{"id":104364,"date":"2025-07-11T11:19:11","date_gmt":"2025-07-11T15:19:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/?p=104364"},"modified":"2025-07-18T09:02:44","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T13:02:44","slug":"la-grande-boucle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/07\/la-grande-boucle\/","title":{"rendered":"La Grande Boucle"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\"Le
Le Clair de la Plume \u2014 Grignan, France<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

We commemorate the 2025 Tour de France with a look at some of the best hotels along the route, from the start in Lille to the epic Alpine climbs to the big conclusion on the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es.<\/h4>\n

If you know nothing about the Tour de France \u2014 if, and I’m speaking to our many American readers out there, your entire knowledge starts and ends with the now decades-old dramas surrounding Lance Armstrong, then you’re missing out on a new golden age for the legendary bike race as champions Tadej Poga\u010dar and Jonas Vingegaard trade the yellow jersey. Poga\u010dar, winner in 2020, 2021, and 2024 is known for being one of the greatest all-around cyclists who ever lived. Vingegaard, winner in 2022 and 2023, particularly excels at climbing, the sport’s most grueling crucible, where the best performers can separate themselves from the pack. <\/p>\n

La Grande Boucle<\/em> (\u201cThe Great Loop\u201d) takes place annually in July over 21 unique race stages. The starting point (called the Grand D\u00e9part<\/em>) changes locations from year to year, and sometimes isn’t even in France. The rest of the route varies yearly as well, introducing new towns and incorporating different challenges, but always features flatter land for sprints and mountainous terrain for climbs. The ending, with very little exception, is in Paris as the riders stream around the Arc de Triomphe and down the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es. <\/p>\n

\"Arc<\/p>\n

Whether you care about cycling or not, it’s undeniable that this year’s race glides through some enchanting towns and passes by some wonderful Tablet hotels. We chose a selection of our favorites, a mix of places that, like Poga\u010dar, provide an all-encompassing grand experience, and others, like Vingegaard, that stand out for the outstanding execution of their specialties. Most importantly, they all exude charm and joie de vivre. Because just like riding a bike, your hotel stay should be fun. <\/p>\n

Hopefully, all this talk about bicycles has you itching to ride one. Some people believe there’s no better way to travel:<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best, since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them. Thus you remember them as they actually are, while in a motor car only a high hill impresses you, and you have no such accurate remembrance of country you have driven through as you gain by riding a bicycle.\u201d<\/em> \u2014 Ernest Hemingway
\n <\/p>\n

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STAGE 1: LILLE<\/h5>\n

Mama Shelter Lille<\/a><\/h2>\n
Lille, France<\/h5>\n

\"Mama<\/a><\/p>\n

Lille has a down-to-earth bohemian spirit that sets it apart from other cities in France. It’s the kind of place where people order beer instead of wine. Mama Shelter Lille, a colorful boutique hotel in the historic center, mirrors that energy. Though all the guest rooms are private, the place brings back memories of staying in a youth hostel, thanks to the convivial atmosphere and graffiti-like urban art that graces the public spaces.<\/p>\n

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STAGE 3: VALENCIENNES > DUNKERQUE<\/h5>\n

Royal Hainaut<\/a><\/h2>\n
Valenciennes, France<\/h5>\n

\"Royal<\/a><\/p>\n

You might confuse the palatial Royal Hainaut Spa & Resort Hotel for a castle, but this building was actually a hospital, constructed by Louis XV in 1751. A thoroughly modern addition, the towering glass atrium, looks out over the Ceremonial Courtyard, while rooms are enhanced by original architectural features like blue stone vaults and seven-meter-high ceilings. Valenciennes offers an excellent jumping off point to discover this area of northern France.<\/p>\n

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STAGE 4: AMIENS M\u00c9TROPOLE> ROUEN<\/h5>\n

H\u00f4tel de Bourgtheroulde<\/a><\/h2>\n
Rouen, France<\/h5>\n

\"H\u00f4tel<\/a><\/p>\n

Rouen is the ancient capital of Normandy, perhaps best known for Notre Dame, a gothic cathedral which dates back as far as the 12th century. It\u2019s this historic side of Rouen that the Hotel de Bourgtheroulde is meant to express \u2014 the building that houses it was constructed in the 16th century, and that era is celebrated throughout. The highly regarded Restaurant d\u2019Aumale, on the other hand, is strikingly modern, as is the dramatic underground pool.<\/p>\n

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STAGE 7: SAINT-MALO > M\u00dbR-DE-BRETAGNE GUERL\u00c9DAN<\/h5>\n

Les Charmettes<\/a><\/h2>\n
Saint-Malo, France<\/h5>\n

\"Les<\/a><\/p>\n

A pair of 19th-century villas on the coast of Brittany have been joined together and transformed into a charming and unpretentious 16-room boutique hotel directly overlooking the beach at Saint-Malo. This is the H\u00f4tel Les Charmettes. The interiors are stylish, a bit irreverent, and completely cozy and approachable, with a seaside vibe that never ventures into kitsch.<\/p>\n

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STAGE 9: CHINON > CH\u00c2TEAUROUX<\/h5>\n

Fontevraud l’Ermitage<\/a><\/h2>\n
Fontevraud-l\u2019Abbaye, France<\/h5>\n

\"Fontevraud<\/a><\/p>\n

One of the best-known abbey complexes in France, the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud isn\u2019t just a popular tourist site \u2014 it\u2019s a hotel as well. Set on the sprawling 12th-century complex where Eleanor of Aquitaine once lived (and where Richard the Lionheart is buried), Fontevraud l’Ermitage enables guests to see this historic and architectural treasure from a whole new perspective, one that’s bright and vibrant and not mired in the medieval.<\/p>\n

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STAGE 10: ENNEZAT > LE MONT-DORE PUY DE SANCY<\/h5>\n

Radio<\/a><\/h2>\n
Chamali\u00e8res, France<\/h5>\n

\"Radio\"<\/a><\/p>\n

H\u00f4tel Radio, in Chamali\u00e8res, is best known for the Michelin-starred restaurant of the same name, but this boutique hotel is more than just a place to lay your head after dinner. Built in 1930, the Radio is all Art Deco glamour, from its wrought-iron arched doorway to the decorative mosaic floors. Guest rooms are simple and modern, furnished in a monochromatic palette with colorful accents; some have separate seating areas.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”View Hotel” shape=”round” color=”black” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tablethotels.com%2Fen%2Fchamalieres-hotels%2Fhotel-radio”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

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STAGE 11: TOULOUSE<\/h5>\n

Maison Soclo<\/a><\/h2>\n
Toulouse, France<\/h5>\n

\"Maison<\/a><\/p>\n

Maison Soclo combines 18th-century Toulouse residential charm with 21st-century boutique-hotel style. The rooms are inspired by a French interpretation of British \u201ccosiness,\u201d which here means an orderly visual impression combined with unrefined, homespun textures and surfaces \u2014 plus teddy bears. Shiplap walls and half-moon porthole windows give the impression of being in a nautical-themed treehouse.<\/p>\n

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STAGE 14: PAU > LUCHON-SUPERBAGN\u00c9RES<\/h5>\n

Hotel La voie Lact\u00e9e<\/a><\/h2>\n
La Mongie, Bagn\u00e8res-de-Bigorre, France<\/h5>\n

\"Hotel<\/a><\/p>\n

Located in the village of La Mongie, this luxury boutique hotel is directly across from the ski lift and the cable car to the Pic du Midi observatory, offering staggering views of the mountains from the airy ground-level lounge, restaurant, bar, and all of its guest rooms. La Voie Lact\u00e9e means \u201cthe Milky Way,\u201d and rooms are named after astronomical features \u2014 galaxy, constellation, the Big Dipper \u2014 all viewable thanks to light pollution restrictions in the area.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”View Hotel” shape=”round” color=”black” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tablethotels.com%2Fen%2Fbagneres-de-bigorre-hotels%2Fhotel-la-voie-lactee”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

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STAGE 15: MURET > CARCASSONNE<\/h5>\n

H\u00f4tel Le Parc – La Table de Franck Putelat<\/a><\/h2>\n
Carcassonne, France<\/h5>\n

\"H\u00f4tel<\/a><\/p>\n

Medieval Carcassonne, the birthplace of cassoulet and the Languedoc red wines that pair with it, is a foodie destination, so it stands to reason that several of its best hotels are attached to fine dining venues. H\u00f4tel Le Parc was created as an elegant and practical addition to the celebrated La Table de Franck Putelat. Come for the creative tasting menus and relax afterward in one of the hotel\u2019s ultra-chic rooms and suites.<\/p>\n

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STAGE 16: MONTPELLIER > MONT VENTOUX<\/h5>\n

Hotel Richer De Belleval<\/a><\/h2>\n
Montpellier, France<\/h5>\n

\"Hotel<\/a><\/p>\n

In the sun-drenched heart of Montpellier\u2019s old town, H\u00f4tel Richer de Belleval stands as a glorious collision of centuries. Once a 17th-century mansion, now a ravishing blend of ornamental classicism and modern whimsy, it\u2019s a place where velvet boudoirs meet sculptural lamps, and history lingers in every carved detail. Celebrated dining, a contemporary art foundation, and views over Place de la Canourgue complete the transformation.<\/p>\n

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STAGE 17: BOLL\u00c9NE > VALENCE<\/h5>\n

Le Clair de la Plume<\/a><\/h2>\n
Grignan, France<\/h5>\n

\"Le<\/a><\/p>\n

The village of Grignan, at the foot of a medieval castle, surrounded by fields of lavender, is emblematic of what makes the south of France special. With rooms and suites in several different buildings, and other sites devoted to the Michelin-starred restaurant, the garden and pool, and a lovely little boutique selling house-made pastries and local products, Le Clair de la Plume feels like it encompass the whole of the village.<\/p>\n

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STAGE 18: VIF > COURCHEVEL COL DE LA LOZE<\/h5>\n

Aman Le Melezin<\/a><\/h2>\n
Courchevel, France<\/h5>\n

\"Aman<\/a><\/p>\n

There are several Courchevels, you see, each, until recently, named for its elevation, and the one known as 1850 is the highest, both figuratively (some call it the 21st Arrondissement) and literally. That’s where you’ll find Aman Le M\u00e9l\u00e9zin, an exceedingly upscale and elegant European ski resort. The exterior sticks to a French Alpine chalet style, but the pared-down, high-minimalist, Asian-inspired look you\u2019d expect from any Aman resort is on full display inside.<\/p>\n

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STAGE 19: ALBERTVILLE > LA PLAGNE<\/h5>\n

Araucaria Hotel & Spa<\/a><\/h2>\n
La Plagne Tarentaise, France<\/h5>\n

\"La<\/a><\/p>\n

Boutique-hotel style may have taken a little while to make its way to the slopes of the world\u2019s ski resorts, but there\u2019s no question it\u2019s arrived. And thanks to the redesign of the Araucaria Hotel & Spa we can add another example of the trend. Here, at the very foot of the vast Paradiski ski area, is an 84-room hotel whose redesign, by the architect Leslie Gauthier, leaves it head and shoulders above the tradition-bound, visually conservative ski-hotel norm.<\/p>\n

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STAGE 20: NANTUA > PONTARLIER<\/h5>\n

La Maison d’\u00e0 C\u00f4t\u00e9<\/a><\/h2>\n
Pontarlier, France<\/h5>\n

\"La<\/a><\/p>\n

On the French side of the border, midway between Basel and Geneva, is the mountain town of Pontarlier, home to much of France\u2019s pastis and absinthe production, and to La Maison d\u2019\u00e0 C\u00f4t\u00e9, a truly minuscule bed and breakfast featuring a mere two rooms, spanning the top floor of a 19th-century building in the town center. The d\u00e9cor is somewhat rustic and extremely eclectic, but always stylish and memorable.<\/p>\n

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STAGE 21: MANTES-LA-VILLE > PARIS CHAMPS-\u00c9LYS\u00c9ES<\/h5>\n

La R\u00e9serve Paris<\/a><\/h2>\n
Paris, France<\/h5>\n

\"La<\/a><\/p>\n

La R\u00e9serve occupies a stately, subdued 19th-century Haussmannian structure that overlooks Square Marigny and, as best as we can tell, the official Tour de France finish line on the Champs-\u00c9lys\u00e9es. That’s what you might see outside. Inside you’ll see exquisitely designed interiors by Jacques Garcia and rooms that are as lavish and palatial as they come in Paris, and equipped with every imaginable luxury, including individual butler service.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”View Hotel” shape=”round” color=”black” size=”lg” align=”center” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tablethotels.com%2Fen%2Fparis-hotels%2Fla-reserve-paris-hotel-and-spa”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n

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