Built a century ago as a private house, this belle époque mansion (Relais & Chateaux) was turned into a hotel by François André in 1926: he named it after his wife.

“A truly delightful place. The garden and park provide pleasure from every point,” says a visitor: in 1976, this 18th-century château, a historic monument in a large park near Bayeux, was turned into an elegant hotel (Relais & Châteaux); extensive renovations were completed in March 2016.

'A beautiful hotel,' one reader wrote. Built of local pink granite, this 19th-century Breton manor house (Relais & Châteaux) stands on a wooded headland on the edge of this popular resort.

Set in the centre of Val Thorn, in the Trois Vallées ski area, this family-run ski-in/ski-out hotel has garnered much praise for both the warm interiors – typically wood-panelled and cozy – and the impressive five course dinners served at night.

“A gem”: opened in 2001, this renovated 18th-century post house stands amid Minervois vineyards. “Reasonably priced, stylish, very French”, it has “charming hosts”, says a visitor.

Montpellier has some grandiose modern architecture but is full of historical interest too, and has a charming Vieille Ville, well restored.

South-west of Pau, in a tiny village on the edge of the Pays Basque, this old inn has been turned into a restaurant-with-rooms by owner/chef Pierre Chilo and his wife Martine.

A reader whose flight was cancelled due to a strike was consoled by the discovery of this small hotel in a quiet, narrow street in the old city.

Although you are paying for location more than decor – the reception is tiny and the rooms simply furnished – all rooms have terraces with sea views.

In a remote spot above the Aveyron gorges, this well-preserved bastide village (population 250) was founded in the 13th century below a hilltop fortress, now a ruin.

A honey-coloured 18th-century bastide, run by Penny and Julien Hemery as a charming small hotel.

The Île de Ré, offshore from La Rochelle, is a popular bolthole for wealthy Parisians. It has miles of glorious sandy beaches, an interior of pine forests and vineyards, and plenty of charm (planning regulations forbid unsightly hoardings and oversized buildings).

Named after the scrub-like bushes which cover Corsica and gave their name to the French Resistance, this “very well-run hotel” is a collection of buildings by the sea.

In an unexceptional southern suburb of Boulogne-sur-Mer, this smart and “hospitable” restaurant-with-rooms stands by the little River Liane.

On the edge of a pine forest, near the southern tip of the Médoc peninsula, “Soulac is a proper little seaside town”, and l”Amélie is a “sort of suburb”.

In the historic centre, on the traffic-free square in front of the cathedral, this “tastefully decorated” hotel offers “good value”, say Guide readers.

In the glorious Pays de la Loire in a great park, in Saumur, with its ancient houses and weekly market. this historic mansion is now an elegant luxury B&B hotel and spa.

“Slap bang between the seafront and rue d”Antibes (great for shopping)”, Jerry Duburq's “little gem” of a hotel, decorated in Provençal style, is warmly recommended.

“It keeps on improving” according to a visitor returning to the Larain family”s glamorous hotel (Relais & Châteaux), on the banks of the Yonne.

“Seven days of great comfort in a superb location” were enjoyed at the Cesne family”s holiday hotel in a pieds dans l”eau position on the Cotentin peninsula, south of Cherbourg.

“Family-run and it shows,” say visitors to this chalet-style building (“like a 1930s English cottage with a touch of Gallic flair”).

Set in a farmhouse dating from 1789 in the ski resort of La Clusaz, Le Vieux Chalet is 'a very small but perfectly located and charmingly decorated hotel', according to recent visitors.

A hotel since 1799, this elegant 16th-century building has long been a favourite of Guide readers.

Liked immensely by many readers ('good, quiet, exceptional value'; 'an excellent hotel in a very good location'), this converted town house is named after the 'great men' entombed in the Panthéon opposite.

This “most attractive building” is in a quiet residential area just outside Sarlat: “a peaceful and beautiful setting”. It is a part 13th-century hunting lodge, “truly romantic”.

North-west of Limoges, this gentilhommière (Relais & Châteaux) stands in a large park on the edge of a wood.

Set 800m from Château de Cheverny, and on the village square, this old inn has been owned by the Bricault family since 1865 and is now a member of the Chateau and Hotels Collection.

Opposite the dramatic gorges of Pennafort, in wooded country near Draguignan, this former relais de poste is now a luxurious hotel/restaurant managed by chef Philippe Da Silva and his wife, Martine.

Philippe Bidal's modest hotel (a listed historic monument) stands at the end of a glass-roofed 19th-century arcade with shops, near the junction of boulevards Haussmann, Montmartre and des Italiens.