Year-round Alpine fun at this peaceful home a short hop from the peaks with calm bedrooms, delicious breakfasts and mountain views

In the Welsh Marches, down winding lanes, a delightful refurbished hop pickers' house - romantic bolthole for 2. Friendly owners, too

Come for the utter silence and the rare beauty of this far north-westerly landscape, teeming with wildlife. An antidote to city life

Laze in the pool, nibble olives from the market, gaze over Provence. Inside, English meets classic French. Fabulous for families

Two cottages which can be taken together, in wing of a warm yellow 1927 house. Charming owners, beautiful grounds and breathtaking views

A townhouse with a walled garden by the church in a peaceful village where friendly Scottish owners feed and look after you well

Warm interiors, pretty bedrooms and excellent breakfasts – good value in a very handy central spot

A fuss-free, informal place to stay with family - your own entrance straight from the garden and tasty breakfasts set up in a summer house

Light-filled retreat full of character and vintage finds, with handmade touches and farm-fresh produce on your doorstep

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

Come for sea air, independent shops, great places to eat and this quirky cottage with plenty of room and a sunny walled garden

Tucked down a private driveway, this restored 19th-century farm building offers superb breakfasts, well-dressed beds and a beautiful garden

In the shadow of a Norman château on the Cherbourg Peninsula, a cosy house for three with private parking and restaurants outside the door

Agriturismo at its best - delightful hosts, communal meals of superb home-grown food, homely rooms, a garden filled with fragrant flowers...

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

A luxurious springboard for the wineries, villages and treasures of south Tuscany in the magical Orcia valley - if you can bear to leave it!

In the beautiful Somerset hamlet of St Catherine, a cosy wooden cabin surrounded by fields and woods. Wonderful walks from the front door...

A super Georgian cottage with its own private garden, very comfortable bedrooms and acres of bird-filled grounds to explore