Le freak, c'est chic: crazy French hotels

Pretty gîtes are a bit old hat now, but France has plenty of wacky alternatives, from tents hanging in trees to a house that turns with the sun. This selection is taken from a new book, Unusual Hotels: France  La Ferme Aventure, La Chapelle-aux-Bois, Lorraine


Spend the night on a bed of straw in a hayloft, or in a treehouse, yurt or tipi on this farm in the Vosges. For something even more original, try the glass pyramid or a real Caravelle aeroplane transformed into a “loft”, with a living room and bedrooms set amid a large lawn. For those who dream of sleeping under the stars, but in the warm, the glass pyramid offers a unique experience. There are no curtains, but it is far enough away from other buildings to ensure privacy. • Treehouse (sleeps five) from €90 a night, Caravelle (sleeps six) from €110 a night (€25 heating charge November to March), pyramid (sleeps two) €100 a night, yurt (sleeps five) from €100 a night, tipi (sleeps four) from €65 a night, hayloft (sleeps five) €65 a night. Open from 1 April. +33 3 2930 1179, nuitsinsolites.com