What if the best gift for Valentine's Day was a trip, for a night or a few days?
All places are good for declaring your love - or rekindling it -, especially when they are unexpected, far from the crowds and a change from romantic clichés!
To discover
Stays in France: weekends, hotels and tailor-made stays from our partners
Tailor-made trips: discover the offers from our partners
Head in the sea spray, on the shaded square of a historic town center, hidden away in the scrubland or in a cocoon of greenery... Here are our suggestions for a short out-of-season getaway, where potential love nests are legion.
“
Love is a selfishness of two
,” wrote Madame de Staël.
So think of both of you and don't wait until the end of winter to fly with your other half to other skies.
Also read: Annecy: ten unexpected hotels, with their feet in the water, unusual or romantic
In Bourges, in the calm of the canals
The quiet Berry town is also distinguished by its 15th century center.
ilolab / stock.adobe.com
Why go there?
It shines too discreetly in the Center Val-de-Loire, just two hours from Paris.
And turns out to be an ideal weekend destination!
Best known for its Printemps de Bourges, the beautiful Berry town also stands out for its calm and pretty countryside.
Its charming 15th century center, its imposing Gothic cathedral or its charming canals can be discovered by taking advantage of beautiful addresses.
Or sleep ?
At the Hôtel de Panette.
Built in the 15th century by the Duke of Berry, this mansion in the shadow of the cathedral sheltered prestigious guests.
Today it is a luxury guest house and furnished tourist accommodation with the scent of rediscovered times.
From €186 per night (historic room).
1, rue Henri Ducrot.
Also read: Weekend in Bourges: where to sleep?
Where to eat ?
Our best addresses
On the Emerald Coast, between two waters
Dinard.
launayann - stock.adobe.com
Why go there?
In the north-east of Brittany, lovers can get a double whammy!
Valentine's Day lends itself perfectly to a stay on horseback between Dinard and Saint-Malo, taking advantage of the maritime shuttle (10 minutes crossing).
Between Belle Époque spirit and corsair city, the two cities of the Emerald Coast face each other and complement each other.
Or sleep ?
At the Royal Émeraude Dinard MGallery Hotel.
The large stone building, dating from the Belle Époque and a stone's throw from the beach, has been restored into an adorable 47-room hotel.
Small but very warm, they were designed and decorated like cruise ship cabins from the 1920s. The spirit of the era continues at the “Darling” bar where you order a cocktail under the glass roof, lulled by a few jazzy notes .
From €140 for a double room.
1 Bd Albert 1er, 35800 Dinard.
Also read: The best hotels in Dinard and Saint-Malo
In the heart of the Normandy countryside
The Moulin Fouret, a former wheat paddle mill from the 16th century, not far from Bernay (Eure).
Press photo
Why go there?
If Normandy is above all popular for its beaches, it is home to a preserved countryside with authentic charm, rejuvenating even on bad days, where hotels offer an enchanted break for a stay full of serenity.
Each awakening is an ode to tranquility, lulled by the gentle murmur of the surrounding nature.
Or sleep ?
At Moulin Fouret, near Bernay (1h30 by train from Paris).
In this former 16th century wheat paddle mill, six rooms renovated up to date await travelers with simplicity.
Book the Romantic room with English country-style decoration and a panoramic view of the countryside!
From €90 per night in a double room.
2 route du Moulin Fouret, 27300 Treis-en-Ouche, Saint Aubin Le Virtueux.
Also read: Top 10 best hotels in the Normandy countryside
In Marseille, on the Old Port
View of Notre Dame de la Garde from the Old Port of Marseille.
Sergii Figurnyi / stock.adobe.com
Why go there?
The Phocaean city combines its taste for the atmosphere of village squares and the excitement of a large metropolis.
From the Old Port, you have to grasp the pulse of this bustling city which still resists winter.
Enough to go, with the mild weather and the more than mild Mediterranean climate (sunny weather and an average of 12° in February), hiking in the surrounding area!
Or sleep ?
At the Hotel La Résidence du Vieux-Port.
This four-star hotel cultivates a fifties
spirit
with decoration inspired by the great names of modernism.
Furniture, colors, fabrics... Everything here gives a unique character to the 48 rooms of this building built in the 1950s. They all open with a large bay window onto the Old Port dominated by Notre-Dame de la Garde.
18-20 Quai du Port.
Read alsoMarseille: the best hotels near the Old Port
In Vaucluse, in the heart of the scrubland
The town of Lauris (Luberon), where the Domaine de Fontenille is nestled, with a truly Provençal soul.
Robard Christophe / Rob'Art Photo - stock.adobe.com
Why go there?
A papal city full of churches and shady squares, villages perched on rocky spurs, fragrant paths between vineyards and scrubland... There are many havens of peace in the Vaucluse, whether in the countryside at the foot of Mont Ventoux , or nestled in the heart of Provençal villages... So many secret retreats - often doubled as gourmet tables - lulled by the song of cicadas.
Or sleep ?
At the Domaine de Fontenille in Lauris.
Large plane trees, century-old cedars, country house punctuated with windows with olive green shutters, it's impossible not to feel the Provençal soul pulsing in this address in the south Luberon.
From €250 for a double room with breakfast.
Route de Roquefraiche, 84360 Lauris.
Read also Stone bastide, chic inn, 18th century castle... Top 10 of the most beautiful hotels in Vaucluse