Spacious rooms and a cosy apartment a stone’s throw from Avignon’s historic sights. Retire to the heated pool after a busy day sightseeing

Foodies and sociable souls will enjoy this lively B&B in a pretty honey-coloured stone cottage with a garden and a very friendly owner

The Gautiers have the finest sense of how to treat guests: dreamy bedrooms, fantastic food & the pool beneath the orange trees is a delight

Proper village pub with much-praised food and cosy rooms; country walks lead from the door and Oxford is half an hour away

You’ll feel nicely independent in this spacious open-plan hideaway surrounded by colourful gardens and Corscombe valley views

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

Burrowed into the olive groves of the lush Valle d’Itria, a restored masseria with five trulli, an indoor and outdoor pool, hot tub and lovely views

Come down to the Meon Valley and be (very gently) nudged towards a better way of living - a Sawday's Community Champion

A stylish, thoughtful and impressive place for a family holiday, in a dreamy Charentais landscape with the odd sheep to keep you company

Rabid fans of smashing city breaks will flock to this oasis with gorgeous garden and pool in a quiet residential street near a big park

Up in the hills, with Hay Bluff towering beside, this old stone house is sheltered in the valley with the brook rushing past to a waterfall

A rustic haven in Vouvray wine country: bask on sun beds near the elegant pool, cosy up to the wood-burner, relax in your beautiful bedroom

A really friendly French family home, steeped in history and tradition with delicious home-grown food, a lovely garden and peaceful pool

A large, pretty garden and cider orchards surround this neat-as-a-pin restored barn with an open-plan feel, high ceilings and exposed beams

Grand, elegant, sumptuous – a bucolic bolthole for happy holidays in much comfort, with stunning green views to lake and deer park

The perfect country cottage made of pretty Quercy stone, with generously sized rooms and outside dining with gorgeous rural views

A captivating place for couples and families with fabulous views, pool and foodie hosts. River water sports, markets and vineyards near

On the side of a hill in the little-known Marche, a happy young farmhouse with an elegant saltwater pool, and wonderful meals from Kelda