Maison Hulotte

Pitch up at Agnès’s enchanting B&B and you won’t want to leave the warm, stylish haven she’s created. Step through the beautiful courtyard (you eat here in the summer), into an opulent hallway before being wowed by the huge, light-filled drawing room with riverside views. Curl up here with a book or sip an apéritif before dinner.

Your host is a talented ceramicist and much of her work fills her impeccably furnished home – join one of her pottery courses if you like. Gorgeous big bedrooms are upstairs and continental breakfast is a treat with homemade gâteaux, croissants, fruit, ham, eggs, cheese.

Stroll into elegant Amboise for a crêpe or a fancy Michelin-star dinner. Visit Clos Lucé, Leonardo da Vinci’s last home, now a fascinating museum dedicated to his life and works – the 3D reproductions of his inventions are awe-inspiring. Dotting the region in a rich patchwork of delights are numerous châteaux, villages and vineyards.