A beautiful rural escape for couples or families with the delights of the Cotswolds all around. Dogs very welcome too

Taste the wine, plunge into the granite pool, play billiards in the library, linger outdoors as swallows swoop – eat delicious local dishes

A comfy cottage for two in the quiet, leafy outskirts of Aix with easy access to the city and a kind, attentive owner nearby

Come for huge skies, birds and wildlife, rare flora and fauna, precious pingo ponds and a comforting retreat from the hectic whirl

Style, comfort and tranquillity combine in a lovely B&B near Bergerac. Sleep in elegant four-poster beds, breakfast on the sunny terrace…

Welcome to an immaculate house on the Isle of Skye. Relax in the sauna, relish the hamper, linger over the barbecue with a fabulous view

Comfort, warmth and thoughtful breakfasts at this informal, friendly B&B, sitting in a lush spot between the mountains and the sea

Two comfortably converted farm buildings, with a shared pool on a gentle south-east sloping vineyard with wonderful views

Converted stables on a fruitful and beautiful estate with gardens, sculpture walks, wildflower meadows and a farm-to-fork restaurant

A calm, leafy bolthole in one of Paris' most elegant districts. Step out to stylish boutiques, good bakeries – and the Eiffel Tower

Great design along with much comfort and warmth an hour from Inverness airport, but a world away from the city and with stunning views

Gather your loved ones and come for colourful, exuberant interiors, an absolutely gorgeous covered veranda and a pool with moveable floor

A grand-looking stone building with fabulous views across the Derwent Valley from the terrace and garden – find quirky rooms and great food

Glorious, thoughtful food, ales and wines using 'as much good stuff they can lay their hands on' at this restaurant with lovely rooms

Gorgeously restored villas with breathtaking views. Chill out on the terrace, sample the owner’s homemade wine, and the wood-fired pizza!

Traditional accommodation and organic food; handy for Bari but set peacefully in the countryside near Toritto, famed for its almonds

Superbly comfortable house with beamed rooms, lovely views, club-like morning room, antiques, terrace, pool, fitness centre and lily pond

Come for a sense of complete peace surrounded by country and coast with wonderful interiors to boot – a bolthole for two (plus two)