20 Luxury French Hotels Outside of Paris That Are Worth a Special Trip

Perpetually ranked as one of the world’s most popular destinations, France sees 90 million visitors each year who come to revel in the country’s rich culture, history, and culinary delights. With dreamy hotels showcasing the French art de vivre, the hospitality experience is an undeniable part of the allure.

Looking for a sun-kissed Provençal escape? A culinary retreat in the Loire Valley? A history-drenched hideaway in Versailles? A palatial stunner on the Riviera? You’ll find these standout establishments and more on this curated list of the 20 best hotels in France—part of our Hotels We Love series of the best hotels and resorts. (Paris, whose hotel scene warrants a guide of its own, has its own separate list.) These hotels span diverse geographical regions, including the Riviera, Alps, Champagne, Provence, and Lyon.

Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle

Courtesy of Le Grande Controle

Millions of annual visitors flock to the Chateau de Versailles, but how many get to sleep on the domain itself? Launched in 2021, Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle occupies a 17th-century building that once housed Louis XIV’s finance minister. A major restoration didn’t just polish the parquet. It also recreated a royal realm based on archival research: the Royal Manufacture de Limoges designed tableware based on Louis XV’s plates, artisans crafted replicas of Marie Antoinette’s chandeliers, and Maison Pierre Frey reproduced the original wallpaper.

The Michelin-starred restaurant continues the immersion in regal splendor. Alain Ducasse orchestrated “the King’s Feast” with pageantry, as waiters in period costume serve a parade of traditional dishes based on Louis XIV’s favorites. The 13 guest rooms and suites are decorated with four-poster beds, marble fireplaces, and museum-worthy antiques. Airelles offers an array of exclusive experiences, from guided horseback riding tours through the Versailles gardens to the “Marie Antoinette” day complete with pampering at the Valmont Spa. Don’t miss the after-hours tour of the palace.—Mary Winston Nicklin

The Carlton, a Regent Hotel

Courtesy of Carlton Cannes, a Regent Hotel

The Carlton is part and parcel of the history of Cannes. The cream-colored confection—its twin domes said to be inspired by a famous courtesan’s breasts—was the first luxury hotel to open in 1913, effectively making Cannes a summer beach destination. Over the years, the star-studded guest list has included Hollywood’s crème de la crème, starting with Grace Kelly and Cary Grant when Alfred Hitchcock filmed To Catch a Thief, and to this day, it hosts the jury of the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.

Reopened in 2023 after a restoration project that lasted five years, the 332-room hotel is making waves anew on La Croisette. There are two new wings, a Mediterranean garden, an infinity pool, a conference center, and the C Club Fitness and Spa, which has the city’s first boxing ring. Designer Tristan Auer recruited the finest French craftspeople to buff, polish, and restore the gold leaf, chandeliers, and acres of marble. When you need to recharge, there’s no better vantage point to admire the Big Blue than the love seats in front of the French windows (72 rooms have sea views). Read Afar’s full list of top hotels in the French Riviera.—MWN

Domaine des Etangs, Auberge Collection

Courtesy of Domaine des Etangs, Auberge Collection

Once the vacation home for the late French billionaire Didier Primat, this estate with a restored 13th-century castle was taken over by his daughter Garance and overhauled into a vast nature-focused retreat in the same spirit as Primland, her resort in Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Domaine des Etangs, on 2,471 acres of wooded parkland, combines a working farm, a sculpture park with a dozen artworks, a gallery for art exhibitions, Gallo-Roman–inspired thermal baths, gourmet restaurant Les Dyades, and world-class accommodations.

There are seven suites in the castle and farmhouse, as well as six private residences spread out across the property, each with one to five bedrooms. While it’s tempting to spend the entire stay outdoors, the castle’s common areas beckon. The game room has a billiards table and trunks full of toys, board games, and costumes for children. There’s a cozy library meant for lingering, a cigar room, and a grand staircase, all of which display works by European artists Hans Peter Feldmann, Thomas Ruff, and Henri Matisse and such scientific objects as astronomical instruments and celestial globes—mostly from Garance’s personal collection.—Lindsey Tramuta

Fleur de Loire

Courtesy of Fleur de Loire

There are hotels with destination restaurants and iconic chefs and then there are destination restaurants that happen to have rooms. Fleur de Loire is a labor of love from chef Christophe Hay on the Loire River that falls somewhere in between. Following his time at La Maison d’à Côté, the award-winning restaurant and inn he ran for eight years in nearby Montlivault, he aimed bigger, taking over this 54,000-square-foot former hospice from the 17th century, erected at the behest of Louis XIII’s brother, Gaston d’Orléans. Hay turned it into both the new home for his fine dining restaurant and a Relais & Châteaux hotel & spa.

The gastronomically focused hotel offers 44 rooms and suites, plus 2 multicourse restaurants and a pastry shop that use produce from his 2.5-acre permaculture garden nearby. A Sisley spa includes an indoor and outdoor pool. Environmental considerations go beyond limiting waste and working with local ingredients: The hotel runs on a closed water cooling system that doesn’t require contact with the air. Reservoirs for rainwater allow staff to water the garden while the energy for the building is sourced entirely from wind power. In the guest rooms, amenities come from a local soapmaker, the Savonnerie des Muids, whose products are composed of oils, vinegars, and honey from the Loire (they’re presented in refillable containers). Wood used for furniture throughout the property was drawn from certified sustainable forestry operations.

The design, dreamed up by the architect and decorator Caroline Tissier, masterfully evokes the serenity of the river. She made liberal use of wood, brass, and stone and played up a soft aquatic-gold color palette in common areas and restaurants. Rooms have carpets and linens in sandy tones and nature-inspired custom wallpapers—ideal spots to rest after a memorable meal.—LT

Hôtel Crillon le Brave

Courtesy of Hôtel Crillon le Brave

This hideaway in the foothills of the Mont Ventoux in Provence is more than an idyllic getaway. It aims to connect travelers to the heart of the picturesque 17th-century village it’s named after, Crillon-le-Brave. The hotel is made up of nine interlocking stone houses enveloped in fragrant climbing plants, connected by intimate squares and cobblestone alleyways. The 17 guest rooms, 17 suites, and private house were designed by Tunisian architect Charles Zana with a Provençal style and a residential feel: terra-cotta tiles, exposed wooden beams, antique furnishings, embroidered throw pillows and curtains, and a soft color palette.

There isn’t a bad view from any guest room, restaurant (there are two on-site dining options), or pool lounger: The Vaucluse’s vineyards and olive groves below are omnipresent. When guests aren’t off strolling the footpaths beneath the village, cycling Mont Ventoux, or relaxing by the pool, they might enjoy the Tata Harper spa, which occupies the estate’s former 18th-century vaulted stables.—LT

Hôtel du Palais

Courtesy of Hôtel du Palais

On the Atlantic coast near the Spanish border, Biarritz is a beguiling mix of glamour and chill surfer vibes. This ambience is embodied in the Hôtel du Palais, a landmark on the Grande Plage that’s closely linked to its setting. The hotel was originally built in the mid 19th century as an imperial villa for Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, who transformed the seaside town into a fashionable resort frequented by monarchs and exiled Russian aristocrats. The Villa Eugénie later became a luxury hotel, and to this day, the beau monde hold court at this sumptuous seaside address.

Part of the Unbound Collection by Hyatt, this Palace-classified hotel completed a four-year renovation in 2021, restoring not only the facade and slate roof but also the period furniture, tapestries, and signature blue carpet—adorned with Napoleon III’s imperial bees—on the grand staircase and hallways connecting the 86 rooms and 56 suites. The chandelier alone (weighing 904 pounds) in the Bar Napoléon III required some 250 hours of restoration work. A full-time team of artisans looks after the furnishings, and guests can even participate in regular gilding workshops to learn about the craft.

The ocean panoramas are framed through enormous windows in La Rotonde, the restaurant that celebrity chef Alain Ducasse once called “the world’s most beautiful dining room.” Orchestrating the kitchens since 2024, chef Christophe Scheller spins up creative dishes using local products like freshly caught John Dory and foie gras from Les Landes. Notable accoutrements include a heated outdoor pool with direct beach access and a sprawling, five-level spa with a counter-current pool and Guerlain treatments. When the waves are glassy, the hotel can set you up with surf lessons.—MWN

Hôtel Les Lumières

Courtesy of Hôtel Les Lumières

Housed in two historic mansions in front of the Palace of Versailles, Les Lumières channels the Age of Enlightenment in name and spirit. The 31 guest rooms reference the era’s famous figures, like French mathematician d’Alembert, in paintings and books among the velvet sofas and damask-covered headboards selected by designer Didier Benderli. Amenities aim for relaxation: yoga mats, weighted blankets, loose-leaf Kodama teas, and in-room Morphée relaxation devices loaded with guided meditations.

The concierge team can arrange an array of insider experiences in Versailles, from private palace tours to craft workshops. But you may just want to relax with a book in the library or unwind in the spa, the first by Beau Domaine, Brad Pitt’s premium skincare brand. Don’t miss a meal at La Table des Lumières, where French chef Erwan Le Thomas’s reverence for terroir is evident in his extensive use of locally sourced vegetables. Upstairs, the Pierre Hermé Cafe fills up with champagne-seeking locals on their way to the Royal Opera of Versailles.

Les Lumières is part of Relais & Châteaux and the French hospitality group 2L Collection, whose five properties include Le Cinq Codet in Paris, Château de Fonscolombe in Provence, and Château d’Audrieu in Normandy.—MWN

InterContinental Lyon – Hôtel-Dieu

Courtesy of InterContinental Lyon - Hotel Dieu

A prominent historical landmark in central Lyon got a new lease on life when it was reborn as the InterContinental Lyon – Hôtel-Dieu in 2019. Located on the Presqu’île at the confluence of the Rhône and Saône rivers, the Grand Hôtel-Dieu had operated as a hospital for eight centuries before the premises were vacated in 2010. The building is significant to locals—an estimated one in three Lyonnais alive today was born here.

The project required five years and a total of 800 workers to transform the Hôtel-Dieu into a neighborhood hub with restaurants, boutiques, and the Cité Internationale de la Gastronomie museum. The transformation included the addition of the 144-room hotel, its interiors designed by Jean-Philippe Nuel, known for turning heritage sites into hotels (e.g., the Molitor in Paris). The contemporary decor reflects the city’s history; for example, the silk accents are a nod to the historic silk weaving industry. Duplex Suites have 20-foot windows that frame views of the Rhône River.

Linger over a drink at Le Dôme, a bar housed under the soaring vaulted ceilings of the building’s former chapel. The Panthéon cocktail, made with St.-Germain liqueur, vodka, white tea, and a house-made champagne syrup, pays homage to Jacques-Germain Soufflot, the architect who designed both the Paris landmark and the Hôtel Dieu’s 18th-century facade.—MWN

La Bastide de Gordes

Courtesy of La Bastide de Gordes

The France-based Airelles collection of hotels is known for dreaming up prestigious properties in historic destinations; La Bastide de Gordes in the ancient hilltop town of Gordes in the Luberon is among its most iconic. Here, 18th-century Provence lives on—literally. It’s woven into the decor, which is full of antique furniture and accessories sourced from nearby L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue markets and ancestral portraits and floral wallpaper. Staff wear either earth-toned culottes and vests with straw hats or floral bodices and flowy beige skirts.

On the hotel’s sprawling terrace, a showstopping swimming pool—one of the most spectacular hotel pools in France—is surrounded by dry stone walls and century-old olive and cypress trees, which makes each lap feel downright cinematic. (Adults will be happy to know there is a separate small pool for children and another pool in the Guerlain spa.) Dining is taken as seriously as wellness, with seven on-site options ranging from the Mediterranean-focused La Table de la Bastide to LeTiGrr, which focuses on Japanese, Vietnamese, and Thai flavors. The hotel is a five-minute walk from the main part of town, which includes an outpost of Jean-François Piège’s popular Parisian restaurant Clover.—LT

La Nauve, Hôtel & Jardin

Courtesy of La Nauve

The 2023 opening of La Nauve was a big deal for Cognac, a town historically lacking in luxury lodgings. It took four years of restoration work to convert a former cognac distillery and merchant’s mansion into a handsome, 12-room Relais & Châteaux hotel that’s now part of the French-owned Almae Collection. Cognac-based architect Éric Daigre sourced local materials and hired area craftspeople to transform the interiors, which showcase a refurbished central staircase of gleaming white Avy Blanc limestone. Fourth-generation cabinet-maker Christian Thierry Drevelle fashioned doors and custom closets in intricate patterns inlaid with the wood of a giant sequoia felled during a storm. Its 150-year-old twin tree, still standing sentry over the house, is the hotel’s symbol, honored in artwork in the guest rooms.

The 11-acre gardens, with its fruit trees and heirloom vegetables, stretch toward the banks of the Charente River. Guests can take the hotel’s boat into the town center in 20 minutes or paddle a canoe on the canal near the hotel’s fishery; other options: explore the area with one of the hotel’s e-bikes or loll in the heated swimming pool between May and September.

The gardens are central to chef Anthony Carballo’s cuisine. Having trained under top chefs Yannick Alléno and Philippe Labbé in Paris, Carballo is as serious about gastronomy as he is gardening. Evening tasting menus at his Notes restaurant are designed based on the harvest. His seasonal cooking is also showcased at Brasserie des Flâneurs, where dishes like braised beef cheek and winter vegetable fricassée are best followed by a cream-filled pastry dessert of Paris-Brest.—MWN

La Ferme Saint Siméon Hôtel & Spa

Courtesy of La Ferme Saint Siméon Hôtel & Spa

A popular destination on the Seine Estuary in Normandy, the picturesque port of Honfleur draws visitors keen to soak up the charm of the half-timbered houses and cobbled streets. La Ferme Saint Siméon, once an inn that housed artists including Claude Monet and now a luxe Relais & Châteaux property, is a family-run hotel that still lives and breathes art through its artist residencies and outdoor exhibitions. The grounds are made for strolling, with the same Seine views that famous artists captured on canvas. In the chef’s garden, the hotel opened a wellness area in summer 2025, so guests can soak in the Jacuzzi amid the herbs, before retreating to an old artist’s studio that’s been converted into a sauna and hammam.

The 35 guest rooms and suites, located in the main house and in several outbuildings, are dressed in country-chic furnishings—some of the bathrooms have hammams. Standouts include the Ciels de Seine suite (No. 57) and No. 53, both equipped with fireplaces and Jacuzzis, while No. 53 also has a home cinema.

Chef Matthieu Pouleu is a talent to watch. He serves traditional Norman comfort food at La Boucane, including chicken cooked in cream with apples. Monet depicted the restaurant in La Charrette. Route sous la neige à Honfleur, now hanging in the Orsay Museum. Or opt for a multi-course affair at his fine dining restaurant, Les Impressionistes, with tables designed like painters’ palettes.

Overseen by the third generation of the Boelen family, the Collection Saint-Siméon also includes the Hôtel Saint-Delis, Auberge de la Source, and Le Vieux Honfleur, one of the oldest restaurants in France, set directly on the Old Port.—MWN

Les Bassans

Photo by Tiphaine Caro

Originally built as a private home in the 1920s and run as a hotel for decades, this French seaside villa in Perros-Guirec was restored and reborn as Les Bassans, the first property in Brittany from the French-owned Fontenille Collection. Although it opened in June 2025, Les Bassans was years in the making for hoteliers Frédéric Biousse and Guillaume Foucher, who scoured the peninsula before they landed on this historic retreat on the Pink Granite Coast along the English Channel.

The bones of the hotel feel anchored to the destination’s history while the interiors have a timeless style with contemporary comforts that travelers expect. The restoration spotlights original features, like slate roofs and decorative granite cornerstones, along with modern additions, including dark wood-paneled walls, mosaic floors, and brass fixtures. With waterfront views from every room, Les Bassans gives travelers a new reason to explore this northern slice of Brittany’s windswept cliffs and dramatic tides. And given that this is one of only a few upscale boutique properties in the area, and the most recent, it’s likely to be a draw for its other services too: a sea-to-table restaurant and sea-facing spa with Nordic bath, saunas, and treatments by French clean-beauty brand Alaena. Read Afar’s full review of Les Bassans.—LT

Les Fermes de Marie

Courtesy of Les Fermes de Marie

The Alpine town of Megève has had a reputation for luxury since the 1920s, when Baroness de Rothschild fashioned it as a ski resort to rival Switzerland’s St. Moritz. But what makes Les Fermes de Marie stand out here is its intimate hospitality. The family-run Maisons & Hotels Sibuet group, which has its roots the French Alps, rescued a number of at-risk high-altitude farms, dismantling them in the mountain pastures and reassembling them as a hamlet on a four-acre estate in Megève. Opened in 1989, Les Fermes de Marie is a celebration of heritage that channels the fairy-tale ambience of Megève: horse-drawn carriages, cobblestone streets, traditional Savoyard houses.

The deep sense of place is reflected in the design: warm woods, fur throws on fireside leather couches, weavings on walls. Some of the 70 guest rooms have terraces for admiring the snow-capped peaks. For après-ski, the Pure Altitude Spa offers ofuro baths, an outdoor sauna, and a birch tree–lined relaxation room, while the Pure Altitude product line harnesses the natural antioxidant powers of mountain plants such as edelweiss. Les Fermes de Marie is known as an all-season wellness destination with specialized retreats and treatment programs dedicated to healthy aging and natural beauty. Maisons Sibuet also offers a collection of luxury chalets in the area with five-star Fermes de Marie hotel services, including daily breakfasts, afternoon snacks, concierge services, and housekeeping.—MWN

Les Prés d’Eugénie

Courtesy of Les Prés d’Eugénie

Though the healing waters of Eugénie-les-Bains have been appreciated since Roman times, it was the Empress Eugénie who put the town back on the map for modern travelers in the 19th century. In the 1970s, Michel and Christine Guérard developed an old spa hotel into Les Prés d’Eugénie, a sought-after destination, despite its rural location in the Landes. The Relais & Châteaux property’s restaurant, Michel Guérard, has held three Michelin stars since 1977, and the hotel’s culinary school offers an immersion in the “slimming cuisine” Guérard created (one of France’s most influential chefs, Guérard passed away in 2024). Today the domain is overseen by daughters Eléonore and Adeline.

There’s an elysian quality to this place. The 20-acre park, open to the public, has palm and banana trees. Assembled by Christine Guérard over her lifetime, the antiques collection is a melange of colorful Persian carpets, oil paintings, fine French cabinetry, and Asian objets d’art. At the spa, housed in a wood farmhouse, guests are treated to an herbal infusion after they’ve soaked in a thermal bath or indulged in a Sisley facial. An epic feast at the restaurant is choreographed by a staff who nurture a familial vibe. The 45 guest rooms, divided between the main building and several other houses, embody the Guérard ethos in thoughtful touches, such as beeswax candles made from the hotel’s beehives.—MWN

Les Sources de Cheverny

Courtesy of Les Sources de Cheverny

After the success of the spa-hotel Les Sources de Caudalie near Bordeaux comes an equally impressive addition to the Loire Valley from Alice Tourbier, whose sister founded the French skincare brand Caudalie, and her husband, Jérôme Tourbier. Set around a restored 18th-century manor house, Les Sources de Cheverny encompasses 110 acres of farmland and vines with guest rooms spread out among stone houses, converted barns, and wooden cabins with lake views.

There’s plenty for guests to do on the grounds, from biking and horseback riding to taking advantage of Caudalie’s signature wine-infused treatments in the spa. Off-property excursions include visits to Chambord as well as the Château de Cheverny, cycling itineraries along the Loire à Vélo’s more than 500 miles of bike paths, and wine-tasting excursions. But no visit is complete without a meal at Le Favori, the hotel’s gastronomic restaurant that earned a Michelin star for chef Frédéric Calmel’s seasonal ode to the Loire Valley terroir.—LT

Lily of the Valley

Courtesy of Lily of the Valley

The first property from father-daughter hoteliers Alain and Lucie Weill, which opened in 2019, is unlike any other in the area. A 20-minute drive from the heart of Saint-Tropez, Lily of the Valley is an ideal spot for those who want to feel slightly removed from the glitz and more embedded in wild nature. The Philippe Starck–designed hilltop hideaway sits at the end of a winding private drive in La Croix-Valmer on the southern corner of the coast, known for dramatic headlands and footpaths. Beneath it sits the Plage de Gigaro, a secluded three-mile stretch of sand that guests can access on foot, with the hotel’s complimentary shuttle, or on one of its electric bikes.

There are 38 guest rooms, 6 suites with private terraces or gardens, 8 pool suites with both a large private garden and pool, and a massive villa that sleeps 6. All accommodations jut out over the Mediterranean.

One of the retreat’s most defining features is its health and wellness programming, with retreats that range from 4 to 21 days. The half-acre Shape Club wellness complex has its own 80-foot pool, sleek fitness rooms for TRX and Pilates, advanced Biologique Recherche facial treatments, Ayurveda massages overseen by an award-winning masseur, and a plant-based restaurant. Guests also have access to in-residence sports coaches and dietitians who tailor programs for individual goals. Bonus: This is one of few properties in Saint-Tropez to remain open year-round.—LT

Maison Douce Époque

Photo by Arthur Joncour

Opened in summer 2025, Maison Douce Époque feels like a secret address for those in the know. A spectacular 1909 manor house, once owned by legendary perfumer François Coty, commands a hilltop on Mont-Canisy above Deauville, with panoramic views along the Côte Fleurie (“Flowered Coast”); on a clear day, they stretch across the Channel to the English coastline. A two-year restoration preserved the traditional, half-timbered Norman architecture while redesigning the interiors in a contemporary style punctuated with antique objets d’art. Owner Emmanuelle Bourgueil managed the iconic Carl Gustav in St. Bart’s for many years before selling it to the Barrière group. Her new passion project is an homage to her father, with the same number of rooms (14) as the St. Bart’s refuge he originally built. The hotel’s name nods to the Belle Époque, when the nearby seaside resort town of Deauville really took off.

Divided between the main house and the former stables, the guest rooms are named after famous literary figures who found inspiration in Normandy. (Prominent publisher Gaston Gallimard owned the neighboring Château Gabriel, where he entertained Marcel Proust before Yves Saint Laurent acquired it.) The pink-hued Proust suite, where the author’s In Search of Lost Time is stocked in the bookshelf, offers particularly good sea views from two armchairs positioned in front of a wall-size window.
window.

There’s a dreamy pool, tennis court, and spa featuring Bellefontaine and KOS Paris treatments. Cocktails made with local spirits are best enjoyed in front of the fire or on the sea-facing terrace. At Romanesque restaurant, chef Kévin Legoy, a native of Normandy who trained in Michelin-starred restaurants like the Ritz and Domaine Les Hauts de Loire, sources his ingredients within 100 miles of the hotel. Refined dishes, such as scallops with Jerusalem artichokes cooked in three ways, show off his artistry.—MWN

The Maybourne Riviera

Courtesy of Maybourne Riviera

Unveiled in 2021, the Maybourne Hotel Group’s first French hotel made a splash in the French Riviera, a region already known for its legendary hotels. The Maybourne Riviera‘s cliff-side location close to 1,000 feet above Roquebrune-Cap-Martin offers panoramic views of Monte Carlo, the Mediterranean, and the coastline curving into Italy. From every vantage point—the glass-enclosed restaurants, the infinity pool loungers, suite terraces—the visual montage is on full display.

Maybourne tapped French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte to transform a vacant property into a seasonal modernist hangout (open between mid-March and mid-November) filled with head-turning artwork. The 69 guest rooms and suites are done up in a contemporary style—the suites have furnished terraces that seem to float between the sea and sky. The pièce de résistance is ABC Kitchens Riviera, an outpost of chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s famed NYC restaurant, on the top floor.

In 2025, the hotel launched the Surrenne Riviera wellness and longevity club, following the 2024 debut of the Surrenne in London. More than a spa, it offers advanced, science-backed therapies and personalized treatments focused on longevity. Also new: La Môme Riviera, the hotel’s seasonal beach club, nearby in Cap Martin.—MWN

Royal Champagne

Courtesy of the Royal Champagne

When the Royal Champagne first opened in summer 2018 amid the region’s UNESCO-listed vineyards, it was the first wellness-focused destination retreat in champagne country. The 16,000-square-foot spa is outfitted with two swimming pools, a sauna, and mosaic-tiled hammam and offers treatments using Clarins Precious and myBlend products. In July 2025, the launch of a new hair spa, in partnership with luxury haircare line Flora Lab Paris, further elevated the wellness offerings.

The setting is steeped in history: This was the site of a coaching inn where the kings of France used to overnight when traveling to their coronations at the Reims cathedral; in the 19th century, Napoleon frequently stayed here. Built into a hillside, the Royal Champagne incorporates the historic property into the contemporary resort, which features a series of landscaped terraces. You can also appreciate the endless vine views from your private terrace (each of the 47 guest rooms has one). The decor by in-demand designer Sybille de Margerie (connected to the Taittinger Champagne family) references Napoleon in bumble bee emblems and the gold leaf ceiling in Le Royal, the Michelin-starred restaurant.

Small details take hospitality to the next level here: One touch of the in-room “Champagne Please” button and you’ll have a bottle delivered to your room. There’s also a Guest Experience Maker Team who can arrange private cellar visits in champagne houses that aren’t usually open to the public, and e-bikes available for a spin through the vineyards.—MWN

Tuba Club

Courtesy of Tuba Club

Tuba Club is the place to eat, drink, swim, and sleep in Marseille’s Les Goudes, a picturesque fishing village on the western edge of the Calanques National Park. And that’s exactly the point: Co-owners Greg Gassa and Fabrice Denizot say they created it with social gatherings in mind. Formerly a free-diving school frequented by noted French diver Jacques Mayol in the 1980s, Tuba Club consists of five cabins, a three-suite guesthouse, and a restaurant, all sitting directly on the Mediterranean Sea. The hotel revives the seaside hut vibe à la Corbusier with fresco work painted by Emmanuelle Luciani and a retro design scheme from interior designer Marion Mailaender.

Views aside, the big draw for locals is the food: chef Sylvain Roucayrol works wonders with seafood at the restaurant (get the red tuna tartare and don’t skip the Provençal cookies and mascarpone ice cream for dessert). Equally delicious is the menu of Mediterranean snacks on the terrace bar, Le Bikini. When guests aren’t dining or drinking, they’re likely luxuriating on yellow-and-white striped loungers at the water’s edge, or taking advantage of such outdoor activities as boating (with a Tuba-prepared picnic basket for snacks), paddleboarding, canoeing, hiking through the Calanques, or rock climbing.—LT