• Hotel d'Aubusson has been attracting the literati and glitterati to this Seine-adjacent townhouse since the 17th Century. Arranged around a large courtyard, you can expect exposed beams, huge double doors and grand proportions.
• The Hotel Duc de Saint-Simon in St. Germain is plush, romantic, traditional, elegant and intimate - think overstuffed furniture and cleverly conceived paint effects, TVs only on request and room service instead of a mini-bar.
• Hotel San Régis, with its neoclassical facade, wondrously decorative wallpaper and elegant, country house feel is just off the Champs Elysees in the heart of haute couture.
• Converted from the elegant 19th Century mansion built for the Marquis de Sers, the Hotel de Sers is a prime example of traditional elegance blending with cutting edge design. Located by the Champs Elysees and Arc de Triomphe, the hotel bar, S'Bar, is a cocktail hour magnet for locals in the know.
• It's a rarity to find such a good value hotel in such a superb location, but Hotel Thérèse is just five minutes walk from the Louvre. This chic property oozes eclectic style; the only downside being that some of the standard rooms are a little on the small side.

• If you wish to feel like royalty one of the best places to stay in the Loire Valley is Château de la Barre. The decor is sumptuous beyond opulent, collected over the last 600 years by the family who are still the current owners. Twice a week they host a formal Grand Siecle dinner for their guests. This is also a great destination if you're interested in the history of the place.
• The Château de Gixeux has one of the grandest approaches you can imagine, but there's more to this château than acres of beautiful parkland - there's loads to do! With only five suites and one villa, it is also incredibly intimate.
• Provence isn't an obvious choice for châteaux, but Château de Massillan is worth recommending. A beautifully renovated small château with turret bedrooms and elegant interiors. Surrounded by parklands with a lovely lake, it also has an excellent restaurant.
• For the complete château experience book a room in the Dordogne's Château les Merles. A luxurious fairytale château in its own right, it is also surrounded by golf courses, vineyards and forests. In addition to 18 rooms it has two separate villas.

• Authentic Parisian charm, L' Hôtel was once Oscar Wilde's bolthole in Paris. Louche and decadent in the 60s and 70s, L'Hotel has been flamboyantly re-imagined by Jacques Garcia the opulence has been gloriously restored. Think jewel-box rooms and themed suites (if you can bear the tristesse you can sleep in the room in which Oscar Wilde expired beyond his means) and a candlelit plunge pool.
• The Marquis de la Fayette once lived in the building the Marquis Faubourg St Honore now occupies just a short walk from the Louvre, Notre Dame and the Opera House. The refurbishment is elegant and chic with plenty of museum-grade originals.
• So Parisian-cool the website is borderline unhelpful, Hôtel Costes has done everything to excess but somehow the lavish haute-bordello style works, the A-listers love it. Pool, gym, hammam and spa, fine dining, a very lively bar - all achingly hip.
• With just four exceptionally glamorous rooms, Cap Estel is an exquisite mansion on a cliff top peninsula overlooking a stunning Côte d'Azur bay. There is a private beach, spa, gorgeous infinity pool and gourmet restaurant. True luxury 'A-list'.

• The family-run Les Florêts at the foot of the Dentelles de Montmirail is set in the heart of the owners' own vineyards. The Gigondas wine they produce is available in the restaurant where many of the dishes on offer complement it beautifully. Homely furnishings with a delightful terrace for eating outside and excellent French service.
• Hostellerie Berard et Spa is a lovely hilltop hotel with an excellent spa, great wine cellar and a Michelin-starred restaurant in a charming Provençal village with beautiful views over the surrounding valleys.
• Also in Provence, Château de Berne is perfect if you want to eat well, but also learn something about what you're eating. Surrounded by 1,500 acres of private vineyards, they offer wine tastings and cookery classes.
• L'Artemise is a heavenly gastronomic restaurant with rooms on a hillside just outside Uzes, with lovely views and garden. The 'surprise' menu changes daily.
• Just out of the famous wine village of Vouvray, Domaine des Bidaudieres is a great choice if you want to be right amongst the vines. This beautiful 15th century estate has B&B style accommodation, with five rooms, two suites and two villas - one self-catering. And of course they run tastings.
• Also set amongst vineyards, Château de Marcay is ideal for people who want to spend some time 'at home'. Everything you need for a relaxing day can be found here, from cooking classes to wine tastings, to grand gardens and a lovely pool. The restaurant is excellent and the wine list impressive.
• Château d'Igé in Burgundy is wonderfully atmospheric. There are stone-flagged floors, winding staircases, fairytale turrets, huge hearths, a beamed dining room and a well-established, impeccably maintained garden. Food is delicious and distinctly Burgundian in flavour.

• The Château du Domaine St-Martin is a grand affair in the hills above the Côte d'Azur with classically sumptuous rooms, beautiful suites, private villas, exceptional gardens and two Michelin stars.
• The Château De La Messardiere is too cool even for St-Tropez, instead it peers down from a hilltop overlooking the bay. This is a glitzy and secluded place to relax in where you will feel truly pampered.
• Cannes' Le Cavendish's Belle Epoque façade and open bar in the evenings harks back to a more glamorous era of bright young stars and glamour. The small size, located just a few steps from La Croisette and private beach make this a popular spot, so book ahead.
• Le Ferme d'Augustin is a charmingly converted farmhouse hotel in a beautiful area, only five minutes from St-Tropez's port and surrounded by lemon trees and olive groves.
• Les Rosées, in the hills above Cannes, is a romantic, elegant, five room guest house which serves fantastic home-cooked food. Michelin-starred restaurants are just a short walk away. Surrounded by lush gardens, this is a peaceful, sunny retreat.

• The Hotel Crillon le Brave, in the village of the same name, is a particular favourite with tile-floored rooms decorated in cool blues and neutrals which are absolutely perfect for the area and architecture. The accommodation is spread amongst a cluster of old pink stone buildings, linked by atmospheric cobbled alleys and enjoys wonderful views of Mont Ventoux.
• Le Jeu de Paume offers an alpine idyl with a traditional, alpine lodge feel, woody decor, lots of big open fires and generous leather armchairs. This hotel also has its own mini après-ski scene and a restaurant with a reputation for being one of the best in the Chamonix valley.
• For beautiful Dordogne river valley views you can't beat Le Moulin de L'Abbaye. This old mill has 19 charming bedrooms as well as two excellent restaurants.

• In the heart of the Marais, Paris, Le Petit Moulin has been converted from the oldest boulangerie in the city - this is where Victor Hugo probably bought his baguettes. Cool in itself, what gets this 17-room hotel on the list is that while the facade is original, the interior has been redone by design royalty - Christian Lacroix.
• Château Talaud is a château turned B&B which features five stylish rooms decorated with antiques. There are two apartments and a separate self-catering cottage. This is a great spot for visiting both Orange and Avignon.
• The Hôtel Le Hameau is a Provencal farm house conversion beside the road to St. Paul de Vence. With views over a green valley and a simple elegance to its rooms, this is peaceful and comfortable.

If you'd prefer the privacy of a self-catering option then browse through the wide variety available online with our partner Booking.com.

• The best time to visit France entirely depends on what you're there to do. The ski season generally runs from late November to early April, whilst it's nicest weather-wise in the summer months (though this is when it's busiest and most expensive).
• The main airports for international visitors to fly into are: Paris Charles de Gaulle, Marseille Provence Airport and Nice Airport. There are however smaller airports in Lyon, Geneva, Bordeaux, Avignon, Toulouse, Grenoble and Montpellier, among others.
• These airports are all well served by public transport links to the surrounding areas.
• France is also well connected by rail links with both the high speed TGV and the normal SNCF trains.
• For car hire prices, we recommend you visit our online partner Rentalcars.

• Browse though our list of all the best places to stay in France.
• Widen the net to search through our recommendations of the best places to stay in Spain or Italy.
• Or feel free to contact one of our friendly Gurus for advice.