A B&B with a soul, walks to thrill the heart. In these peaceful hills northwest of Como, views challenge you to keep your eyes on the road

Get away from it all in 'old' France, where melons taste like melons & hikes start from the door. This rural bolthole is a serious treat

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

Victorian almshouse with architectural pedigree, sweeping countryside views and easy access to charming local towns

Simple rooms on a spotless farm, delightful hosts, delicious fruit tarts at breakfast on Sundays. The perfect stopover en route to Calais

Stay a while... lulled by lapping sea and fragrant hanging gardens - cool, light, balconied, classic, intimate, unpretentious

Apartments with a designer touch in a peaceful, evocative setting; private gardens, intimate terraces, infinity pool, stunning lake views and a gourmet restaurant

A beautifully converted building, part of an old mill, now a gorgeous place to stay with the stream running through and shared parkland

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

Encircled by wild dales and rugged fells, this spoiling cottage cocoons you in countryside peace with the added fun of a sauna in the garden

Characterful mansion in west Wales set in 10 acres of greenery with a lake; glorious beaches and good restaurants are a short drive away

A spiritual, rustic retreat for nature-lovers, writers, artists. In protected woodland, well away from bustle, close to the lapping river

A gorgeous big old house on a farm in a very quiet part of Wiltshire - the undiscovered North Wessex Downs, filled with wildlife and an AONB

A beautiful villa, a cabin, hut and a loft on the sunny side of the harbour and a stroll from the beach. Faultless finds!

A hideaway for two on an old farm, gifted to The National Trust for Jersey, with a pretty walled garden and circled by verdant countryside

A stylish mountain chalet under the watchful gaze of Mont Blanc, with a private chef, hot tub and sauna

A magical medieval castello, gloriously gothic with tower, moat and ghost, fit for a Shakespearian play.

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