France £2.25m In the foothills of the Cévennes mountains in Languedoc, with exceptional views, Mas les Escaliers is made up of two tiny hamlets. The first includes a four-bed house and four one-bed guest houses; the second has a further four properties with a sauna, whirlpool spa and 13-metre swimming pool. It is 70km from both Montepellier and Nîmes and 118km from Avignon.

020 7016 3740, savills.com/abroad

Italy £1.1m This beautiful hamlet is set in 3.5 hectares of olive groves and other fruit trees in the hills near the small town of Pescaglia. It consists of a large 18th-century farmhouse, with two bedrooms and three receptions with chestnut-beamed ceilings (two of which have fireplaces), plus three cottages and an 8-metre pool. It is 70 km north of Florence and about 15 km from Lucca.

01322 660988, casatravellapremier.com

France £960,000 This hamlet in the Midi-Pyrénées, near the hilltop village of St-Clar, is in need of further renovation. Set in 8 hectares, there is a restored eight-room mansion, and a further five stone houses to be fixed up. There is a range of outbuildings, including stables and barns that could also be converted. It is about an hour’s drive from Toulouse airport and 30 minutes from Agen.

0845 303 7385, thefrenchpropertyagents.com;

020 8144 5501, home-hunts.com

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