A cosy bolthole near Paris's best museums, monuments and churches. A peaceful sleep and simple buffet breakfast set you up for sightseeing

In glorious rural Umbria, a spacious old farmhouse with magnificent views of mountains and Lago Trasimeno, rustic décor and a lovely pool

A 200-year-old village house surrounded by vineyards. Light-filled interiors, lots of art, a garden and your own sparkling pool

Come for good architecture, thoughtful design and much space for relaxing: swimming, massages, hammam and sauna, beautiful bedrooms

This stately-looking former manor house set back from the road in acres of gardens serves very good food and has rustic-chic bedrooms

A beguiling retreat for a couple or a family of four – feel cosy and secluded in a thatched cottage close to the coast

A luxurious eco-retreat plus extra room in the Space Conker in private woodland with views to the Chaîne des Aravis and Mont Blanc

Everything you need is here: a wood-burner for winter, a pool and spacious terraces for summer, and peace and beauty all year round

An 18th-century listed cottage in a pretty terrace with a private courtyard garden and pond, just a short walk from the high street

Just below the Tuscan town of Massa Marittima, an agriturismo loved by sporty types and families, with wonderful food on site

B&B rooms, some with kitchenettes, in a lush garden setting with a river running behind. The pretty village is on your doorstep

Hike the Wild Boar Fells, get cosy at home with books, games and DVDs, and meet the farm’s hens, cows and sheep

High in the heavenly hills is this very smartly converted farm building, with underfloor heating, much glass, wood and exposed brickwork

Remote and rural, this cosy cottage is a slice of Welsh heaven, with plenty to do and see just a short drive away

Magical for nature lovers, with wraparound views to the coastline of Skye. Inside: warmth, luxury and not a whisper from the wildest gale

An 18th-century converted barn with lofty beamed ceilings, exposed stonework, handmade oak windows and much art – pretty garden too

Swing off the main road through the village, up into the hills along a narrow track and through a gate, observed by curious sheep