Château de Courcelles

To say that the Château de Courcelles is old-fashioned would be no criticism at all. While fashions and technology have changed since the 17th century, the core values of hospitality haven’t — and the French country chateau experience is still unrivaled. This one, set on over sixty acres of parkland and gardens less than an hour from Paris, isn’t just grand and picturesque, but has a colorful history as well; Christian Dior entertained guests here, and it’s said that Jean Cocteau designed the central staircase.

It’s been a family-owned hotel for some thirty years now, and its owners have paid meticulous attention to its preservation and restoration. The rooms are richly detailed, each one unique, and the comforts are as lavish as you’d expect. The service, too, is personal in a way that befits a family-owned operation, and reinforces the sense that the Château is less a hotel and more a country house.

The chef, Lucas Vannier, is a veteran of several Michelin-starred establishments, and his restaurant here is a tour de force of high-end local cuisine, sourced from the freshest local ingredients. It’s joined by no fewer than three cozy lounges, perfect for a cocktail or a glass of Champagne — the capacious cellar contains more than 150 varieties from across the whole range of local labels, with a specific emphasis on small producers you might not yet know.