A peaceful and unpretentious spot for a digital detox with long walks up on the moors and fabulous views from the top

A beautiful little collection of trulli near the Valle d’Itria – restored with flair and with gardens, woods and pool

Grand and old and filled with history, the estate and such a pretty house are a tonic, as are the well-tended grounds and parkland

Bedrooms have seersucker linen, doors open to the countryside and Beaune is a hop away. David and Niels ensure a memorable stay

A charming renovated stone gîte only 15km from Bergerac with a large outdoor pool, pretty gardens and walks and cycle rides from the door

Comfortable apartment steeped in Breton history, in a beautifully renovated gabarier’s house overlooking the marine estuary

Your own private suite in the wing of a traditional Burgundian winemaker's house in a tiny hamlet, surrounded by fields of vines

This secluded New Forest inn is a magnet for families in summer: a good pint and the log fire make it a superb winter hideaway too

Find history and splendour in bucketfuls on this huge, friendly, wooded domaine. A winning combination of modern luxury and ancient peace

Ease yourself into a rather more gracious lifestyle from this sweet retreat on a historic estate with gorgeous walled gardens

Blissful views to vineyards and mountains from this faithful reproduction of a 16th-century manor. Eat well, hike, bike, sauna and swim

Stunning, spacious 3-storey converted mill with stylish bedrooms. Cook just-caught brown trout from the river, eat at a hand built oak table

A soothing, deeply romantic bolthole with simple interiors and its own little private garden, next to a winery and surrounded by vineyards

An immaculately restored old inn with generous bedrooms, great food, ale and wine. Locals love it as much as those who make it a destination

A 17th-century townhouse sitting on a quiet side street with lots of original features and a west-facing patio screened by vines and lemons

An exquisite Provençal home for a large party, hidden behind grand gates in a small village surrounded by the pine-scented Alpilles

Ease into a slower way of life from this beautiful Tuscan farmhouse surrounded by vineyards in the valley below medieval Montepulciano

A grand place for up to 12 adventurous souls and the young at heart: swim, bob in a boat, hike and cycle or simply revel in the greenery and peace