Grand, elegant, sumptuous – a bucolic bolthole for happy holidays in much comfort, with stunning green views to lake and deer park

This 300-year-old Cotswold pub, the hub of picture-book Sapperton from which there are glorious walks, is a superb place to eat and stay

Cast yourselves away to this beautiful island and a bright, spacious apartment with a rooftop terrace bang in the middle of the town square

Simple and rustic, this early 1700s farmhouse has warmth and charm, surrounded by countryside in the Perche

A stately retreat, an oasis of calm and beauty. Picnic on the lawns, enjoy a glass of home-produced prosecco beneath a centuries-old tree

Traditional Provencal farmhouse with a large garden and a swimming pool. Historic villages with markets and great restaurants close by

Classic crofter’s cottage with a minimalist chic makeover - soft colours, designer lighting - surrounded by peace; a romantic hideaway

An absolute peach of an apartment on the first floor of this iconic building with stunning views over the harbour and St Michael's Mount

A pretty stone single-storey house, now renovated beautifully into a comfortable hideaway with wonderful views to woodland and river

A honey-hued family home clad with vines and roses with a swimming pool and heaps of space – perfect for families

Two cottages for couples: one more traditional, the other fresh and modern, both comfortable and romantic and there's a good pub next door

A confident style for this mid-19th-century house, with a Mediterranean garden, elegant terrace and pool, a stroll from the historic centre

Explore country markets, churches and châteaux - return to a gite in private parkland with an artist's studio on site, and a blissful pool

Two lovely old cottages, part of the 1700 stable block on the St Giles estate, with 5,000 acres to roam, for walkers and peace seekers

A light and bright converted milking parlour in a rural idyll with a barbecue hut, a spa overlooked by horses and a shared hot tub

A richly atmospheric elegance infuses this fire-warmed inn. Venison from the park, crab from Cromer, walkers and dogs happy in the bar

Come for very comfortable B&B suites with garden views in a converted 1880s barn with its own charming sitting and dining rooms

Fabulous bakes and hot waffles at breakfast, green fields all around and Normandy steeped in history. Great for foodies and historians