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It has no business center or wireless Internet access, but then being out of the loop is precisely the point of Les Aliberts, tel: (334) 6891 8172, a 13th century farmhouse offering peerless getaways in the Minervois. The region is an overlooked (hence more affordable) part of the south of France, and though the porn-star parties and millionaire yachts of Cannes are within a half-day’s drive, once you pull into Les Aliberts’ stony parking lot, venality and dealmaking seem far away.

The property is the loving work of Pascal and Monique Bourgogne. They were married there, and returned to buy it after a long career as expats in Asia. And though Les Aliberts’ five spiffy apartments are decorated with the couple’s collection of Asian handicrafts, outside is a vineyard- and cypress-covered dream of southern Europe as well as a choice of superb restaurants—notably the magnificent Chantovent, tel: (334) 6891 1418. Leave Cannes to haggard actors and film publicists.