A foodie and friendly reinvigorated old pub, with floor to ceiling estuary views. Bring the dog and hit the coastal path

View-filled apartments in Ortigia, the heart of Siracusa. Immerse yourself in the blue of the Ionian Sea; walk to culture, shops and restaurants

Explore country markets, churches and châteaux - return to a gite in private parkland with an artist's studio on site, and a blissful pool

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

A sylvan hideaway tucked into the hills of the Southern Alps, full of Provençal charm inside and out – Saint-Cézaire and the coast are close

After a day touring châteaux, return to this pretty, very comfortable cottage with private terrace and a garden filled with birdsong

A traditional cottage in Polruan on the Fowey estuary with harbour and cove views and a tea shop and two pubs in the village

Once a shooting lodge, this stand-alone big building was part of a medieval estate and you can still see the grassy mount and dungeon tower

A small, quirky country house hotel with lovely staff, pretty rooms and heavenly food served in a pillared dining room

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

Come for Tudor beams, a sunny roof terrace and the bustle of Lewes in this beautifully restored coaching inn

Surrounded by delightful gardens, these gîtes are serene retreats from which you can discover the Dordogne, or gently unwind

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

Your own apartment in a listed manor house with lovely light rooms and stunning grounds with views over farmland to the coast and Lundy

A botanical beauty deep in the Loire Valley, this elegant house has history and heart in abundance

A pretty stone single-storey house, now renovated beautifully into a comfortable hideaway with wonderful views to woodland and river