France’s highest hotel, Hôtellerie des Laquets, has reopened in the Pyrenees at an altitude of approximately 2,620 metres, offering guests panoramic mountain views, access to a private cable car and a restaurant led by a Michelin-starred chef.
Located below the summit of Pic du Midi in the French Pyrenees, the hotel occupies a historic building originally constructed between 1930 and 1933. After remaining closed for more than 30 years, the renovated property welcomed guests again in late September 2026, bringing new accommodation to one of France’s most elevated mountain locations.
The hotel combines the original building with a new extension, creating two distinct architectural styles. The restored section retains elements inspired by traditional Pyrenean alpine culture, while the new wing features minimalist Nordic-inspired interiors. Together, the buildings accommodate 16 double rooms, each designed to take advantage of the surrounding mountain scenery.
Reaching the hotel is part of the experience. Guests first take a cable car from La Mongie to the summit of Pic du Midi, before transferring to a private cable car that descends to Hôtellerie des Laquets. The route places the property within a high-altitude mountain environment, where views across the Pyrenees are a central feature of the stay.
Dining is another key part of the hotel’s offering. Its restaurant will feature a menu by Stéphane Tournié, the chef who earned a Michelin star at Les Jardins de l’Opéra in Toulouse. His involvement brings established fine-dining credentials to a property whose appeal also rests on its remote setting and access to the surrounding landscape.
With its reopening, Hôtellerie des Laquets takes the title of France’s highest hotel from Refuge de Solaise in the Alps, which stands at 2,551 metres above sea level. The new title places the Pyrenean property ahead of its Alpine competitor, although it remains below Europe’s highest hotel, Glacier Hotel Grawand in Val Senales, South Tyrol, Italy, at an altitude of 3,212 metres.
The hotel’s location also makes it an option for visitors interested in astronomy. Hôtellerie des Laquets sits within the Pic du Midi International Dark Sky Reserve, an area recognised for its dark skies and opportunities to observe the night sky away from significant artificial light. On clear nights, visitors can look for the Milky Way across the mountain horizon.
At the summit of Pic du Midi, the Espace Expériences du Pic du Midi introduces visitors to the science and research associated with the site’s observatory. A planetarium offers immersive shows about astronomy before visitors experience the natural night sky for themselves. The summit is also home to a 12-metre-long footbridge extending out over the mountain landscape, giving visitors a dramatic vantage point for photographs.
Further facilities are planned for the hotel. Its spa is scheduled to open in December 2026, with a sauna and steam rooms adding a wellness option to the high-altitude accommodation. Once the spa is available, guests will have another way to spend time at the property beyond exploring the summit, observing the stars and taking in the surrounding mountain views.
