11 Nights
The RN7 is a legendary road in France and the birthplace of Relais & Châteaux. A favorite of those who follow Michelin maps and others who love roads lined with plane trees, the RN7 always evokes the easygoing ambiance of douce France. Although following it from end to end can be quite an adventure these days, the song of cicadas, fragrance of lavender, and haute cuisine still provide for an amazing journey from Burgundy to the Mediterranean. And, since 1954, it has offered a treasure trove or properties dedicated to refinement and well-being.
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Hotel and restaurant in town. In the 16th arrondissement of the French capital, Saint James Paris lovingly cultivates a world of unmatched refinement and art de vivre. Close to the Arc de Triomphe and Avenue Foch, this exceptional hotel reveals a discreet character imbued with pastoral charm and an aura unlike any other. Graced with 5,000 square metres of greenery, it holds court amidst marvellous gardens made all the more remarkable by the landscape designer Xavier de Chirac. This former private mansion is now bridging its romantic neoclassical soul with modernity, thanks to the talents of interior designer Laura Gonzalez, who has achieved a perfect symbiosis of plant life and art deco. The decorative contrasts exhibit a rare elegance, as evidenced by the fifty rooms and suites which are at once chic and poetic, grandiose and intimate. At the Bellefeuille gourmet restaurant, Chef Grégory Garimbay pays tribute to French gastronomy and the richness of its terroirs by honouring the raw produce he works with sincerity and passion. A stay at the Saint James Paris is a true parenthesis of well-being, which is confirmed in the Guerlain spa: a world of relaxation, with areas dedicated to treatments, a hammam, a sauna, a Jacuzzi, a fitness room and an indoor pool bathed in natural light. ... Learn moreless
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Restaurant and hotel in the country. Back in 1954 the Dépée family turned this former post house into one of the first Relais & Châteaux properties. Charming and tranquil, this top culinary destination is surrounded by Loire châteaux and the vineyards of Sancerre and Pouilly. Experience the rare pleasure of sleeping under a thatched roof, and allow yourself to be seduced by the cuisine of Chef Kevin Stroh in the restaurant, looking out on century-old oak trees. On the menu is a magical ravioli of wild mushrooms and velouté with a truffle jus, and John Dory in a La Ratte potato crust and sweet red onion sauce. This delicious food is complemented by wine from the highly acclaimed cellar. ... Learn moreless
It is described as ’’an Eiffel Tower of the navigable paths.’’ For over a century, the Briare was the longest steel canal aqueduct in the world. Built between 1890 and 1896, today the construction rises over the Loire River and the old lateral canal dug out during the reign of Henri IV. Gustave Eiffel...
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In Joigny, on the banks of the Yonne River, in the north of Burgundy, Jean-Michel Lorain attends to what his father created. The Grand Chef of La Côte Saint Jacques & Spa offers a reinvented Burgundy, between escargots and spices from half a world away. The country of Chablis leads toward the impressive...
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’’The cellar has always been one of the Auberge des Templiers’s most important places,’’ says Philippe Dépée. ’’I like the vineyard work. Perhaps because like mine, it’s done with love of the place, of the land, and the insistence on excellence.’’ On both banks of the Loire River, the Sancerre and Pouilly...
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Restaurant and hotel in the country. Troisgros is located in the heart of the countryside, at the foot of a vineyard. It is made up of a farmhouse where guests are received, a kitchen workshop where products are transformed, a restaurant, Le Bois sans Feuilles, were sharing is experienced, and a large Italian-style house where relaxation may be had. All of these spaces have a modern soul and are surrounded by fields, woods, a lake, garden, and orchard. The taste of Marie-Pierre, and that of Michel and César, all guided by the simplicity in cooking, was without a doubt inspired by this new setting. ... Learn moreless
Shared by fifty independent wine growers, this vineyard has enjoyed an AOC appellation since 1994. My father long worked with Robert Sérol in Renaison. Today, I share “Les Blondins”, a five-acre property on the Gamay Estate, with his son, Stéphane Sérol. It’s a fruity and expressive wine that you’ll...
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Hervé Mons is one of the best maîtres affineurs (experts in cheese ripening). A Meilleur Ouvrier de France (Best Craftsman in France), he knows inside and out all the country’s farms, traditions, and expertise. Over the years, he has become a reference in the profession. Over a hundred producers from...
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When I was a child, my father took me here regularly. From Roanne, you crisscross Charolais hills. It’s a beautiful trip through wooded countryside interrupted here and there by several villages proud of their Romanesque churches. Every Wednesday, at noon, the market gathers a number of Charolais breeders...
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Guy Lassausaie transformed an old coaching inn built by his great-grandfather into an elegant establishment with contemporary lines. Sea bass fillet cooked skin-side down, lobster rolls, pigeon cooked in hay - here, the quality of ingredients is central. We’re at the gates of Lyon, at the very heart...
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Passionate about the artistic creation, I never miss the Lyon Contemporary Art Biennale. The first art biennale was held in the early 90s in the Halle Tony Garnier. In this singular world, I discovered artists like Christian Boltanski, Philippe Favier, Annette Messager, Buren, Viallat and Traquandi....
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Restaurant and hotel in a village. In Vonnas, Georges Blanc, emblematic Chef and visionary businessman, has developed a veritable Gourmet Village on the river bank, around a reconstruction of the inn of his great grandparents. Together with his family, Blanc constantly reinvents Bresse specialties through creations such as the “crêpe vonnassienne” with salmon and caviar or the legendary Bresse chicken with foie gras. Visits are available upon request to one of the five most exceptional cellars in the world, with more than 135,000 bottles. In just under five hectares of grounds, discover a heavenly spa, an aquatic space next to a pond and a large, landscaped park that is illuminated at night. ... Learn moreless
Grey crowned cranes, Dalmatian pelicans, scarlet ibises, rainbow lorikeets, cockatoos, and marabou storks…there are so many bird species to observe in this 86-acrepark set in the heart of a bird sanctuary. There’s a very beautiful display of birds born and raised here that allows you to admire the birds...
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Set in a magnificent 18th-century farm extended by a contemporary-style building, this museum dedicated entirely to Bressan heritage presents rich collections including costumes, jewellery, and local food specialities. Devoted to the region, Georges Blanc helped set up a real on-site Bresse poultry farm....
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From the vine-growing process to the wine-making process, you can explore the whole world of wine in this hamlet created by Georges Duboeuf in the heart of the Beaujolais. In fifty years, this passionate man has gone from simple bottler to one of the biggest Beaujolais wine merchants. The story of the...
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Vienne-la-Romaine is home to one of the greatest culinary stops along the route. Long managed by Chef Fernard Point, La Pyramide today benefits from the talent of Patrick Henriroux. Art Deco, local ingredients, and delicate and spiced flavors are on the menu. Further to the south, in the restaurant-hotel...
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Restaurant and hotel in the country. As a result of the merger of La Cabro d’Or and L’Oustau de Baumanière, Baumanière has become the epitome of Mediterranean art of living in a magical place. Appreciated by personalities from the political and the media world, this domain was founded by Raymond Thuillier, the "historical monument" of French gastronomy according to Gault et Millau. In 1969, Jean-André Charial took over from his grandfather as the head Chef, a position he held with maestria until today. This respected Chef is now no longer in the kitchens but managing the domaine. Baumanière remains a unique place, nestled in the Baux-de-Provence rocky outcrops. It encompasses five buildings surrounded by Mediterranean gardens: the L’Oustau, the historical main house, La Maison de Famille, a Provençal farmhouse, the 18th-century manor, and finally Carita and Flora, two country abodes. There are also two gourmet restaurants, the Oustau de Baumanière—an institution where you can appreciate the refined, subtle, and creative cuisine of the chef—and La Cabro d'Or, a Provencal restaurant. The estate also has a spa, three outdoor pools, and a tennis court. ... Learn moreless
Moulin Castelas is where Jean-Benoît Hugues produces perhaps the best olive oil of the Baux-de-Provence Valley. On the 111 acres extending along the sun-kissed slopes of the Alpilles are four varieties of olive: l’Aglandau, la Grossane, la Salonenque, and la Verdale - each unique, bursting with a singular...
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It’s on the Lauzières Estate, in an isolated little valley in the south of the Alpilles, where Jean-André Charial produces a rosé or red wine named ’’L’Affectif’’. This AOC wine from Les Baux de Provence offers - according to its vintage - prune, blackberry, or red berry notes.
And what if the biggest screen in the world was actually in Provence? On this exceptional site of the old Baux quarries, the works of the most prestigious artists are presented. Filmed in 1959 in Cocteau’s The Testament of Orpheus, the quarries make an extraordinary setting today. There’s more than 6,000m2...
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Just a few miles from Nîmes, ’’Southerner’’ Michel Kayser presents a palette of Provence in his Restaurant Alexandre - from turbot confit in olive oil to a Provençale-truffle floating island. The Route du Bonheur continues to Les-Baux-de-Provence. Once you arrive in Marseille, go to Gérald Passédat’s...
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Hotel and restaurant in a village. This château, built on the steep slopes of the French Riviera, offers breath-taking vistas of the Mediterranean and has plenty of relaxing activities in store: swimming in the pool, fragrant gardens or Indian massages. The charming rooms are all different. The great classics of French gastronomy as well as Mediterranean specialties can be savoured in one of the four restaurants of the Chèvre d’Or, where the pleasure derived from the fine cuisine is enhanced by the stunning views. After the meal, you can stroll through the cobblestone streets of the medieval cliff-side village overlooking the grandiose panorama of the sea. ... Learn moreless
On the outskirts of Grasse, the silvery olive leaves welcome you to the Bastide Saint-Antoine. With its worldwide reputation for exquisite taste, this city offers Chef Jacques Chibois' unsuspected flavors and a beautiful environment for organic vegetables. Running along Antibes and Nice, then heading...
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They say that the famous philosopher who once lived nearby has conceived the third part of his monumental Thus Spoke Zarathustra along this path that now bears his name. Following the steps of Friedrich Nietzsche, you can walk between the low, dry stone walls, and the cypress and bougainvillea trees,...
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Transformed into a museum by 1938, this magnificent Renaissance-style palace is one of the most impressive monuments of all the French Riviera. A great collector of art, its owner Béatrice Ephrussi de Rothschild was known for her refined tastes. Inside the villa, one can still explore the baroness’s...
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Modern and contemporary art find its most beautiful ambassadors here. With this incredible building, Aimé and Marguerite Maeght provided an exceptional setting for the works of artists like Giacometti, Chagall, Miro, Léger, and Braque. The building continues with superb gardens that are accessorized...
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**Offer cannot be combined, valid for an itinerary in at least 2 different Relais & Châteaux establishments, reserved with Relais & Châteaux concierges, discount applicable on certain rates and certain establishments. List available from our concierges.
Total price communicated as an indication, based on a stay of the number of nights recommended on this webpage, taking place in the next 3 months, and based on double occupancy (excluding recommended activities, excluding properties not bookable online).
To give you inspiration, Relais & Châteaux presents the Routes du Bonheur:
Suggestions for travel itineraries that you can fully personalise according to your wishes and the experiences you would like to discover. Our consultants are available to help customise your route and assist you in making reservations at our properties. It is up to you to reserve any recommended activities on-site or nearby that might interest you.
** Offer cannot be combined, valid for an itinerary in at least 2 different Relais & Châteaux establishments, reserved with Relais & Châteaux concierges, discount applicable on certain rates and certain establishments. List available from our concierges.
Call our concierge to tailormade your booking and itinerary*. *Price of a local call
