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

Foodies will love the irresistible cooking - along with local wine and a typically Tuscan setting. Bedrooms are pretty

Nature lovers will be tempted to this gem of a village cottage in the Duddon Valley – a truly peaceful slice of the Lakes

Rustic, sophisticated, relaxed, charming… ancient Follonico is all these things, and gazes on the loveliest hills in Tuscany

A converted barn for two, serenely comfortable and effortlessly stylish, near to North Devon's beaches and the wild beauty of Exmoor

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

A 17th-century Westmorland barn, fully renovated with a roomy living space and west-facing garden with views of High Street and Blencathra

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

A pretty little cottage in a holiday hamlet surrounded by fields, just a stone's throw from the coast and Binic for happy escapes

Built in the 1800s, a charming stone house on the Penicuik Estate with views over woodland and hills and calming, beautiful interiors

A 1750 one-storey former farm building, beautifully converted into a lovely hideaway for walkers, nature lovers and peace seekers

Come to recharge in the lovely Loire valley at this fine château surrounded by mature gardens and green countryside

In the heel of Italy’s boot, a spacious converted village mill, surrounded by citrus groves. Culture abounds & you’re close to the coast

A cosy cottage on a farm down a long winding track, wonderfully rural with footpaths across fields or along the canal

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

Gaze on Umbrian hills as the children play, watch the fireflies dance at night. Dine fabulously in Gubbio - or here. Sociable-family bliss

A delightful Arts & Crafts lodge house on a lovely estate sitting in a dramatic setting on the western flank of the Malvern Hills

An airy, art-filled house for groups of family or friends, with plenty of space, a secluded courtyard and pool near the beach