Ten hotels in France to contemplate a starry sky

From the Landes to the Cévennes, from the Périgord to the Corsican peaks, some hotels seem to have been designed for those who prefer to count stars rather than sheep. From 5-star establishments to high-altitude refuges and historic estates, here are ten ideas for dreaming with your eyes open.

Christine Robalo Published on 8/23/25 at 7:18 AM

Night fell long ago, but no one thought to draw the curtains. what's the point, when Orion watches over the terrace and the Milky Way stretches to the end of silence? In France, some addresses play with the stars like others play with cocktails. And so much for Wi-Fi: here, you get something else. Ambush fireflies, spinning satellites, an old-fashioned way of sleeping outside without getting out of bed. We've found ten hotels that make the night a real spectacle.

Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat

You have to walk through century-old Mediterranean gardens, past Aleppo pines, before you catch a glimpse of the facade from another era. Since 1908, the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat has cultivated a certain art of luxury. Its Gustave Eiffel Rotonde, its glass funicular to the sea, its Olympic-size pool suspended above the rocks... everything seems to have been put there for the pleasure of the eyes. And when night falls on the peninsula, far from the neon lights of the city, the stars come out: the hotel organizes private astronomy evenings, complete with telescope, from the gardens or the suites with their panoramic terraces. In the rooms, whites and beiges rub shoulders with pale marble, and everything here exudes a dreamy Riviera. The spa, with its hammams, ice fountains and Jacuzzis overlooking the Mediterranean, offers the same delicate balance.

from €780 per night
71 boulevard du Général de Gaulle, 06230 Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat. Tel. : 04 93 76 50 50
See Gault&Millau's review of the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat

Hôtel La Voie Lactée, La Mongie

Perched at 1,800 m, at the foot of the Pic du Midi and its International Starry Sky Reserve, La Voie Lactée has been lighting up La Mongie since 2022 with its retro-mountain decor designed by Romain Thévenot in collaboration with owners Nathalie and Philippe Dours. Twenty rooms with vintage charm and evocative names (Étoile du berger, Galaxie, Constellation or Grande Ourse...), combine antique furniture, light-colored paneling, local fabrics and headboards carved from recycled wood. Wide windows and bow windows open directly onto the slopes and, at night, onto a sky free of light pollution thanks to local restrictions on public lighting. On the wellness side, a sauna and two Nordic baths on the terrace offer a thermal interlude with a view of the peaks.

from €198 per night
22 avenue du Tourmalet, 65200 La Mongie. Tel. : 05 62 36 84 32
See Gault&Millau's review of La Voie Lactée hotel

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Le Clair de la Plume, in Grignan

At the foot of the Château de Grignan, Le Clair de la Plume discreetly blends into the narrow Provencal streets, divided into several period houses. Nine rooms in the main house, six in the Maison Privée, and a secluded room in the Jardin Méditerranéen: each with its antique rugs, XIXᵉ engravings and patinated armchairs. Mornings take place in the former kitchen transformed into a breakfast room. Evenings take place under the XIXᵉ glass roof, where Glenn Viel 's signature table serves sustainable regional produce. Grignan is one of Provence's most authentic villages, without excessive lighting, allowing you to contemplate a pure sky above the old tiled roofs. The Jardin Méditerranéen, with its natural swimming pool, becomes an unexpected belvedere for a naked-eye vigil in this lavender-drenched setting.

from €120 per night
2 place du Mail, 26230 Grignan. Tel. : 04 75 00 01 01
See Gault&Millau's review of Le Clair de la Plume

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La Ferme Chapouton, in Grignan

just a stone's throw from the cobbled streets of Grignan, where the light shadow of Madame de Sévigné still hovers, La Ferme Chapouton - a discreet annex of Le Clair de la Plume - occupies a 1760 building facing Mont Ventoux. Thirteen sober, comfortable rooms are spread over two floors, in a contemporary style with clean lines. In the morning, you cross the Mediterranean garden, between fruit trees and flowerbeds, to the heated swimming pool, where the famous Renaissance château stands proudly. In the evening, the atmosphere is soft, as the village falls asleep and the streetlamps go out, the sky lights up without competition.

from €153 per night
45 rue du Grand Faubourg, 26230 Grignan. Tel. : 04 75 00 01 01
See Gault&Millau's review of La Ferme Chapouton

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Château de Mercuès, in Mercuès

Here, the nights have that inky quality typical of the Quercy Noir region. built on a rocky promontory, Château de Mercuès, the former summer residence of the bishops of Cahors, has survived the centuries without losing any of its superb character. Some thirty rooms housed in the towers are decorated with tapestries in toile de Jouy and antique wood. A chapel bathed in light from the stained-glass windows and cellars housing the Malbecs of winegrower-owner Bertrand-Gabriel Vigouroux complete the picture. at table, Clément Costes celebrates truffles, saffron and Quercy lamb. The rest is played out between pool, spa, tennis... and a few stars to the naked eye.

from €412 per night
Rue du Château, 46090 Mercuès. Tel. : 05 65 20 00 01
See Gault&Millau's review of Château de Mercuès

Mercure Figeac Viguier du Roy, Figeac

Within the walls of the Viguier du Roy, four centuries of history are balanced on a paved courtyard, stone staircases and suspended walkways. The Mercure de Figeac is a former private residence transformed into a hotel, which cultivates a hushed charm: ample volumes, old-fashioned furniture and wallpaper and a few nods to literature. The swimming pool opens onto the rooftops of the medieval center, and the "Dinée" plate, prepared by new chef Grégory Diu, pays tribute to the produce of the Lot. just a few kilometers away lies the Triangle Noir du Quercy, one of Europe's least polluted skies. On a clear day, the Milky Way is visible to the naked eye, with no telescope or effort required.

from €100 per night
52 rue Émile Zola, 46100 Figeac. Tel. : 05 65 50 05 05
See Gault&Millau's review of Mercure Figeac Viguier du Roy

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La Bastide de Moustiers, in Moustiers-Sainte-Marie

This 18thᵉ century building set amid four hectares of lavender, olive and cypress trees tells a private story: that ofAlain Ducasse, who fell in love with the place in 1994. Today, La Bastide de Moustiers is home to 11 rooms and two suites decorated with tommettes, Provencal fabrics and antique furniture, divided between the main building and a small pavilion. Here, Adrien de Crignis prepares a cuisine rooted in the land and the seasons. Afterwards, you can glide by the pool or explore the Gorges du Verdon and Lac de Sainte-Croix. At night, the skies of Provence are clear and deep, perfect for catching a glimpse of the Milky Way.

from €305 per night
511 chemin de Quinson, 04360 Moustiers-Sainte-Marie. Tel. : 04 92 70 47 47
See Gault&Millau's review of Hotel La Bastide de Moustiers

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Villa Borghèse - The Originals Relais, Gréoux-les-Bains

Some come for the spa, others for the food. But at Villa Borghèse, a stone's throw from lavender fields and azure lakes, it's often the nights that are the most memorable. Rooms open onto quiet terraces or balconies, the sky is untouched, and the silence is so clear that you can almost hear the stars. Heated pool, Phytomer treatments, tennis or FreeTness (open-air fitness): everything here is designed to help you relax. Chef Franck Pujol plays with the seasons at La Table de Pauline, combining the scents of the South with deep-rooted dishes. And when the light fades over the magnificent Luberon, just look up and your stay takes on a whole new dimension.

from €116 per night
Avenue des Thermes, 04800 Gréoux-les-Bains. Tel. : 04 92 78 00 91
See Gault&Millau's review of Villa Borghèse

Les Roches Rouges, in Piana

No need to overdo it when the calanques speak for you. In this pretty village perched between Ajaccio and Calvi, the air smells of maquis, the walls of the establishment bear the marks of time and the sea invites itself at every window with a 180-degree view. The century-old hotel - with its listed façade - has been lovingly restored by Mady Dalakupeyan, and has retained its family atmosphere: photos on the walls, handwritten booking books, lanterns lit at dusk. as night falls, the pink granite turns black, and the sky, pure above the Unesco-listed Gulf of Porto, unfolds its constellations without a sound.

from €150 per night
20115, Piana. Tel. : 04 95 27 81 81
See Gault&Millau's review of Les Roches Rouges

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La Cabane Du Breuil, La Bresse

at an altitude of 635 m, the Cabane du Breuil cultivates a certain idea of Vosges comfort: raw wood, local stone, natural materials, all designed with eco-responsibility in mind. The rooms are cosy, the spa intimate, with jet pool, sauna and jacuzzi. In the kitchen, produce from the kitchen garden and local produce go hand in hand to create seasonal dishes with no fuss. In the evening, from the terrace or behind the bay windows, the sky opens up. Far from the city lights, the stars take their place once again.