French Rural Retreats

Tranquil B&B in a house built by the Templars in the 14th century. Go hiking, biking or wine-tasting nearby, or simply relax by the pool

Superbly comfortable house with beamed rooms, lovely views, club-like morning room, antiques, terrace, pool, fitness centre and lily pond

It's not often you get an entire hamlet to yourselves but here it is – 10 traditional stone houses with big communal spaces in rural bliss

Hilltop château on the edge of a small village half an hour from Saint-Émilion, with a lovely garden, a swimming pool and two lakes

Elegant country château with a family feel, for big groups with or without children, and those who seek inspiration

A thatched farmhouse only just over the channel near Rouen that’s well hidden in lush gardens, but worth finding for the gourmet food alone

Sit back and relax at this luxuriously elegant grand manor in the heart of the Dordogne with a concierge service to take care of everything

Lovingly renovated farmhouse amid vines and sunflowers, deep in the Charente countryside - small pool in garden, beaches 45 minutes away.

A period manor and pretty rooms in old stables: a quiet base for Pas-de-Calais and Picardie. Madame loves the house, animals, story-telling

Three gîtes in the Dordogne with panoramic countryside views and a swimming pool – book individually or together for a group holiday

A peaceful, stylish getaway for two within the charming owners' home with shared pool, fabulous views – and all of Provence to (re)visit

A lovely old stone cottage in a group round a pretty courtyard, with your own private patio and seating area, on the Pink Granite Coast

A fortified castle in parkland, built mostly in the 1300s on the Montbazens plateau, near to the stunning Averyon gorges

Laze in the pool, nibble olives from the market, gaze over Provence. Inside, English meets classic French. Fabulous for families

A cosy and pretty old cottage for rest or romance, with garden and pool in a small hamlet surrounded by walnut orchards and mixed woodland

Two comfortably converted farm buildings, with a shared pool on a gentle south-east sloping vineyard with wonderful views

A honey-hued stone farmhouse or a stylish cottage – both are deep in delicious countryside with lovely walks by the rambling river

A simple, elegant gîte high on a hillside on an old wine estate, surrounded by olives, vineyards and orchard just a short walk into Montcuq