Once a shooting lodge, this stand-alone big building was part of a medieval estate and you can still see the grassy mount and dungeon tower

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

An elegant townhouse, built in 1830 and once the sous-préfecture for Rochefort, with spacious, light-filled rooms and a garden with pool

Starry skies, wild beauty and total peace are yours in these sustainable, solar-powered eco-lodges

An 1820s beach house just 50 metres from the pretty sands and a first-floor deck for al fresco meals with stunning views over the water

Laid-back hosts, delicious breakfasts and a staggering sense of history in peaceful Welsh countryside - magical place for a special occasion

A fortified castle in parkland, built mostly in the 1300s on the Montbazens plateau, near to the stunning Averyon gorges

An exquisitely restored 500-year-old inn, where the accent is very much on food, reared and grown nearby and with very comfortable rooms

Light-filled chalet in a small hamlet just outside Châtel. Feast on superb breakfasts before heading out to explore the Portes du Soleil

High in the Tuscan hills, at the end of an avenue of cypresses, surrounded by parkland and acres of olives... a 13th-century dream

Gorgeously rural pub with rooms nestled in a leafy Somerset valley: sweet bedrooms, fantastic menus, and charming owners. Dog friendly, too

Visit the walled city of Evora, have dinner with the friendliest hosts, pet the dogs & donkeys. Head out for culture, vineyards and menhirs

In peaceful walled gardens, this former convent is a quiet retreat just a stone’s throw from the Riviera coast and the best of Tuscany

Steeped in history and romance, with a great big sleigh bed and open fires, is this 14th-century defence tower above the river Tweed

Classic coaching inn in a bustling village offers restful rooms, real ales and the Cotswolds on your doorstep

Character and quirk in old and new design and furnishing – private terraces, a shared pool, great walking, cycling and wine-tasting

Outside a perfect bastide village, an elegant manoir for lazy days in the Dordogne, fabulous dinners and glorious gardens

The views are green, both cottages are homely and comfortable and the gardens have direct access to the riverbank footpath for walks