Elegance and ease mark this gentle group of Loire-Valley buildings, with soft-textured interiors and the owners’ fine hospitality and food

Enjoy so much space in this 18th-century paper mill with uncluttered interiors and surrounded by forests, rivers and lush countryside - yet only a stone's throw away from the local bastide towns

The wow factor is set to eleven at this magnificent château steeped in French history and surrounded by acres of land (and a moat)

A beautiful walled historical country house, surrounded by acres of farmland and citrus groves, with wine tastings and kind, charming owners

A swish and very generous eco barn with a wood-fired hot tub and a view-filled deck close to fabulous walking in the Dales or the Lakes

Romantics will love this small converted hut-on-a-hillside surrounded by pines and olives with stunning views over the old town and the sea

A converted 19th-century church in the Northumberland National Park with beautiful stained-glass windows and a restored tower

A period manor and pretty rooms in old stables: a quiet base for Pas-de-Calais and Picardie. Madame loves the house, animals, story-telling

You’ll fall in love with this ancient mas in a corner of paradise… climbing roses scent the air, chic open spaces are flooded with light

Enfolded in gentle Dorset hills and surrounded by trees, a perfect wooden hut for 2 near beaches, River Cottage HQ and many beautiful walks

A peaceful grown-up place circled by meadows and woodland with helpful owners next door – a superb spot to explore the south-west

A privilege to be able to stay within the famous gardens of magnificent Château de Courances. The painter's village of Barbizon is nearby

Unwind in a beautiful old mill house on the banks of the Célé river, surrounded by high limestone cliffs for outstanding walks and wildlife

A quirky, colourful house with views to the Aveyron river, green forests and stunning cliffs across the valley. A short stroll into town

A substantial old house, originally built in 1836 and recently renovated, for grand special occasions with stunning views and a hot tub

Charming 15th-century farmhouse near Montrésor and Loches with immense lawns, orchards and a fabulous pool

Comfortable, understated, spotless and authentic – a modest family hideaway on Brittany’s stunning Crozon Peninsula (think Land’s End...)

For walkers and lovers of wildly beautiful coastal country: two cosy old cottages and a bright, modern renovation in a cluster with others