Early birds - book ahead

Warm interiors, pretty bedrooms and excellent breakfasts – good value in a very handy central spot

Quaint barns dotted among truffle oaks and rosemary, each one constructed the old-fashioned way and close to the Dordogne and Vézère

Light-and-colour filled cottage with gardens and sea views on the UNESCO World Heritage Jurassic Coast, a short stroll from Chesil Beach

A comfy cottage for two in the quiet, leafy outskirts of Aix with easy access to the city and a kind, attentive owner nearby

A beautifully renovated apartment in a quiet street in central Bordeaux, with fine old features and all modernities. Ideal for couples

A glamourous escape in central Nice. Creative art-filled interiors, a fabulous tropical garden, sumptuous buffet breakfasts, pool and spa

25 sleek cabins by a shimmering lake, a clubhouse with rooms, restaurants, gym, pool and activities galore around these 1000 acres of wild nature

Comfortable redbrick cottage with views on the Heydon Hall estate. It’s delightfully rural yet you can walk to the village pub for supper

Few inns can rival the scale or history of this one. Dogs doze by the inglenook, food is sourced from local suppliers, bedrooms are gorgeous

A welcoming, affordable seafront base for exploring St Malo and northern Brittany with small rooms, good food and a lively atmosphere

Get the full-English bucolic countryside experience at this boutique inn right in the heart of a quintessentially pretty Cotswold village

A foodie and friendly reinvigorated old pub, with floor to ceiling estuary views. Bring the dog and hit the coastal path

A cracking spot for this thatched and beamed 17th-century village inn with lovely gardens, just a half-mile stroll from Lulworth Cove

A wall of glass frames the sea view - take drinks on the waterfront lawn in summer, or by the crackling fire in winter

On top of sand dunes, this bright and airy cottage has glorious views, walks are lovely and you can bring your dog

A grand dining hall and super kitchen, perfect for big gatherings. Spot spoonbills on the salt marsh, sea swim or walk to delis and pubs

Smart apartments set in a château with landscaped gardens, a lake and a small spa; the town centre and a wild beach are an easy stroll away

Atmospheric English pub with rooms by the green with its duck ponds in a pretty village, with walking and cycling routes to join