Hotel Ranc or Hotel du Parc
Built in 1926, the Hôtel du Parc enjoyed its golden age in the 1930s, when wealthy families from Cannes, Nice, and Marseille flocked here to breathe the crisp, healthy mountain air of La Bastide-Puylaurent at an altitude of 1,024 meters. Seeking refuge from the summer heat of the French Riviera, they would take the direct Le Cévenol train to this premier mountain resort in Lozère. Guests spent their days fishing for trout in the Allier River, foraging for mushrooms in the woods surrounding the Abbey of Notre-Dame-des-Neiges, and strolling through a unique village that evokes the grand holiday resorts, family boarding houses, and chic summer homes of a prosperous bygone era.
The former Hôtel Ranc boasts remarkably well-designed architecture. This characterful inn is spacious, bright, and airy, featuring a lovely garden that overlooks the Allier River—the natural border between the Lozère (Occitanie) and Ardèche (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) regions. The river's source lies just 14 kilometers away at the summit of Moure de la Gardille near Chasseradès, right on the watershed divide. In 1991, Philippe Papadimitriou embarked on the adventure of transforming this historic building into a welcoming guesthouse with spacious, comfortable rooms, making it the perfect retreat for a relaxing getaway.
The atmosphere at L'Etoile is restful, laid-back, and convivial. With a gentle piano tune playing in the background, a crackling fire, a fine Belgian beer, the aroma of freshly baked bread, and comfortable wicker armchairs, the spacious dining room invites engaging conversations or quiet reading. That is, of course, unless the beautiful weather draws you out to the terrace or into the park. There, under the shade of the linden tree, you can relax to the soothing murmur of the Allier. As evening approaches, the expansive vintage veranda offers the perfect spot to soak in the last rays of sunshine before dinner.