Unspoilt Coverack has all you need for a fun beach holiday and this terraced fisherman's cottage on the coast path is cosy all year round

Settle into an unhurried pace of life on the coast. Comfortable houses and an eco-friendly garden; yoga, massages and riding can be arranged

Lovingly renovated farmhouse amid vines and sunflowers, deep in the Charente countryside - small pool in garden, beaches 45 minutes away.

Traditional bedrooms lie under the beams of this fascinating country mansion - a grand, hospitable B&B near St Malo and sand beaches

Tucked down an alley off the main road through Midhurst, this well-designed, generous-spirited little house exudes character and quirk

Explore from this picturesque village; hike, cycle or ride through beautiful nature. Lay your head in creative, comfortable rooms

Come with friends for a cookery course, or with the kids, and enjoy the creative feel of the place - and the food! Venice 40 mins by train

Come for plenty of space and wonderful views to the Pyrenees on clear days from this converted outbuilding in the grounds of a château

A stroll from the village, this comfy house in its terraced garden comes with a keen-cook's kitchen, a generous terrace and pool

Tucked at the bottom of a long track and surrounded by a gorgeous natural landscape, is this generous end-slice of a 17th-century stone farm

Lodge and gardens – superbly designed, immaculate, fresh, eco friendly – rest in unspoilt Picardy. Anglo-French hosts take turns to cook

Old beams and rich history: a dramatic setting for fireside chats, superb breakfasts (home-reared, baked, grown) - and Midsomer Murders

A contemporary rooftop room in a warmly civilised B&B filled with books and lovely things – stunning view too

Gather the clans and just come. It's lovely here among acres of wildlife-filled grounds – a Sawday's Community Champion

A destination for epicurians who also want exquisite surroundings and comfortable bedrooms. A charming garden too with a very French feel

A charming B&B in south Sardinia, near Cagliari: circled by palms and cypresses, overlooking sweet-smelling lemon & orange groves. Bliss

For walkers and lovers of wildly beautiful coastal country: two cosy old cottages and a bright, modern renovation in a cluster with others

A stone built 18th-century tower in a pretty valley dotted with fruit trees for quiet and relaxed days recuperating from life in the city