One of the loveliest houses in a very lovely village. Pretty rooms have parquet floors and white walls, the food is a delight

Light-filled gites share a lovely pool, with pétanque, ping-pong and bikes to borrow – bring friends and take all three

Bring boots, maps, your dog and an appetite for high places and deep comfort in this restored farm conversion

An elegant manor house with pretty bedrooms, pool and large grounds. Nathalie looks after you with ease and sets you up with big breakfasts

A scented garden, delicious local delicacies and those coastal landscapes. This place is a sensory feast

Location, location, location - you can't beat it, so look past the dated kitchen and bathrooms and enjoy this light, bright, coastal home

Rustic, sophisticated, relaxed, charming… ancient Follonico is all these things, and gazes on the loveliest hills in Tuscany

Three lovely places to stay - come for much charm, peace, sunsets, infinity pool, sauna and gym in this history-steeped countryside retreat

A chalet-with-everything: great mountain style, space and comfort with views of Mont Blanc, a sauna and bubbling hot tub

Tour the cellars or wander the history-rich château and grounds. A truly pretty place

A neat, recently restored townhouse inside Panicale's medieval walls with plenty of space and everything within walking distance

Two grand stone houses in tranquil parkland with a heated pool, potager and plenty of space for groups. Chickens and charm included

A converted 18th-century chapel in the heart of Bruton with an all-day restaurant, in-house bakery, wine store and south-facing terrace

The central part of a much larger building in a 17th-century hamlet with bright, spacious rooms, shared pool and glorious private gardens

A treat in any season, a place to stir your soul, yield to nature and learn how to play again - with a pretty fine roost to come home to

Wonderful views of the Cantabrian Sea, locally sourced food and fine bedrooms at a boutique hotel on the Asturian coast

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

Swim with frogs in the freshwater pool, breakfast in the sunshine, play boules by moonlight. Châteaux don't get much more rural