Think of summers in France and what comes to mind? Hot sunlight on a stone-flagged terrace. Bees buzzing amidst a sea of lavender. Wandering through a local market and filling a basket with bread, cheese, and ripe peaches. Sipping wine as dusk falls, then eating by candlelight in the warm evening air. These aspects please all the senses--and so too does the distinctive decorative style of rural France.

Against this backdrop, Caroline Clifton-Mogg visits 15 glorious homes that display the legendary French sense of style and evoke all the sensual appeal of summers spent in this beautiful part of the world. Throughout the book, she also explores the elements of the French country look, from the color palette and materials typical of rural style, to cosy and chic soft furnishings and decorative accessories and antiques sourced at local markets and brocantes.