A small top terrace can be booked for romantic evenings and you can lunch or dinner at the delightful floating restaurant

Surrounded by wildlife and water, this ultra-modern house has huge windows, white walls and designer furnishings. Blissfully remote

Beautiful, and with a delightfully rambling garden, this early 16th-century manor has bags of room for happy days with family or friends

It's steeped in history and a joy to visit. Explore the vast pistes of Les Portes du Soleil... return to log fires and house-party dinners

Nestled in Stockbridge between Winchester, Salisbury and the south coast, this equally lovely foodie inn with rooms is a winner

Airy, spacious, sunny. This Lot gîte is a delight: linen curtains, oak stair, sunny pool. Sarlat and painted caves are an easy venture away

This fine old Dordogne house is run by well-travelled owners, has superb views and is a luscious mix of old charm and contemporary design

This stately-looking former manor house set back from the road in acres of gardens serves very good food and has rustic-chic bedrooms

Gather your loved ones and come for colourful, exuberant interiors, an absolutely gorgeous covered veranda and a pool with moveable floor

Escape to your own snug bolthole above a beautiful hall. Creative village community, tasty breakfast delivered, come and go as you please

No-nonsense farm conversions with open, airy rooms and good big showers sharing a pool, a playground and fabulous views. Great walks, too

An elegant townhouse, built in 1830 and once the sous-préfecture for Rochefort, with spacious, light-filled rooms and a garden with pool

Immaculate Cotswold beauty with great food, welcoming staff, handsome rooms and a sun-trap terrace, plus countryside walks from the door

Five guest apartments with views on a family estate with a lake, waterfall and space to roam set deep in the Umbrian hills near Perugia

Light-filled house full of modern art and antique finds with stunning gardens and a pool. The best of Provence is on your doorstep

Once a shooting lodge, this stand-alone big building was part of a medieval estate and you can still see the grassy mount and dungeon tower

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

Furniture from home-grown wood, reclaimed tiles - beautiful. The Jurassic Coast is near, Bridport's antiques, too. Cycle, walk, spot birds