century building facing the well-known outdoor market (which some rooms overlook) of the narrow rue de Buci.

Liked for 'peace, comfort, reasonable rates and accessibility' is this hotel on a quiet side side street near Étoile, part of a group of four small hotels.

“Delightfully located”, outside Challes thermal station, is this superb 15th-century castle, renovated by the Trèves family owners.

In a rural setting, just outside a small village between Montreuil-sur-Mer and Hesdin, Marie-Hélène Flament runs this “superb” chambres d”hôtes.

'A lovely discovery', by a regular Guide correspondent. Just outside this medieval village perché north of Orange, above the Rhône, it is only a kilometre from the A7, 'but it could be a world away'.

Though not particularly attractive, apart from its splendid Gothic cathedral, Reims has some excellent restaurants and hotels, including this one, owned by the Lallement family

“It keeps on improving” according to a visitor returning to the Larain family”s glamorous hotel (Relais & Châteaux), on the banks of the Yonne.

'Excellently located', in the Marais, this 'very friendly' hotel has for three generations been owned and run by Didier Fossiez's family ('he and his wife, Pamela, are delightful').

Beneath the 13th/16th-century château of this village near Brantôme, this 17th-century maison bourgeoise stands by the River Dronne.

Philippe Bidal's modest hotel (a listed historic monument) stands at the end of a glass-roofed 19th-century arcade with shops, near the junction of boulevards Haussmann, Montmartre and des Italiens.

This 18th-century palace is where Marie-Antoinette stayed on her way to meet her husband-to-be, Louis XVI and is now a hotel, “in the best discreet French tradition”.

This “most attractive building” is in a quiet residential area just outside Sarlat: “a peaceful and beautiful setting”. It is a part 13th-century hunting lodge, “truly romantic”.

The Île de Ré, offshore from La Rochelle, is a popular bolthole for wealthy Parisians. It has miles of glorious sandy beaches, an interior of pine forests and vineyards, and plenty of charm (planning regulations forbid unsightly hoardings and oversized buildings).

Set in a 200-year-old building in the pedestrianized centre of Lille (a ten minute walk from the Gare de Europe), Hotel de la Paix is a “friendly, efficient no-frills” B&B hotel with an art nouveau vibe; despite its location it is quiet, with soundproofed rooms.

In the Cher valley, near Chenonceaux and Blois, this 'idyllic' medieval château stands on a hillside. Owned by Philippe Savry, and part of the small Savray group, it is 'a perfect example of traditional local architecture', according to its nominators.

'Perfect location, perfect staff, perfect pool.' On a hill at the east end of the Promenade des Anglais, this popular hotel has stunning views over the Baie des Anges.

Built in 1930 as a radio station, this homage to Art Deco sits on a hillside in this residential suburb of Clermont-Ferrand

Near the Spanish border, in the remote Aldudes valley, this village is a key Basque folklore centre. Here, Pascal and Christine Arcé”s “beautiful country hotel”, by a trout river, is much admired.

Owned since 1903 by the Carrier family, this luxury hotel (Relais & Châteaux) is named after the Belgian king who loved this ski resort.

'Well placed for visits to central Paris', this 18th-century building is where Puccini set La Bohème.

This fin-de-siècle villa is a former home of the parfumier Pierre Guerlain. “Winningly eccentric”, it has a “pieds-dans-l”eau position” on the north side of the Somme estuary (excellent birdwatching and “very special, pearly light”).

Ten minutes' walk from the busy old town and its beaches, this converted 1920s mas has something of the air of a private home: 'handsome, quiet and comfortable'.

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