When the city grows too loud and calendars too full, a countryside escape becomes a breath of fresh air. In a chic estate or a hidden inn that embraces the art of suspended time. We’ve handpicked the best hotels for a weekend in the countryside, the dream chance to swap the city’s gray for hedgerow-lined trails, and rush for the pleasure of doing nothing… or almost.
Bretesche Estate
Located in Missillac, just 25 minutes from La Baule, this Relais & Châteaux 5-star property set in a 200-hectare park at the edge of Brittany has a knack for turning a simple weekend into a timeless interlude. Built in the Middle Ages and largely rebuilt in the 19th century, the Château de la Bretesche features tower silhouettes, pointed roofs, and a crenellated façade.
The former residence of the barons of La Roche-Bernard, listed as a historic Monument, it offers 25 rooms and 6 suites spread across the château’s former dependencies, with views of the lake, the courtyard, or the golf course and 9 villas tucked into the old dovecote.
Behind its aristocratic facade, a new era and a new style are taking shape: the property has undergone a perfectly balanced renovation. Leading this refined transformation is designer Stéphanie Decurey, who reimagined the estate in an eco-aware approach crowned by the Green Key label. She introduced clean lines, deep velvets, natural fibers, an earth-toned palette of earth, sand, and moss green, with discreet design pieces and heritage details carefully preserved, from fireplaces to exposed beams.
The ambience plays the chic countryside refuge card, with a natural flow between cobbled courtyards, terraces, intimate lounges, and the Cour Carrée spa (400 m2), branded by Cinq Mondes and Omnisens. Treatment cabins, an indoor pool (14 m) and an outdoor heated pool from May to September complete the wellness program.
2025 also marks the arrival of a new culinary figure: chef Filipe Silvestre signs at Le Montaigu with a very nuanced score, pairing Atlantic coast produce with vegetables from the permaculture garden to be savored in a contemporary chic setting, with a sublime lake view reflecting the château.
For a more relaxed experience, head to Le Club, where the same chef reimagines burgers, and twists brasserie dishes in a bright room opening onto the 18-hole Henry Cotton golf course. After a refreshing forest walk, retreat to the Bar des Écuries where the old troughs no longer feed horses but serve as décor, a plush, intimate haven for a late-evening cocktail.
Marie’s Bastide
This address is a bit like a Provence postcard come to life, in Ménerbes, just a stone’s throw from Bonnieux.
At the end of a cypress-lined lane, a grand honey-colored stone house, restored in keeping with the bastides of old. An attached barn, mineral terraces, original pools refurbished into a swimming pool, gardens dotted with herbs and a vineyard stretching to the horizon: Marie’s Bastide unfolds its charm in the heart of 26 hectares of vines set within the Luberon natural park.
The property fully embodies the “Sibuet family” spirit, chic and cozy, with an elegance never stiff that marks these places. Old furniture found at regional antique shops, baroque pieces, refined fabrics, soft textures, and patinated colors create the tone, balancing rustic mastery with discreet refinement. In the barn, life revolves around a monumental fireplace, the backbone of the house. Upstairs, salons and a library invite late-night snacks, board games, and evening reading.
On the accommodation side, the Bastide offers 12 rooms, including 8 suites, reinforcing the intimate retreat feel. From 28 to 67 m², each room has its own character: authentic terracotta floors, old beams, carefully chosen antiques, generous bedding, and natural textiles give them a warmly inviting atmosphere.
And don’t forget the great options for big groups: the Mas Vermentino (270 m², 6 bedrooms, private pool) and the Grenache and Syrah villas (5 bedrooms, 170–200 m², private pool), designed to offer comfort, independence, and hotel-style services.
Two pools share the guest favorites: a heated pool shielded by a stone ramp that hugs the building’s slope, and a garden pool facing the vines, laid out like an old Provençal basin.
Stroll through the Marie Domain’s vineyards, sample the house wines, wander among the permaculture vegetable garden, orchard, olive grove, and beehives… Here, nature is the guiding thread of the stay.
The Pure Altitude Spa extends this immersion with plant-based regenerative treatments, honey and jasmine wraps, energizing rituals, or massages with linen pouches filled with essential oils.
At mealtime, the cooking highlights the terroir. Chef François Martin draws from the garden, nearby producer markets, and orchard fruits to compose menus that celebrate vegetables of the South, freshly snipped herbs, local meats, and desserts bursting with the season. Dine “on the Terrace,” under the shade of the century-old lime tree, or “at Bastide,” in a chic and rustic dining room where delicate tableware answers the vintage furniture. The atmosphere evokes the spirit of a refined guest table where Provençal recipes are reimagined, naturally accompanied by the estate’s wines. A place you’d want to keep to yourself… and you’ll find yourself recommending it to friends.
Primard Estate
One and a half hours from Paris, Primard has swapped the “house of a star” legend for the story of a ultra-chic countryside domain tucked into 30 hectares of gardens, meadows, and woods: this 18th-century château perched on a promontory, surrounded by moats and embraced by the winding Eure, has become the five-star Relais & Châteaux property where one comes to disconnect without sacrificing style.
Behind this classic architecture with orderly façades and regular volumes lie salons in a row on the ground floor with oak floors and fireplaces. Restored by architect Alexandre Lafourcade, the place has regained its vessel-like stance above the water, while gaining modernity and clarity.
The spirit? That of a vast family home with impeccable taste: formal drawing rooms and more intimate spaces, punctuated by artworks, natural tones, and warm materials that let the personality of the place speak. The palette remains soft, textiles generous, woodwork and stone warmed by contemporary furniture. Maison du Lac, Maison de l’Eure, Maison du Verger and Grange: the 39 rooms including 9 suites are spread across several buildings—yet all share the same DNA: clean lines, wide views over the park, and light everywhere. Some offer terraces or private gardens, extending the room into nature.
The Susanne Kaufmann spa of this Relais & Châteaux unfolds 450 m² devoted to wellness, with four massage rooms, a sauna, steam room, hot and cold baths, a fitness room, and a heated pool.
Primard also thrives through its cuisine. The domain houses the gastronomic restaurant Les Chemins, which showcases home-grown produce from the permaculture garden with talent. More casual, Bistrot Martin reflects its farm-to-table vibe in its plates. In winter, there’s nothing like gathering in the old kitchen by the fireplace: the menu includes mulled wine, gougères, and fromager Bernard Mure-Ravaud’s raclette—Meilleur Ouvrier de France!
Val House
Nestled in the heart of 4 hectares of protected forest, La Maison du Val rises discreetly at the gates of Saint-Germain-en-Laye, a quiet and welcoming retreat.
This 17th-century hunting lodge, the work of the young Jules Hardouin-Mansart in 1675, has been transformed into a charming hotel by Maisons de Campagne, who have blended history and modernity with evident finesse.
From the outside, the building impresses with its majestic facade, punctuated by a long drive lined with ancient trees.
Inside, the magic happens the moment you cross the threshold: lush decor blends antique furniture, art objects, period frescoes, and contemporary touches. The design subtly plays with contrasts between noble classic and a cozy spirit, where every corner tells a story. We savor the expansive lounges, the library with more than 10,000 volumes, and spaces that open onto nature for a continuous dialogue with the nearby forest.
The 49 rooms, each unique in its décor, are shared between the main château and its dependencies. The Tradition rooms in sandy or forest-green tones offer a cozy cocoon. The Évasion rooms, larger, expand the space with painted ceilings and generous views over the park. The choice of natural textiles, vintage objects, and on-site finds creates an intimate universe.
After a stroll, a yoga session, a moment of relaxation in one of the four heated Nordic baths scattered around the garden.
At mealtime, the cuisine is hearty, seasonal, often local, offered as buffets where indulgence meets simplicity.
What do we love? Everything here is truly all-inclusive, from a movie night to nature workshops for children, and meals, all included!
Auberge La Coste
Perhaps you already know Villa La Coste, the Provençal haven tucked inside the Château La Coste domain, between Aix-en-Provence and the Luberon. Here is Auberge La Coste, a bit of the cooler little sister: buildings with pinkish-cut stone façades, inspired by southern villages, with calades (cobbled lanes), and forged lighting, it feels like a natural fit in this landscape blending biodynamically farmed vineyards and monumental artworks.
Inside, the minimalist design breathes the essence of pristine Provence: custom waxed-wood furniture, light blond floors, impeccably hanging curtains, white-dominated tones flooded with light through the expansive bay windows. 76 keys (ranging from 18 to 44 m²), including two modular rooms and six studios with a kitchenette, the rooms all open onto the vineyard or the artworks, some extended by a balcony or a terrace.
The must-have? Take advantage of the on-domain dining options: starting with Louison restaurant, overseen since January 2026 by chef Florent Pietravalle, who crafts a cuisine in tune with the pace of nature. But you can also enjoy the Bar of the Auberge and La Rôtisserie, near Aix-en-Provence, offering simple but high-quality specialties. On the expansive property, you can wander the Art & Architecture parcours (3 hours of outdoor artworks—from Tadao Ando to Louise Bourgeois), sample biodynamic wines, bike through the vines, enjoy a shared spa with the Villa, and soak up a relaxed yet chic atmosphere—a convivial, perfect combo.
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