The Buzz: Outside Paris: Les Etangs de Corot

Outside Paris: Les Etangs de Corot

A friend from Paris tipped us off about this hotel-restaurant-spa complex that sits about half-way between Versailles and Paris. The new owners took over in 2008 and revamped the hotel, which is a 20-minute drive from Paris but surrounded by bucolic scenery that inspied pre-Impressionist painter Jean-Baptiste Camille Corot. New additions include a chic Caudalie Spa and a new chef, who focuses on relaxed French fare. Restaurants Le Corot and more relaxed Le Cafes des Artistes sound like fantastic options for families who visit Versailles but don’t want to lunch in one of the town’s tourist-trap cafes. And if you want to add a spa treatment: the new Caudalie spa was designed by fashion duo Paul et Joe who also created a new suite for the hotel. www.etangs-corot.com