Heaps to do on-site: organic farm shop & café, cookery & cheese-making courses, farm tours. A brilliant base for exploring the Cotswolds too

A lovely big old farmhouse for gatherings of friends and family with your own indoor pool, sauna, gym and jacuzzi

Small and elegant family-run hotel with airy bedrooms, plenty of private spaces and a bus to take you to the centre of bustling Avignon

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

Head inland for grand walking or to the glorious coast from this very pretty cottage with a private garden, suitable and safe for dogs

A sweet bolthole for two and a babe-in-arms or pooch in friendly, foodie Ramsbottom with walks straight into woods and moors

An elegant medieval manor in the Loire with spiral stone staircases, mullioned windows, jaunty turrets and a fairytale suite just for you

A dramatic house with stylish interiors – designed to bring the outdoors in so you feel wrapped in nature. Great for families or friends

A converted stable on a peaceful farm surrounded by acres of countryside - a Sawday's Community Champion

Fresh, inviting bedrooms with leafy garden views and a pretty church next door. Moffat's spectacular Grey Mare's Tail waterfall nearby

Remote barn in the middle of Northumberland National Park with views for miles, wonderful walking trails and clear starry skies

Near to the sea, surrounded by pristine vineyards and sheltered by the walls of an ancient farmhouse, you'll feel secluded from tourists

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

Explore the coastal paths on foot or by bike, or simply sunbathe next to the pool... Leafy gardens, comfortable rooms and excellent dinners

Find history and splendour in bucketfuls on this huge, friendly, wooded domaine. A winning combination of modern luxury and ancient peace

Chatty Madame is a superb cook, and her pretty house and garden in a quiet Yvelines village are equally delicious. Zip to Paris by train

A stylish, cosy, stone-flagged cottage with vintage and modern furniture, wood-burners, patios and views - and three excellent pubs nearby

Another bright, beamed and history-filled place to stay on the smart Upton Cressett estate with walks from the door and much comfort within