France from £175,000

The Jardins de St Benoît development is all about being part of the local community in the idyllic Languedoc village of St-Laurent-de-la-Cabrerisse. Buyers can take part in the winemaking process, tend to the medieval gardens and make olive oil with members of the local co-op. Unfurnished one-bed townhouses, set around pedestrianised streets and cobbled squares, start at £175,000. Two-bed houses start at £218,000. Garrigae Resorts; 0871 218 2103, garrigae.com

Argentina from £15,000

At Dos Rosas, in the Mendoza region, owners can buy ¼-acre vineyards from £15,000 — to be managed by the estate — on which they can choose their own grapes and help with wine production. They receive 200 bottles a year and 50% of the net profits. They can also build their own house among the vines: 40 two-acre plots are on sale, priced at £200,000 each. A four-bed detached house would cost about £110,000 to build. Property Frontiers; 01865 202700, propertyfrontiers.com

South Africa from £80,000

Buyers of the 12 thatched lodges at the Ka’Ingo private reserve, three hours north of Johannesburg — sold on a fractional ownership basis from £80,000 — can join programmes to conserve endangered animals, including cheetahs and leopards, in the adjoining wildlife sanctuary. In the heart of the bush, the lodges are fully equipped, with three ensuite bedrooms and flatscreen TVs. The reserve has a spa, a tennis court and a bar. Zorgvliet Group; 0800 046 9196, zorgvliet.com

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