The Best Hotel in Rocamadour, The Dordogne

Certainly the most spectacular château-hotel in the Dordogne, this Relais & Châteaux outpost sits amid Baroque gardens perched over the Dordogne River. Located in Lacave, 11 km (7 miles) northwest of Rocamadour, La Treyne was nearly destroyed in the 16th-century Wars of Religion but reconstructed under Louis XIII. Today the Michelin-starred restaurant (no lunch except Sunday) is a feast of crystal, Aubusson tapestries, and Louis XIII chairs with endless views over the river (breakfasts are served in the luminous Salon Vert). In warm weather, dining on the terrace with spectacular views of the Dordogne is not to be missed. Stylish guest rooms range from the stunning Prison Doreé (or "Golden Prison," set atop the castle tower) and the hyper-charming Soleil Levant (the former chapel, now glowing in historic golds and yellows) to a deluxe suite with gorgeous antiques and views over the river.