Château de la Puisaye

Cats, dogs, horses, sheep and a fleet of farmyard fowl in 27 acres of countryside heaven. With its scattering of shuttered windows and classically pale façade, this fine château oozes 18th-century elegance. Large airy bedrooms, where genuine English wallpapers are artfully mixed with French antiques, huge mantelpiece mirrors and glass-panelled doors that flood spaces with light, give an ordered, calming feel.

The salon and library have elaborate woodwork and the dining room, with its gleaming table and silver candlesticks, invites you to linger over breakfast, a feast of homemade pastries, jams and cooked dishes. Lounge in the library over books, games, WiFi; borrow a bike and pedal the grounds; swim in the heated pool or relax in the infrared sauna among delicious aromatherapy oils.

Summer days outdoors will be gorgeous – doze off listening to birdsong, play tennis, have a barbecue as the sun sets over the glorious countryside.