Summer homes in Europe that are off the beaten track

Around one hour from Toulouse airport and five minutes from the medieval bastide town of Seissan, complete with views to the Pyrenees, this 17th Century stone chateau set in five acres of parkland and gardens has been lovingly restored to provide a sensitive mix of historic and contemporary style. Elegant entertaining spaces, a full-equipped bespoke kitchen and seven ensuite bedrooms across three floors in the chateau are matched with wide terraces, numerous outbuildings, a swimming pool and a Royal Horticultural Society-designed wild garden.

A medieval chateau and equestrian estate in Homps

A tree-lined avenue on the approach, a recorded history going back to the early 14th Century and an estate of close to 400 acres with excellent equestrian facilities are the alluring headlines for Chateau de Tillac. Perhaps most noteworthy of all however, is its dramatic setting, overlooking three clean lakes and surrounded by open fields and woods. Conservation is to the fore with careful management of mature woodland, arable land and wild meadows protecting the rich biodiversity. The well-restored chateau has seven bedrooms, with more in numerous outbuildings. Homps is 35 minutes from Carcassonne and 90 minutes from Toulouse.

A villa in Corfu: The bliss of the northeast coastline

Green hills covered in olive trees and the calm blue Ionian sea colour northeast Corfu, a far calmer and elegant alternative to the more frenetic party-filled southern coast on this favourite Greek island. The steep hillsides of the northeast have kept large scale development away and instead, created a place of individual homes built from the local pale cream stone and set above secluded coves and bays. The bustling fishing village of Kassiopi, where tavernas spill out to the harbour, is the epicentre of local life. Celebrated residents past and present include singer James Blunt, the Rothschild family and of course, the British naturalist Gerald Durrell.

In a highly sought after, tranquil location above Kassiopi with wonderful views to its Byzantine castle and across Avlaki Bay, this villa with a separate guest cottage has five bedrooms in all. Beautifully tended terraced gardens surround the villa, a sensory mix of lemon and orange trees, pomegranates and persimmons, leading on to its own olive grove. Cool, white-washed interiors, expansive terracing for al fresco meals and an infinity pool in the near four acres of completely secure and private grounds make this both a superb home and a successful rental property.

The elegant refurbishment of this aristocratic 18th Century villa and a complete redesign of its near two-acre grounds makes for a superb country house just 10 minutes-drive from the boutiques, restaurants and concert venues within the Renaissance walls of Lucca. The manor house has wonderful volumes across the principal living rooms and its seven bedrooms, while outside, highlights include a large orangery and an atmospheric private chapel.

A Tuscan farmhouse

In the countryside south of Siena, in the shadow of the Val d’Orcia and in an area renowned for its thermal waters, this villa designed by architect Cesare Rovatti in the 1970s and its 11-acre grounds encapsulate the rural Tuscan dream. Seven bedrooms are split between the main stone villa and its separate caretaker’s cottage while a further set of outbuildings have potential to be restored into additional accommodation or a pool house for the existing swimming pool. With landscaped lawns, formal gardens, kitchen gardens, fruit and specimen trees, a pond and waterfall and over 500 olive trees, this is a country retreat to savour.

Amazing Umbria: an historic estate in Italy’s green heart

Landlocked Umbria might be considered the quieter, understated neighbour to Tuscany but it has plenty to shout about, not least its rugged, natural beauty, some of the most spectacular in Italy. This is a region of high mountains and wide valleys, studded with vines and dense forests where hilltop towns and medieval villages carry magical names that combine history and culture: Orvieto, Spoleto, Todi and Gubbio.

A 15 minute-drive from Perugia, Umbria’s capital, and its international airport, yet surrounded by Umbrian countryside, this 65-acre estate offers the opportunity to take control of an entire Italian hamlet. The hamlet was renovated in 2000 and sits at the highest point of the estate, with properties that include the main farmhouse, a tower with its own wine cellar and further bedrooms and a substantial pool house with additional accommodation. A cantina, built in 2010 is fully equipped to produce wine and olive oil and there’s also a swimming pool and tennis court.