Our hotels for a night in the forest

Want to disconnect without going to the ends of the earth? Sleep close to the trees, wake up in the heart of nature, walk in the sunlight filtered through the foliage... From Carcassonne to Chantilly, these hotels and ecolodges offer much more than a simple stay: an immersion in nature, for a weekend or more.

Near Carcassonne: Les Cabanes dans les Bois

in the immediate vicinity of the medieval city of Carcassonne and just a few strides from the Canal du Midi, this 112-hectare estate has been transformed into a forest dwelling, inviting you to take a buissonnière break in the Occitan garrigue. Nestling under the pines, 33 three-star cabins take turns through the woods, linked by a network of discreet paths. Perfect for savoring the silence and scents of the South, each has a king-size bed and private terrace. Designed with ecotourism in mind, the estate combines nature immersion with comfort: basket-meal service delivered to the hut, heated swimming pool, friendly bar and accommodation accessible to people with reduced mobility. We savor the dry air of the garrigue, the song of the birds and the raw beauty of the South without sacrificing a fine quality of welcome.

©DR

• Prices: Cabanes from €124, breakfast not included
• Where to find us Chemin de Fourtou Domane de Fourtou, 11600 Villalier, Tel: 09 70 75 99 00
• See Gault&Millau's review of Les Cabanes dans les Bois

Forêt de Rambouillet: Le Barn

This hotel set in the heart of a 200-hectare stud farm won over nature lovers as soon as it opened in 2018. A chic country house-style retreat set against the backdrop of the Rambouillet forest, Le Barn boasts 73 rooms decorated with raw materials and meticulous details: shaker furniture, Barbour fabric curtains, wooden ceiling beams in some rooms, open terraces overlooking undergrowth or paddocks... At the table, La Verrière, celebrates local flavors around generous seasonal cuisine (partly from the permaculture vegetable garden) and served on large convivial tables. a stone's throw away, a former mill has been converted into a spa with a hammam, sauna and treatment rooms, perfect for recuperating after a bike ride in the Chevreuse Valley or a day's horseback riding among hundred-year-old oaks.

©Nomades Studio

• Price: Room from 221 euros, breakfast included
• Where to stay Le Moulin de Brétigny 78830 Bonnelles. Tel: 01 86 38 00 00
• See Gault&Millau's review of Le Barn

Loire Valley Forest: Loire Valley Lodges

just a stone's throw from Tours, the Loire Valley Lodges hotel offers a life-size retreat in the middle of a 300-hectare private forest. In the rooms, there are no screens or wi-fi, just a walkie-talkie to order a massage or room service dinner - and the intoxicating sensation of falling asleep in the canopy, lulled by the silence and rustling of the trees. Perched 4 meters above the ground, the 18 eco-designed wooden lodges embody the vision of Anne-Caroline Frey, passionate about nature and contemporary creation. Each cabin impresses with its comfort, featuring bay windows opening onto the forest, a king-size bed, a 25 m² panoramic terrace and, in some cases, an open-air Jacuzzi. To extend the experience, head for the old Solognese-style farmhouse, which houses a bar-library, a wellness area with swimming pool, and the Ardent restaurant, where chef Thomas Besnault sublimates local produce with a cuisine as grounded as it is poetic.

©Anne Emmanuelle Thion

• Price: Double room from 551 euros, breakfast included
• Where? 1 Allée de la Duporterie 37320 Esvres-sur Loire. Tel + 33 2 47 38 85 88
• See Gault&Millau's review of Loire Valley Lodges

Baie de Somme Nature Reserve : Le Bruit de l'Eau

on the edge of the Marquenterre nature park, this confidential refuge is tucked away in a natural setting of pine trees, water mirrors and clearings. On this four-hectare estate, ideal for small groups, six unique ecolodges take root, inspired by the poetic vision of Thibault Dhermy - a photographer with a passion for travel. And each lodge tells a different story: the tranquility of Japan in the Naoshima suite, the art of contemplation in Haïku, or the magic of a starry sky to be admired from your bed, under a glass roof. Designed with a bioclimatic approach, the lodges combine minimalist elegance, hushed comfort and ecological awareness: green roofs, natural materials, large sliding windows to let in the light... and nature.

©Tibo

• Price: Room from 190 euros, breakfast included
• Where? 1048 route du Mont Sainte-Odile, 67220 Breitenbach

Vosges du Nord forest: La Clairière

Surrounded by centuries-old beech, alder and oak trees in the Vosges du Nord Regional Nature Park, La Clairière invites you to take a real dip in nature. inside the 50 uncluttered rooms, each window opens onto a wooded landscape that changes with the seasons. Here, everything is designed to restore balance: healthy cuisine, pure mid-altitude mountain air, a rejuvenation program combining yoga, Qi Gong, sylvotherapy (forest baths) and zazen meditation... And to prolong your relaxation, head for the spa, with its two pools, steam baths, sauna and treatment cabins. The 4-star hotel also offers themed walks around wild plants, or active walking to reconnect with the essentials to the rhythm of the forest.

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• Price: Room from 198 euros, breakfast included
• Where? 63 route d'Ingwiller 67290 La Petite Pierre. Tel: 03 88 71 75 00
• See Gault&Millau's review of La Clairière

Forêt des Landes: Les Échasses - Eco Lodge

just a stone's throw from the ocean and nestled in a four-hectare park studded with ponds, "Les Échasses" stands out as an eco-conscious haven in the heart of the Landes forest. The 4-star hotel features 8 elegant cabins on stilts, set flush with the water, as well as a family gîte for up to six people. At Les Échasses, sustainable commitment is everywhere: permaculture vegetable garden, local woods, swimming pool and wood-heated Norwegian bath, sauna... You can read, suspended in a hammock between two pine trees, stroll on horseback or on foot under the foliage, surf the waves on the beaches of the Côte d'Argent or climb the trees for an accrobranche session. In the evening, Le Comptoir invites you to slow down the tempo with its Basque-style market cuisine, in the spirit of slow living.

vincent Monthiers

• Price: Room from 331 euros, breakfast included
• Where? 701 route de la Bruyère 40230 Saubion. Tel: 06 51 96 55 54
• See Gault&Millau's review of Les Échasses - Eco Lodge

Vosges Forest: 48° Nord

At 48° Nord, you don't come to be seen, but to see better. Perched on the heights of Breitenbach, this ecological haven offers immersion in the heart of the Alsatian valley, between minimalist Scandinavian architecture and cosy comfort. Its hyttes, sleek wooden cabins inspired by Scandinavian habitats, seem to have grown naturally on the hillside. As for the panoramas, they invite themselves in through the bay windows, changing their palette as the hours go by. At the table, Frédéric Metzger orchestrates a Nordic-inspired locavore cuisine, full of precision and freshness, directly linked to the certified organic vegetable garden. As for well-being, it's experienced in total intimacy: sauna with view, Nordic bath on the terrace, or private Jacuzzi depending on the hytte, everything has been thought of to put you in the green.

©DR

• Price: Room from 288 euros, breakfast included
• Where? 1048 route du Mont Sainte-Odile, 67220 Breitenbach
• See Gault&Millau's review of 48° Nord

Forêt de Chantilly: Le Grand Pavillon Chantilly

In the forest of Chantilly, this former laundry nestled in the heart of a 17-hectare park feels like an authentic forest hamlet. Stay in one of the 203 rooms and 12 suites in the 8 18thᵉ century stone buildings surrounded by formal gardens. The décor of this 4-star hotel contrasts with the historic setting and reinvents time, blending heritage charm with the light, uncluttered tones of the furnishings. outside, head for the 6500 hectares of state-owned forest, to be explored on foot, by bike or on horseback along paths shaded by hundred-year-old oaks. Return to the Sothys spa, with its hammam, sauna, solarium, indoor pool and treatment rooms. Finally, for your taste buds, choose between the elegant bistro of Le Craft restaurant and the musical conviviality of Le Carrousel restaurant, which hosts live music every Friday and Saturday evening. A bucolic interlude just 45 minutes from Paris.

©DR

• Price: Double room from 135 euros, breakfast included
• Where? 4 route de Senlis 60500 Vineuil-Saint-Firmin. Tel: 03 65 36 12 34
• See Gault&Millau's review of Le Grand Pavillon Chantilly