France’s most beautiful palaces: our favourite hotels

1. Villa La Coste, Provence | The contemporary palace in all its splendor

The story? Irishman Patrick McKillen, a major contemporary art collector and Provence enthusiast who owns the 200-hectare, organically farmed Château La Coste vineyard, didn't stop there, buying Villa La Coste in the spring of 2017, 15 km from Aix-en-Provence. Tadao Ando designed the Art Center, a central building surrounded by a lake featuring a giant spider by Louise Bourgeois and a mobile by Calder. Jean Nouvel designed the new winery, Jean-Michel Wilmotte transformed the old winery into an exhibition hall, Renzo Piano imagined the glass-and-concrete photo pavilion, and Frank Gehry the music pavilion... What a line-up!

Style? Nothing like a traditional palace: 28 Villas Suites with patios and terraces - and 10 with swimming pools - are set around the main building of blond stone and glass. The ultra-contemporary decor features furnishings signed by the greatest names in design, and raw marble in the bathrooms. In the main building, the lounge, library and restaurant feature creations by Jean Nouvel, Jean Prouvé, a sculpture by Louise Bourgeois....and more than 30 major contemporary works punctuate the garrigue between oaks, olive trees, pines and vineyards.

We particularly like Villa La Coste?

• The artistic dimension of Château La Coste, unique in France with its major names in architecture and contemporary art
• Immersion in the heart of a 130-hectare vineyard
• The restaurant led by Argentine chef Francis Mallmann, a master in the art of wood-fired cooking
• The kitchen garden designed by Louis Benech, which supplies fresh produce to the kitchens of the estate's various restaurants
• The incomparable elegance of the suites, 10 of which offer the ultimate luxury of private pools
• The beautiful spa, where blond oak, natural stone, marble and natural light play a sober, chic score under a large photo of Picasso in a yellow bathrobe.

So many assets that make Villa La Coste one of the most beautiful hotels in Provence, and beyond the region, one of the most beautiful addresses in France.

Villa La Coste
From €700 per night for a Pavillon suite.
2750 Route de la Cride, 13610 Le Puy-Sainte-Réparade

2. Airelles Saint-Tropez, Château de la Messardière | The rebirth of a luxury hotel by Airelles

The Château de la Messardière is a veritable jewel in the heights of Saint-Tropez, offering breathtaking panoramic views of the gulf and surrounding area. One of only 4 on the Côte d'Azur, this Palace-class establishment enjoys a privileged location close to the beaches of Pampelonne and the village of Ramatuelle.

The hotel offers 99 luxurious rooms, suites and private villas, combining elegance and modernity. Even the first category of rooms (superior rooms / 20 m²) offer a breathtaking view of the estate's gardens, the vineyards of Ramatuelle or the sea. The rooms are decorated with refinement, blending authentic style with Provencal touches, and equipped with a balcony or terrace, so you can enjoy the surrounding landscape in complete tranquillity.

The grounds of Château de la Messardière extend over 12 hectares, offering spectacular views of the Mediterranean and surrounding hills. Centuries-old trees, fountains and sculptures make it an ideal place for nature lovers to stroll, while sports enthusiasts can enjoy a game of tennis.

Château de la Messardière also offers an exceptional culinary experience with its restaurants: La Table de La Messardière, Matsuhisa Saint-Tropez, La Table d'Estoublon, Jardin Tropezina and the Palladio restaurant that offers Italian dishes in a warm and friendly atmosphere, before chilling out in the Pool Bar or Bar 1904, the hotel's legendary bar. For lovers of well-being, the Valmont spa at Château de la Messardière is a haven of peace, offering a wide range of treatments and massages in an enchanting setting. The indoor pool, sauna and hammam also offer incomparable relaxation, with state-of-the-art equipment such as the seawater levitation bath, osteopathy sessions or the Iyashi Dôme Japanese sauna.

Airelles Saint-Tropez, Château de la Messardière
99 keys, from €1250 per night
2 Route de Tahiti, 83990 Saint-Tropez

3. Hôtel Royal, Evian Resort | A palace between lake and mountains

The story? Majestically perched above Evian, overlooking Lake Geneva and skirting the peaks of the Alps, at the heart of the 19-hectare park that makes up the Evian Resort complex, Hôtel Royal was considered the most beautiful hotel in the world when it was inaugurated in 1909, and was named Royal in honor of King Edward VII of England. Sadly, King Edward VII disappeared a few months after its inauguration, never to return. The hotel nevertheless welcomed the world's gotha and artists in the years and decades that followed.

The style? The 2015 renovation by architects François Champsaur and François Châtillon blends historical heritage and design while respecting the palatial spirit of the premises. The 150 rooms, including 31 suites, have been given a gentle facelift, using beautiful materials. As for the 1910 furniture, it has been restored or redone identically. Many works of art dot the spaces, and the frescoes in the lounges have been restored to their original blue. Three restaurants headed by chef Patrice Vander vie for guests' attention: Les Fresques, awarded a Michelin star in 2018, the elegantly chic brasserie La Véranda and the poolside Oliveraie.

Plus points? The golf course, with its remarkable views, hosts the Evian Masters Golf Club, a women's tournament that attracts the world's best female golfers, and the Spa Evian Source, with its 24 treatment rooms, two pools (indoor and outdoor) and an aquatic course.

Hôtel Royal - Evian Resort
From €320 per night.
960, avenue du Léman, 74500 Neuvecelle

4. Hôtel Plaza Athénée, Paris 8th | The haute couture palace on Avenue Montaigne

The story? Since its inauguration in 1913, the sublime Parisian palace has been accustomed to constant innovation and renewal. In 1936, the Plaza Athénée opened its chic brasserie, Le Relais Plaza, a copy of the restaurant on the ocean liner Le Normandie. With the arrival of Christian Dior on Avenue Montaigne in 1947, a new era began: the Plaza became the hotel of fashion and art. The year 2000 saw the installation of Alain Ducasse, who was awarded three Michelin stars. On October 2013, the hotel closes for expansion. Reopened in 2014, 14 new rooms and suites bring the total number of keys to 208.

The style? Elegant above all, with a very "Haute Couture" positioning, as evidenced by the series of portraits of great couturiers and models hanging on the first floor. The renovation of Avenue Montaigne's most beautiful hotel by architect Jean-Jacques Ory, interior designer Bruno Moinard and Marie-José Pommereau for the rooms and apartments has helped accentuate the palace's timeless spirit. The first six floors are in the Haussmann style, while the last two have been renovated in Art Deco style, including the seventh floor, recently designed by Bruno Moinard.

Highlights? The Christian Dior spa with 6 cabins, including one double, a beauty and wellness salon also open to outside guests, the Galerie and the patio where you can enjoy a club sandwich, a salad or a cup of tea to see and be seen! The Relais Plaza, where slates can be shared at the bar, and of course Jean Imbert's Michelin-starred restaurant, where the "chef to the stars" revisits the great classics of French gastronomy. At La Cour Jardin, open from May to October on the terrace in the heart of the Plaza hotel, the summer-colored menu features a focus on plants.

Good to know? Like Le Meurice, the historic palace on rue de Rivoli, the hotel is a member of the Dorchester Collection, which has properties in London, Rome, Milan and Los Angeles.

Hôtel Plaza Athénée - Dorchester Collection
From €1,050 for a Superior room.
25, Avenue Montaigne, 75008 Paris

5. La Réserve Ramatuelle | The new-generation Mediterranean palace

The story? La Réserve Ramatuelle, the Mediterranean cousin of the Geneva, Paris and Zurich establishments, is set in a vast estate rising up the hill and overlooking the Mediterranean. Architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte's masterful metamorphosis of a derelict 1970s building into a 21st-century luxury hotel is a true masterpiece. He has preserved the building's exterior appearance, with its dramatically raised roofs, but has done away with everything else! The 27 rooms and suites, not to mention the 14 villas with private swimming pools overlooking the Mediterranean, also flourish in this exceptional environment.

Style? Thanks to the huge bay windows that occupy two of the four sides of the building in the lobby, restaurant and bar, the Mediterranean is the star of this new-generation palace. Balconies lined with glass panels give the impression of floating between sky and sea. The colors are discreet: in the common areas and in the 8 rooms and 19 suites, a range of whites, sands and taupes are used. Each room, ranging in size from 50 to 100^m2, has a balcony or terrace overlooking the blue horizon and the immense hillside pool below.

Highlights? The 1,000 m2 Nescens spa, the aromatic gardens where lavender, thyme and rosemary blossom... and the La Voile restaurant, led by two-starred chef Éric Canino, offering a range of Mediterranean flavours. And let's not forget the concierge service for children staying in the villa.

La Réserve Ramatuelle
From €850 per night.
Chemin de la Quessine 83350 Ramatuelle

6. Airelles Courchevel, Les Airelles | A palace straight out of a fairytale

The story? In 1988, Raymonde Fenestraz, "Madame", a shrewd businesswoman, had the idea of creating Les Airelles, a luxury hotel ideal for accommodating the officials of the 1992 Olympic Games. Stéphane Courbit, ex-CEO of Endemol and creator of Airelles Collection, acquired the hotel in 2007. Several tens of millions of euros of work later, Les Airelles was rejuvenated and embellished by interior designer Christophe Tollemer (La Bastide de Gordes, the restaurants of the Pan Deï hotels in Saint-Tropez and the Palais Royal in Paris). Even today, more than any other hotel, Les Airelles symbolizes the spirit of excess of Courchevel 1850 (the resort has five "Palace" establishments among its twenty or so 5-star hotels).

The style? With its Austrian fairytale castle look - staff dressed in Tyrolean costumes, pastel-colored exterior walls featuring frescoes of deer and foxes, carved wooden balconies - Les Airelles seems timeless. Today, the hotel boasts 48 rooms and suites, including the 550m2 Private Apartment. Dining takes center stage with four restaurants, including the Table des Airelles and its famous "Festin du midi" with its gargantuan buffets, Le Carrara, La Cave des Grands Crus offering a unique culinary concept, and last but not least, the aptly named Coin Savoyard in the mountains, where regional specialties take pride of place. On foot, on skis or by car, don't miss the on-slope restaurant Le Chalet de Pierres, or, as additional options, Nama and La Folie Douce.

What's more? Ultra-luxurious arrival gifts: Fusalp down jacket, Santa Maria Novella perfumes, the luxurious 200m2 Bernard Orcel ski room and La Mer spa with pool, indoor and outdoor Jacuzzi, hammam, sauna, waterfall and snow grotto.

Airelles Courchevel, Les Airelles
48 keys, from €1,700 for a Classic Room with half board, including a unique mountain experience.
Rue du Jardin Alpin, 73120 Courchevel

7. Cheval Blanc Saint-Tropez | The ultra chic tropezian palace

The story? Acquired in 2016 by LVMH Hotel Management, La Résidence de la Pinède had everything it took to join the prestigious Cheval Blanc collection imagined by Bernard Arnault (Cheval Blanc Courchevel, Cheval Blanc Randheli since 2013 in the Maldives and Cheval Blanc St-Barth in 2014). Opening in May 2019, Cheval Blanc Saint-Tropez belongs to the exclusive club of waterfront hotels on the Saint-Trop' peninsula. Today, it is one of four "Palace" hotels in and around the Var village, alongside Byblos Saint-Tropez, La Réserve Ramatuelle (see above) and Château de la Messardière.

The style? Two architects, Jean-Michel Wilmotte and Francois Vieillecroze, worked to rewrite the place for a flawless result, skilfully preserving the soul of La Pinède. The works of Roger Capron, the famous ceramic artist, have stood the test of time. Throughout the hotel, intense blue echoes the Mediterranean, while wood and stone are the stars. We love the graphic carpets adorning the 30 rooms and suites, most of which have a terrace or large balcony.

The plus points? The white-sand beach, the infinity pool, the Guerlain spa offering a wide range of treatments and the two restaurants designed by Arnaud Donckele. La Vague d'Or is the only restaurant in Saint-Tropez to boast three Michelin stars. As for La Terrasse, it's the ideal spot for an informal lunch by the beach.

Cheval Blanc Saint-Tropez
From €850 per night.
Plage de la Bouillabaisse, 83990 Saint-Tropez