As part of our Green Traveller's Guide to Nouvelle-Aquitaine, we've picked out a selection of places to stay across this beautiful part of southwest France.
Google map: shows the location and details of all the places to stay, local food and drink, nearby visitor attractions and activities in our Green Traveller's Guide to Nouvelle-Aquitaine:
Green = Places to stay Blue = Food & drink Yellow = Attractions Purple = Activities
Firstname Bordeaux A 147-room hotel in the Mériadeck neighbourhood from where it's a 15-minute walk to the city's main attractions, and about 20 minutes tram and walk from Saint Jean railway station. Between the 1960s and the 1980s this neglected corner of the city became a testing ground for some of the brightest modern architects of the time. Among the showstoppers they created was a concrete colossus with striking curvilinear balconies designed by Arretche-Karasinki and Marcel Nouviale for French insurance company Allianz. A super-sized example of upcycling, the building was recently repurposed as a hotel with chic, contemporary flair. Inside its brutalist exterior hides a serene, colourful space that welcomes guests in with clever lighting, lounge-on-me seating, a communal kitchen (so no need for energy intensive mini bars) and natural materials (each room has a bag of charcoal to purify the air). firstname.com/fr/hotels/bordeaux
Grand Hotel Francais, Bordeaux A former 18th Century mansion on the historic rue du Temple in downtown Bordeaux, a few steps from the magnificent Saint-André Cathedral, about 20 minutes tram and walk from Saint Jean railway station. Behind its historic facade is a modern, vibrant Best Western 3-star hotel with 35 smart, unfussy rooms, an elaborate cocktail bar 'Bar Casa' ("inspired by the great artists of illusionism"), and buffet breakfast. It was the first hotel in Bordeaux to be awarded the European Ecolabel (in 2010) and subsequently has received La Clef Verte eco label for its commitment to reducing its impact on the environment with a range of eco initiatives throughout the hotel, such as low energy lighting, organic and Fair Trade products at breakfast, including honey from a bee hive it sponsors on the hillsides of Bourg-sur-Gironde. There's also a library of green-minded literature for guests. grand-hotel-francais.com
Domaine Saint-Amand, Dordogne Valley A large multi-lodge glamping site in the Périgord, managed by a dynamic young couple, Jeanne and Baptiste, close to the medieval village of Saint-Amand-de-Coly (officially one of France’s Most Beautiful Villages and home to a spectacular fortified abbey). We cycled there on the Flow Vélo cycle track from Sarlat (see our feature on Outdoor Adventure in Nouvelle-Aquitaine). A grocery and outdoor pool sit beside the restored farmhouse at its heart while 50 two-bedroom wooden cabins are spaced out scenically among fields of wildflowers and newly planted trees. Beautifully crafted with restful taupe and timber interiors, chic ensuite bathrooms, private kitchens and covered terraces, the cabins make a peaceful pitstop along the Flow Vélo trail. Especially if, like us, you pick up one of Jeanne’s homemade coq au vin or happen to visit on a night when the wood-fired pizza oven is being fired up. domainesaintamand.com
La Maison des Etoiles, Dordogne Valley
Close to Collonges la Rouge (officially one of the 'most beautiful villages in France' and on the route Saint Jacques de Compostelle), La Maison des Etoiles is a lovely hamlet of gites opposite Turenne in Corrèze, about an hour and half's cycle from Brive. There are several options for accommodation: a large communal house (Casastelle) for up to 11 people (great for groups, sleeping in a large common room surrounded by 11 beds), a house (La Grand Ourse) for up to 10 people, a cottage (Cassiopée) for 2 to 4 people, and for those wanting to admire the night sky from your bed, Domostella is a room-with-a-view, glass domed cabin for two people, where you can have breakfast on a little terrace facing the Turenne Castle. If you can stir yourself from the back-to-nature idyll, there are plenty of outdoor activities nearby, including mountain biking, climbing, via ferrata, horse-riding, canoeing and canyoning. lamaisondesetoiles.fr
Hotel La Réserve, Biarritz- Pays Basque
A peaceful 4-star 41-room hotel within seven acres of lawned gardens perched on the cliff overlooking the Atlantic, a mile from the railway station in St Jean de Luz – just far enough to escape the hustle and bustle of this popular seaside town, but close enough to walk to, including to its famous sandy beach. The hotel's Ilura outdoor restaurant specialises in using local ingredients to prepare Basque dishes, the Elaia Lounge serves simpler salads and sandwiches in the garden by the large infinity pool, while the Lounge Bar is the place to go for a drink and tapas in a cosy indoor sanctuary. hotel-lareserve.com
Domaine de Bassilour, Biarritz- Pays Basque
Three kilometres from Biarritz, in a 16-hectare park, Domaine de Bassilour is a small independent hotel that consists of rooms and suites in three kinds of accommodation close to the town of Bidart and less than five minutes from the beaches of the Basque coast - one is on a farm, another is in a 16th Century manor house and the third is a seven-room villa, which has a heated swimming pool. The hotel has been awarded the European Ecolabel (see our guide to ecolabels and certification schemes in tourism and hospitality) for its efforts to reduce the impact of visitor stays on the environment, including geothermal underfloor heating, hemf roof insulation, reduction in the use of plastic bottles, a raft of energy efficient mechanisms in the rooms, such as low energy lighting and a key card system for in-room electricity so that power is cut when a guest leaves the room, and sustainable agricultural practices in its gardens, including use the practice of permaculture principles and the recycling or organic waste. domainedebassilour.com
Hotel Chais Monnet & Spa, Cognac
Come here to spoil yourself. In the heart of Cognac, a 12-minute walk from the railway station, this 104-room luxury hotel, consisting of classic French chic rooms, suites and apartments, is home to a Michelin-starred gourmet restaurant (the only one in Cognac), brasserie, jazz bark rooftop lounge , spa, steam room and sauna. The restaurant, run by head chef Mathis Debize, focuses on regional cuisine using local ingredients, so expect dishes such as Courgette de Charente, Boeuf de Montbéliard – marinated, of course, in cognac – and blueberries from the Médoc. Exceptional. chaismonnethotel.com
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Best Western Plus Richelieu, Limoges A popular 4-star, 46-room mansion in a pedestrianised area in the centre of Limoges. It serves a breakfast buffet and there are several excellent restaurants nearby for dinner in the centre of the city. It has been awarded the Clef Verte eco label certification and encourages to be mindful of their energy use: click on the website and you'll see a pop up message asking guests to join their approach in amending their actions during their stay to limit energy consumption. It's a 20-minute walk from the railway station and there's an electric charging station for cars.
La Maison des Ambassadeurs, Atlantic Coast The first 5-star hotel in La Rochelle, La Maison des Ambassadeurs is the place to come to pamper yourself. Named after a French ambassador in the 19th Century, Albert Bodard, who considered the city his home, it's beneath the stone arches on the rue de Minage, a short walk from the vibrant old port and the historic centre of La Rochelle, and close to the city's covered market packed with local producers selling fresh vegetables, seasonal fruits and other produce from the region. The hotel's rooms (a mix of 'deluxe' rooms, 'deluxe', 'prestige' and 'family' suites) are modern yet minimalist, there's a spa, hammam, sauna and massage treatments, a gourmet restaurant serving seasonal dishes that it describes as "world cuisine enhanced by local products", a small outdoor pool and piano bar. maisondesambassadeurs.com
Hotel La Villa Seren, Atlantic Coast
In prime position overlooking Lake Hossegor, the 4-star Hotel La Villa Seren has 27 rooms, 2 suites and 3 family rooms with views over the popular salt lake - a nature reserve surrounded by pine forest. The hotel's spa has treatment rooms, sauna, hammam and a heated outdoor pool. The restaurant serves seasonal dishes that it says use 80% ingredients from less than 150km away, such as a harbour fish with green asparagus, and its wine bar features wines "from producers across our beautiful terroir" as well as craft beers and cocktails, such as an organic Pineau des Charentes. The lake has several sheltered beaches that are great for families and its calm waters are popular for watersports, including sailing, windsurfing, paddleboarding - there are several sailing clubs and schools for lessons and hiring equipment. villaseren.fr
Hotel Thalazur Arcachon, Atlantic Coast
The 124-room Hotel Thalazur Arcachon is one of 9 thalassotherapy centres across France that are part of the Thalazur brand, which specialises in wellbeing 'bien être' breaks. The setting of this one in Arcachon is unique – among an oak and pine forest just 150m from the popular Pereire beach – its decor matches the natural setting, focussing on wood and stone, with touches of rattan and cane. Many of the rooms have a balcony over the forest or the hotel garden, and guests can choose from a wide range of treatments and massages, including a sauna, hammam, jacuzzi, fitness room, and two seawater swimming pools (indoor and outdoor). The restaurant serves regional dishes, including seafood, accompanied by Bordeaux wines, and the hotel has recently been awarded the Clef Verte for its commitment to reduce its impact on the environment. thalazur.fr/arcachon/hotel
Hotel Le Vieux Logis, Pyrenees A family-run 3-star 28-room hotel close to the Gave de Pau's valley about 10 miles to the west of Lourdes at the foot of the mountains of the Pyrenees. The smart modern rooms are tastefully decorated with beautiful fabrics and all have a balcony with views of the garden. Co-owner Francis is the chef and he specialises in seasonal country cooking using local products, while Marie-Pierre is on hand to advise on pairing with country wines. The Gave is popular for rafting and kayaking, and the hotel is just a kilometre from the famous Caves of Bétharram where you can descend to an 80m chasm to go on an underground boat ride among a spectacular array of stalagmites and stalactites. hotel-levieuxlogis.com
Hotel Altéora Futuroscope, Poitiers
Self-styled as an 'Eco-Responsible Hotel', the 3-star 294-room Hotel Altéora Futuroscope is 500m from the main entrance to the Futurescope park that's about 10 miles from Poitiers. It has been awarded the Clef Verte for its commitment to reducing the impact on the environment and also has a strong social commitment to local sustainable and responsible suppliers. It has planted over 2,000 trees in a degraded forest 30 minutes from the hotel, has installed a rooftop beehive, and has a commitment to reducing energy consumption, which has resulted in a 19% decrease in water consumption per customer, a 38% decrease in electricity consumption per customer, and 45% of unrecovered waste, as well as a raft of other initiatives, including using cooking oils in the restaurant. Futurescope is a multimedia, cinematography and audio-visual theme park with over 20 main attractions, imax cinemas, and a range of weird and wonderful rides, such as Cosmic collisions, the World of the Invisible, and Dancing with Robots - great for a day out for all the family. hotel-alteora-site-du-futuroscope.com
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