Les Prés d’Eugénie, Eugénie-les-Bains

In short… Les Prés d’Eugénie is a destination restaurant hotel that is one of the most beautiful (and delicious) places in France

The vibe… I’d been wanting to stay at Les Prés d’Eugénie for so long, but because it isn’t on the way to anything, and is truly a destination hotel in the middle of the Landes region, we’d never made it. I booked a room for the night, and even last minute it was around 400 euros—which, given hotel prices these days, seems like a bargain at a place that is supposed to be one of the best in the country. We pulled into the little town in the late afternoon—the tree-lined drive, the gardens, the valet area…I honestly haven’t seen a place that looks and feels so lovely and authentic in a long time, maybe ever. It was the perfect combo of elegant (the former country estate of Napoleon III and Empress Eugénie, it has an incredible art and antiques collection) and homey (there were huge jars of homemade raspberry jam at reception that you can buy to bring home). The gardens are so inspiring, especially the wild vegetable garden with grape and apple trellises surrounding it, which were all very country-like, not trying to be fancy; just super relaxed and romantic. There’s a lovely pool that is surrounded by a hedge and feels very private. For families, it has the most extraordinary kids’ club with a very Waldorf vibe–and then in the large grassy garden area, some very cool kids’ playhouses and an outdoor wicker tent play space.

The rooms… Our room was quite large, with a view overlooking the garden and on an elegant desk a welcome plate of Mirabelle plums.

The food and drink… Over the years, I’ve heard French friends go on and on about the hotel and the restaurant—it’s had 3 Michelin stars since 1977. And while I’m not usually a fan of fine dining food, I’d heard that Michel Guerard’s mission (he’s one of the most highly regarded chefs in France—he basically founded Nouvelle Cuisine) is to make a meal like this feel like you’ve just had a light lunch. While I was a little apprehensive about the gastronomic dinner, I was completely sold by the end. I did choose the vegetarian option, since the only main course options on the regular menu were pigeon with foie gras or sweetbreads (which Matt loved). The service and the setting were over the top—you could see that this place has been an inspiration for many a fine dining establishment in the States, since it has been a standard-setter since the ‘70s. Breakfast was the most beautiful buffet—table after table that looked like Baroque paintings. If we had stayed longer, we would have tried one of the other three restaurants, more casual than the gastronomic experience–La Ferme aux Grives, L’Orangerie, or Mère Poule. But we will come back for those.

The wellness… The next morning before leaving, we tried out some of the spa offerings, opting for the kaolin weightless mud bath they are known for. There are thermals here that are channeled into their spa, and there’s also a spa treatment plan for people who come with prescriptions from their doctors. Those people have their own facilities here—some are hotel guests, some are just here for the cure.