CATEGORY

It's no surprise that France ranks among the world's most popular tourist destinations. This large and sparsely populated country has it all—a fascinating historical legacy, a gastronomic culture that is unsurpassed, and a tradition of good living that remains remarkably unaltered by the stresses of modern life. And France's scenery is spectacular, with mountains and marshlands, gorges and rolling countryside, and a coastline ranging from the rugged shores of Brittany to the benign and jewel-bright playgrounds of the Mediterranean. All this, naturally enough, means there is an unparalleled choice of world-class places to stay: medieval chteaux, rural farmhouses, alpine chalets, grand city hotels, and—of course—the very latest in interior design. Hip Hotels: France presents the traveler with the most authentically individual hotels that the country has to offer. Choose between the ornate style of colonial Indochina or the ultrachic pared-down touch of Christian Liaigre, a fisherman's hut on the south Atlantic coast or the hip modernity of Le Corbusier's Unit d'Habitation in Marseille, long a Mecca for devotees of modernist architecture and now partially converted into a hotel. Some hotels are established, some virtually unknown, but every one is a unique response to the geography, culinary culture, and design heritage of its particular location. So whether you are an adventurer, a gourmet, or a design aficionado, this third volume in the phenomenally successful Hip Hotels series is guaranteed to lure you away to explore every corner of France. 387 color and 151 b/w photographs.