The alpine town of Mont-Dore has been a “wellness paradise” for over a century. Yet, many of its original Belle Époque-era resorts have either disappeared completely or been sectioned into private apartments. The Grand Hotel Mont-Dore, fortunately, has not.
Originally constructed in 1855, the Grand Hotel is a châteauesque work of art that would not look out of place in a Wes Anderson film. Everything about its exterior has an old-world glamour, from its neoclassical portico to its spire-topped turrets.
The hotel offers a variety of fairly priced large suites — some of which provide breathtaking views of the Sancy mountains. Other amenities include a private garden as well as a wellness room equipped with a spa and sauna.
Given the hotel’s central location on rue Meynadier, restaurants, artisanal shops, and hiking paths are never more than a ten minutes’ walk away. Take a five minutes’ stroll east to rue des Déportés and you’ll find a trail leading to the Grand Cascade — the highest waterfall in Auvergne. Head in the opposite direction — to the northwest part of town — and you’ll find the Capuchin — the oldest electric funicular in France.
The centralness of the Grand Hotel Mont-Dore may also come in handy if you’re in town for Sancy Snow Jazz, an annual winter music festival that features dozens of internationally recognised musicians. Many of the concerts take place in Mont-Dore’s local bars and performance halls, which makes the hotel –with its elegant history and old-time aesthetics — a very fitting pied-à-terre.
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