Top 5 hotels to recharge your batteries
Ecolodges in the heart of nature, bastide zen in the garrigues or palaces boasting the finest spas... Our five favorite retreats, entirely dedicated to well-being and disconnection.
Taste the Celtic baths at Ferme du Vent - Relais & Châteaux
Lovers of Cancale swear by the Maisons de Bricourt and their (extraordinary) panoramic view over the bay of Mont Saint-Michel. Less well known, however, is the fact that the estate is also home to La Ferme du Vent, featuring six Kleds (Breton for "sheltered from the wind") - six stone and rough-hewn wood gites, warmed by wood-burning stoves or fireplaces. There's no wifi or television here. You sit back on deep sofas and gaze out through huge picture windows at the sea and sky, their palette of greens and grayed blues. A stone's throw away, a farmhouse houses the Celtic baths, a perfect alchemy of Ayurvedic medicine and Breton coastal treasures. Enter through a room adorned with a huge fireplace and discover granite basins filled with warm, healing water. Relax, swim against the current in the gentle eddies, lean against the ledges to admire the scenery, before returning to Gwen's house for a reflexology session with peerless therapist Gwen Liboudan. After this purification of body and mind, we sit down to enjoy the Roellinger menu chosen the day before in the gîte's private kitchen.
- Double room from 460 euros.
- Langavant 35360 Saint-Méloir des Ondes. Tel: 02 99 89 64 76
- www.maisons-de-bricourt.com/fr/page/ferme-du-vent
Massages and Japanese baths at Ecolodges Le Bruit de L'Eau
Imagined by a photographer in love with the Baie de Somme, this refuge nestled in a four-hectare estate is home to five lodges with a very Japanese feel: the Nashima suite evokes the land of the Rising Sun, the Haïku and its private garden invite meditation, the Étoile lodge reveals the sky and its constellations every evening through its glass roof. It's the perfect place to recharge your batteries while savouring the Japanese delicacies served on the large table d'hôtes, but above all the range of treatments on offer - aromatherapy and customized massages, Japanese wood-fired baths, hidden baths in the heart of the forest, massage sessions, etc. - are all on offer.The Marquenterre nature reserve is just a stone's throw away, as are the shores of the Baie de Somme.
- Double room from 167 euros, breakfast included.
- 1 chemin des Matelots 80120 Saint-Quentin-en-Tourmont. Tel: 07 69 66 65 94
- Further information on Les Ecolodges Le Bruit de L'Eau
Luxury and well-being on Lake Geneva at Royal Evian
A favorite with travelers in search of well-being and a change of scenery, this address has it all. Inaugurated in 1909 as a tribute to England's King Edward VII, this refuge seems to hover above Evian, revealing a breathtaking view of the lake's bluish waters from the 150 luxuriously comfortable rooms and suites. Guests come here for the discreet charm of this historic palace, the peaceful beauty of the surrounding landscapes, but above all for the exceptional Évian Source spa. Spread over 1700 m², this immersive space combines indoor and outdoor pools, sauna, hammam, whirlpools, cold bath and snow room. And the best is yet to come, with a range of exceptional treatments and massages designed around the water cycle and its mineral, precious and vitalizing dimensions.
©Brodbeck&deBarbuat
- Rooms from 316 euros.
- 960 avenue du Léman 74500 Evian-les-Bains. Tel: 04 50 26 85 00
- Further information on Hôtel Royal
Yoga and naturopathy at Bastide du Mourre
The ultimate address in the now famous Domaine de Fontenille collection, this 17thᵉ century bastide, set on a hill facing the village of Oppède le Vieux, is entirely dedicated to well-being. The hamlet-like residence features five guest rooms and five gîtes with swimming pools, and offers guests personalized programs - yoga, kundalini, Pilates, Qi-gong, jogging or Nordic walking in the garrigues. At the spa, guests can recharge their batteries with essential oil massages or draining body wraps, all designed by "On The Wild Side" - a new 100% made-in-France cosmetics brand based on wild harvesting. And to prolong this natural spirit, the chef offers a cuisine that makes the most of local Lubéron produce, with a few nuggets, such as this very delicate beet and fig leaf hummus, or this melting celery, herb and almond pistou.
- Room from 222 euros.
- 251 Bastide de Mourre 84580 Oppède. Tel: 04 87 83 00 00
- www.lesdomainesdefontenille.com/fr/bastidedumourre
Expert pampering and sun-kissed relaxation at the Hôtel Marinca
In the heart of Olmeto's maquis lies one of the island's most secret addresses, a residence as luxurious as it is exclusive, with 45 luxurious rooms and suites overlooking the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Valenco. The place is attracting a growing number of loyal guests, including the Courtin-Clarins family, who have installed their only Corsican spa... 600 m² with the very best in wellness facilities: sensory shower, eucalyptus-scented hammam, sauna with Himalayan salt wall, heated pool overlooking the Mediterranean. The same exacting standards are applied to treatments, with a range of exceptional Ayurvedic and Balinese massages, as well as tailor-made Clarins expert treatments.All of this is complemented by a visit to the gourmet restaurant La Verrière, where chef Romain Masset concocts a remarkable menu of earth and sea dishes.
BrunoGalli
- Rooms from 408 euros.
- Domaine de Vitricella, 20113 Olmeto Tel: 04 95 70 09 00
- www.hotel-marinca.com
And more
At the Trianon Palace, recharge your batteries at the largest spa in the Paris region
For Parisians in search of well-being, the Guerlain spa at the Trianon Palace, just 30 minutes from Paris, offers the most seductive combination of a change of scenery and rejuvenation. This is due in no small part to the 2,800 m² entirely dedicated to fitness, with a high-tech gym, 18m swimming pool, hammam, sauna and, above all, a range of Guerlain treatments.These include the formidable "Soin secret de la Reine" face and body treatment, which leaves you feeling light in body and mind. And don't forget to sample Gordon Ramsay's exquisite cuisine at La Véranda, whose dining room overlooks the Parc du Trianon and the meadows of the Hameau de la Reine.
- Treatments from 165 euros (1h)
- Waldorf Asteria Versailles, Trianon Palace. 1 Bd de la Reine 78000 Versailles. Tel: 01 30 84 50 00
- Further information on Waldorf Astoria Trianon Palace Versailles
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Maison Heler, Philippe Starck's signature hotel opens in Metz
With its house perched on a building, Maison Heler is unlike any other hotel. Conceived as an "inhabitable, surrealist and literary work of art", this new address intrigues as much as it fascinates. Located in the Architecture district, just a stone's throw from the Centre Pompidou, it is part of the development of the area supported by Hilton. A story of its own, born of a tale imagined by Philippe Starck. A hotel between heaven and earth The 9-storey Maison Heler is topped by a house inspired by 19th-century Lorraine architecture. From the 2nd to the 8th floor, the hotel offers 104 sleek rooms and suites. With concrete walls and pink marble, the décor is modern, elegant and poetic. The 9th floor boasts five private lounges, ideal for business events or relaxation, with a breathtaking view of the city. Two restaurants, two atmospheres On the first floor, Rose's cuisine takes the form of a romantic brasserie. Open all day, it offers warm, simple cuisine: weekly and seasonal menus, healthy, comforting dishes, and Rose's specialty: the tart of the day. Rose's Bar extends the experience, in a relaxed atmosphere, with cocktails featuring local and floral flavors. upstairs, La Maison de Manfred has a more subdued feel, with wood and leather furnishings, warm colors, a family dining room and panoramic views over Metz. Artist Ara Starck designed 19 stained-glass windows, including a monumental one, projecting cathedral-like light across the room. French contemporary cuisine is served à la carte or on a five-course menu. The more intimate Bar de Manfred offers a selection of original cocktails, including the M+R - a combination of truffle-infused cognac and cherry - as well as a wide choice of wines. A world of its own Maison Heler was inspired by the novel La Vie minutieuse de Manfred Heler , a novel imagined by, to accompany the architectural project. It follows the character of Manfred Heler, an orphan living alone in the family home, who occupies his time by dreaming up all sorts of inventions to escape boredom. One day, the earth begins to shake and his house rises above the city. The hotel immerses visitors in this poetic universe. Surreal objects, nods to imaginary inventions and unusual details punctuate the spaces between dream and everyday life. An address that offers much more than a simple stay: an immersion in a story of its own. Price: From 170 euros Where? 31 Rue Jacques Chirac, 57000 MetzOur partners
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