Paris has some of the most glamorous city hotels in the world. For me, Le Bristol edges out its competitors by a nose. Its courtyard garden is a tranquil oasis, and it has two Michelin-starred restaurants (three-star Epicure and one-star 114 Faubourg). Most of the city’s top attractions are close at hand. Find out all the latest information about restaurants in Paris.

From Paris’ Gare de Lyon, the high-speed TGV train takes approximately two hours and 45 minutes to Avignon. There, check into La Mirande, a gracious and traditional 26-room hotel in a former 14th-century cardinal’s residence across from the Palace of the Popes. After seeing the historic sites, use the city as a base from which to visit ancient Roman wonders such as La Maison Carrée in Nîmes, the amphitheater in Arles and the Pont du Gard aqueduct.

Leaving Avignon, drive through the picturesque Vaucluse region, passing through L’Isle-sur-la-Sorgue, which has some of the best antiques shops in France, and Ménerbes, an enchanting hill village built on a scenic ridge in the Luberon mountains. Arrive at the Villa La Coste, our 2018 Hideaway of the Year. A total contrast to La Mirande, this resort has 28 freestanding suites featuring a contemporary décor enhanced with modern art, as well as traditional Provençal design accents. The resort is a convenient base from which to visit the elegant university city of Aix-en-Provence, the birthplace of Paul Cézanne.

Continue to the Côte d’Azur, where the modern concept of leisure tourism originated. The most glamorous hotel on this storied coastline is the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, south of Juan-les-Pins on the southwestern tip of the Cap d’Antibes. Visit the Musée National Picasso en route from the Villa La Coste, or stop in Grasse to tour a parfumerie (such as Fragonard).

See the sites before you arrive; after checking in, I lack any desire to leave the premises. Stay in either the exceptionally luxurious 19th-century mansion or the exclusive all-suite Eden-Roc Pavilion wing, secluded by the water’s edge. In addition to the bar and restaurants, guests can take advantage of a sea-view infinity pool, tennis courts and a sybaritic spa. And the lovely town of Antibes is just 10 minutes away by car.

Press on to the east, stopping in Nice to visit the wonderful Musée Matisse and Musée National Marc Chagall. Perhaps have lunch at Le Negresco hotel’s legendary Michelin-starred Le Chantecler restaurant. On the far side of Monaco is The Maybourne Riviera, which has a peerlessly dramatic site overlooking the Mediterranean and Monte Carlo. Rooms have floor-to-ceiling windows with jaw-dropping views, and the sensational infinity pool almost induces a feeling of vertigo. Its seafood-focused restaurant, Ceto, is superb. In addition to the on-property amenities, enjoy the private beach club at Roquebrune-Cap-Martin and lunch in the hill town of Eze, high above the sea.