Rooms with a view: France’s highest hotel just opened in the Pyrenees

There are rooms with a view, and then there’s this: The highest hotel in France, located some 2,620 metres above sea level.

Found in the French Pyrenees, the Hôtellerie des Laquets was originally built between 1930 and 1933.

Having been closed for more than 30 years, the renovated property reopened its doors to guests in late September.

The original hotel building has been kept, with furnishings paying homage to Pyrenean alpine culture, while the new wing is pure minimalist Nordic chic.

Featuring 16 double rooms, all of which offer panoramic views, you can reach the hotel by taking a cable car from La Mongie to the summit of the Pic du Midi, before taking a private cable car down to the property below.

The views aren’t the only thing set to impress, either, as the hotel’s restaurant will feature a menu from chef Stéphane Tournié, who earned a Michelin star at Les Jardins de l’Opéra in Toulouse.

Hôtellerie des Laquets overtakes Refuge de Solaise, which lies at 2,551 metres above sea level in the Alps, for the title of France’s highest hotel.

The highest hotel in Europe overall is Glacier Hotel Grawand, is 3,212 metres above sea level in Val Senales in South Tyrol, Italy.

What to expect at Hôtellerie des Laquets

The Hôtellerie des Laquets is located within the Pic du Midi International Dark Sky Reserve, meaning it’s a brilliant option for stargazing, with unobstructed views of the Milky Ways sans light pollution.

At the summit, you can learn all about the science behind the observatory at Espace Expériences du Pic du Midi, before heading to the planetarium for an immersive show ahead of the real show that evening.

Pic du Midi is also home to a 12m-long footbridge that juts out into the mountainscape, offering fantastic photo opportunities.

From December this year, the hotel’s spa area will open, complete with sauna and steam rooms.

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