Rigal

Off the main road, climb the hill, and lose yourself in 116 acres of woods, fields and doe-eyed cows. This is Rigal: a pale-shuttered 1700s manoir with a medieval tower, and a low-slung mellow-stone farmhouse. The owners, warm-hearted and charming, open up the main house to guests from May to October (and move to the nearby village). You can come as a party of six, or eight, or combine the two houses for a glorious gathering. Rigal is bliss for city escapees and especially families, with its all-wood playground, super-safe pool, table-tennis, rabbits, pigs and ponies. As for the interiors, they are warmly contemporary, from the kitchen of the manoir (raw stone walls, transparent chairs, huge stainless-steel oven) to the farmhouse’s stylish west-facing patio. Come for the first strawberries in April, the wild orchids in May, and the wines all year round, from famous Monbazillac to tiny appellations. Stock up at Lalinde’s Thursday market (8km); kayak down the Dordogne. Back home are outdoor seating areas where you can chase the sun or shade. In the bedrooms: polished floors, drenching showers, dreamy mattresses, delicious bedding.