You might be forgiven for thinking that some of this year’s summer prices are misprints. The Cote d’Azur in July for half the brochure price? A villa on the Costa Blanca with a private pool reduced by 65%? A cottage in the Dordogne slashed by 40%? They all look too good to be true, but they’re not.

What should you do when you see prices this low? Grab them, of course! It would be rude not to.

GO SOUTH FOR SUNSHINE

Villa Eleonora is a spacious four-bedroom villa surrounded by olive groves on the tiny Ionian island of Paxos. Just the sort of ideal family property that would normally have been snapped up months ago. Not this year. You can have it for a fortnight beginning on August 20 with a 25% discount. The adult price is £729, down from £979, based on six sharing and including flights from Gatwick, transfers and two hire cars. Under-16s pay £669. Book with Travel a la carte (01635 863030, www.travelalacarte.co.uk).

Near the popular resort of Calpe on the Costa Blanca, Villa Fantaxat has three bedrooms and a private pool and is available at a discount of 55% on the weeks beginning July 10 and 17. The brochure price with Something Special (01455 852229, www.somethingspecial.co.uk) is £672pp based on six sharing and including Gatwick flights and car hire, but it is on sale at just £299pp.

Also on the Costa Blanca, Casa Mora near Javea is a lip-smacking 65% off. Originally priced at £732pp, this four-bedroom house with its own pool is now available for £379pp. Based on four sharing for the week beginning July 10 and including Gatwick flights and car hire, this means a total saving of £1,412 with Something Special (01455 852229 www.somethingspecial.co.uk).

Forte Village in Sardinia, one of the most luxurious family resorts in the Mediterranean, has discounts of 30%. Until the end of July, a week at the four-star Il Villaggio costs from £1,159, saving £500, including Saturday flights from Heathrow. Children sharing a room get a further 50% discount. Book with Exclusive Italy (020 8256 0231, www.exclusiveitaly.co.uk).

On the quiet south-west coast of Corfu, within a three-minute walk of the sandy beach at Maltas, Kostas Studios are ideal for families who want to get away from it all. A week’s self-catering departing Gatwick on July 19 costs just £269 - saving £141 - with a fortnight at £349, reduced by £119. Prices are based on four sharing with Sunvil Holidays (020 8568 4499, www.sunvil.co.uk). For Manchester departures, add a £25 supplement.

Close to the swanky resort of Port Grimaud on the Cote D'Azur, Leisure Direction (0870 4428930, www.leisuredirection/holiday.co.uk) has 50% off a fortnight at the Residence La Palmeraie, which sleeps four and is set amidst trees and two heated swimming pools. The price of £825 - reduced from £1,650 - applies to arrivals on July 31 and includes Channel crossing and self-catering. Arrive on July 10 or 17 and you’ll pay just £789, down from £1,578.

Villa San Michele, a converted 15th-century monastery near Florence, is one of Italy’s most impressive luxury hotels. It’s never cheap but this summer a week’s B&B for a family of four costs a total of £6,450, a saving of £3,100, with Exsus Travel (020 7292 5050, www.exsus.com). The price includes two deluxe rooms, British Airways flights from Gatwick, private transfers, eight hours of babysitting, a PlayStation in the children’s room and free soft drinks in the minibar. Regional add-ons cost from £55.

In Andalucia, near the picturesque village of Guacin, The Old Forge is a beautifully-restored country house once owned by a blacksmith and surrounded by orchards. The property, which has its own swimming pool and satellite entertainment system, sleeps up to ten and has been reduced in price over the high season by more than 30%. A fortnight’s self-catering, including Gatwick flights departing July 24, air-conditioned hire car and food hamper, costs £970 (under-12s £915), based on four sharing; Manchester departures cost £920 for both adults and children. All prices represent a saving of £425. Book with Spain at Heart (01373 814222, www.spainatheart.co.uk).

Solmar Villas (0870 381 3000, www.solmarvillas.com) has big savings on properties during high season, including Villa Damian near Nerja on the Costa del Sol, down from £1,499 to £999. The price, for the week beginning July 17 or 24, is for the whole villa, which sleeps six and has attractive grounds, a pool, covered terrace, barbecue and American-style kitchen. Flights and car hire are extra, and can be booked with the operator or independently.

The Paphos Beach Hotel in Cyprus has been spruced up and relaunched as the Almyra, a more hip and affordable sister to the Anassa and the Annabelle. This summer, a week’s half-board including scheduled Gatwick flights costs from £955, saving £182, with one child under 12 sharing its parents’ room paying £247, a saving of £364. Book with Abercrombie & Kent (0845 0700612, www.abercrombiekent.co.uk), which has regional add-ons from £90.

On the Greek island of Lefkas, across the bay from the resort of Nidri, the price of a luxury three-bedroom villa with private pool and mooring has been reduced by 23%. A week’s self-catering departing Gatwick on July 11 or 18 costs £525pp, down from £675pp, based on four sharing with Activity Holidays (0845 345 7418, www.activity-holidays.co.uk). The price includes use of a small boat with outboard motor for the duration of the holiday. A fortnight costs £850pp, reduced from £1,080pp. Under-2s stay free.

At the five-star Princesa Yaiza Suite Hotel Resort on Lanzarote one child under 13 can holiday for free if it shares its parents’ room. Adults pay £844 for a week’s B&B between July 22 and September 8. The child’s place is worth £349. Book with Sovereign (08705 768 373, www.sovereign.com).

Pollensa is Mallorca for the middle classes, a quiet resort on the north coast surrounded by gorgeous countryside. Villas in the region are normally snapped up quicker than Centre Court tickets at Wimbledon but this year they are available at savings of up to 33% with Villa Select (01789 764909, www.villaselect.com). If you can wait until August 28 before travelling you can get 45% off the price of a week at Ca'n Jaume, a three-bedroom house with extensive grounds, pool and sun terraces at the end of a private lane. The total cost for six people is £975, saving £820. Flights from Gatwick cost £199 with regional departures available for a supplement.

Mallorca Farmhouses (0118 947 3001, www.mfh.co.uk) also has deals at villas in the north and east of the island. For instance, the luxury Finca Na Gatona II in S’Horta, which sleeps 13 and has large grounds and a pool, is available for the week beginning July 31, reduced from £3,500 to £2,750.

Cosmos (0870 443 1823, www.cosmos.co.uk) has free child places, adult discounts and half-price under-occupancy supplements at a range of resorts in high season. For instance, a fortnight’s self-catering at the four-star Paradise Park Apartments in Los Cristianos, Tenerife, departing Manchester on August 6 would have cost £3,071. But with all the discounts the total price now comes to £2,236, saving £781.

Thomson Superfamily (0870 550 2555, www.thomson.co.uk) has deals across the Mediterranean including a week’s self-catering at the Talayot Apartments in Cala’n Forcat, Minorca, flying from Gatwick on July 22 for £349, saving £160. One child pays £285, with a second paying £245.

Direct Travel (020 8335 1810, www.directtravel.co.uk) has high-season discounts of up to 45% on villas, chateaux, gites and cottages in Brittany, the Dordogne, Cognac and St Tropez. For instance, two weeks self-catering at Villa Morvan in Southern Brittany from July 17 costs £297pp, down from £496pp. The property has a private pool and sleeps four. The ferry crossing is not included.

James Villa Holidays (0845 458 4757, www.jamesvillas.co.uk) has £200 off selected properties including Villa Llatzer in the village of Trebaluger on Menorca. It sleeps six, has a pool and large sun terrance and now costs £899 for the week beginning August 6. This price is for the whole property. Flights are extra; from £239 (under-12s £229) out of Gatwick or Manchester.

There is a 46% discount on a week’s self-catering at the Lefka Appartments in Rhodes Town flying from Gatwick on July 21. The new price is £219 (saving £190) with Olympic Holidays (0870 429 4242, www.olympicholidays.com).

In Turkey, Jewel in the Crown Holidays (01293 533338, www.jewelholidays.com) has a fortnight’s B&B at the Hotel Hermes in Marmaris departing Gatwick on July 19 for £299, saving £100. Manchester flights are also available. In Malta, two weeks B&B at the three-star Qawra Palace Hotel in St Pauls Bay is reduced by £134 to £464, flying from East Midlands on July 29 with Malta Direct (020 8561 9079, www.maltadirect.com).

Club Med (08453 67 67 67, www.clubmed.co.uk) has a week’s all-inclusive in Ibiza departing Gatwick on July 11 for £599, saving £126. Manchester fights are available for a £30 supplement. Under-4s pay £343; under-2s pay £131.