If you are looking for a gorgeous house, garden and heated swimming pool which have been brilliantly designed for sociable living with family or friends, Maison Zenith is a wonderful holiday home in the Vendée department, around an hour from Nantes and the Loire River.

This spacious family home has been recently renovated to a high standard retaining much of its character with exposed stone walls and wood beams alongside chic furnishings and touches of contemporary style. There are two welcoming lounges, one either side of the entrance hallway, whilst the heart of the home is the brilliantly equipped kitchen-diner with sliding windows opening out to the terrace and views all the way to the end of the vast garden.

Scattered across the two floors, find five bedrooms with king-size double beds (two of which can be converted into twins), alongside four bathrooms (three of them en suite or private) with bath and/or walk-in showers, some of which with bold tiling to add to the house’s modern style.

Bordering a river’s edge, the outdoor space is simply fantastic with pretty patios for a quiet coffee, larger terraces for al-fresco dining and sun-bathing alongside a pergola close to the river for picturesque views of the flora and fauna around you. The heated swimming pool is glorious for warm summer days and there is ample room across the terraced and sloping gardens for relaxing in the sun or playing with family and friends.

Cycle to the local village for your morning croissants and fresh bread or drive a little further to Les Herbiers for restaurants, shops, a twice-weekly food market as well as old windmills and lovely walks through the park. Embrace the natural surroundings of La Cité des Oiseaux, a paradise for bird-watchers, potter around the historic towns of Cholet or La Roche-sur-Yon and spend the day at one of Europe’s most famous theme parks, Puy du Fou.

The atmospheric city of Nantes awaits for a superb day out or venture towards Angers and Saumur by the banks of the Loire River. You can also reach the coast from here – in just over an hour you could be exploring the sweeping beaches of the Atlantic around the seaside resorts of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie and La Tranche-sur-Mer.