The Belle Rive is a good, straight-forward Logis de France hotel that has been in the hands of the same dedicated family for five generations. Hence the professionalism and savoir faire which bring regular visitors back year after year.
But it is arguably the location that is the Belle Rive’s trump card. It stands on the banks of the Aveyron river just over a mile from Najac, the most attractive of all the bastide villages. It’s a friendly place, too, the sort of hotel with splendidly old-fashioned décor (lots of wood panelling) that makes you feel immediately at ease with the world.
Accommodation is on two floors and the bedrooms are best described as simple and unfussy although they are redecorated from time to time. Michelin awards the restaurant a Bib gourmand for exceptional value. Cuisine is generous to a fault and true to its regional heritage. The shady terrace makes a delightful setting for dining in fine weather and there is a swimming pool and tennis court for those who want to stay put during the day.
At night, guests in bedrooms on the riverside of the hotel enjoy romantic views up to the turrets and ramparts of the floodlit castle and fall asleep to the sound of the racing waters below.