Manoir de la Salle du Roc B&B

Breakfast in the orangery on blinis, crêpes and French toast, with the doors flung open to the terraced garden in summer. Olga, your host, loves to cook and dinners are typically French; rabbit stew with piperade, truffled potatoes, tarte tatin all served with the local wine.

This house is lost in time, barely changed since it was built. The charming 19th-century terraced garden is the star, filled with exuberant foliage. Seek out half-hidden nooks and the heated swimming pool. Cosy rooms are full of light, facing south over the valley. Watch deer drinking from the spring from your private sitting room in the early hours.

The many stunning châteaux of the Loire are a short drive, or hire electric bikes to explore nearby vineyards for tastings of the local Sauvignon Blanc and Romorantin. Though that might not tempt you away from an afternoon in a romantic spot on the terrace, sipping a Kir Royale under an ancient elm.