Simple but stylishly furnished village house, terrific hill-top views, low-impact design, organic cooking and a hot tub; utterly peaceful

A most enchanting and welcoming Provençal mas sitting in acres of private parkland with woods, meadows and a small lake for magical stays

A taste of old Italy in this off-the-beaten-track rustic house on three levels, exquisitely restored and with elegant designer furnishings

A renovated barn, part stone, part wood, resembling the tobacco barns of the area with beautiful grounds surrounded by farmland

In a leafy, peaceful part of Frome - a very civilised bolthole for two. A big garden is yours to share, friendly owners live next door

Traditional and modern, verging on the opulent. Find a stone-flagged tap room for walkers, top modern food and Chatsworth-perfect bedrooms

In pretty Vernon, a peaceful and comfortably large townhouse with roses rambling around the door

Sweep along the gravel drive through lawns and specimen trees to this elegant manor house with 17th-century roots

Historic and impeccably presented apartment in charming Stockbridge, a stroll from shops, restaurants and Botanic Gardens

A sturdy, spacious house with stunning views over the garden and ocean, originally built in the 1800s as one of a row of Coastguard cottages

In truffle, lavender and olive oil country, a dreamy wine château with terraced gardens, run by hosts whose happiness is infectious

Creative owners have made a gorgeous, arty space for couples or a small group of friends; good beaches and Salcombe are close

In château parkland, 10 minutes from Chinon, find books, beams and open spaces for three renovated houses, a delight for families

A very pretty old converted cart shed at the end of a track on an organic farm, surrounded by wildlife, birds and animals in the fields

A pretty retreat in the grounds of a romantic château – you have your own walled garden, with terrace, pool and sunbathing area

There's a lovely relaxed feel to this rather grand house, garden, ponds and orangery. Ashley and Amanda are easy-going hosts

Delightful, rustic retreat for families, romantic couples and singles. Food, views and owners are lovely

5 houses near Siena to make design-lovers happy; come for the rural solitude of ancient stone farm buildings with urban interiors