An adorable little 1800s cottage with a garden – simple, unpretentious and filled with the owner's colourful art on walls and lampshades

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

A sweet bolthole around a courtyard on a smallholding, extremely comfortable, bright and spacious inside and with a communal garden

A rare treat to find such a comfortable and cosy, dog-friendly place in exceptionally wildlife-friendly and sustainably managed grounds

Refurbished pub in a village high in the hills of the North York Moors, with stylish rooms and unpretentious food using quality ingredients

A warm and colourful B&B with generous owners, elegant bedrooms and an outdoor pool, in the heart of a pretty town near Toulouse

Your own cottage on a wine estate in a very beautiful part of the South Downs, famed for world-class sparkling wines

Stylish barn in the Slaughters – footpaths from the door, idyllic Cotswolds villages to explore. Head home for garden drinks and barbecues

Live in the lap of luxury in a 600-year-old regenerated farmhouse, enjoy fine fittings, great lighting, games, castle view and infinity pool

Airy, spacious, sunny. This Lot gîte is a delight: linen curtains, oak stair, sunny pool. Sarlat and painted caves are an easy venture away

An important spot for this grand 19th-century château on the banks of the Loire, steeped in history and with kind, erudite owners

A much-loved Tuscan villa restored to elegance: dinner on the terrace, frescoes, rose garden, a small spa…and Florence a 20-minute drive

A spacious, luxurious family retreat, remote but close to Audierne. Watch surfers shoot the waves as seagulls wheel above

Eschew the crowds for your own slice of bliss in this ancient hamlet with village green - self-catering with a hotel feel and dreamy pool

Birders will love escaping up here, golfers too - visit Hatfield House, Knebworth, Cambridge - come back to a good local pub and a comfy bed

An impressive, south-facing bastide on three floors with a sunny pool, lovely garden and grounds that stretch to vineyards and garrigue

Come for big skies, loch views, much wildlife, acres of forest and a charming wood-clad cottage from which to explore such a remote spot

A Cotswolds hideaway in a cottage on a farm, with space to roam for children, and glorious valley views