Le Vieux Logis

A former private residence, Relais Christine is a charming boutique hotel nestled in Paris’ Left Bank in Saint-Germain des-Prés.

With just 48 rooms and suites, the hotel has a wonderfully intimate feel. Antique furnishings, rich fabrics and exquisite marble bathrooms give rooms an undeniably French feel, and some come with balconies from which to admire this corner of the capital.

The cosy lounge with fireplace is the perfect place to relax with a morning coffee and the papers, or a glass of wine before you set off to discover the Latin Quarter which lies right on your doorstep.

A paved courtyard sits between the front and back buildings and leads to the entrance. A beautiful garden, accessible to only a few hotel guests, is a real oasis of calm where greenery is laced across the walls and flowers tumble from the balconies above.

There is also a Guerlain spa with Jacuzzi, sauna, exercise room and private treatment rooms where you can relax and unwind.

Located between Amboise and Tours, the Château de Noizay sits within 24 hectares and is surrounded by the vineyards of the Vouvray estate.

There are 19 rooms spread across two buildings, the main château and the Pavillon de l’Horloge. They are traditional in style with rich fabrics, period furniture and ornate detailing and many of them look out over the hotel gardens.

The restaurant is a real celebration of French cuisine with a menu that follows the seasons and a larder bursting with fresh, local produce. Dishes are immaculately presented and both thoroughly French and modern at the same time.

There are bikes for hire and guests can take to the Loire à Vélo trail which runs between Amboise and Tours through the vineyards of Vouvray and Montlouis-sur-Loire. When you’re not out exploring, sink into one of the chairs in the library with a good book, or take a dip in the outdoor heated pool.

In the renowned vineyards of Château Smith Haut Lafitte, around 17km (11 miles) outside of Bordeaux, Les Sources de Caudalie is a rural retreat celebrating the best of this Southwest France’s cultural and culinary heritage.

There are 40 rooms and 21 suites split amongst the sprawling property, with most in six buildings that, while looking thoroughly historic, were specially built using huge reclaimed beams from abandoned local properties. Most have a terrace or a balcony with a beautiful view on the Chateau Smith Haut Lafitte’s vineyards or over the lake.

There is also the Village des Pêcheurs – or Fishermen’s village – with 12 suites on stilts around a small lake inspire by the oyster-farms of the Arcachon Bay. Additionally, there is the unique Ile aux Oiseaux suite, a wooden pavilion standing out over the water on stilts, adventurously redecorated by a different designer every 3 or 4 years.

The spa here comes from the inventors of ‘vinotherapy’, with treatments combining the anti-ageing properties of polyphenols contained in grape-seeds and the spa’s own natural hot-water spring in the most tranquil of settings.

The senses will continue to be treated at either of the two restaurants here, whether with fine seasonal French dining and fittingly fabulous wine list at the twice Michelin starred La Grand’Vigne, bistro-style food at Table de Lavoir, or at either of the two wine bars.

Activities from Les Sources de Caudalie include wine tasting, wine tasting lessons and cooking classes. Excursions to explore the surrounding sites, such as boat trip into Bordeaux or to rustic Saint-Émilion, can also be arranged.