1 ENCLOS DE L’EVECHE
Boulogne
Boulogne? Fish and ferries, right? Certainly — but also a stirring coastline,
bucolic hinterland and, up the hill in the town itself, a sinuous, historic
centre. Hard by the cathedral, the Enclos has the swish of 19th-century
townhouse style, spiced up with a courtyard and five bourgeois-sized rooms.
With a warm family welcome and an excellent associated restaurant, Les
Terrasses de l’Enclos, time spent here could seriously change your view of
the Channel port.
Doubles from £71; 00 33 3 91 90 05 90, www.enclosdeleveche.com
2 HOTEL DES MINES
Paris
Sitting at a cafe in the Latin Quarter, with the sun tickling your toes and a
sprightly white toying with your tongue, you’ll think Paris is the most
wonderful city in the world. And, when you get the bill, the most expensive
— which is where the two-star Hôtel des Mines comes in. No, it’s not flash,
sexy or even quaint, but, mon Dieu, it’s well located: one minute’s amble
from the Jardin du Luxembourg, the city’s most beautiful park; 10 minutes
from the shops and bars of St Germain and Notre Dame; and 10 minutes on the
RER from the Gare du Nord. If you book one of the rooms overlooking the
courtyard, you get all that and peace and quiet, too.
Doubles from £78; 00 33 1 43 54 32 78, www.desmineshotelparis.com
3 HOTEL LES ORANGERIES
Poitou-Charentes
Oh crumbs. An eco-hotel. So we’re in for no-watt bulbs, raw root veg and
ear-bashings because we came in a car. Well, no. Here, in the lovely Vienne
village of Lussac-les-Châteaux, is a homely 18th-century mansion restored
with astonishing class, leaving integrity — wonky wooden floors, big
windows, heavy furniture — intact. There’s no proselytising, just the gentle
hum of life lived ethically. If you don’t want to hear about recycling, then
relax like a squire in the lounge, walk the vast garden or roam the nearby,
and little-known, Gartempe and Anglin valleys.
Doubles from £75; 00 33 5 49 84 07 07, www.lesorangeries.com
4 OUSTAU DE LA FONT
Provence
People are always going on about the undiscovered Provence and here, lost in
the lee of Mont Ventoux, you have found it. The Oustau is, primarily, an
alarmingly good restaurant (menus from £30), but light and simple bedrooms
ramble around the core. Seated on your little private terrace, you have
stone walkways climbing through the tiny village of Reilhanette (population:
120) behind. In front, the hill-hemmed Toulourenc valley opens like a sigh.
With great food just a few steps away, and the rugged riches of the
landscape beyond, you need nothing more.
Doubles from £58, but go for a bigger room at £74; 00 33 4 75 28 83 77, www.oustaudelafont.com
Is there an email link to make a reservation for Casa Francisco? I can only find information about its restaurant.
Sarah, London, uk
What about swapping homes? USA/UK? What's up with that now? Are there any sites that provide information on the subject? That would definately keep costs down.
Fred Jones, Portland OR, USA
http://www.hotelbanysorientals.com/
bryan, glasgow, scotland