Hôtel de la Villeon

Though the town of Tournon-sur-Rhône, in the Ardèche region of France, isn’t exactly a household name, you may recognize Côtes du Rhône from the chalkboard at your local wine bar. This glorious wine-growing region, located near the border of Provence, south of the city of Lyon, sees more French road-trippers than international tourists. And there’s hardly a more properly French place to stay in the Rhone valley than Hôtel de la Villeon.

It’s a small hotel, with twelve guest rooms and four suites, located in a historic mansion right on the Rhone river. The antique front door, built of heavy walnut and adorned with a decorative iron doorknocker, is considered a historical monument in France. And it gives you an idea of what to expect inside. Hôtel de la Villeon is elegant in a traditional way: picture gilded chandeliers that sparkle overhead and wooden floorboards that creak underfoot, drawing rooms with marble fireplaces and old-fashioned moulding, a stone staircase with a cast-iron banister. Upstairs, rooms fall into one of four categories, but there’s not a huge difference between “romantic” and “audacious” — all are quiet and refined, with varying features from skylights to private balconies to trumeau mirrors, plus the standard comforts like flat-screen TVs and complimentary wi-fi. Suites offer more space, of course, plus design details like stone flooring, wainscoting, and carved fireplaces.

Downstairs, there’s the cozy Bar Le Gabriel, named for a French writer who was born right here on the premises. It opens onto a petite courtyard; both are stylish venues for sampling local wines or enjoying cocktails and small plates before dinner. You could stroll out to the hotel’s expansive gardens and enjoy the view of the vine-covered hills rising up in the distance. Or if you’re really serious about your Crozes-Hermitage, Saint-Joseph, and Condrieu, book a private tasting in the hotel’s minimalist wine cellar, housed in the building’s one-time stables. All told, Hôtel de la Villeon is historic and sophisticated, but nothing over the top — the epitome of good taste in one of France’s loveliest wine regions.

How to Get There: Due to changes in traffic flow, GPS navigation may be inaccurate. The hotel is best accessed as follows: traveling northbound on Quai Marc Seguin/D86, turn left on Place Saint-Julien, then right on Place Paul Sévin, then left on Rue Davity, where the hotel is located immediately on the right. Parking is available at "Parking des Graviers" just southeast of the hotel.