Rare as a bird, a proper old fashioned French inn on the side of the road in a sleepy village, a restoration project for the new owners

Escape your cares here, move from terrace to terrace tracking the sun's progress and dive into the sea from your own swimming platform

A handsome old country manor house in the heart of the Loire castles surrounded by parkland, forests, lakes, small hamlets, vineyards and châteaux

A beautifully converted building, part of an old mill, now a gorgeous place to stay with the stream running through and shared parkland

A splendid supper à la carte (three courses) is included here, together with airy rooms and sweeping gardens. The Solway Firth is close

A striking modern villa tucked away off a small road above the Serchio valley with sparkling pool, gardens and Apuan mountain views

A 18th-century house with pool in a small town with friendly owners and a tropical garden of banana, fig and, of course, frangipani

A converted Victorian schoolhouse with a glorious oak bar, an impressive selection of gins, hearty food and attractive bedrooms

A delightful eco-friendly, off-grid bolthole in the Northumberland National Park with much comfort, massive views and in a Dark Sky area

Award-winning Aga-cooked breakfasts, scented candles, gorgeous beds... Come for a break from clock-watching and a spot of Shropshire air

Escape to this contemporary barn on a friendly farmstead with fern-fringed cliffs and walks galore on your door. Ask about ferry discounts

A thatched farmhouse only just over the channel near Rouen that’s well hidden in lush gardens, but worth finding for the gourmet food alone

Contemporary studio in a classic Cotswold village. Peaceful bolthole for creatives and walkers - with shops, cafés and pubs a stroll away

Immerse yourself in nature, wildlife, sustainability and slow food high up on the edge of a National Park

Up and away to a truly wild Welsh experience from this ancient stone house sitting on a ridge, with stunning valley and mountain views

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

Traditional B&B in a beautiful château bursting with history and surrounded by formal gardens, then farmland and two fine rivers