680 Best Hotels in France

With a location in a hidden, tree-shaded courtyard off a nondescript street minutes from Père-Lachaise cemetery, no lodging in the capital is quite as unobtrusively fabulous as this trailblazing, 100% sustainable, five-room eco-lodge. No detail was overlooked in designing the ultracontemporary building; spacious rooms are furnished with chic state-of-the-art materials and fixtures that manage to be both cozy and private.

From the graceful setting—with Blois and the Loire River set out before you—to the luminous interiors and extraordinary dining, staying at Fleur de Loire is an experience to be savored. Guests are welcomed with a serene decor that extends from the common areas to the elegant contemporary rooms, two gourmet restaurants, and a Sisley spa—with sauna, hammam, pool, and fitness room—all in a sophisticated palette of pastel hues flecked with silver and goldlike glints of light shimmering off the river. But the main draw is Christophe Hay’s gastronomic restaurant, where the two-Michelin-starred chef’s deep appreciation for the bounty of the Loire is expressed in dishes of rare refinement. His Armour Blanc bistro (in a separate contemporary building), billed as a “prelude” to the two-star experience, offers plenty of thrills too and is the setting for breakfast, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the river, town, and a picturesque bridge. The first-floor pastry shop and bakery serves as a tearoom for gourmet snacks throughout the day.

Presiding over the picturesque vineyards encircling St-Émilion, this fairy-tale Belle Époque château has gorgeous guest rooms that are at once classic and contemporary (for the full storybook experience, ask for one in the main 19th-century building rather than the modern luxury annex). Biking distance from the medieval town center, the property also includes surrounding parkland, gardens, and an excellent spa, making it the ideal place to enjoy the good life while investigating St-Émilion's best vintages. The château's restaurant is equally magical with its stained-glass-domed dining rooms.

Protected by thick foliage in a peaceful bay of the Gulf of Porto-Vecchio, the Grand Hôtel Calla Rossa emanates the feel of a tropical retreat. Stone pathways lead to a luxuriant garden of olive and palm trees and masses of oleander, jasmine, and lavender, fringed by a white-sand beach. Some rooms include balconies or terraces; there are also suites available as well a one-bedroom treehouse. Highlights of a stay here include sunbathing on the raised outdoor patio or beachside and enjoying complimentary boat rides across the gulf to the Massif de l’Ospendale. A seven-treatment room spa by NUCCA is of Japanese design with cedar floors and all facilities, including pool.

Despite its splashy name, this gracious five-star hotel keeps a surprisingly relaxed profile. Housed in an 18th-century mansion just steps from the Palais Royal gardens and across the way from the agency where a certain Emily in Paris works, the hotel's focus is less on flagrant luxury and more on the essentials that make a hotel truly grand—service, quality, comfort, refinement, and quiet. From the magnificent wrought-iron staircase to panoramic views of Paris from the rooftop terrace, the bright, spacious rooms—many with private balconies—feature a classic-modern decor in pleasing pale hues with ample marble bathrooms. A menu of lighter fare is served in the lovely winter garden. There's also a cozy cocktail bar and a full-service spa.

With bright, airy rooms and suites decorated with vintage and antique treasures, soothing contemporary color schemes, and chic carpets, the refurbished Grand Hôtel Henri has lots of panache that's matched by an utter lack of pretension. The stylish bar, terrace restaurant, and tearoom are popular with local sophisticates.

After braving the pilgrim-packed streets, this hotel—built in 1896 by one of Bernadette's nephews—may seem like the answer to your prayers; after all, it promises comfortable rooms, attentive service, and an excellent restaurant right in the center of everything. Now owned and managed by a fashionable couple with family ties to one of Lourdes's larger group travel companies, the hotel has been renovated but maintains its Belle Époque charm with mosaic tiled floors and solid wood bannisters on the stately spiral staircase. Splurge on a master suite with 180-degree views of the nightly candlelight procession—you'll get great seats without having to join the crowds.

This extravagantly expensive hotel at the end of the peninsula has long been the exclusive playground for Hollywood's elite, and it continues to set the standard for discreet Cap-Ferrat luxury, with amenities like Michelin dining and three private villas (Beauchamp, Clair-Soleil, and Rose Pierre). Guest rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows and private terraces with views of crashing waves and far beyond out to sea. Even the Kids' Clubhouse here outshines the offerings at other area hotels.

You'll find peace at these three charming cottages (and an elegant manor house split into two apartments) set in several 17th-century outbuildings of the Château de Courances in the château's splendid gardens. Each of these beautifully restored and decorated family-style cottages—a chic mix of antique and contemporary—sleeps between two and eight people and can be rented individually (for a two-night minimum) or together. La Régie, an impeccably refurbished manor house, is split into two light-drenched 1,150-square-foot apartments, complete with period antiques, restored original woodwork and floors, comfy living areas, spacious modern baths, a fully equipped kitchen, fireplace, and an outdoor terrace. Only 8 miles from Barbizon and 12 miles from Fontainebleau, this is an excellent base for visiting the area.

If you want designer digs in a well-located boutique lodging that won't break the budget, this hotel designed by Christian Lacroix is a great spot for you. Chic, roomy (for Paris), and full of artisan touches reflecting the historical footprint of the neighborhood, the compact 38-room Antoine offers tons of style just a five-minute walk from the Bastille.

This sleek revival of a 100-year-old neighborhood hotel that closed in the 1970s is a favorite with the international set, whether staying the night or just stopping in for a stylish bite or drink at the wildly popular cocktail bar. The retro-chic interiors by hotel design star Dorothée Meilichzon epitomize the kind of pared-down elegance that's become so popular in Paris. Set on a quiet cobbled street in the Montorgueil market district and close to Les Halles, this is an excellent base from which to explore the heart of Paris.

This hotel—its facade a riot of pastel-green timbering, checkerboard walls, and Anglo-Norman balconies—has been a town landmark since it opened in 1912, and crowds still pack the place. A regional menu is served in La Belle Époque, the restaurant set in a grand hall which, on a bright night and after a couple of bottles of Dom Pérignon, glitters like the salons of Versailles.

For that traditional French feeling, book into this intimate, affordable, romantic hotel—the theme is the work of former next-door neighbor Pierre-Augustin Caron de Beaumarchais, a supplier of military aid to American revolutionaries and the playwright who penned The Marriage of Figaro and The Barber of Seville. The pretty lobby reflects the taste of 18th-century French nobility—down to the floral wallpaper and 1792 pianoforte. Richly decorated with provincial fabrics and antique period furnishings, the rooms have original beams and hand-painted bathroom tiles, updated with flat-screen TVs. 

One of Normandy's most magnificent hôtels particuliers (family mansions) is also Rouen's finest hotel. Long a landmark on the Place de la Pucelle, this storybook vision of a Gothic urban palace—with soaring stone pinnacles and a tower made for a sleeping beauty—was initially built in 1506 for William the Red, leader of the powerful Le Roux family. From the Cour d'Honneur (where guests can enjoy their sunset drinks), enter the front door to be fast-forwarded to the 21st century: the lobby is all slick monolithic stone with a vast glass atrium and a regiment of black leather sofas. Upstairs, the guest rooms range from minimalistic Modern and Tradition (with lovely touches of period woodwork) to the most expensive Prestige (in which the brickwork bathrooms are beauts). The property also has a gourmet restaurant, a café, and a terrace bar, as well as an expansive spa with an indoor swimming pool, sauna, and steam bath.

Perfectly situated in a historic building that's a short walk from Avignon's principal attractions, this chic boutique hotel has quiet, colorful, beautifully designed rooms with every amenity, ample bathrooms, and plenty of closet space. Some rooms also have a balcony or a fireplace. The on-site wine bar is a fine place to sample the regional Rhône wines before heading out on the town. 

This beautifully designed hotel and gourmet restaurant just steps from the château entrance adds a welcome dose of chic to the Fontainebleau lodging and dining scene. Bright and uncluttered guest rooms display a contemporary elegance, and several of the ground-floor suites offer lovely garden terraces. The hotel is a short walk from the château, woods, and downtown Fontainebleau, and Gina, the beautiful in-hotel restaurant and bar—with a spacious terrace that's open in warmer weather—is an excellent choice for a gourmet lunch or dinner (closed Wednesday and Thursday).

One of the city's most historic properties (a teenaged Marie-Antoinette took piano lessons here), it is also as sumptuous and majestic as any hotel in Paris. Each of the 78 rooms and 46 suites sports a unique, sophisticated decor, but what they all have in common is curated artworks, custom furnishings, luxurious linens, heated marble floors in the bathrooms, and butler service. The common areas are splendid, and the two restaurants—a casual grill and a gem-like gastronomic dining room—draw guests and local foodies. Crowds also flock to Les Ambassadeurs, one the city's most beautiful bars. The on-site pâtisserie and a spa firmly situate the Crillon as one of Paris's preeminent palace hotels.

On a small street, just steps from the Place des Vosges and the Musée Picasso, this hotel takes its name and stylish spirit from Joséphine Bonaparte herself. Somehow, its raucous mash-up of leopard print, toile de Jouy, and roses (Joséphine cultivated them) really works. Its lovely bar and intimate terrace are perfect for an apéro or cocktail (open until 11 pm), and its dusky atmosphere feels very Marais: that is, trendy, historic, and glamorous as all get-out.

Set in the former rectory of an 18th-century abbey, this intimate boutique hotel capitalized on the gothic-style building's elegant lines for a decor that's both stylish and refined. One of the city's newer hotels, it benefits from a lovely spot on a quiet leafy square adjacent to the abbey, and is an easy two-minute walk from the Place Bellecour and the river and 10 minutes on foot from Lyon-Perrache train and metro station. The very good in-hotel restaurant L'Artichaut is a pleasant place for lunch or dinner, especially on nice days when you can dine outside under the plane trees. You can also order a coffee, tea, a drink, or dessert all day at the hotel's charming Café Basilic bar.

In an 18th-century convent, this atmospheric hotel on a tranquil side street near St-Sulpice welcomes guests with a cobblestone ante-courtyard, lovely rooms, and a spacious garden terrace. Rooms have period furnishings and fabrics in stripes and floral designs. All have flat-screen TVs, and those upstairs have oak beams and sitting alcoves. Split-level suites have lovely private terraces.

Enjoying the finest location within the walls of the old city, this ivy-covered former Episcopal palace provides a high level of creature comfort, which the ascetic Cathars would most definitely have deprived themselves of. Antique-tile floors, afternoon teas, and the sumptuous La Barbacane restaurant (presided over by Michelin-starred chef Jérome Ryon) help make this the spot for visiting celebrities. Tea is served in the library bar or the rotunda lounge, amid detailed woodwork and leaded windows; formal dinners in La Barbacane, with its double-vaulted ceiling and ogival windows, are quite an event. A pool in the garden beckons on hot days.

A romantic's dream of a hotel, this petit palais enables you to step into 18th-century Avignon—complete with painted coffered ceilings, precious antiques, extraordinary handmade wall coverings, and beautiful Asian rugs. Guest rooms, most with views of the palace, are both gorgeous and comfy, with extraordinary marble baths. Six stunning rooms in a separate garden building are lavishly decorated in the Empire style. The central lounge is a skylighted and jazz-warmed haven, while the costume-drama dining room is the perfect setting for the restaurant's sophisticated Michelin-starred cuisine, the best in Avignon under chef Florent Pietravalle. If you have the time, take advantage of the hotel's cooking classes conducted in its well-stocked, 18th-century, vaulted kitchens, or partake one of the classical music nights, with chamber music and gourmet delights.

A spectacular 17th-century building provides the elegant bones for this stunning hotel conveniently located in the heart of Tournon. Breathtaking views of rolling hills and vineyards await you from each of the hotel's 16 rooms, which are beautifully furnished in luxe contemporary style with antique touches (parquet floors, original moldings, tasteful artwork, and some with handsome fireplaces) and modern amenities (spacious marble baths and large windows). A lovely in-house bar, with a sprawling outdoor terrace, offers a nice selection of local wines and nibbles, and the breakfast room, flooded with light reflecting off crisp white linens, is simply enchanting (as are the breakfasts). In warm weather, breakfast is served in the extensive, flower-strewn garden, with lovely views over the village. 

Established in 1850, the superbly located Londres has been run with pride by the same family for four generations, and guests are treated to a warm welcome by owners who go out of their way to make your stay pleasant. Charmingly homey yet elegant, the ample-sized rooms are tastefully decorated with antiques and Oriental rugs; some have fireplaces, and six have balconies with marvelous views of the Fontainebleau palace entrance and the Cour des Adieux, where Napoléon bade his troops an emotional farewell (the best views are from Rooms 10 and 11 on the top floor), especially when the palace is lit up at night. A spacious private courtyard is cool and serene in summer. The hotel's stately 19th-century facade is a registered landmark.

Prices at this small boutique hotel in an upscale neighborhood are fairly reasonable considering all you get—top-notch service, stylish and homey decor, a lively neighborhood, a variety of amenities, and some spectacular views.

Tucked in a picturesque corner of a chic, up-and-coming neighborhood ripe for exploration, this serenely beautiful hotel offers contemporary luxury with clean lines and uncluttered spaces designed by French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. Rooms—some with terraces overlooking the pretty church across the way—benefit from the warm earthiness of fine natural materials: organic wool carpets, snowy linens, and marble bathrooms with tubs make for a peaceful oasis unusual in an urban hotel. Casual gourmet dining is just downstairs, next to the cozy lounge and bar, along with a chic bistro, bar, and library.

When you walk into the lobby of this sleek hotel, you may be too excited about the open space—a novelty at properties in this tiny fishing port—to notice the pool suspended 15 meters in the air, with its glass floor just over your head. Designed by Sybille de Margerie, rooms here combine today's technology with styling that's a throwback to the swinging 1960s and groovy 1970s—think white lacquer furniture paired with geometrics and colors. The selection of hip bars and lively restaurants will keep your palette interested, the Clarins spa will appeal to all the senses, and the free beach shuttle is a welcome bonus.

Flaunting a unique interior design masterminded by Alberto Pinto and an elite location in the upper part of town, just across the way from the famous Église Monolithe, this stunning Italianate mansion has long been considered the top hotel in St-Émilion. Public areas and appealing guest rooms are a symphony of tangerines, beiges, and blacks; many rooms come with their own terrace overlooking the tile roofs of the town. Four rooms and one suite are located in the picturesque Residence Pavie, set amid vines two miles from St-Émilion, while the Suite House, located on a cobbled street a five-minute walk from the main reception desk, comprises seven contemporary-styled suites. The hotel's restaurant, La Table de Pavie, (closed Sunday and Monday) boasts two Michelin stars and there's also a less formal wine bar and restaurant, L'Envers du Décor.