The Jasmine Hour

A 17th-century house in the heart of a classified medieval village, about forty-five minutes from Paris, this is the kind of place that takes a moment to absorb. Stone walls, a 400-year-old staircase, and ancient beams have been kept intact and paired with considered contemporary design – nowhere more so than in the grand living room anchored by a historic fireplace and a dining table that seats twelve. The walled courtyard, fragrant with jasmine and wisteria, is where mornings tend to disappear. The Château de Breteuil is a thirty-three-minute drive, and the Château de Rambouillet roughly thirty-nine.

Home truths:
* Cars cannot enter the courtyard, so you'll need to unload on the street. Free parking is available on the street or in the public car park on the village square, roughly a fifty-metre walk from the front door.
* The home spreads across three floors connected by a 400-year-old staircase, with the two upper-floor bedroom suites a further flight.
* Well-behaved dogs are welcome to join you here.
* If you're travelling with little ones, your host can provide a cot and high chair at no additional cost. You'll need to request them in advance.
* As is common in France, the toilets are separate from the bathrooms.