Fire up the BBQ, watch the sunsets, stroll to one of the best stretches of coastline in the world. Bliss for walkers, birders and escapees

Full of country-hideaway chic, this special holiday home is in one of the loveliest parts of the Var, surrounded by 10 private acres

A gorgeous house, beautifully refurbished in contemporary style, with chic interiors and a swimming pool in a sublime English garden

A lovely spot in an AONB for this bright and airy converted barn, one of four round a gravelled courtyard on a 600-acre estate

With incredible views across to distant hilltop towns, olive groves and buzzing bees, this elegant farmhouse has bags of charm

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural

Sumptuous suites arranged around a sunny internal courtyard inside an ancient monastery - an intimate sanctuary for those who seek comfort

Charming half-timbered house at the start of the Alsace wine route, with spacious rooms, tempting breakfast and a swimming pool

Leave crowds behind for this charming stone farmhouse in the olive groves of rural Umbria – bring friends and have it all to yourselves

Friendly inn close to Glastonbury. Locals come for breakfast, there's a lively bar and excellent bedrooms, some with a bath in the room

A charming white-washed house with a pool & lovely hillside views from the terrace: sleep out here under a star-studded sky on warm evenings

A shady terrace runs the full length of this old barn, overlooking magnificent trees and fields of sheep. Riberac is a 10-minute drive

There’s a calm feel to this three-storey cottage, close to the centre of Bridport and the beach. Great for families, walkers and dogs

In deep countryside, an expertly renovated 15th-century chapel on the banks of the Lot – a serene spot near vibrant towns

A welcoming retreat with lofty rooms, a sunny garden and the perfect plunge pool. Come for slow days and wine country adventures

Find a stunning entrance hall and quirky interiors at this colourful and comfortable 1890 olive mill sitting pretty in the National Park

An old farm worker's cottage, niftily done up and nicely remote, with walking and fishing on the doorstep, four miles from Hadrian's Wall

Come for a village feel, rural peace and boundless Portuguese countryside at this charming whitewashed home with a super terrace with views