Great gulps of ozone will engulf you at this architect-designed 1960s beach house - light, bright and sparkling, just like the ocean

Spacious rooms and a cosy apartment a stone’s throw from Avignon’s historic sights. Retire to the heated pool after a busy day sightseeing

Rural peace just an hour from London in your own gorgeous converted hay barn, ten minutes from Alton

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

Independence at one end of the house with your own sitting room opening onto a courtyard garden. Good pub for food a few minutes' walk away

Step through a door in an old wooden gate to discover a courtyard garden on the edge of town close to golden sands

An island of oyster farms, salt pans and white beaches, woolly donkeys, countless push-bikes and the odd celeb – we love the Ile de Ré!

Beautifully refurbished inn with good food, calming rooms and the South Downs all around. Chichester, Petworth and Goodwood are close

In the glorious Howardian Hills, a homely cottage with an open fire for chilly nights and a lovely, country-style kitchen filled with light

A beguiling retreat for a couple or a family of four – feel cosy and secluded in a thatched cottage close to the coast

Nature lovers will be tempted to this gem of a village cottage in the Duddon Valley – a truly peaceful slice of the Lakes

Glamour, warmth and style in a renovated wine warehouse in a cool quarter of Bordeaux - France’s most popular city after Paris

An ancient farmhouse transformed into a peaceful place to stay with lovely gardens, a swimming pool and delicious organic food

Two family-friendly gites with gardens and a big pool, surrounded by corn fields and sunflowers, ideal for a larger family to take together

Groups will love this 18th-century winemaster’s house and tower. There’s a hillside infinity pool, valley views and a private boulodrome

This is a superb base to explore the island's glittering bays, vibrant coastal cities, mountains, valleys and forests

High above the bay of Naples, this lovely B&B could be a Fellini film set. Romantic rooms are furnished with antiques, dinner is delicious

Gloriously green rural self-catering apartments with pool and lovely, friendly owners