"chic white-and-clear spheres"

Architecture One of my favourite television images across the years was the giant bubble that Anthony Edwards's hyper-allergic ecological watchdog built a life in on Northern Exposure always wondering what it must have been like to awaken that close to nature.

Now, EcoSalon report on holiday homes and guest houses which provide a similar experience with the accent on being able to enjoy the sky:

"Les Bivouacs de la Reine are space-age accommodation capsules on the grounds of a chateau that was built for Josephine, wife of the Emperor Napoleon, just outside Paris. These chic white-and-clear spheres (the smaller bubble can be used as a bathroom) offer a cozy spot for star-gazing, and some open intimacy – you can see everything, but only the animals can see you. French chateaux are certainly leading a revolution in avant-garde accommodation styling."

However beautiful they are, they're also not big on privacy, so it's a good job they're in relatively remote areas.