An elegant house with ancient roots and a shimmering pool – explore the Charente countryside, drive to lovely Angoulême

A stylish, canal-side inn – you get Sunday lunch, tow paths that lead into Edinburgh, then a pretty garden and cute rooms

A small, quirky country house hotel with lovely staff, pretty rooms and heavenly food served in a pillared dining room

You’ll feel nicely independent in this spacious open-plan hideaway surrounded by colourful gardens and Corscombe valley views

Rustic, quirky and layered with history, this is an exquisite slice of traditional Sicilian life, with welcoming and generous hosts

A light-filled village cottage for 2 near Bosherston Lily Ponds. Come to ramble the coastal path, enjoy sandy beaches and visit local pubs

A clutch of airy properties, most with their own jasmine-scented terraces arranged around a funky pool

Kids range free, adults recharge in these two gites on a 17th-century estate with sunny gardens and a pool. Hike, bike, swim, relax...

Garden lovers will flock to this lovely B&B with two spacious suites and delicious breakfasts – a good spot by a quiet hamlet

A charming base in historic Beaulieu - expect delicious food, traditional country-house interiors, and walks that start from the front door

In deep countryside, an expertly renovated 15th-century chapel on the banks of the Lot – a serene spot near vibrant towns

Swings, a terrace and pool in 2 acres ringed by fields and tranquility, and lakes and vineyards beyond. Family bliss in Quercy

A pretty little cottage in a holiday hamlet surrounded by fields, just a stone's throw from the coast and Binic for happy escapes

Walkers and wild-lifers, here is your place in the Pyrenees. Colour, character, a welcoming family, log fires and delicious home cooking

Flop in a hammock and be lulled by Mediterranean scents and breezes, relax in an ancient Trullo – come here for raw beauty not for frills

A gorgeous eco-build set in a wildflower meadow a short walk from thriving Presteigne and with a shepherd’s hut for spillover

A fine designer house and pool above the coastal hurly-burly and one of the loveliest coves in Spain, backing onto a nature park. Happy hols

Escape to your own barn. Brimming with beams and natural colours - surrounded by peaceful lavender-filled gardens and corn fields