France

High in the Beaujolais is this wonderful B&B - vast views, a big pool in a half-wild garden, and the best cuisine for miles

A lovely little bolthole for 2 and a child… friendly too. The Montmartre of Amélie climbs the cobbled hill, take the 68 bus to the Louvre

A privilege to be able to stay within the famous gardens of magnificent Château de Courances. The painter's village of Barbizon is nearby

You get the best of all worlds here. Delicious beds, Provençal soaps, vineyard views, fresh croissants a stroll away…

Minutes from the beach, this listed retreat comes with beautiful rooms in classical style, charming hosts and a family-run restaurant nearby

A peaceful, spacious oasis in a charming port town of the most fashionable island on the French Atlantic coast

Immaculate apartments with private patios and well-equipped kitchens share oleander-bright gardens and a chlorine-free pool

Attractive country barn - great for two families sharing, for river trips, for playing in the pool, for running free

Guarded by high gates is a spacious oasis on the edge of the village, full of friendliness and charm. Good restaurants are a 5-minute drive

Modest and authentic, a top-floor apartment in a lovely Provençal farmhouse, with dogs, geese and hens. River swims are a stroll away...

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

Perfect for families and catered yoga retreats: a fabulous hilltop setting and three smart self-catering houses with shared pool and garden

Tranquil stone cottages high in the Luberon, with a private terrace and shared pool; explore picturesque hilltop villages

Gaze over sublime vistas, refresh in the plunge pool, cook up a BBQ treat. Provençal studio, simply furnished and deeply relaxing

A fabulous place for families or close friends, and don’t miss table d’hôtes: your hosts are great chefs, and run cookery classes

Off a quiet square, a lofty village house deep in the Auvézère Valley, a river running by and space for rambling families

Character and charm abound: toile de Jouy curtains and family portraits hang, lavender wafts in windows. Blissful Tarn countryside surrounds

One of the prettiest small châteaux of the Loire valley surrounded by elegant gardens and run by erudite Irish hosts just 2kms from Saumur