A comfortable and light-filled converted stone barn in the pretty Vendée, a quiet and rural spot but just half a mile from town

Come for a spot of indulgence, with seriously good food and wine, oodles to do in the courtyard, great bedrooms and a cool spa for a splurge

Beautiful B&B in idyllic setting, with natural salt water pool and plenty of relaxed communal spaces

A light and bright converted milking parlour in a rural idyll with a barbecue hut, a spa overlooked by horses and a shared hot tub

Glass-and-timber doors bathe you with light, gaze at big skies and the river Dart lapping. Sublime year round, it's one of our favourites

Inside, a grand cathedral ceiling, outside, wisteria-covered terrace and pretty pool. Atlantic sands, Cognac and La Rochelle are in reach

On the doorstop, Dovedale, Buxton, Chatsworth House... Come home to snooker, books, logs, a patio with views and masses of lovely space

A unique opportunity to switch off and unwind in a simple, historic cottage with a terraced, bucolic garden surrounded by wooded hills

Cool, airy villa with Lake Como glistening below. Beautiful terraces and garden, plunge pool - and chilled prosecco and cake to welcome you

Families and walkers will be happy at this unfussy seaside retreat with beaches down the road and coastal paths right by your door

A Renaissance farmhouse in a secret Welsh valley with a stunning garden. Sleep under soaring beams, enjoy peace and warm hospitality

Immaculate bedrooms, a rustic bar... but there’s more to this place than cool design. The service is superb and the food is lovely

Linger over a fine breakfast and olive grove valley view, borrow a bike, take to the Francigena pilgrim trail, explore medieval Anagni

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

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

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

Once a hunting lodge, this unique and authentic 18th-century architectural folly sits up a quiet tree-lined drive on the edge of the estate