Le Cottage de la Marcotte

In a village near fabulous Fontainebleau sits this comfortable cottage behind a high stone wall and in acres of grounds. Light pours in to a good-sized sitting room with inviting sofa and chairs for a quiet read, and wide doors lead to the terrace for al fresco dining or sunbathing with green views. You’ll find a walled garden, a lawn for sprawling or playing games, a ping pong table and a barbecue for merry summer evenings.

The kitchen is large, just the ticket for rustling up meals and plenty of space for four to cook together. You’re left plenty of kit and a bottle of the owners’ branded olive oil. If you choose to eat indoors there’s a lovely wooden table for sociable holiday meals. Two bedrooms are spruce and fresh with well-dressed beds, crisp linens, attractive fabrics and calming views – you should sleep peacefully.

Walk and cycle from the house, have days out visiting villages and markets, ride horses through the nearby forest, take a tour of Jean Cocteau’s gaff.