France

Your host runs home and B&B with effortless efficiency and you'll find shiny,spotless rooms to retreat to after a day's exploring

Refined B&B in a pretty forest setting just north of the French Basque country, with a lovely garden, a swimming pool and delicious food

The Gautiers have the finest sense of how to treat guests: dreamy bedrooms, fantastic food & the pool beneath the orange trees is a delight

Small country hotel in a riverside setting near Giverny, with a superb restaurant and a charming village a few minutes’ walk away

10 minutes from La Rochelle, a place of peace and style. From scrumptious breakfasts to a splash in the pool, your hosts are eager to please

Elegantly restored mariner’s cottage with tasteful interiors and sweeping, uninterrupted views over the ever-changing estuary

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

A 17th-century stone mansion within the ancient walls of Avignon. Walk to cafes, watch the shows at the Festival, chat with convivial hosts

Come for strawberries in summer, walnuts in winter, and a wonderful welcome all year round. Thierry and Charlotte are living their dream

Go with the slow - homemade delights, no plastic anything, few mod cons - just relaxed humorous hosts and a beautiful place

A rustic haven in Vouvray wine country: bask on sun beds near the elegant pool, cosy up to the wood-burner, relax in your beautiful bedroom

A beautiful cream stone building in the grounds of a grand château, with a large and view-filled outdoor terrace for peaceful dawdling

Breathe, relax in peaceful Provençal countryside: olives, lavender and budding fruit trees. Aix's lively markets are 10 minutes away

A stylish, thoughtful and impressive place for a family holiday, in a dreamy Charentais landscape with the odd sheep to keep you company

Close to the honeypots of Domme and Sarlat, a hideaway for 2 in an ancient French hamlet. The apartment is serene, the views are glorious

Up in the Cévennes, this big, beautiful family house has superb views, a fine kitchen, lots of space and masses to do and see

A happy guest told us, ‘A marvellous way to see a beautiful château and this is probably the best that we have stayed in’

Gite retreats in château grounds - welcoming and wonderful for young families. Build castles in the sandpit, make friends around the pool