Picture the scene: you’re sipping on a crisp, chilled glass of Sancerre while gazing down at the town of Sancerre from a beautiful bolthole nestled at the top of the tallest hill in the region. If you appreciate fantastic French wine and fabulous views (who doesn’t?), it doesn’t get much dreamier than this. After setting off from Dover at 9am, and following a nail-biting drive through Paris, roughly seven hours later we were cruising through the Loire Valley’s rolling vineyards and up a winding road to our final destination: Les Hauts de Sancerre.
Where we stayed
Les Hauts de Sancerre
Opened in the summer of 2025, Les Hauts de Sancerre is a peaceful five-star sanctuary that exudes quiet luxury. Positioned at the top of Sancerre’s highest hilltop, the hotel enjoys pretty panoramic views of the green valleys and vineyards below. Before its transformation into a hotel, the 150 year old residence was better known as the historic Château de Sancerre. Now the property’s towering turret is home to a single boujee suite - the aptly named Tower Suite - complete with a freestanding bathtub enveloped by some of the original, centuries-old stonework.
Elegant Gothic Revival windows let sunlight stream into the minimally designed, airy rooms. The colour palette is muted, with only white, black and light oak creating a serene, calming vibe in my room. Soft white bouclé chairs frame a small table where Croquets de Sancerre have been left for my arrival. The larger suites, like the one in the turret, boast stylish freestanding baths, with mine directly overlooking the beautifully-manicured courtyard.
When it comes to the food, you won’t be disappointed. Belgian chef Arnaud Munster, who gained national recognition on Top Chef France in 2024, is behind the gourmet menu which during our stay included a delicate langoustine starter followed by perfectly cooked pigeon for the main course. For breakfast, there’s a generous continental spread, complemented by a selection of hot dishes available to order from the kitchen.
There’s a small gym and spa on site, but the real highlight was hiring the hotel’s electric bikes to explore Sancerre - a must for your visit. Since our stay, the hotel has also completed work on its outdoor pool, which provides the perfect place to cool down after a busy day spent sipping and cycling.
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What we did
Eric Louis wine tour
For one of the Loire Valley’s most personalised tour experiences, Eric Louis is hard to beat. With just three of us on the tour, we enjoyed an intimate look around the family-run estate, founded in 1890. Originally a multi-crop farm, the estate transitioned exclusively to wine production in the 1980s and today spans 35 hectares across 60 vineyard plots. Our knowledgeable and friendly guide walked us through every stage of the winemaking process, from pressing to bottling, before showing us the estate’s new clay fermentation vessels. We finished the tour with a wine and goat's cheese pairing - the wine went down a treat; the goats cheese, admittedly, less so! Like so many wine producers in the region, Eric Louis makes sensational wine - and we left with six bottles between us.
Sancerre town shopping
The small town is effortlessly charming, with picturesque cobbled streets, honey-coloured stone walls, and traditional shop fronts painted in muted shades of green and blue. Stop at a restaurant for a glass of the town’s famous Sauvignon Blanc, or browse the shelves of Couleur & Saveur, which sells everything from souvenirs to trinkets, wine and artisan gifts. Don’t miss Sancerre Lipopette either, it’s a beautifully curated boutique full of quality toys for all ages, handmade soaps, cool kitchenware and much more. Once you’ve shopped, head back to the square for a strong coffee and buttery croissant.
House of Sancerre
Pay a visit to the House of Sancerre to swat up on the history of the Loire Valley, including how the late 19th century phylloxera epidemic completely wiped out much of France’s wine region - including Sancerre’s - with many vineyards having to be replanted using American rootstocks. Neatly laid out and easy to navigate, it’s an interactive museum complete with a pretty garden and small wine tasting area (naturally).
Where we ate
La Taverne du Connetable
For laid-back, dining paired with a delicious, well-priced wine menu and warm service, this restaurant comes up top. Bustling and busy, you’ll be met with tables filled with friends and families chatting away over big plates of hearty food. As for the wine, it’s no exaggeration when I say the Pouilly-Fumé sold by the glass here is some of the best I’ve ever tasted.
La Petite Maison
If you’re after a more sophisticated dining experience, La Petite Maison, a family-run restaurant located just a stones throw from the hotel, also comes highly recommended. Not a stickler for a single theme, the menu features dishes ranging from tasty beef empanadas to shrimp toast and fresh ceviche. Elegant yet relaxed, it’s a great spot for either lunch or dinner, but just make sure you book in advance because it gets busy!
Zoe Shenton is the Site Director at Cosmopolitan UK. As well as looking after the day-to-day running of the website, she oversees video, e-commerce and social for the brand. Starting out in teen magazines (RIP, Bliss), Zoe has worked in the media industry for almost 15 years and has a background in entertainment journalism, having interviewed the likes of Harry Styles and Taylor Swift. She also spent three and a half years living in Los Angeles where she covered red carpets and discovered all the best spots serving bottomless mimosas. Find her on LinkedIn.
