Five French farmhouse hotels

Rustic charm and home comforts abound in these charming rural retreats

Le Mas de la Rose, Provence

From sheep to chic, this Provençal hotel has come a long way from its rustic 17th-century beginnings. Set in rolling parkland planted with pines, olive trees and lines of lavender, this cluster of stone buildings has been transformed into a charming retreat. Outside there are tennis courts and a swimming pool. Inside, calming cream and beige furnishings, elegant vaulted stone archways and painted beams. Some bedrooms have private terraces.

Le Mas de la Rose, Route d'Eygalières, Orgon, Provence (00 33 4 90 73 08 91; mas-rose.com). Doubles start at €170, room only.

La Maison Haute Couture, Bordeaux

This 19th-century farmhouse has been transformed into a designer hideaway with the help of British fashion house Eley Kishimoto. Set in five acres of landscaped gardens, the house is located between two medieval villages. As well as a pool there is a sunken bath where you can gaze out over fields of sunflowers as you soak.

La Maison Haute Couture, Penne D'Agenais, Bordeaux (01637 881942; lamaisonhautecouture.uniquehomestays.com). Weekly rental starts at £8,000, including hamper; sleeps 10.

Le Pastoureau, Gascony

This lovely shuttered stone farmhouse is set in gardens with sweeping rural views and a pool. It's homely with wooden floors, exposed beams and an open fireplace. The farmhouse is in the hamlet of Antras with fishing in the River Baise, good walking and cycling.

Le Pastoureau, near Jegun, Gers, Gascony (booking ref 009PAST; 0844 800 1637; gascony-secret .com). Weekly rental starts at £825; sleeps 8.

JustSuites, Midi Pyrenees

This buttercream-daubed 19th-century farmhouse has views of the Pyrenees. And, despite its name, it has four romantic bedrooms. The garden is all sweeping lawns and clusters of terracotta pots and there's a pool and a barn with a long refectory table. If you don't feel like cooking, the nearby auberge serves local cuisine.

JustSuites, Tresbos Farmhouse, Chemin de Campuzan, Puydarrieux, Midi Pyrenees (01621 741126; just2suites.com). Weekly rental starts at £1,600; sleeps eight.

Le Mas de la Coutettaz, Haute Savoie

"The Farmhouse" dates back to 1771 and is the oldest building in Morzine. Now a luxury Alpine hotel, it has nine bedrooms spread between the main farmhouse and cottages, including picture-perfect wooden skiing chalet, Le Mazot. The French country design features sleigh beds, beamed ceilings and wooden floors. The Blue Room has a four-poster and views over the old town square to the Ressachaux mountain range beyond.

Le Mas de la Coutettaz, Morzine, Haute Savoie (00 33 4 50 79 08 26; thefarmhouse.co.uk). Doubles start at €203 including breakfast.