A fascinating place steeped in history and abuzz with prize-winning winery activity. Plus rustic cottages, golf, a restaurant and 2 pools

Peaceful Highland hideaway on a wooded lochside: spy dolphins and otters, stargaze, and soak up the deep silence

Peace, space, nature in the Champagne-hugged Somme valley - and home-grown, organic meals with generous French hosts. Family-perfect

An airy converted barn with beautiful woodwork and countryside views. Reach riverside restaurants and St Malo within a 15-minute drive

Set off on blissful walks, trek home to crumpets and tea. There’s no better place to escape the 21st century than rural Devon

Gorgeous thatched country cottage bolthole for two - perfect for a romantic escape - bring the pooch and explore Somerset

A lodge and a cottage on an ancient wine estate, thoughtfully and eco-consciously converted with private outdoor spaces and a saltwater pool

In an outstanding area for lovers of food and wine, here are 3 beautiful boltholes in the Alto Douro, the oldest wine region in the world

A Regency farmhouse sitting in a wrap-around garden with views to mountain and sea for wonderful walking, cycling and swimming

With breathtaking views of the hills above Nice, a splendid villa with big bedrooms, shimmering infinity pool, and generous, fun owners

Find a stunning entrance hall and quirky interiors at this colourful and comfortable 1890 olive mill sitting pretty in the National Park

Come down to the Meon Valley and be (very gently) nudged towards a better way of living - a Sawday's Community Champion

Spoiling bedrooms, good food, warm staff and the South West Coast Path tempting you from the doorstep. You and your dog will love it here

In a hamlet in the Loire countryside is a friendly estate with a family-sized gite, a shared saltwater pool and heaps of old-world charm

An 18th-century limestone barn, now a quiet hideaway for a group of friends or family in a very rural spot surrounded by fields and woods

Beautifully designed timber cabins in the Black Mountains, right next to a lovely old inn serving good, honest food from their own farm

Cast yourselves away to this beautiful island and a bright, spacious apartment with a rooftop terrace bang in the middle of the town square

Come for the utter silence and the rare beauty of this far north-westerly landscape, teeming with wildlife. An antidote to city life