A cosy bolthole near Paris's best museums, monuments and churches. A peaceful sleep and simple buffet breakfast set you up for sightseeing

Take your pick from guided horse-trekking to grand banqueting at this traditional château; drive to explore WWI history and the lovely coast

A striking, newly thatched and revamped pub with spoiling bedrooms, an inviting bar and menus overseen by Raymond Blanc - you'll eat well

Live out all your bohemian dreams at this arty villa, with garden and plunge pool, perched above the glittering Riviera.

A Renaissance farmhouse in a secret Welsh valley with a stunning garden. Sleep under soaring beams, enjoy peace and warm hospitality

After a day touring châteaux, return to this pretty, very comfortable cottage with private terrace and a garden filled with birdsong

Come down to the Meon Valley and be (very gently) nudged towards a better way of living - a Sawday's Community Champion

Escape to mountains, sea and sky, simple rooms and lovely food. Walk, swim, read, write, nurture your soul

Tranquil stone house with a rustic feel, a large garden with a swimming pool and views of the French Riviera and out to sea

A real gem set back from the hustle and bustle but perfectly placed to explore the city's many charms

Three luxurious apartments sleeping up to 10 people altogether, set within an elegant Georgian manor house in the Wye Valley AONB

Bags of character within and without at this four-storey village house with rooftop views over the mountains, next to a 12th-century church

A view-filled waterside retreat surrounded by ten acres of meadow and trees, with a cosy firepit for starry nights

Peaceful Georgian house with beautifully proportioned rooms, sumptuous meals, swimming and tennis. Dartmoor is on the doorstep

Provençale-meets-English country house to great effect – cycle Mont Ventoux, walk to the monastery, visit Roman towns and vineyards

This classy, refurbished village pub is the community hub, chock-full of locals and a popular destination for foodies. Lovely bedrooms too

At the foot of the Cambrian Mountains, an ancient whitewashed cottage with cosy, light-flooded interiors – a perfect rural bolthole for two

Perched on a hilltop in a nature reserve, two lovely places to stay. Hike and beach-hop all day before relaxing in the pool