Come to shed your city cares, eat wonderful local food, spend time in simple, authentic surroundings and remind yourselves about serenity

Inland Algarve, away from the crowds – this gorgeous house with pool and gardens is a haven for families and friends

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

Old wooden sleigh beds, check-clothed tables, log fires, a courtyard of centuries-old trees, a claw foot bath. Stacks of character

A honey-hued stone farmhouse or a stylish cottage – both are deep in delicious countryside with lovely walks by the rambling river

Two comfortably converted farm buildings, with a shared pool on a gentle south-east sloping vineyard with wonderful views

Elegant, charming home in leafy, peaceful garden - pâtisserie courses and good dinners. Champagne vineyards and historic Provins are nearby

Wooded, lakeside retreat for 1 or 2 – big windows, huge terrace, wood-burner, wide screen. The Jurassic coast a cross-country walk away

An elegant solution to a hotel - no rooms, but 13 charming villas in the heart of the maquis, nearly all with a private pool

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

You get the best of all worlds here. Delicious beds, Provençal soaps, vineyard views, fresh croissants a stroll away…

Get away from it all in 'old' France, where melons taste like melons & hikes start from the door. This rural bolthole is a serious treat

Charming hosts, ample bedrooms and memorable dinners... deeply authentic and super special. You'll adore Hotel Coutettaz and long to return

Dreamy, languid beauty at this spacious, airy, arty house with garden and pool in typical Pugliese countryside

A stylish, refined 17th-century house off a quiet street with its own garden and lots of generous surprises, a short hop to everything

Unwind here with wine tours, tastings, long walks, bird watching, cycling, or just chilling.Sleep peacefully, feel at home

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

A lovely big house with huge riverside gardens and an easy-going charm – a 15-minute walk from bookish Hay-on-Wye