France

Fir branches and wooden Christmas decorations beside a Colmar canal, with half-timbered houses behind.

10 Christmas Markets in Alsace: My 2026 Guide

My choice of ten Christmas markets in Alsace, from Colmar and Strasbourg to the Wine Route villages, with 2026 dates, hotels, shuttle buses and parking maps.

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The illuminated stone façade of Hôtel Raphael at night, with red awnings over the entrance.

France

Hôtel Raphael, Paris

After an endurance riding holiday in Burgundy, Hôtel Raphael delivered the classical Paris and Eiffel Tower views we wanted. A review from before its renovation.

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Aerial view of Royal Champagne above vineyards, with terraces following the hillside.

France

Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa

Royal Champagne above Épernay: rooms overlooking the vines, Le Royal restaurant, a generous spa, and memories of a celebration that began early.

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Gabrielle Chanel smiles in a white blouse and pearl necklaces beside a fireplace at the Hotel Pierre.

France, Portraits

Coco Chanel: The Woman Who Made the Beach Modern

Coco Chanel made freedom of movement and a life in the sun fashionable. Her example helped shape the beach holiday we picture today.

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Ornate deferred-share certificate issued by the Ritz Hotels Development Company on 31 January 1898.

France, Portraits

César Ritz: When Luxury Learned to Repeat Itself

César Ritz turned the habits of a recurring international elite into a portable hotel standard carried by trained people, local partnerships and his name.

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Early Louis Vuitton Trianon grey canvas trunk with a flat slatted lid, dark reinforcing bands and iron fittings.

France, Portraits

Louis Vuitton: The Geometry of Travel

Louis Vuitton made the travel trunk lighter, weather-resistant and stackable—an industrial intervention that changed how luxury moved through the modern world.

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