Mr & Mrs Smith Le Barn Hotel

Less than an hour from Paris, country retreat Le Barn is the stuff of urbanites’ dreams, bringing considered design to the Rambouillet forest. The sprawling estate borrows the generous proportions and unpretentious atmosphere of a Midwestern ranch, and its inch-perfect interiors – the work of Parisian design studio Be-Poles – have more than a touch of the Shakers about them. The food, on the other hand, is every inch a French affair. Dishes in restaurant La Serre are a masterclass in Gallic country cuisine, served in a sun-soaked greenhouse. Beyond the glass, the oak- and elm-studded grounds are covetable for their looks alone, but they’re also home to first-rate stables, a Scandinavian spa, biking trails, a lake and more. Dabble in a little or come for the lot; this is the countryside at its most accommodating.