La Ceruglia

A rambling old stone farmhouse dating back to the 1700s with endearingly higgeldy stone/brickwork. There’s plenty of space to spread out and lots to do on a rainy day with a piano and guitar to play, games, jigsaws, cookery books and children’s books. On the first floor there is a ‘library’ – another comfy area if you want to escape others.

A garden wraps around the house so you can catch the sun all day: large areas of grass are grand for games (badminton, petanque or croquet) but there are also shady, quiet places to sit and look at the uninterrupted views over wooded hills and valleys. Cook in the kitchen with its smart Carrara marble tops and plenty of workspace (you’ll also find wine and beer), eat outdoors under the shade of the pergola. There’s a brick pizza oven and a barbecue too.

The pool is big enough for laps and there’s no traffic sound, just the wind in the trees and the smell of hot, resinous pines.