MINISTÈRE DES AFFAIRES ÉTRANGÈRES ET EUROPEENNES
No.7 – February 2012
France’s exceptional luxury hotels
The reputation of Paris’s luxury hotels –
some of the most renowned in the world – is already
well established. These exceptional hotels combine
luxury and tradition and include famous names
such as the Meurice or the Georges V in Paris but
also the Hôtel du Palais in Biarritz and Le Cheval
Blanc in Courchevel. Others exist all over the
country, from the Riviera-Côte d'Azur to the
Basque coast, and from Savoie to Normandy.
Luxury hotels are the prestigious representatives of the very best accommodation France has to
offer. Each of these world-renowned hotels has its own history, decor and exceptional clientele.
Described by the experts as “unique and inimitable”, French luxury hotels have inherited the very
special characteristics of some of the sumptuous establishments of the 19th century.
Most luxury hotels which now rely primarily on foreign guests still have the power to enchant
us. First, they enjoy prestigious locations such as the Hôtel de Crillon, which opened in Paris in 1909
on Place de la Concorde at the end of the Champs Elysées, the Carlton, which opened in Cannes in
1912, or the Negresco, which has been in Nice since 1913.
Guests come to luxury hotels to eat outstanding food, to sleep, be seen or simply enjoy
themselves. The Hôtel Ritz on place Vendôme in the heart of Paris, founded by hotelier César Ritz in
conjunction with chef Auguste Escoffier, welcomed writers such as Marcel Proust and Ernest
Hemingway, actor Charlie Chaplin and fashion designer Coco Chanel, who lived there until her death.
The Hôtel Normandy, part of the Lucien Barrière group in Deauville, facing the Channel coastline and
close to the casino, welcomes prestigious clients attracted by the peerless charm of fine Anglo-Norman
houses.
The 5-star category, created on 1 January 2009, is the highest in the French hotel classification
system. The system takes into account a large number of criteria, including the very latest
developments in terms of comfort. In 2010, however, France decided to single out a limited number of
hotels from the 150 which had already been placed in the 5-star category.
For the first time in France nine luxury hotels, including five in Paris, have been promoted to
the rank of palace. So why the new label? Essentially, to promote the fast-growing luxury hotel sector
and “to single out the small number of truly exceptional establishments within the sector which
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contribute to promoting France’s influence around the world,” explains the French Minister for
Tourism. The hotels in question were selected by a panel of ten judges, chaired by Dominique
Fernandez, a member of the Académie française.
Once the judges had checked that they met all the assessment criteria set by Atout France, the
national tourism development agency (such as impeccable service, multilingual staff, room size, etc.),
they assessed the exceptional nature of each establishment in terms of its history, architecture, gourmet
dining, and so on). According to Dominique Fernandez, hotels awarded the palace label represent “a
delicate balance of French-style know-how combined with universal culture that makes them shine in
a way that is quite unique.”
The outstanding establishments in Paris invited to join this very exclusive club are the Meurice,
the Bristol, the Georges V, the Plaza-Athénée and the Park Hyatt Paris Vendôme. Outside the capital,
the honour has been awarded to the Hôtel du Palais in Biarritz, the Grand Hôtel in Saint-Jean Cap
Ferrat, and Les Airelles and Le Cheval Blanc in Courchevel. The first plaque celebrating the new
category was affixed to the wall of the Bristol, the meeting place of choice for ambassadors and
diplomats from all over the world since the Second World War.
The flamboyant Second Empire Meurice, a jewel of classic 18th-century architecture just a
stone’s throw from Place de la Concorde, played host to one of the last literary salons in France,
thanks largely to its French and American patron Florence Gould. Monarchs, aristocrats, writers and
artists have all left their mark on the hotel. One of the most unusual guests was Salvador Dalí, who
spent a month every year in the former Alphonse XIII royal suite and spattered the walls with flecks of
paint.
The reputation of the Georges V, which is regularly described as the best hotel in the world,
needs no introduction. Just a stone’s throw from the Champs Elysées and the Eiffel Tower, it has been
the preferred choice of some of the biggest names in show-business since it opened in 1928. The
Plaza-Athénée, overlooking the banks of the Seine, is closely associated with the history of art and
fashion. It is a popular spot with Parisians who come to enjoy a taste of the international atmosphere,
the blue-themed bar or musical ambience. The very best of French gastronomy has pride of place in its
prestigious restaurant, named after its famous chef, Alain Ducasse.
The Palais de Biarritz, on the Basque coast, enjoys a stunning location facing the ocean and
was originally the home of Empress Eugénie, wife of Napoleon III, before being converted into a hotel
in 1854. An impression of luxury and perfection reigns throughout, with Carrara marble, silk curtains
and a neoclassical-style swimming pool with elegant Doric columns. The Grand Hôtel in Cap Ferrat is
the legendary luxury hotel on the Riviera – Côte d’Azur, an immaculate white building surrounded by
lush gardens, standing at one end of the Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat peninsula, and it has been welcoming
the European élite since 1908.
The charming Les Airelles in Courchevel offers a truly enchanting place to stay in the heart of
the most glamorous of French ski resorts, whilst its restaurant is one of a number of establishments run
by chef Pierre Gagnaire. The stylish and elegant Cheval Blanc, meanwhile, stands out from the others
thanks to its much more contemporary atmosphere.
Annik Bianchini
Website
www.atout-france.fr: Atout France
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