Château de La Villedubois

You have the run of the house downstairs with two salons, big fireplaces to roast yourselves by, books, cards, films and games. The bar, hidden behind a secret bookcase is a superb room with oak panelling and a barrel-vaulted ceiling, perfect for sipping champagne. Even when it’s raining you can still go out and play, with plenty of wellies and brollies to borrow.

Bedrooms are on the first floor: big, bright and with bold fabrics or wallpaper, long views, period furniture, immaculate en suite bathrooms. Breakfast on galettes, local hams and cheeses, homemade yogurts and jams – even the milk comes from the nearby dairy. Help yourself to an apéritif, cold beer or bottle of wine from the honesty bar, feel very much at home with Emilia, or chat with her when she’s in the kitchen.

Walks and cycles from the house are sublime, there are no large roads and the parkland itself simply moves gently outwards into farmland.