Best luxury and boutique hotels, B&Bs in France

‘Full of character, delightfully decorated and a haven of peace’: this 18th-century mansion is in a side street off Boulevard St-Germain.

La Reserve de Beaulieu, Beaulieu-sur-mer

By the rocky shore, the Delion family”s pink, Florentine-style villa was a favourite of prewar Riviera society: Garbo and Scott Fitzgerald were among its habitués.

Hotel de la Marine, Barneville-carteret

“Seven days of great comfort in a superb location” were enjoyed at the Cesne family”s holiday hotel in a pieds dans l”eau position on the Cotentin peninsula, south of Cherbourg.

Le Hameau Albert 1er, Chamonix

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

Le Moulin du Roc, Champagnac-de-belair

Michelin awards a star to owner/chef Alain Gardillou, admiring also the ‘magic’ setting of his 17th-century oil mill on the Dronne: Guide readers, too, call it a ‘wonderful, bucolic spot’.

Hostellerie du Chateau, Chateauneuf

This old hostelry (Logis de France), in a ramparted medieval hamlet on a hilltop west of Dijon, is “a most attractive location; fine views over countryside”.

Chateau de Marcay, Chinon

Built as a fortress in about 1150, the town of Marçay was originally inside the walls of this splendid château, now a smart hotel.

Hotel Diderot, Chinon

Near the famous château of this well-known wine town on the Vienne, this B&B is a delightful place to stay.

Chateau de Chissay, Chissay-en-Touraine

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.

Hotel Madeloc, Collioure

Away from the crowded waterfront of this old fishing port near the Spanish border, this modestly priced B&B hotel, ‘not luxurious, but good value’, is up a steep side street.

Manoir d’Hautegente, Coly

“Delightful, “peaceful and idyllic”, say visitors to this long-time Guide favourite.

Hotellerie Beau Rivage, Condrieu

‘Very smart’ and ‘beautifully situated’ (on the Rhône, in a famous vineyard), the Humann-Donet family’s hotel is ‘still highly recommended.

Hotel Sainte-Foy, Conques

On a pilgrim route, this ‘magical village’, spectacularly situated on a wooded hillside above a gorge, is one of the most romantic in south-west France.

Auberge de la Selune, Ducey

In a beautiful setting on the Sélune (one of the last salmon rivers in France), where the N176 crosses an old bridge, this unsophisticated Logis de France is run by Patrice and Sandra Girres; Patrice is the son of the previous owners, Jean-Pierre and Josette Girres, and is the third generation to run the hotel.

Les Pres d’Eugenie, Eugenie-les-bains

In this spa town north of Pau, Michel and Christine Guérard”s “exquisite, tiny village” stands in a park full of flowers and statues.

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Relais de la Magdeleine, Gemenos

‘A lovely hotel in a beautiful setting’; ‘calm and quiet’. It is one of the Guide’s best-loved hotels, owned by the Marignane brothers: Christophe and Vincent manage; Philippe is the ‘accomplished chef’.

Grand Hotel de la Reine, Nancy

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”.

Cour des Loges, Lyon

‘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.

Hotel Le Guilhem, Montpellier

Montpellier has some grandiose modern architecture but is full of historical interest too, and has a charming Vieille Ville, well restored.

L’Oustal del Barry, Najac

In a remote spot above the Aveyron gorges, this well-preserved bastide village (population 250) was founded in the 13th century below a hilltop fortress, now a ruin.

Hotel la Perouse, Nice

‘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.

Hotel de l’Abbaye, Paris

Returning to Pierre and Gisèle Lafortune’s hotel, a former 17th-century convent near St-Sulpice, a visitor wrote: ‘Expensive, but worth every euro. The people are charming.’

Hotel des Grands Hommes, Paris

Liked immensely by many readers (‘good, quiet, exceptional value’; ‘an excellent hotel in a very good location’), this converted town house is named after the ‘great men’ entombed in the Panthéon opposite.

Hotel La Louisiane, Paris

‘Still the best all-around value for money in Paris’.

Le Pavillon de la Reine, Paris

‘Romantically set’ in the Marais, on one of Paris’s loveliest squares, this handsome 17th-century building, with creeper-draped facade and pretty front courtyard, is an elegant hotel.

Relais Christine, Paris

Hotel de l’Universite, Paris

Formerly a Benedictine convent, this ‘civilised’ little Left Bank hotel underwent extensive renovations in 2011 and is now bright and modern, although traces of its past remain with original exposed beams in some of the rooms, and exposed pale stone walls in the lounge.

Le Bosquet, Pegomas

Between Cannes and Grasse, on the edge of a village in mimosa country, this informal and ‘convivial’ holiday hotel, long popular with readers, is owned and run by Chantal Cattet and her son.

Auberge de la Madone, Peillon

‘Between sea and sky’ in the hills behind Nice, this well-known village perché is up a winding road, on a rocky spur.

L’Assiette Champenoise, Reims

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

Hostellerie de la Riviere, St-etienne-au-Mont

In an unexceptional southern suburb of Boulogne-sur-Mer, this smart and “hospitable” restaurant-with-rooms stands by the little River Liane.

Michel Chabran, Pont De L'lsere

‘In a nondescript little town’, near picturesque Valence, ‘Michel Chabran’s hotel/restaurant is impossible to miss,’ says a visitor.

Le Mas du Langoustier, Iles D'hyeres

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.

Hotel Le Maquis, Porticcio

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.

Le Montrachet, Puligny-montrachet

In the “charming, quiet setting” of the tree-filled main square of this famous Burgundy wine village, this well-modernised old hostelry is owned by Thierry and Suzanne Gazagnes.

Au Moulin de la Gorce, La Roche-l'abeille

“Our visit could not have been more enjoyable,” says a regular Guide correspondent, returning to Pierre and Isabelle Bertranet”s 16th-century mill house, now an elegant small hotel.

Au Logis des Remparts, St-emilion

In this famous medieval wine town, surrounded by vineyards, is this popular B&B hotel. “Staff were helpful, breakfast was good,” is one visitor comment.

Hotel Eychenne, St-girons

For one family, this hotel/restaurant was “the highlight of our holiday: the accommodation was excellent, the wine list better, the food better still”.

Hotel du Midi-Papillon, St-jean-du-bruel

For over 150 years, five generations of Papillons have owned and run this former relais de poste. It stands by a humpbacked medieval bridge in an old village on the River Dourbie, in the western Cévennes.

Le Valmarin, St-malo

‘Such a wonderful building; good value,’ says a visitor about Françoise and Gérard Nicolas’s 18th-century house, elegantly renovated in period style.

From a ravishing 17th century chateau complete with a moat with swans in Champagne, to toile hangings and antique furniture in an area of the Dordogne, rich in geese, plum trees and pigeonniers. Head to Normandy for home grown vegetables, woodland walks and a chance to roam 16th century corridors where every painting tells a story. In Lyon you will find bohemian bliss, while Brittany offers peace and quiet, Provence has some of the best Côtes du Rhône vineyards and on the Cote d’Azur it’s about glitz, glamour and sandy beaches.

From romantic getaways to family-friendly wellbeing retreats, foodie favourites to luxury hotels, hotels in France have culture, history, style and sophistication to offer all across the country.

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