Les Sardines aux Yeux Bleus

Beautiful B&B and apartments with a courtyard pool, in a sleepy hamlet close to magnificent Uzès

Those looking for a chic place to chill in beautiful countryside will find it here. Anna Karin and Olivier (respectively a model and photographer) escaped Paris in 2000 for life in the country. They now have 3 cats, 2 children and one exceptionally welcoming home, which doubles as a B&B. It sits in a tiny hamlet, dates to the 12th century and comes with a small pool in its courtyard, the walls of which look medieval.

Interiors are lovely: beautiful colours, a magnificent stone staircase, the décor a contemporary take on old French country style. Sweet-smelling wood burns on roaring fires, one of which is lit for breakfast in winter; vines shade the courtyard table, where you dig into your croissants in summer. Despite the urge to linger in your gorgeous room or apartment, make sure you don’t. Uzès, Nîmes and Pont du Gard are all close, but take a day to explore the north, too (fabulously beautiful, madly neglected): Mont Bouquet, the stunning hilltop village of Lussan and the magnificent Gorge de l’Ardèche all await you.

Highs

• The décor is warm, rustic and original (this is not ‘off-the-shelf contemporary’)
• The first-floor courtyard is small but perfectly formed, with a daybed for lazing in the sun
• The beautiful bedrooms and apartments come with irresistible prices
• Anna Karin and Olivier are generous and interesting hosts
• The pool is perfect for hot afternoons
• You're near Lussan, a stunning hilltop village to the north

Lows

• You’re in the sticks and may need to drive out for dinner
• The house is very child-friendly; if you’re looking for absolute peace, this might not be for you