For sale: from mini-fortresses to hip, high-tech homes

Here we find 12 unusual properties on the market across France and the UK. Stand out from the crowd with your own fairy-tale turrets, French vineyard, lake or little piece of history.

Aquitaine, France £755,000

From the front, this is a pretty Dordogne stone farmhouse – but from the back it’s a mini-fortress. The twin round towers stand guard over the valley below, but they now house bathrooms rather than anything more Harry Potter-like. There are three bedrooms in the main house, plus a one-bedroom cottage and separate studio.

Call Winkworth’s international sales 020 7870 7181 www.winkworth-international.com

Lot, Midi Pyrenees, France £622,000

This charming turreted French country house comes with its own fishing lake. There’s a pontoon for you to while away your afternoons, rod in hand, and delightful gardens all around. The swimming pool uses a salt system, too.

Call Winkworth’s international sales 020 7870 7181 www.winkworth-international.com

Lot, Midi Pyrenees, France £520,000

This attractive turreted manor house is set in beautiful countryside between Limoges and Toulouse. It has some unusual barrel-vaulted ceilings and a separate cottage that could make a mini guest house. The six acres of land include: meadows, woodlands, its own vineyard and a swimming pool.

Call Winkworth’s international sales 020 7870 7181 www.winkworth-international.com

Avignon, France £2.32m

A peaceful mill-pond gives this property a tranquillity that really cannot be matched.  It is surrounded by the vineyards of the Cotes du Rhone and is about 14 miles from Avignon. With 10 bedrooms and bathrooms it might make a perfect B&B business.

Call Winkworth’s international sales 020 7870 7181 www.winkworth-international.com

Queen’s Gate, London SW7 £3.45m

Here is an attractive white stucco-fronted building, minutes from the Natural History Museum and the V&A. Nothing unusual there, but this ground floor flat has an unusual barrel-vaulted ceiling in the rear reception room that is full of charm and character. There is a second reception room with a large, ornate stained glass window and a gallery currently used as a second bedroom.

Call Winkworth’s South Kensington office on 020 7373 5052 www.winkworth.co.uk/south-kensington

St George’s Hill, Weybridge, Surrey POA

Here is a high-tech home that could fit into the next Bond or Jason Bourne movie. This cool, contemporary home sits on a plot of just over an acre in the prime residential area of St George’s Hill, an exclusive private estate. There is a golf club and tennis club, for residents. It’s close to both Weybridge and Byfleet stations.

Call Winkworth’s Weybridge office on 01932 854400 www.winkworth.co.uk/weybridge

Ashby-de-la-Launde, Lincs £1.8m

You get a whole country estate with this property. This historic building has eight bedrooms, a guest wing and a worker’s cottage. There’s also a large stable block ripe for development. Ashby Hall is secure with top-spec broadband coverage - a civil defence company has most recently used it as their headquarters.

Call Winkworth’s Grantham office on 01476 578888 www.winkworth.co.uk/grantham

Tiverton, Devon Offers over £1m

This four-bedroom farmhouse may look fairly ordinary, but it’s actually a top ranking racing stables. It comes with 55 acres of land, 40 stables in an American-style barn, an indoor horse walker and a mile gallop. A sure bet for any horse-mad buyer.

Call Winkworth’s Exeter office on 01392 271177 www.winkworth.co.uk/exeter

Roedean, Brighton £2.995m

This classical Italian villa would not be out of place on the Amalfi coast, but here it is, just outside Brighton. It looks out to the cooler waters of the English Channel, but on a sunny day you could be transported to Campania in the wink of an eye. Zaldia has five bedrooms and was based on the style of Shirley MacLaine’s LA home.

Call Winkworth’s Brighton & Hove office on 01273 772175 www.winkworth.co.uk/brighton-hove

Near Canterbury, Kent £1.99m

This 21st century home is built to the highest spec and features twin vaulted roofs that sit unsuspended. It has the full range of eco-credentials, from ground source heating to triple glazing. The living space is large and flexible and there are six bedrooms.

Call Winkworth’s Canterbury office on 01227 456645 www.winkworth.co.uk/canterbury

Crouch End London N8 £1.7m

This property is not unusual on the outside, but we could not resist it. It is a rare opportunity to buy a five-storey house in need of complete renovation. It has six bedrooms, three reception rooms and an 80ft garden. It’s in a quiet road just off Broadway, which has all the shops and eateries you might need.

Call Winkworth’s Crouch End office on 020 8342 9999 www.winkworth.co.uk/crouch-end

And finally…

Winterbourne Earls, Salisbury, Wilts £895,000

This handsome brick and flint building has been a water mill and a brush factory in the past. It’s now being run as a bed and breakfast. There are eight bedrooms altogether, including two in the annexe, and plenty of period features.

Call Winkworth’s Salisbury office on 01722 443000 www.winkworth.co.uk/salisbury