Villa holidays in France offer excellent value, especially in the peak summer months. The prices generally include ferry crossings for as many people as you can get into your car. This year, French holidays have been selling as slowly as other family holidays, which means there is still a great choice for the school holiday period. The following properties were available at the time of writing.
Character
Loire
A 17th-century watermill is bordered by trees in 10 acres of grounds within walking distance of the village of Arrou. Sleeps nine in five bedrooms.
Where to book: One week with Hoverspeed crossings costs from £1,000 to £1,787 with VFB Holidays (01242 240340). Property ref WIL 28.
Dordogne
A 12th-century stone building, possibly once a monastery, has been renovated with exposed beams, open stonework and terracotta and oak floors. A gated archway opens on to a secret garden with swimming pool. There are three bedrooms and a marble bathroom.
Where to book: One week with P&O short-sea crossings costs from £1,055 to £2,061 with Vacances en Campagne (08700 771771). Property ref 24 621.
A stone cottage in the grounds of the 18th-century Chteau Le Pintre, near the bastide (fortified) town of Eymet, has been converted into holiday accommodation with five bedrooms. The owner has made a lot of the furniture himself. A massive stone fireplace dominates the dining room, and there is a large swimming pool in front.
Where to book: One week's rental costs from £895 to £2,195 with Vintage Travel (01954 261431).
Rural
Vaucluse
Set among vineyards in the Provençal village of Séguret, this 200-year-old mas enjoys a tranquil setting overlooking the foothills of Mont Ventoux yet is close to some interesting towns. It is furnished in rustic style with terracotta-tiled floors but with all mod cons. Sleeps up to 10.
Where to book: One week including short-sea crossings costs from £1,130 to £2,760 with Dominique's Villas (020-7738 8772). Property ref PR14.
Gorges du Tarn
In an upland setting with a pretty view over an orchard and farmland in the foothills of the Auvergne, this cottage is a mile outside the village of Florentin-la-Capelle. It is light and airy with jolly colour schemes and modern furniture. Sleeps six.
Where to book: One week with Hoverspeed crossings costs from £463 to £943 with VFB Holidays (01242 240340). Property ref FLO 12.
Burgundy
There are beautiful views over a valley from this simple detached gîte beside the owner's cattle farm near Le Creusot. Plenty of wildlife and lots of footpaths close by. Fields all around. Two double bedrooms.
Where to book: One week's rental costs from £181 to £258 with Brittany Ferries (08705 360360). Property ref GS1083.
For families
Gers
Le Piot is a small five-bedroom chteau in an acre of grounds on the edge of the historic town of Fleurance. It is furnished in traditional style with many antiques and can sleep up to 11 people. There is a swimming pool.
Where to book: One week's rental costs from £1,175 to £2,525 with The Gascony Secret (01284 827253). Property ref 30.
Le Béarne
Up to 12 people can share La Maison Thyarre, a restored Béarnaise farmhouse with golden flagstone floors, original oak beams and ochre and siena paintwork. There is a swimming pool in the wooded grounds and a sheltered kitchen garden.
Where to book: One week's rental costs from £695 to £1,795 with Vintage Travel (01954 261431).
Normandy
Close to Montagne-au-Perche in southern Normandy, this restored 16th-century manor house has original fireplaces, oak doors and panelling. There's a swimming pool in the five-acre park that surrounds the house. Seven bedrooms sleep 16.
Where to book: One week including short-sea crossings costs from £1,410 to £2,710 with Dominique's Villas (020-7738 8772). Property ref NR14.
For beach fans
Languedoc
Mana is a modern, stylish villa close to several long sandy beaches in the resort of Gruissan, near Narbonne, in south-west France. The open-plan living room is light and airy; there are four bedrooms. This former fishing village has a yachting harbour with sailing, surfing and water-skiing on offer.
Where to book: A week including short-sea ferry crossings costs from £980 to £2,567 with Something Special (0870 165 2601). Property ref LD163.
Côte d'Azur
The sandy beaches of the Riviera are a short walk away from this villa, which has two apartments (for four to five people each) sharing a pool in the chic resort of Antibes. They are furnished and decorated in 1930s style.
Where to book: A week including Hoverspeed crossings costs from £380 to £1,098 with Bowhills (01489 872727). Property ref P14.
Brittany
A wooden chalet-style villa just 100m from the sandy beach at Mousterlin, near Bénodet. There's a Jacuzzi on the veranda and a sauna. It has four bedrooms on the first floor with sea views.
Where to book: Two weeks (the minimum period required), including Hoverspeed crossings, costs from £1,579 to £2,749 with Allez France (01903 748155). Property ref BM170.
Top of the range
Côte d'Azur
A spacious villa in two acres of secluded grounds a mile from the Provençal village of Lorgues (30 miles from St Tropez). The L-shaped living room has three sets of french windows, antique furniture, flat-screen satellite television, a swimming pool and boules court. There are three/four bedrooms.
Where to book: One week including P&O short-sea crossings costs from £1,638 to £2,864 with Vacances en Campagne (08700 771771). Property ref 83 018.
Dordogne
La Clergerie is a traditional Périgourdine notaires house outside the village of Plazac, which has been converted by its architect owner with a barn annexe to provide three bedrooms. There is a pool in the 14-acre grounds. The views are panoramic.
Where to book: One week costs from £733 to £1,684 including Hoverspeed crossings with Just France (020-8780 4480). Property ref DO 7615.
Aquitaine
Villa Mounic stands among oak trees in a large estate with a deer park and a bird aviary in the Landaise forest, 60 miles north-east of Biarritz. The interior is furnished to a high standard with beamed ceilings and open wooden staircases. There is a pool and a multi-gym.
Where to book: One week including short-sea ferry crossings costs from £586 to £1,590 with French Life (08704 448877). Property ref VF B132.
Windmills
Dordogne
Moulin de la Pibolle is a wacky 18th-century windmill, 40 miles from Bordeaux, with a tiled witch's hat on top. It has a kitchen/diner on the ground floor; a double bedroom above and living room with window seats on top.
Where to book: One week for two/three people including short-sea ferry crossings costs from £475 to £815 with Crystal France (01235 824422). Property ref PF3279.
Atlantic coast
In Corme-Ecluse, a village inland from the Gironde estuary, this 17th-century windmill comes with a summer house attached. There's a kitchen, and two bedrooms reached by ladder steps in the windmill, and a living area and third bedroom in the house.
Where to book: One week from £388 to £913 for up to five people with Bowhills (01489 872727). Property ref P136.
Languedoc
On a hillside overlooking the Corbières vineyards, Moulin de Bissat is within walking distance of the village of Montlaur. It has a kitchen/ dining area and a double bedroom on the ground floor, and a ladder to a twin bedroom above. A swimming pool is shared with the owner.
Where to book: One week for four people costs from £442 to £658 with Just France (020-8780 4480). Property ref LG 9740.
For sports fans
Brittany
The Manoir du Ménec in the Port Aven area has several gîtes in its grounds; they share a leisure complex with a heated indoor pool, a fitness room, table tennis and billiards. Riding, fishing, tennis and golf are available nearby. Sleeps four to six.
Where to book: One week including Hoverspeed crossings costs from £654 to £1,184 Allez France (01903 748155). Property ref BX172.
Aquitaine
A choice of luxury villas beside the Club Royal Aquitaine golf course at Moliets, near Castets. There is swimming and tennis on site and horse riding is available four miles away. Close to a beach. Three to five bedrooms; all villas have their own pool.
Where to book: A week's rental costs from £317 to £2,160 with Brittany Ferries (08705 360360). Property ref YX0004.
Where to book a French villa
Villa companies
Allez France (01903 748155, allezfrance.com)
Mid-range accommodation throughout France.
Bowhills (01489 872727, bowhills.co.uk)
More than 300 cottages; particularly strong in Provence.
Brittany Ferries (08705 360360, brittanyferries.com)
The biggest selection around.
Crystal France (01235 824422, crystalfrance.com)
Large selection of cottages and holiday villages.
Dominique's Villas (020-7738 8772, dominiquesvillas.co.uk)
Many of its villas and chteaux have pools; strong in Provence.
French Life (08704 448877, frenchlife.co.uk)
Wide-ranging choice of cottages, villas and holiday villages.
The Gascony Secret (01284 827253, gascony-secret.com)
Specialises in the region west of Toulouse.
Just France (020-8780 4480, inghams.co.uk)
Interesting selection including top-of-the-range properties.
Something Special (0870 1652601, somethingspecial.co.uk)
Upmarket collection of villas, mostly with pools.
Vacances en Compagne (08700 771771, indiv-travellers.com)
Almost 500 villas and chteaux of character.
Vintage Travel (01954 261431, vintagetravel.co.uk)
Small French section of exclusive villas with pools.
VFB Holidays (01242 240340, vfbholidays.co.uk)
Francophile company that pioneered self-catering in rural France. The property owners remain mostly French.
Booking direct
These companies put you in direct contact with the owners, most of whom speak English (many are English).
Bonne Vacances (01582 699996, bvdirect.co.uk).
Chez Nous (08700 781400, cheznous.com).
Owners in France (08709 013400, ownersinfrance.com).
The Owners' Syndicate (020-7801 9804, ownerssyndicate.com).
