(1) Doubles from £84, B&B Le Gite d’Indaiatiba, near Paraty Le Gite díIndaiatiba, near Paraty Paraty has one of Brazil’s most astonishing settings, where rainforest-covered peaks spill down to bay after beautiful blue bay, so why not back off the historic centre a bit and make your way into the lush surroundings of the Serra do Bocaina mountains?
(2) • From €320 per week for a gite sleeping four, vacancebretagne.com Le Clos des Vieux Moulins, Ile de Ré, Charente-Maritime The Ile de Ré is one of France's most desirable holiday destinations, so you'll need to book well in advance if you want to bag one of the 16 apartments at this attractive holiday complex.
(3) Over the summer, the city is famously quiet as residents decamp to the beach or country gites, but the mass return – la rentrée – triggers a succession of new arrivals across town, plus full launches for venues which gingerly soft-opened during the lull.