It was in front of the stunning scenery of Big Sur that Henry Miller said that he learnt to pray. To take the time to meditate in front of the immensity of these cliffs which seem to plunge down into the ocean, the little village of artists of Carmel-by-the-Sea is the ideal base. Halfway between San Francisco and the coast of Santa Barbara, inhabited by seals, whales and other marine mammals, the village - where Clint Eastwood was once mayor - will charm you with its many art galleries and pebble beaches. You will drop your bags at a romantic hotel built in 1929. The interior designer Kathleen Fink has decorated it with the most beautiful antiques and fabrics from Europe. Delicious cuisine, a wine cellar with over 4,500 bottles, massages and a short stroll to Carmel beach will give this address a special place in your heart, in the footsteps of the author.