Les Sardines aux Yeux Bleus

A beautiful house in a sleepy hamlet close to magnificent Uzès, with great prices, generous hosts and a pool in the courtyard

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 three cats, two 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, 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 magnificent Gorge de l’Ardèche all wait.

Highs

• The décor – warm, rustic, original (this is not ‘off-the-shelf contemporary’)
• The first-floor courtyard: small but perfectly formed with a daybed
• Beautiful bedrooms that come with irresistible prices
• Anna Karin and Olivier – young, generous and interesting
• The pool in the main courtyard, perfect for hot afternoons
• 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