Come for peace and quiet down a long lane, pretty buildings and big, beautifully-kept gardens with a secluded outdoor pool

A very pretty old converted cart shed at the end of a track on an organic farm, surrounded by wildlife, birds and animals in the fields

An enchanting hideaway with sensational views in a flowery English semi-wild country garden, near Sissinghurst and Great Dixter

A comfy cottage for two in the quiet, leafy outskirts of Aix with easy access to the city and a kind, attentive owner nearby

A very romantic and peaceful Umbrian hideaway just for two with delicious breakfasts and wonderful views from house and pool

Fringing Tuscany countryside and fun Montone, an authentic Umbrian mansion with Slow Food, lavender fields, apartments and pool. Pure Italy

Come to this charming hideaway cabin for two (plus one) facing Lac de Montriond for a back-to-nature escape near Morzine

Cross an ancient stone bridge to a 1790s estate cottage, completely on its own down a little-used green lane and with the river rushing by

Come for plenty of space and wonderful views to the Pyrenees on clear days from this converted outbuilding in the grounds of a château

A heated pool, charming B&B rooms and acres of beautiful grounds beside the Adour River - Bayonne and Biarritz are close

A light, spacious villa in the colonial style designed for easy indoor/outdoor living, with garden, pool and the beach just a short stroll

Former pear-press cellar, now a swish bolthole with magical mountain views. In the village centre, 15-minutes’ drive to the Paradiski slopes

A dear little gingerbread-style house in the prettiest part of the estate with your own pontoon and boat on the edge of a shimmering lake

A welcoming country-house hotel that’s popular with locals and visitors alike - good food, stylish rooms and an airy restaurant wait

The inn is the hub of this thriving village in 'the blue remembered hills' with great food and super rooms - a Sawday's Community Champion

Bring family or friends to this beautiful 16th-century stone manor house standing in a tiny hamlet in the heart of the Dordogne

A thoughtful conversion of an old farm barn with beautifully-beamed interiors - a flawless, rural escape for romantics and dreamers

A very grand façade for this handsome Charente village house with a beautiful, peaceful garden, creamy stone walls and olive trees