Anne de Bretagne

On the southern side of the Breton peninsula, not far from Nantes, is the seaside town of La Plaine-sur-Mer, and here, overlooking the dunes and the waters of the Bay of Biscay, is the big, bright and airy Anne de Bretagne — a seaside hotel that retains its essential charm, even as it displays, in its design and décor, an awareness of what a 21st-century hotel ought to look like.

It’s subtly contemporary, anyway, hardly an avant-garde design showcase — just a penchant for generous spaces, simple palettes, modernist furniture and simple, uncluttered décor. There’s something almost Big Sur about it; sensible enough, perhaps, given that both places find common ground in dramatic sunset-facing sea views. In terms of organization, however, Anne de Bretagne is unmistakably French. It was established by a celebrated chef and his award-winning sommelier wife, and its new chef, Mathieu Guibert, shows a dedication to food and wine that leaves California in the shade.

How to get there:
Anne de Bretagne is located 35 miles from Nantes.