With its exceptional variety of bucolic landscapes, la belle France promises endless family escapades – by the sea or sand dunes, overlooking horse-ploughed vines or atop a mountain, clifftop or tree. Natural green space for children of all ages to let off steam is in abundance pretty much all over the hexagon, and as French hoteliers refine their services and facilities to make stays more eco-conscious, there’s never been a greener and more exhilarating choice of places to stay en famille. Château, chalet, hôtel particular (historic mansion), upcycled oil mill or Belle Epoque seaside villa: all budgets are embraced with signature French panache.
Luxurious city hotels and resorts entertain with action-packed kids’ clubs, themed treasure hunts, outdoor activities and hands-on learning opportunities like patisserie classes, grape-picking and cheese-making. Mid-range hotels pamper young explorers with traditional games, kitchen-garden visits and old-fashioned fun en plein air. Away from towns and cities, hotels increasingly offer flexible self-catering packages too – a cottage on a chateau-hotel estate perhaps – allowing families to mix-and-match hotel dining with their own, memorable market-sourced feasts.
Located in Paris, Provence or pinprick hamlets you’ve probably never heard of: here are 50 of the best family-friendly hotels in France.
