Elegant, charming home in leafy, peaceful garden - pâtisserie courses and good dinners. Champagne vineyards and historic Provins are nearby

An L-shaped former farmhouse is now a gorgeous place to stay, just half an hour from the sea or the mountains and near interesting villages

Stay a while... lulled by lapping sea and fragrant hanging gardens - cool, light, balconied, classic, intimate, unpretentious

An entire literary estate on the Brittany coast, with a trio of restored houses, fabulous gardens and a private path to the beach

Music evenings, pop-up theatre nights and great food at the Sash brasserie. You’re just a stroll from shops and bars

Rustic, quirky and layered with history, this is an exquisite slice of traditional Sicilian life, with welcoming and generous hosts

Come to the wild Cévennes to hike, ride, kayak down the Hérault river – or just revel in your pretty, generous house, pool and garden space

Elegant farmhouse B&B. Drawing room with a log fire, generous breakfasts with home produce, cookery courses and friendly welcoming hosts

Two grand stone houses in tranquil parkland with a heated pool, potager and plenty of space for groups. Chickens and charm included

Near Mont St Michel, an 18th-century 'maison de plaisance' in historic grounds run by a charming family. Don't miss the table d'hôte!

A fine designer house and pool above the coastal hurly-burly and one of the loveliest coves in Spain, backing onto a nature park. Happy hols

Traditional and modern, verging on the opulent. Find a stone-flagged tap room for walkers, top modern food and Chatsworth-perfect bedrooms

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

A row of old brick stables now craftily converted into a light-filled and very peaceful place to stay with a garden room and gorgeous views

Refined B&B in a pretty forest setting just north of the French Basque country, with a lovely garden, a swimming pool and delicious food

Superb, all-organic agriturismo built of straw bales and offering wonderful home-grown natural food, a delightful family, great walking

A romantic little bolthole with a hot tub on the Penicuik Estate with well-thought-out interiors and dreamy views over pastures and woodland