5 Best Hotels in Toulouse and the Languedoc, France

English expatriates Rob and Jason have lovingly turned this 19th-century maison vigneronne into a calm, airy retreat where the subtle color scheme of blues and grays echoes nearby seascapes over the Bassin de Thau. A stone staircase leads to just four air-conditioned bedrooms (one with a sunny penthouse terrace and two with free-standing tubs while the others with walk-in showers) over two upper floors. High-thread count Egyptian cotton linens ensure a cool sleep. Gilt-framed mirrors, original artwork, chandeliers, and big table lamps offset rooms with dark wooden beams. There's a quirky intellectual library of high-brow paperbacks in the open-plan kitchen-lounge, where a rather lavish breakfast of fresh fruit and freshly pressed juices, bread, croissants, and cold cuts is served. Jason can be persuaded to provide eggs to your liking after his morning visit to Mèze's local produce market. There's no bar, but free water and soft drinks are provided in a shared fridge, which you're welcome to stock with drinks of your choice.

Original hardwood floors and conservatively fine interiors make a night at Castell Rose feel like staying with a modern-day French bourgeois family. Complete with tennis courts, swimming pool, and pretty gardens, the atmosphere is genteel yet welcoming—and just a 10-minute walk from Prades' city center. Breakfast is included.

This Belle Époque château turned postmodern B&B was once the mayor's residence and surrounded by sprawling vineyards. Now encased by a quiet residential neighborhood, it offers luxury repose within walking distance of Perpignan's center; guest rooms range from a romantic converted chapel to a tri-level tower promising 360-degree views of the revered Canigou peak, and in-room perks include minibars stocked with bottles of the locally prestigious Château Valmy. A scrumptious breakfast is available at extra cost.

At the base of the Cirque du Cambre d’Aze (an extra-impressive glacially formed peak) is an immaculately restored stone farmhouse turned eco-lodge that combines comfort and design. This affordable abode welcomes hikers, skiers, adventurers, and travelers seeking fresh mountain air. In the evenings, guests meet around the inn’s oak tables for meals entirely sourced by local farmers and organic producers. The inn offers several comfort levels from standard double-occupancy rooms (only available during summer) to custom-designed yurts (breakfast not included) with cloth walls and wood floors. 

Don't let the bland street-front facade of this late-1800s town house deter you—inside, the renovated interior mixes stately original attributes with contemporary edges, and natural light spills in from the quiet gardens and terrace with front-row views of snowcapped Mont Canigou. Although all four rooms are spacious and combine modern style with nice antique details, the upstairs Terrace Suite stands out with its glassed-in Florida room and outdoor terrace.