Europe Chevron. France Chevron. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. The South of France holds endless allure: while the summer months are undoubtedly beautiful, the weather stays balmy well into November too.
Here, we round up our favorite hotels in the South of France. When choosing hotels, our editors consider properties across price points that offer an authentic and insider experience of a destination, keeping design, location, service, and sustainability credentials top of mind.
This gallery has been updated with new information since its original publish date. There really is nowhere else like Les Bains Gardians in France. Rooms celebrate the unique local architecture—they're set in stylishly refurbed whitewashed gardian cottages with thatched roofs, like something from a storybook. Add to that an on-site equestrian center with wild white horses, a natural reserve for migrating birds, and a relaxed barefoot luxury vibe. This is the sister property to Les Bains Paris , known for its cutting-edge collection of contemporary art.
But call Les Bains Gardians the antidote for urban burnout. The standout: this property boasts the largest concentration of restored lime-washed 18th-century-built round cottages in the area, aligned in rows on the grassy banks of small canals, edged with bent weeping willows and tall reeds. Rise early and you might surprise a purple heron or an egret perched outside your doorstep. In the restaurant, expect whitewashed walls, cane chairs, long tables, and in cooler weather, a crackling fire.
For lunch and dinner, the seasonal chalkboard menu, whipped up by executive chef Bruno Grossi, includes classics from the terroir from Camargue rice risotto, grilled octopus or sea bass carpaccio to heartier fare like the not-to-be-missed house specialty—grilled ribs of bull steak. A six-year hotel restoration, including two and a half years of complete closure, is serious business.
