France
Luxury hotels, insider access, and bespoke itineraries
The Destination
France is the birthplace of the palace hotel, and it still sets the standard the rest of the world chases. From the legendary addresses of Paris to the snow of the Alps, the vineyards of Provence, and the shimmer of the Riviera, no country blends heritage, gastronomy, and glamour quite like it.
In Paris, the Four Seasons George V and the Ritz on Place Vendome are institutions, while Cheval Blanc Paris, above La Samaritaine, is the city's most exciting modern palace. France is also the heartland of two houses we know intimately: Cheval Blanc — Paris, Courchevel, and St-Tropez — and Airelles, whose properties include the extraordinary Grand Controle inside the grounds of the Palace of Versailles, alongside Courchevel, Val d'Isere, and a Provencal bastide in Gordes. Aman Le Melezin completes the Courchevel picture on the slopes themselves.
As preferred partners of both Cheval Blanc and Airelles — as well as Four Seasons — we secure the amenities, the right rooms, and the recognition that make these already-exceptional hotels sing, at the same rates you would find booking direct. Just as importantly, we sequence a France trip properly: city, mountains, and coast each have their own season, and timing is everything.
Our Recommended Properties
Aman Le Melezin
Courchevel · $$$$$
Ski-in/ski-out on the slopes of Courchevel 1850 — Aman's only piste-side address
Four Seasons Hotel George V Paris
Paris · $$$$$
A 1928 Art Deco landmark off the Champs-Elysees whose three restaurants hold six Michelin stars between them
The Ritz Paris
Paris · $$$$$
The original Ritz — Place Vendome landmark reborn after a four-year restoration
Four Seasons Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat
Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat · $$$$$
A Belle Epoque house on its own wooded cape between Nice and Monaco, with a cliff-edge seawater pool at Club Dauphin
Four Seasons Resort Megève
Megeve · $$$$$
A December 2017 Four Seasons in Megève — 55 keys, a 900-square-metre spa with six treatment rooms, interiors by Pierre-Yves Rochon
Cheval Blanc Paris
Paris · $$$$$
An Art Deco landmark above La Samaritaine on the Seine, home to the three-Michelin-star Plénitude by Arnaud Donckele
Cheval Blanc Courchevel
Courchevel 1850 · $$$$$
The original Cheval Blanc — a ski-in/ski-out Maison in Courchevel 1850 with Le 1947 by Yannick Alléno (three Michelin stars)
Cheval Blanc St-Tropez
Saint-Tropez · $$$$$
A Riviera Maison on the Bay of Saint-Tropez with La Vague d'Or by Arnaud Donckele (three Michelin stars)
Airelles Château de Versailles, Le Grand Contrôle
Versailles · $$$$$
The only hotel within the grounds of the Château de Versailles, with an Alain Ducasse restaurant and after-hours access to the Palace
Les Airelles, Courchevel
Courchevel 1850 · $$$$$
An Austro-Hungarian fairy-tale Palace at the foot of the Courchevel 1850 slopes, with Matsuhisa and the Italian table at Carrara
Airelles Val d'Isère
Val d'Isère · $$$$$
A slope-side Palace in Val d'Isère with Matsuhisa by Nobu and a Paris-import Loulou among seven restaurants and bars
Airelles Gordes, La Bastide
Gordes · $$$$$
A cliffside Provençal Palace in the village of Gordes, with Clover Gordes by Jean-François Piège and Luberon views
Airelles Château de la Messardière
Saint-Tropez · $$$$$
A hilltop 19th-century palace above Saint-Tropez in a pine-park estate, with Matsuhisa, Jean-François Piège's Jardin Tropezina and Cédric Grolet pastries
Hôtel de Crillon, A Rosewood Hotel
Paris · $$$$$
An 18th-century palace on the Place de la Concorde, restored to define modern Parisian art de vivre — with Grands Appartements by Karl Lagerfeld
Bulgari Hotel Paris
Paris · $$$$$
A jewel-box palace on Avenue George V with a rare private garden and a vast spa, steps from the Champs-Elysees
Best Time to Visit
Paris is loveliest in spring (April to June) and autumn (September to November), with milder weather and the city at its most elegant; August empties out as Parisians leave. The Alps split cleanly: December to March for skiing at Courchevel and Val d'Isere, July and August for green-season hiking and mountain air. The Riviera and Provence run from May to September, with June and September offering warmth without the July–August crush.
Insider Tips
For first-timers we pair a few nights in Paris — Four Seasons George V or Cheval Blanc — with a complete change of scene: alpine luxury at Cheval Blanc Courchevel or Aman Le Melezin in winter, or a Provencal summer at Airelles Gordes. For something singular, an overnight at Airelles Chateau de Versailles' Grand Controle buys private, after-hours moments in the palace gardens. Tell us the season and the mood, and we will shape the route — and the reservations — around it.
Frequently Asked
What is the best palace hotel in Paris?
It depends on the Paris you want. Four Seasons George V is the most decorated — six Michelin stars across three restaurants in the 2026 Guide. Cheval Blanc Paris, awarded the official Palace distinction in 2026, is the most exciting modern opening, over the Seine at La Samaritaine. The Ritz on Place Vendôme remains the legend. We have stayed at Cheval Blanc, the Hôtel de Crillon and the Grand Hôtel du Palais Royal — our first-hand reviews are on this site.
What does France's 'Palace' distinction mean?
It is an official classification above five stars, awarded by Atout France to a small group of truly exceptional hotels — only around thirty in the country. Six new names joined in 2026, including Cheval Blanc Paris and Bulgari Hotel Paris.
When should I book Courchevel for the ski season?
The season runs December to March, and the best suites at Cheval Blanc Courchevel, Les Airelles and Aman Le Mélezin sell out six to nine months ahead — earlier still for Christmas, New Year and the February school holidays. For a quieter mountain, January and March are the connoisseur's windows.
How many days do you need in Paris?
Four nights is the honest answer for a first visit — three leaves you choosing between the Louvre and everything else, and the fourth is the day the city stops being a checklist. Five or six if you want a day out to Versailles or Giverny. Beyond that, most people are better served adding a second region than adding Paris nights, and the TGV makes that easy: a little over three hours to Marseille and Provence, and a shade under three to the Alps in winter.
Where should you go in France besides Paris?
Three regions do most of the work. The Côte d'Azur for summer — Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat for the classic version, Saint-Tropez for the louder one. Provence inland for villages, markets and light, with Gordes as the base. And the Alps in winter, where Courchevel 1850 and Val d'Isère hold the best of the ski hotels. Versailles is the outlier: staying inside the château estate is a different proposition entirely from visiting as a day-tripper.
When is the best time to visit the French Riviera?
May, June and September. The sea is warm enough from June, the light is at its best either side of high summer, and you avoid the July–August crush when the coast road, the beach clubs and the restaurant tables are all at capacity. Late May carries the Monaco Grand Prix and Cannes, which fill the coast and lift rates for a fortnight — worth knowing whether you are going for them or trying to avoid them.
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