Pack the house with family, friends or a bunch of musicians and relax contentedly in the sleepy Aube valley. Les Pommiers, with its distinctive little tower, is in a row of old houses in quiet Dancevoir. UK-based owners Nicola and Nick have filled it with lovely French furniture, pretty vintage bedspreads and musical touches; the homely kitchen/diner has all you need to cook on wood burning range or electric cooker. Upstairs is a comfy sitting room with splendid grand piano (available on request) – it’s an airy space where violin teacher Nicola brings her string quintet to rehearse. Bedrooms are upstairs, downstairs or in a quirky converted henhouse with low doorway; they share three bathrooms including a whizzy shower room in the barn. Sit in the lawned garden, pick apples, pears and plums in season – swings, trampoline, ping pong and paddling pool keep youngsters happy. Borrow bikes or walk to a water hole to swim; for supplies try the village shop, or drive 15 minutes to two small towns for more choice. Champagne is in reach for bubbly tastings; for a spot of French history visit Charles de Gaulle’s home village.
Sumptuous accommodation both inside and out, with an enclosed garden, paddling pools, trampoline and ping pong in the barn - making it perfect for our families to have bags of space and fun. Long lazy lunches in the garden for the grown ups, a quietly interesting village to explore on bikes, out to the swimming hole and further afield to the delights of the Cremant vineyards, and much more besides in Troyes. Very much hoping to return!