A botanical beauty deep in the Loire Valley, this elegant house has history and heart in abundance

Good bolthole with two terraces offering spectacular views over the historic town, and restaurants and bars a short stroll

An exquisite Provençal home for a large party, hidden behind grand gates in a small village surrounded by the pine-scented Alpilles

Agriturismo at its best - delightful hosts, communal meals of superb home-grown food, homely rooms, a garden filled with fragrant flowers...

A sprint from London: a Cotswolds pub modernised with sympathy and care. Happy staff, organic ales and food, gorgeous rooms

For escapists, wannabe writers and lovers of rural bliss: two boho hideaways for two (four at a squeeze) in this lush corner of Galicia

A beautifully restored townhouse in the heart of Amboise, steps from Leonardo da Vinci's last home and the great Château Royal

Ensconce yourselves in the Black Périgord and stay in the East Wing of a 16th-century castle with private garden and surrounding parkland

A stunner of a setting for this restored croft house with long views to a sparkling loch and a lively village nearby. Good beaches too

Feel at ease in a lovely old townhouse filled with pictures and personality and including a separate loft apartment

20 minutes’ walk from Gordes and a hop from Aix, find grownup peace and minimalism for lovers of modern style and timeless Provence

Welcoming and friendly place in a non-touristy area of the city within walking distance of the centre and with a fabulous roof terrace

Traditional Provencal farmhouse with a large garden and a swimming pool. Historic villages with markets and great restaurants close by

A hop to Montpellier, but deep in the countryside: a romantic pad, with Moroccan rugs, ochre-limed walls and bikes to ride into the country

An eco renovation of an 1800s gamekeepers cottage, now a charming place for couples or families to immerse themselves in nature

Gorgeous rooms and splendid breakfasts – for sybarites, history-lovers, cyclists and canoeists - bang in the middle of ancient Long Melford

Blissful views to vineyards and mountains from this faithful reproduction of a 16th-century manor. Eat well, hike, bike, sauna and swim

Unwind in elegant interiors and set out on long walks in beautiful countryside; Chichester and Winchester are near