Like staying in a family home, only with Henri III furniture and rolling green views. Energetic hosts cook, farm, hunt, chat over champagne

Relaxed country-chic worthy of a photo shoot at these beautifully turned-out apartments in deep countryside... gaze on heaven from the pool

A sweet little gîte for two in the centre of a dreamy medieval village. Happily private but with loads to explore from your door

A warm and colourful B&B with generous owners, elegant bedrooms and an outdoor pool, in the heart of a pretty town near Toulouse

Flop in a hammock and be lulled by Mediterranean scents and breezes, relax in an ancient Trullo – come here for raw beauty not for frills

Bask in the warmth of the owners at this chic 'maison de maître' in off-track Provence - 12km from lovely hilltop Gordes

An 18th-century townhouse restored with flair by former restauranteurs: come for colour, comfort and sublime dining

Fragrant gardens full of fruit trees, a lovingly renovated house just a few minutes’ walk from the village, and excellent breakfasts

Immerse yourselves in the heather-clad peaks, moorland, glens and diverse wildlife of the magnificent Pentland Hills Regional Park

Traditional house with a contemporary and imaginative interior; stroll to shops and restaurants, jump in the car to explore Provence

You’ll love Tintinhull Gardens, Montacute House, Ham Hill, the Prince of Wales pub... and this sweet, fresh, cosy, rustic cottage for two

Go with the slow - homemade delights, no plastic anything, few mod cons - just relaxed humorous hosts and a beautiful place

A light, spacious villa in the colonial style designed for easy indoor/outdoor living, with garden, pool and the beach just a short stroll

A classic period property right on the river, perfectly placed to explore the delights of nearby Marlborough

Jagged Dolomite peaks frame every view from this farmhouse with two neat apartments – come sun or snow, adventures in nature await

A quintessential Grade II listed thatched cottage with glorious gardens near a 13th-century church and surrounded by rolling hills

A romantic creekside cottage down a web of narrow lanes in a tumbling green valley – mess about on the water to your heart’s content

In the gardens of a laid-back country house, a barn with books, games, faded rugs and a grand piano – a treat for convivial families