France unveils 33 ‘palaces’ for 2026 as six new hotels join elite list

Published on
04/06/2026 – 12:36 GMT+2

Atout France, the country’s tourism development agency, has announced that 33 hotels have received “palace” designation for 2026.

Following the first full reassessment of the programme in seven years, 27 establishments have had their palace distinction renewed while six have been added for the first time.

The palace title sits above the standard five-star hotel classification and is reserved for properties considered to represent the very best of French hospitality, service, heritage and luxury.

What is France’s palace distinction?

Created in 2010, the palace label identifies and honours France’s best hotels which offer an “extraordinary hospitality experience, especially for establishments that embody excellence in service and the French art of living in all its forms”, according to Atout France.

The distinction is awarded through a “demanding and rigorous process” overseen by Atout France and the Palace Commission. It is based on highly selective criteria that “safeguard both its credibility and the excellence of the establishments awarded the title”, and is awarded for a period of three years.

Six new hotels join the collection

Among the six hotels receiving the distinction for the first time are three prominent Paris properties: Bvlgari Hotel Paris, Cheval Blanc Paris and Fouquet’s Paris.

The French Alps also gained a new palace hotel with Four Seasons Resort Megève joining the list, while Hôtel Martinez Cannes on the Côte d’Azur and Royal Champagne Hôtel & Spa in the Champagne region also secured the coveted title.

Announcing the new collection, Serge Papin, Minister for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, Commerce, Craft Industries, Tourism and Consumer Affairs, said the distinction reflected the excellence of French hospitality and recognised the work of the teams behind the country’s most prestigious hotels.

“If France is a must-visit tourist destination for everyone, it is also thanks to the excellence of French hospitality,” he said.

Palace status lost by several luxury hotels

The announcement follows significant changes at the top end of France’s luxury hotel sector.

Last month, French newspaper Le Figaro reported that three hotels had lost their palace distinction after failing to meet the commission’s exacting standards during the renewal process.

The properties downgraded to standard five-star status were the Park Hyatt Paris-Vendôme, the Mandarin Oriental Paris on Rue Saint-Honoré and Hôtel du Palais in Biarritz.

Their removal marked a “devastating blow to the hushed world of luxury hotels”, the newspaper said.