FRENCH FANCY

AN 18TH-CENTURY RIVERSIDE HOLIDAY HOME IN RURAL FRANCE IS THE ULTIMATE ANTIDOTE TO ONE BUSY LONDON FAMILY'S DAILY LIFE

- HANNAH NEWTON

DINING ROOM An antique samovar sits beside a tea set on the side table, covered with a block-print cloth, with hand-carved chairs from Central Europe beside it. "My husband is half Austrian and we both love mitteleuropaische hand-carved furniture that evokes forests, mountains and old craftsmanship," says Susan.

DRAWING ROOM Max and Susan Deliss with Bessie, the lurcher, enjoy the slower pace of life at their holiday home in Burgundy. Artworks inherited from Max's father and grandfather, both portrait artists, line the walls.

KITCHEN The local Burgundy-style kitchen displays bowls and ceramics from Turkey and Morocco. The green jugs are made by a local potter while the 19th-century copper pots come from a castle via Christie's. Max made the kitchen table and the couple chose freestanding kitchen furniture, as is the local style. "The beautifully painted porcelain plates on the wall with fruit on them have a monogram of the chateau they came from," says Susan.

Susan Deliss recalls the moment she first saw her rural French holiday home. "I love the way the light from the river reflects on the ceilings" she smiles. Positioned by the Serein River, which flows to the wine-growing region of Chablis, the 18th-century house has a laidback French charm about it. Stone steps in the garden lead down to the water, where a small blue boat belonging to Susan's sons Al, 16, and Gus, 14, gently bobs. Bessie, their lurcher, hides from the hot French sun underneath a nearby fig tree.

Beyond the front door, which is crowned with wisteria, a cool, dark hall awaits. Original 19th-century tiles on the floor lead to the kitchen where there's a well-worn pine table made by Susan's husband, Max, a conservator.