1/10 Villa Harmonie, Cote d’Azur
Villa Harmonie is a comfortable and stylish family villa with a large heated saltwater private pool situated just outside the popular village of Valbonne.
The interior is beautifully decorated to provide a welcoming and relaxing environment, while three of the bedrooms can be used as doubles or twins and each bedroom opens onto a large balcony overlooking the pool and garden.
The garden itself is ideal for families with a large level lawn surrounding the pool and covered dining on the pool terrace adjacent to the house. The property also has air conditioning and WiFi.
Location: Valbonne is a typical Provençal village with narrow streets, a pretty square, quaint little shops, inviting pavement cafes and attractive restaurants. The old port at Antibes bustles with pavement cafes and Cannes and Nice both have lively promenades and a busy night-life, all nearby.
Sleeps: 8 with private pool
Price: Prices for a week start from £4,690 for the complete property
Nearest airport: Nice
2/10 Villa Bonheur, Cote d’Azure
Villa Bonheur offers a tasteful mix of traditional and contemporary furnishing with a distinctive Eastern influence. Spacious, elegant, light and bright, this well-equipped villa is set in lush gardens with a fantastic pool and terraces and wonderful views of the surrounding hills. The large reception room opens onto the gardens, giving a really relaxing feeling of outdoor summer living.
The property also has air conditioning and WiFi.
Location: Enjoy nearby towns like Valbonne or try the old port at Antibes which bustles with its pavement cafes, as well as Cannes and Nice where both have lively promenades and a vibrant night-life. Sandy beaches are only 8 miles away, as are family-friendly parks like Marineland.
Sleeps: 8 with a private pool
Price: Prices for a week start from £3,435 for the complete property
Nearest airport: Nice
3/10 Voile d’Argent, St Tropez
Villa Voile D’Argent is situated in a tranquil location against a backdrop of forested hills within an exclusive residential area near Grimaud in St Tropez.
It offers a contemporary chic and minimalist interior and benefits from close proximity to the French Riviera and its glamorous lifestyle. Light and airy rooms open up to the generous outdoor space featuring several terraces, a landscaped garden and a heated pool infinity pool.
The property also has air conditioning and WiFi.
Location: The entire region is dotted with a wealth of picturesque hamlets and old villages which host numerous festivals and events during the summer months.
St Tropez is just a short drive, with a wonderful selection of trendy cafes, boutiques and restaurants, as well as a large market every Saturday. Sports enthusiasts will be delighted with the many water sports, horse riding, golf, tennis and go-karting on offer.
Sports enthusiasts will be delighted with the many water sports, horse riding, golf, tennis and go-karting on offer. The famous long sandy beach at Pampelonne is also close by.
Sleeps: 8 with private pool
Price: Prices for a week start at £4,280 for the complete property
Nearest airport: Toulon, Nice or Marseille
4/10 Les Deux Lions, St Tropez
Les Deux Lions is a magnificent property which offers a very high standard of accommodation for those who want to enjoy luxury living. French doors and windows all around the house help create a light, airy space where indoor comforts and outdoor natural beauty blend seamlessly. The outside of the villa is totally enclosed with its mature palm tree gardens. The property also has air conditioning, a heated pool and WiFi.
Location: The nearby villages of Gassin, Grimaud and Ramatuelle have good restaurants and lively village markets. The renowned seaside resort of St Tropez is only 7.5 miles away and offers all sorts of entertainments for all ages: funfairs for children, exclusive beaches like Pampelonne, trendy restaurants and stylish shops. A wide variety of sports activities include sailing, windsurfing, water skiing, horse riding, hiking, go-carting, and even polo matches, all within easy reach.
Sleeps: 10 with private pool
Price: Prices for a week start from £4,280 for the complete property
Nearest airport: Toulon, Nice or Marseille
5/10 Le Cheval Blanc, Provence
Le Cheval Blanc is an extremely spacious and a comfortable holiday villa furnished with traditional French furniture and objets d’art. It features a large open plan living area opening onto a covered terrace affording views over the rural surroundings.
Tucked away on a lower terrace is the pool, complemented by a sunbathing area and a lovely pool house. There’s also air conditioning and wifi
Location: Located close to Vauvert village, it makes an ideal base to explore the Camargue’s unique natural heritage, its magnificent wildlife and striking landscape crisscrossed by a system of canals with forests, extensive wetland and sand dunes.
Opportunities for day trips and outdoor activities in this area are countless, ranging from the Regional Natural Park of the Camargue, Jeep tours and horse-riding excursions.
Beach lovers will appreciate the long sandy beaches of L’Espiquette and Saintes-Maries-de-la-Mer, both within half-an-hour’s drive.
Sleeps: 8 with private pool
Price: Prices for a week start from £1,865 for the complete property
Nearest airport: Montpellier, Nimes or Marseille
6/10 Villa des Thermes, Biarritz
Villa des Thermes is situated in the spa town of Cambo-les-Bains and is a short drive away from the superb beaches at Biarritz and St Jean de Luz. Modern and spacious, the property is ideal for large families and offers WiFi and a fabulous heated saltwater pool in the lovely, secluded garden.
Location: Just walk 200 metres and you have restaurants, supermarkets, shops, tennis, a park and so much more.
Cambo-les-Bains is a colourful and culturally appealing spa town in the heart of the French Basque country with a good variety of shops, restaurants and a lively weekly market. There is plenty to do in the region – there are vibrant seaside resorts, great golf courses, Spain and the Pyrenees also close by.
Sleeps: 10 with private pool
Price: Prices for a week start from £2,995 for the complete property
Nearest airport: Biarritz
7/10 Villa Porsmoric, Brittany
Villa Porsmoric is a stunning, fully restored Breton villa in the countryside, but within a few minutes’ walk of the marina at Porsmoric and close to the wonderful sandy beaches of Le Pouldu. This stylish and comfortable villa is ideal for young families and is superbly equipped with sauna, jacuzzi, gym, and a heated indoor pool for those days when the sea might be a little on the cool side! The property lies in partially enclosed grounds with swings, children’s games and table tennis, an outdoor dining terrace/sun deck and built in charcoal barbecue. The local area has wonderful food, lovely beaches, and is within
Location: The local area has wonderful food, lovely beaches, and is within easy drive of the channel ports. The nearby village of Clohars-Carnoet offers shops and restaurants, and the Foret de Carnoet provides picturesque drives, or wonderful walks. The coastline boasts 150km of pathways and 100km of mountain bike circuits. There are many beautiful ports and historical sites to visit, such as Concarneau, Pont Aven and Lorient.
Sleeps: 10 with a private pool
Price: Prices for a week start from £2,135 for the complete property
Nearest airport: Brest airport is only 80 miles away.
Drive: Roscoff ferry is 100 miles away, and St. Malo ferry is 150 miles away
8/10 Villa Saeculum, Tuscany
Villa Saeculum is a classic 16th century restored Tuscan farmhouse located in the Chianti Classico region of Italy on its own wine estate, which comprises well kept vineyards, olive groves and is surrounded by woodland – ideal for relaxing walks.
The property itself is very comfortable and of a high standard, being absolutely ideal for a family holiday – the private landscaped garden leads to a travertine marble-paved swimming pool, a sunset facing sun terrace and a large gazebo for shade and relaxation, also with spectacular views.
Location: The pretty village of Greve in Chianti is just a five minute drive away for restaurants, grocers, wine bars and a delicatessen.
Day trips may include Florence, Siena, Pisa, Lucca or San Gimignano, all approximately an hour’s drive from your Chianti villa.
For the days when you want to go further afield you really are spoilt for choice, with some of Italy’s most famous cities an hour or less away.
Sleeps: 8 with private pool
Price: Prices for a week start from £3,795 for the complete property
Nearest airport: Pisa, Bologna or Florence
9/10 Domaine de Maitre, Dordogne
This exceptional French manor house sits within its own 100 acre organic farm, a haven for wildlife and wild flowers. Meticulously renovated and refurbished to the highest standards, this is a beautiful villa with a fine history dating back to 1673. Thick stone walls help keep the manor house cool on hot summer days, whilst high ceilings and large windows ensure light, bright and airy rooms throughout.
The property offers lovely bedrooms and a high level of comfort, with heated pool and WiFi, too.
Location: This whole area is rich with fortified medieval villages (bastides), such as Belves, Villereal, Montpazier and Montflanquin, where you will find numerous weekly markets selling local produce. You may also like to visit at least one of the spectacular caves in the region: try the Bara Bahau caves at Le Bugue where the wall paintings date from the Ice Age, or the famous caves at Les Eyzies.
You may also like to visit at least one of the spectacular caves in the region: try the Bara Bahau caves at Le Bugue where the wall paintings date from the Ice Age, or the famous caves at Les Eyzies.
Slightly further afield are towns like Sarlat-le-Caneda with its atmospheric medieval centre, and Rocamadour, the second-most visited tourist destination in France.
Sleeps: 9 with private pool
Price: Prices for a week start at £1,560 for the complete property
Nearest airport: Bergerac
10/10 Santa Costanza, Umbria
A restored 16th century villa with private pool which makes an excellent base to explore three of the most beautiful regions in Italy: Umbria, Lazio and Southern Tuscany.
Simply but tastefully furnished, Santa Costanza lends itself to easy living and provides spacious and comfortable accommodation for a relaxing family holiday. The villa boasts a lovely garden planted with mature trees, Mediterranean shrubs and colourful flowers as well as beautiful views enjoyed whilst dining al fresco under the pergola.
Location: San Severo Village is half a mile away with local amenities, and Orvieto offers a wider selection of shops, weekly markets, many excellent restaurants and trattorias and, arguably, one of the finest Gothic Cathedrals in Italy.
There are many fascinating towns of both Tuscany and Umbria perfect for a day trip , including gems like Montepulciano and Perugia.
Other attractions include nearby Lake Bolsena: here there are volcanic sandy beaches to enjoy as well as swimming, sailing and boat trips to the islands in the centre of the lake.
For a change of pace, the eternal city of Rome is about an hour’s train journey from Orvieto.
Sleeps: 6 with private pool
Price: Prices for a week start from £2,710 for the complete property
Nearest airport: Rome or Perugia/Pisa.