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

Breathe, relax in peaceful Provençal countryside: olives, lavender and budding fruit trees. Aix's lively markets are 10 minutes away

Choose the atmospheric early Georgian house or the garden bedrooms, all have views, Paul's welcome is genuine and his dinners delicious

In the shadow of a Norman château on the Cherbourg Peninsula, a cosy house for three with private parking and restaurants outside the door

On the riverside, a short walk into Godalming, this lovely 18th-century pub with a peaceful garden has beautiful bedrooms and inventive menus

Refined palazzo with a rooftop terrace near the historic centre of Ostuni. The Valle d’Itria region and the coast is on your doorstep

Walkers and wild-lifers, here is your place in the Pyrenees. Colour, character, a welcoming family, log fires and delicious home cooking

Tucked down a high-hedged lane on a working farm with gorgeous walks from the door and stunning views of the unspoilt Exe valley

Come to walk, cycle, fish and hunker down in style in front of the wood-burner - sleep in deep comfort in a lovingly converted barn

Friendly touches everywhere, terrific food and drink, smart bedrooms above the sparkling bar – dogs and children welcome

Ascot is a trot down the road and there's a really cosy, cottagey feel to this quaint 18th-century inn with great food and comfy bedrooms

Stylish apartment overlooking a vibrant market in the old city, with restaurants and historic attractions in easy walking distance

Lose yourselves in this picturesque castle, magical with its luxurious rooms and timeless atmosphere. Count and Countess are brilliant hosts

An elegant house with ancient roots and a shimmering pool – explore the Charente countryside, drive to lovely Angoulême

A country idyll in the hills. Only 15 mins from Faro, but all is peaceful: dip in the pool, sip a cocktail in the shade, book in for dinner

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

A surprisingly roomy interior for this pretty chocolate-box cottage in the middle of the village, just a ten-minute walk from Lulworth Cove

Spacious house with a big garden, a swimming pool and all home comforts; the beach and good restaurants are less than 10 minutes away