Les Roches Blanches

Les Roches Blanches is a seaside mansion built in 1887 on the white limestone rocks that give it its name, between the harbour of Cassis and the Calanques National Park, with a full view of the Cap Canaille cliff. It became a hotel in the early 1920s, when Winston Churchill and later Edith Piaf stayed, and the two signature suites now carry their names. Art Deco details survive from that period, from the wrought-iron entrance to a staircase banister marked with the hotel's initials. A recent renovation has brought back the glamour of those years. Terraced gardens shaded by umbrella pines lead down past two heated pools to the sea. There are 45 rooms and suites, with the views widening as you move up, and a four-bedroom villa, Villa Cala Bianca, for families. Les Belles Canailles is the gastronomic restaurant, Le Loup Bar serves Nikkei dishes and Japanese barbecue, and Rocco cooks Italian. The Sisley spa offers massages with warm shells. Cassis village and the Calanques are both within walking distance.