France: the most beautiful seaside hotels

U Capu Biancu, serenity at the end of the road

At the end of a slightly bumpy path winding through the maquis, you come upon 3 immaculate beaches, ribboned in an intimate bay lost between Porto Vecchio and Bonifacio. For over 30 years, the Limongi family has been welcoming guests to this secret paradise, a 4-star seaside hotel that's worth 5 and doesn't take itself too seriously. Its main asset? Its close links with nature: gardens filled with the scent of immortelle trees, where you can swing in a hammock, a chicken coop that supplies breakfast every day, water within reach, the maquis as a backdrop, and the vines of Vanessa Maloyer, former head sommelier and catering manager who trained in oenology and planted a vineyard herself, by hand, on the grounds of the Hôtel de Corse.

The sea is always a view from the hotel's infinity pool and straw hut, which opens every season just above the beach and the pontoon where outside guests disembark, attracted by Gadio EL Hadji's Mediterranean cuisine infused with inspirations from elsewhere. A fisherman delivers extra-fresh fish every day: denti, scorpion fish, sea bream, lobster... In the main restaurant, the queen of the menu is the black soup with squid ink. A real delight. Don't worry, Corsican charcuterie and cheeses are on every table, made expressly for the hotel by a local breeder.

How are the rooms? Range in size from small cocoons (16^m2) to suites (40^m2), each with its own terrace and the most beautiful sea views. Wood and copper, stone and brass, rattan and leather; colors too, from virginal white to turquoise blue, and a range of reds, oranges and yellows. Some suites boast a private heated swimming pool, while in another a jacuzzi frolics and in yet another a crackling fireplace. With family or friends, you can also rent one of the 5 villas with private pool, 3 km away.

Good to know? Tired of idleness? The owners love to share their island, whether it's for a fishing trip, a diving outing or simply a picnic in a wild cove.

5 things we loved about Capu Biancu

• The location, overlooking the sea and buried in the scent of the maquis.
• The fishermen's huts of the rooms and suites, and their sophisticated decor, for an intimacy conducive to rest and relaxation.
• Inventive cuisine that never strays too far from the richness of Corsican produce and the attention paid to producers and short supply chains.
• The beauty of untouched, unspoilt beaches, where you can indulge in activities as much as daydream in complete tranquillity.
• A commitment to sustainability: no non-reusable plastic, dispensers for welcome products and waste composted to feed the permaculture vegetable garden.

U Capu Biancu
From €350 per night
Domaine de Pozzoniello, 20169 Bonifacio

La Villa Calvi | One of Corsica's finest hotels

In the heart of the Balagne region, nestled high above the town, Villa Calvi is rightly considered one of the island's finest seaside hotels. A member of Relais et Châteaux, the 5-star hotel is surrounded by a three-hectare estate planted with pine and olive trees, offering a magnificent panorama of the citadel and the Monte-Grosso mountains. Comprising 48 rooms and suites, the villa boasts 5 swimming pools, a dreamy 500 m² spa, a heated indoor pool, parkland and the "La Table by La Villa" restaurant. What's on the menu? Seasonal Mediterranean produce served on a terrace with a breathtaking view of the bay.

Good to know? Private beach, tennis court, pool bar... This island-style villa has a lot to offer.

La Villa Calvi
48 keys, from €350 per night
La Villa, Chemin Notre Dame de la Serra, Calvi

Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel | The legend of Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

A mecca of Côte d'Azur glamour, this vast, verdant, seven-hectare setting perched at the tip of Cap Ferrat still attracts stars and royalty to its superb, immaculate interiors, designed by Pierre-Yves Rochon, a leading specialist in palace interiors. 74 rooms and suites - 8 with private pools - and a villa, guests come here to admire one of the finest views of the Mediterranean from the sumptuous terrace, and to sample the Michelin-starred cuisine of the Le Cap gourmet restaurant.

What makes the difference? The Club Dauphin and its 33-metre infinity pool, considered one of the finest in the Mediterranean.

Good to know? Since 2015, Four Seasons has been managing the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat (a 5-star luxury hotel). It is one of the Canadian brand's four hotels in France (along with the Four Seasons George V in Paris, the Four Seasons Megève and the Chalets du Mont d'Arbois and its restaurant, also in Megève).

Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel
74 rooms and villas. From €800 per night in low season.
71 Boulevard du Général de Gaulle, 06230 Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

Tiara Yaktsa, Théoule-sur-Mer | A romantic and confidential 5-star hotel

A 5-star Relais & Châteaux hotel perched on the coast, with a magnificent view of the Mediterranean and terraced gardens, you can feel the charm of a collector's home here. 5-star comfort and the intimate chic of a boutique hotel (only 22 rooms and suites) meet in a 1920s building decorated with a blend of Art Deco and Provencal architecture. Terraces, large bay windows overlooking the sea and oriental influences take you on a journey to Italy, Morocco and even China In addition to a heated infinity pool, a Sothys spa welcomes guests to the sister hotel, the Tiara Miramar, located just a few minutes from the Yaktsa.  Tiara Yaktsa was named Europe's most romantic hotel in the Traveller's Choice Awards in 2013.

What makes the difference? The hotel is home to a top-flight gourmet restaurant, L'Or Bleu, where chef Alain Montigny sublimates the most generous dishes the Provencal terroir has to offer.

Hôtel Tiara Yaktsa
21 rooms and suites from €325 per night.
6 Boulevard de l'Esquillon, 06590 Théoule-sur-Mer

Tiara Miramar Beach Hotel & Spa, Théoule-sur-Mer | A 5-star hotel with its feet in the water

The setting? At the foot of the Esterel Massif, one of the few places on the Côte d'Azur spared from rampant construction, a small cove with a private beach between two enormous red rocks is home to the Tiara Miramar, perched against the immensity of the Grande Bleue.

The style? A pink-grey façade that blends into the landscape, terraced gardens, a small cove hidden from view... the second Côte d'Azur pearl of the Tiara group, this 1930s resort hotel boasts an oriental-influenced décor: warm hues, moucharabiehs, precious textiles, marble bathrooms... A private beach, where you can enjoy the sea and the sun, far from the crowds.

Gastronomy? Vacations and their simplicity are celebrated on the edge of the creek at MoYa Beach for a refreshing stop-off on the way back from the pool or the beach. A few minutes away, in the grounds of the Tiara Yaktsa hotel, chef Alain Montigny glorifies the terroir of Provence at the gourmet restaurant L'Or Bleu (1 Michelin star).

Wellness? The Sothys spa is spread over two floors and covers 400^m2, with a fitness room, sauna and four treatment rooms, one of which is a double treatment room.

How many keys? 60 rooms and suites, 80% of which have views of the Mediterranean.the must? a magnificent 170 m² private villa, with oriental-influenced décor.

Tiara Miramar Beach Hotel & Spa
60 rooms and suites. From €215 per night
47 Avenue de Miramar, 06590 Théoule-sur-Mer

Castel Beau Site, Perros-Guirec | Côtes d'Armor's best-kept secret

Nestled in a cove in the Côtes d'Armor, Beau Site is one of Brittany's best-kept coastal secrets. Situated just a stone's throw from Perros-Guirec, you can set down your suitcases in this fully-renovated, brick-built boarding house dating from the late 1920s. Upstairs, 32 rooms and suites with modern decor, light wood floors, white walls and minimalist furnishings, all with a view of the English Channel. On the first floor, take a seat at La Table de mon Père, for a taste of chef Nicolas Le Luyer's nostalgic seafood cuisine.

What makes the difference? The ideal location for discovering the wonders of the Pink Granite Coast, including the unique nature reserve of the Sep-Îles archipel ago.

Castel Beau Site
32 rooms and suites. From 170€ per night.
137 Rue Saint-Guirec, 22700 Perros-Guirec

Castel Clara Thalasso & Spa, Belle-Île-en-Mer |Well-being and iodine retreat on Belle-Île

The mere mention of Belle-Île-en-Mer makes you long for the open sea. But where? At Castel Clara, a Relais & Châteaux thalasso hotel in Morbihan that almost seems to float above the ocean. Overlooking Goulphar Bay, the hotel has retained its seaside feel, with 63 luminous rooms and suites, decorated with a touch of kitsch and large bay windows to better admire the movement of the tides. For sustenance, you can sit down in the large dining room bathed in natural light, to discover the gastronomic treasures of the Bellilois terroir.

What makes the difference? A thalasso center with overflowing seawater pool and underwater jets, where you can indulge in one of the house's signature cures.

Castel Clara Thalasso & Spa
63 rooms and suites. From 145€ per night.
Port Goulphar, 56360 Bangor