Neat rows of vines cascade down the slope in front of the large swimming pool where my two daughters are splashing about with new friends. Beyond, hills stretch out like gentle waves, the dense cover hiding the first buds of hazelnuts and the promise of the coming truffle season.

My husband and I shelter from the sun under a wide, shaded verandah that our one-bedroom apartment opens onto, relaxing into a pair of deep, comfortable lounges overlooking the pool. It’s not quite the feet-in-the-sand, beachfront setting I had been expecting for the week but, as Plan Bs go, our home for the next four nights definitely isn’t bad.