Hotels with an original swimming pool

Swimming pools are the silent muses of hotels. They catch the eye, make a lasting impression, and sometimes even steal the show from the rooms themselves! Some are bold: perched on cliffs, sculpted like works of art, open to infinity or exotically decorated. We dive headfirst into these original hotel pools.

Le Clair de la Plume, natural bathing in the heart of Drôme provençale

In its fragrant Mediterranean gardens, the hotel Le Clair de la Plume (Relais & Châteaux) hides an unusual pool open in fine weather: a natural swimming pool dug out of an old stone fishpond and integrated into a plant ecosystem inspired by groundwater. No chemicals are used here: the water is filtered by sand and rocks, and oxygenated by plants. This little jewel of ecological ingenuity, measuring 13 by 5 metres, ensures a bathing experience as healthy as it is original. For those who prefer a more traditional alternative, the establishment offers another heated, salt-treated pool, nestled in the gardens of Ferme Chapouton, a stone's throw away. Two pools, two atmospheres.

• Price: 13 keys, from 395 euros per night
• Where? 2 Pl. du Mail, 26230 Grignan
• More information on Le Clair de la Plume

Le Grand Mazarin, a fairytale pool in the Marais

a five-star jewel nestled in the heart of the Marais district in Paris, the Grand Mazarin combines literary spirit and whimsical elegance in a decor designed by Martin Brudnizki. Upstairs, 61 rooms and suites upholstered in Pierre Frey fabrics tell the story of a baroque Paris, while on the first floor, new chef Nathan Kessous revisits Ashkenazi cuisine at the Boubalé restaurant in a glamorous boudoir atmosphere. Under the cobblestones, an 8-meter-long heated swimming pool awaits travelers in search of relaxation. Adorned with striped mosaics in shades of green and blue, this marble pool invites you to take a poetic dip with its fresco by Jacques Merle.

• Price: From €690 per night
• WHERE ? 17 Rue de la Verrerie 75004 Paris
• See Gault&Millau's review of Le Grand Mazarin

Carlton Cannes, infinity pool and Mediterranean garden

In the heart of the Croisette, Cannes' legendary "Grande Dame" unveils an unexpected oasis: an infinity pool nestled in an interior garden teeming with laurel, jasmine and lemon trees. Hidden behind the Art Deco wings of the 332-room and suite hotel, it seems to float in a suspended world between cinematic grandeur and Mediterranean refinement. Around it, relaxation cabanas invite you to a fragrant siesta. From its legendary suites to its three restaurants - including the Riviera and its impressive chef's table - the Carlton Cannes delivers an elegant art of living. During the Festival, it's one of the best places to relax away from the frenzy of the red carpets.

PHOTO AVAILABLE ON HOTEL GM PAGE

• Price: From €1,200 per night
• Where ? 58 Boulevard de la Croisette, 06400 Cannes
• See Gault&Millau's review of Carlton Cannes

Hôtel La Calanque, a pool overlooking the wild creeks of Cavalaire-sur-Mer

Overlooking the Gulf of Saint-Tropez and the azure Calanques of Cavalaire, this 28-room Art Deco building boasts a unique cliffside swimming pool: an outdoor pool with only a glass wall separating you from the sea... You'll swim in total immersion in the Mediterranean landscape, just a few fathoms from the mythical blue rocks. The 15-metre-long heated swimming pool offers a magical tête-à-tête between fresh and salt water, and the Grand Bleu restaurant, open to all, extends the experience to lunch and dinner with its panoramic terrace.

Price: From €205 per night
WHERE TO STAY? Rue de la Calanque 83240 Cavalaire-sur-Mer
See Gault&Millau's review of Hôtel La Calanque

Hotel Castelbrac, a suspended pool on the Emerald Coast

Perched on the cliffs of Dinard, this 5-star hotel with 23 rooms and suites boasts one of the most spectacular swimming pools in Brittany. The long, rock-side swimming corridor runs along the stone walls of the old villa, with a breathtaking view of the Emerald Coast. Suspended between sky and ocean, the water porthole literally makes you dizzy... in a good way. Behind this neo-medieval building inherited from Lord Hamilton, a couple of young enthusiastss, Yann and Lydwine Bucaille, have reawakened the soul of a place entirely dedicated to the art of seaside living. The stay is crowned by chef Julien Hennote's iodized cuisine, to be savored facing the sea horizon.

• Price: From €300 per night.
• Where? 17 Avenue George V, 35800 Dinard.
• See Gault&Millau's review of Hôtel Castelbrac

Le Cheval Blanc Paris, swimming above the Seine

At 30 meters long, the Cheval Blanc Paris pool holds the record for the longest indoor pool in the capital. Adorned with hand-crafted mosaics with undulating reflections, the pool creates a fascinating optical effect: that of swimming above the Seine. Nestled in the bowels of the former Samaritaine building, this feat by star architect Peter Marino extends the sculptural elegance of the urban palace, comprising just 72 rooms and suites. A veritable cocoon of subdued light, the pool invites you into a rare sensory experience, combining design, silence and serenity. An aquatic jewel overlooking the Pont Neuf, enhanced by the adjoining Dior spa.

• Price: From €1,250 per night.
• Where? 8 quai du Louvre, 75001 Paris
• See Gault&Millau's review of Cheval Blanc Paris

Molitor Hôtel & Spa Paris, water lines and street art

In the former Art Deco liner of the 16th arrondissement, Molitor remains the most mythical of Parisian swimming pools. Around its 28° pools, where you can tan in summer or swim under a glass roof in winter, the 5-star hotel weaves a unique dialogue between sport, well-being and creation. The spirit is always there: from the Clarins spa to the cryo treatments, from the street art gallery in the cabins to the green rooftop, everything invites you to experience Paris differently, between momentum and contemplation. The retro-chic ambience flirts with the underground, and in the corridors you'll come across boxing gym regulars, urban art enthusiasts and swimmers in designer bathrobes. A room with a porthole opens up a whole new world of blue.

• Price: From €400 per night
• Where? 13 Rue Nungesser et Coli, 75016 Paris
• See Gault&Millau's review of Molitor Hôtel & Spa Paris

Hôtel Marinca & Spa, tailor-made Corsican light

Three rock-sculpted pools floating weightlessly above the Gulf of Valinco: at the Marinca, a discreet 5-star hotel nestled in the private estate of Vitricella in southern Corsica, every swim flirts with the horizon. shaded by umbrella pines, between sky and sea, this confidential 54-key retreat celebrates unostentatious luxury in a mineral and plant setting: feet in the sand, heart at rest, 600-square-meter spa by Clarins with an array of facilities... On the palate, the Michelin-starred palate, the Michelin-starred La Verrière restaurant, orchestrated by Romain Massett, pays elegant tribute to Mediterranean flavours.

• Price: From €550
• Where to find us Vitricella, Olmeto
• See Gault&Millau's review of Hôtel Marinca & Spa

Demeure de la Vignole, a unique troglodytic swimming pool near Saumur

This is undoubtedly one of the most unusual swimming pools in France. Carved out of the rock, this troglodytic pool sinks into the depths of 12th-century cellars. An almost mystical swim in a stone corridor, for lovers of underground escapism. The hotel near Saumur, set in a village of 12th- and 17th-century buildings, unfurls its timeless charm just just an 8-minute walk from the village center and 6 km from the Royal Abbey of Fontevraud, where Richard the Lionheart is buried. 4 of the 11 rooms are entirely troglodytic, while the others are housed in one of the main buildings under an attractive roof structure.

• Price: From €110 per night.
• Where ? 3 Impasse Marguerite d'Anjou, 49730 Turquant
• See Gault&Millau's review of Demeure de la Vignole

Hôtel Grand Cœur Latin, a Roman bath in the heart of the Latin Quarter

This new Parisian hotel, nestled in a quiet street just a stone's throw from the Pantheon, features a 15-meter pool in its basement, with a reinvented antique decor: columns, friezes and subdued lighting create an interlude inspired by Roman thermal baths. The hushed ambience of the mosaic pool continues in the spa, with a hammam and a confidential treatment room. Upstairs, the 75 rooms designed by Marie-Paule Clout and Vincent Bastie combine natural wood, marble and matte metal, in homage to the history of the Latin Quarter. And to complete the experience, the bar opens onto a patio inspired by medieval cloisters.

PHOTO AVAILABLE ON HOTEL PAGE

• Price: From €367
• Where ? 20 Rue Cujas, 75005 Paris
• See Gault&Millau's review of Hôtel Grand Cœur Latin